History:
"PSM" means "pistolet samosarjadnij malogabaritnij", which means "selfloading pistol of small dimensions".
In 1973 the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant began producing the 5.45mm PSM small self-loading pistol developed by a group of Tula designers: Tikhon Lashnev, Anatoly Samarin and Lev Kulikov. Before designing the PSM pistol in 1969, they had already accumulated rich experience in developing sports and hunting weapons. The same group headed by Lashnev had developed a rapid fire sports pistol. Subsequently, they used its separate design features to create the PSM pistol.
The cartridge for the pistol was developed by Antonina Denisskaya, designer from the Precision Mechanical Engineering Central Research Institute.
Conceptually, the PSM is a pistol for concealed carrying. Owing to the overall dimensions and weight of this class of pistol they can be carried in clothing pockets without the holster. The designers of the cartridge-pistol complex, apparently inspired by the idea of creating a compact pistol possessing sufficient destructive power, had to develop a new and unique 5.45mm cartridge. In terms of overall dimensions, the 5.45mm MPTs pistol cartridge is virtually identical to the 6.35mm Browning pistol. In terms of muzzle energy, the cartridge surpasses the Browning cartridge by 1.2 to 1.5 times and is somewhat better than the rimfire high-velocity cartridge .22LR HV. In terms of specific energy (ratio of muzzle energy to bullet cross section area), the MPTs cartridge surpasses the 6.35mm cartridge 1.5 to 2 times and the .22 cartridge 1.1 times. This characteristic determines the depth of bullet penetration into soft tissue and penetrating effect. So for instance it is told, that the normal amount of kevlar-levels used in a protection vest was clearly blown through.
The pistol was primarily intended for army high command staff. However, owing to its insignificant dimensions, especially small thickness it soon became popular with security and law enforcement personnel. The PSM was also appreciated by higher echelon Party functionaries.
The great political changes in the world during the late 1980s and early 1990s led to the appearance of the Russian small pistol on the Western arms market. Drawing on the PSM standard pistol, enterprise designers developed an export version, the IZh-75. Bearing in mind the destructive criteria for weapons imported to the U.S.A., the enterprise developed the pistol, nicknamed Baikal-441 and chambered for the .25 ACP cartridge that is widespread in Europe and America. Version with or without adjustable rear side have been distributed.
The picture shows the .25 model for export.
Technical Datas:
SYSTEM: self-cocking pistol with mass system and external hammer
CARTRIDGES : 8
CALIBRE : .25 ACP ( or 5.45 x 18mm )
BARREL LENGTH : 85 mm , 10 grooves right hand twisting
WEIGHT EMPTY : 460 g
TOTAL LENGTH : 155 mm
TOTAL HEIGHT : 109 mm
TOTAL WIDTH : 20 mm
TRIGGER : Double Action
SIGHT : fixed
SAFETY : safety-lever
FINISH : blued
GRIPS : hard rubber coated metal