For many hundreds of years, Europeans considered precious stones to be the main treasures of India. But in fact, its main wealth has always been iron. Indian steel has been highly valued since the time of Alexander the Great and was used to produce the highest quality and most expensive weapons.

The famous centers of weapons production in the medieval East were Bukhara and Damascus, but... they received metal for it from India. It was the ancient Indians who mastered the secret of producing damask steel, known in Europe as Damascus. They also managed to tame and use elephants in battles, and just like their horses, they dressed them in armor made of chain mail and metal plates!

In India, several grades of steel of varying quality were produced. The steel was used to produce various types of weapons, which were then exported not only to the markets of the East, but also to Europe. Many types of weapons were unique to this country and were not used anywhere else. If they were bought, they were considered as a curiosity.

Chakra, a flat throwing disc used in India until the mid-19th century, was very dangerous in the right hands. The outer edge of the disk was razor-sharp, and the edges of its inner hole were blunt. When throwing, the chakra was vigorously spun around the index finger and thrown at the target with all its might. After this, the chakra flew with such force that at a distance of 20–30 m it could cut through the trunk of a green bamboo 2 cm thick. Sikh warriors wore several chakras on their turbans at once, which, among other things, protected them from above from a saber strike. Damask chakras were often decorated with gold notches and had religious inscriptions on them.

In addition to ordinary daggers, the Hindus very widely used the katar - a dagger with a handle perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. At the top and bottom there were two parallel plates, ensuring the correct position of the weapon and at the same time protecting the hand from someone else’s blow. Sometimes a third wide plate was used, which covered the back of the hand. The handle was held in a fist, and the blade was like an extension of the hand, so the blow here was directed by the stronger muscles of the forearm, rather than the wrist. It turned out that the blade was an extension of the hand itself, thanks to which they could strike from various positions, not only standing, but even lying prone. The Cathars had both two and three blades (the latter could stick out in different directions!), they had sliding and curved blades - for every taste!

Madu. A very original weapon was a pair of antelope horns, which had steel tips and were connected on one handle together with a guard to protect the hand, with points in different directions.

Nepal was the birthplace of the kukri knife, which has a specific shape. It was originally used to cut a path through the jungle, but then found its way into the arsenal of the Nepalese Gurkha warriors.

Not far from India, on the island of Java, another original blade was born - the kris. It is believed that the first kris were made in Java by a legendary warrior named Juan Tuaha back in the 14th century. Later, when Muslims invaded Java and began to persistently spread Islam there, they also became acquainted with these weapons. Having appreciated these unusual daggers, the invaders began to use them themselves.

The blades of the first kris were short (15–25 cm), straight and thin, and were made entirely of meteorite iron. Later they were somewhat lengthened and made wavy (flame-shaped), which facilitated the penetration of weapons between bones and tendons. The number of waves varied (from 3 to 25), but was always odd. Each set of curves had its own meaning, for example, three waves implied fire, five were associated with the five elements, and the absence of curves expressed the idea of ​​unity and concentration of spiritual energy.

The blade, made of an alloy of iron and meteorite nickel, consisted of several repeatedly forged layers of steel. What gave the weapon special value was the moiré-like pattern on its surface (pamor), formed when the product was treated with plant acids, so that the grains of stable nickel stood out clearly against the background of deeply etched iron.

The double-edged blade had a sharp asymmetrical extension near the guard (ganja), often decorated with an incised ornament or a patterned notch. The handle of the kris was made of wood, horn, ivory, silver or gold and was carved, with a more or less sharp bend at the end. A characteristic feature of the kris was that its handle was not fixed and easily turned on the shank.

When gripping a weapon, the curve of the handle was placed on the little finger side of the palm, and the upper part of the guard covered the root of the index finger, the tip of which, together with the tip of the thumb, squeezed the base of the blade near the bottom of the ganja. The tactics for using kris involved a quick thrust and pull. As for the “poisoned” kris, they were prepared very simply. They took dried dope seeds, opium, mercury and white arsenic, mixed everything thoroughly and crushed it in a mortar, after which the blade was covered with this composition.

Gradually, the length of the kris began to reach 100 cm, so that in fact it was no longer a dagger, but a sword. In total, in Southeast Asia to this day there are more than 100 varieties of this type of weapon.

Kora, Khora or Hora is a heavy striking sword from Nepal and northern India, used for both martial and ritual purposes. Martial and ritual kora are very similar, only the sacrificial sword is wider and heavier. It has a very heavy flared pommel, as it must add weight to the blade and decapitate the sacrificed animal in one blow. The kor blade has a characteristic duck's foot profile, thin near the hilt, with a blade flaring towards the tip with a slightly curved blade. The massive blade has a curved shape, sharpened on the inside. Sometimes a fuller is used in the form of a wide groove located along the entire length of the blade and replacing the rib. The presence of several edges allows you to strike with different parts of the sword. The total length of the sword is 60-65 cm, the length of the blade is 50 cm. The guard is ring-shaped, made of metal and has the shape of a disk. Often the guard is placed both on the side of the blade and on the side of the pommel, and protects the hand on both sides.
The kora is usually decorated with an eye symbol or other Buddhist symbolism, which is placed on each side of the blade. Sheath made of genuine leather. There are two types of kor sheaths: a scabbard adapted to the shape of the sword, unfastened by means of buttons located along the entire length of the sheath. In another version, the large sheath looks like a carrying case. There is a kora model with a longer and lighter blade.

Sword puttah bemoh
A two-handed sword or epee with a long narrow straight blade and two handles separated by guards in the shape of crosses or cups. It was first mentioned in the 16th century treatises “Nihang-nama” and “Nujum al-Ulum”. Several copies of such swords have survived. One of them has a total length of 165 cm and a blade length of 118 cm. The handle is divided into two parts, each of which is equipped with a cup-shaped guard. The blade is quite narrow, similar to a sword blade.
It is believed that these swords arose in the 16th century, perhaps under the influence of the German Zweihanders, and were later replaced by Khanda weapons. However, the mel puttah bemokh has an important difference from European two-handed swords - a narrow and relatively light blade, which was not so effective for delivering slashing blows.

In general, the edged weapons of India and the lands close to it were extremely diverse. Like many other peoples of Eurasia, the national weapon of the Hindus was a straight sword - the khanda. But they also used their own types of sabers, which were distinguished by a relatively slight curvature of the wide blade, starting from the very base of the blade. Excellent forging masters, the Indians could make blades that had a slot on the blade, and pearls were inserted into it, which rolled freely in it without falling out! One can imagine the impression they made as they rolled into the slots on an almost black blade made of Indian damask steel. The hilts of Indian sabers were no less rich and elaborate. Moreover, unlike the Turkish and Persian ones, they had a cup-like guard to protect the hand. It is interesting that the presence of a guard was also typical for other types of Indian weapons, including even such traditional ones as a mace and a shestoper.

Talwar - Indian saber. The appearance of the talwar is typical for sabers - the blade is of medium width, slightly curved, sharpening can be one and a half, but this is not necessary. There are variants of the talwar both with and without elmanya. There may be a fuller on the blade of the talwar, but most often it is not there. In some cases, the valley may even be end-to-end; movable balls made of various materials are sometimes inserted into it.
The main difference between the talwar and other sabers is, first of all, its disc-shaped pommel of the hilt. Also, this saber must have a “ricasso” (heel), even if it is small. The length of the blade can be from 60 to 100 cm, width - from 3 to 5 cm. The handle of the talwar is straight, with a thickening in the middle, and is designed exclusively for one hand. The disc-shaped pommel prevents the weapon from being lost and gives this saber a unique look. It is often richly decorated, as are the hilt and guard. The latter can have either a straight shape, or an S-shaped or D-shaped one.
The ornaments decorating the talwar usually contain geometric shapes, images of animals and birds. On the weapons of the rich you can see inlay with precious stones or enamel.

The Talwar has been around since the 13th century and was a very popular weapon in northern India. Especially among the Rajputs, representatives of the Kshatriya caste, who used these weapons right up to the 19th century.
In addition to military, the talwar also has a certain sacred purpose. According to mythology, it is one of the ten weapons of the gods, with the help of which the forces of good fought against demons and other evil.

Pata or puddha is an Indian sword with a long, straight, double-edged blade that is connected to a gauntlet, a steel guard that protects the arm up to the elbow.

Pata is a combination of a straight, double-edged sword and armor protection for the forearm and hand. The blade fits into a protective cup with a handle inside. The pat has a handle perpendicular to the blade, just like a katar, but there are several belts on the armor to secure the hand.
Pata blades were from 60 to 100 cm with a hilt width of 35-50 mm. The weight reached 1.5 - 2.2 kg. The pata blade was fastened with rivets to plates extending from the protective cup.
The pata cup covering the hand was often made in the shape of the head of an elephant, snake, fish or dragon. In this case, the blade extended from the open mouth like a huge tongue. Another popular cup shape motif is the mythical Yali lion swallowing an elephant.

Apparently, the pata developed at one time from the katar (Indian dagger), going through several modifications of the guard and becoming hypertrophied. First, a protective plate was added to the catarrh to cover the wrist, then it was connected to the side metal strips. This design gradually transformed into a “plate glove” that covered the arm up to the elbow. The “handle glove” could be of a skeletal type - made of metal crossed strips (probably earlier forms) or made in the form of the heads of mythical animals.
According to another version, it’s the other way around - in the beginning there was a stalemate, from which the Cathars originated by simplifying the design. But the truth is that both Qatar and Pata were in service during the same period of history.

Bhuj (also kutti, gandasa) is an Indian glaive-type weapon. It consists of a short handle (about 50 cm) connected to a massive blade in the form of a knife or cleaver. Thus, this weapon is similar to the short variants of the palm or dadao.
In the classic version, the bhuja blade was quite wide and had a one-and-a-half sharpening, while it was distinguished by a double bend: closer to the handle it was concave, and towards the tip it was curved, so that the tip was directed upward relative to the handle. Along the center of the blade, from the tip to the level at which the butt began, there was a stiffening rib. The handle was often made of metal (steel, bronze, copper), less often of wood. In some cases, the bhuj was accompanied by a scabbard, usually made of wood and covered with velvet.
Thanks to the massive blade, this weapon could deliver powerful slashing blows, which is why one of its names meant “knife-axe.” In addition, the junction of the blade with the handle was sometimes made in the form of a decorative elephant's head, which is where another name comes from - “elephant knife”.

The name "bhuj" is derived from the city of the same name in Gujarat, where this weapon originates. It was widespread throughout India, especially in the north. There were also rarer variants, for example, those that had a handle with a guard, or that had a different blade shape. A bhuj is also known, combined with a percussion pistol, the barrel of which is located above the butt of the blade; A stiletto is inserted into the end of the handle opposite the blade. In southern India, an analogue of the bhuja was used - the verchevoral, which had a concave blade and was used to cut through thickets.

Driven - a klevet used in India in the 16th - 19th centuries.
Its name comes from the Persian word meaning "crow's beak", since this was the shape of the warhead. The beak was made of steel in the form of a rather thin dagger blade, usually with a stiffening rib or fullers. The tip sometimes curved down towards the handle, in other cases the blade was straight. On the butt there was sometimes a decorative bronze figurine depicting, for example, an elephant. Less often, a small ax was made instead - such a weapon was called a tabar-driven one.

Mints of other types were less common. In particular, peckers with a round cross-section or faceted beak were in circulation. Quite exotic artifacts have also been preserved, one of which has 8 beaks at once, secured so that 2 were directed in each of the four directions, and ax blades are attached between them. Another specimen is similar to a tonga ax with a double forward-pointing tip.
The handle of the coins was made of wood or metal. Sometimes a stiletto could be inserted into the hollow metal handle on the opposite side of the combat part. These coins were one-handed weapons. Their total length ranged from 40 to 100 cm.

Haladi dagger.
The haladi had two double-edged blades connected by a handle. It was an attack weapon, although the slightly curved blade could easily be used for parrying. Some types of khaladi were made of metal, and were worn like brass knuckles, where another spike or blade could be located. These types of khaladi were perhaps the world's first three-bladed daggers.

Urumi (lit. - twisted blade) is a traditional sword, common in India in the northern part of Malabar. It is a long (usually about 1.5 m) strip of extremely flexible steel attached to a wooden handle. The excellent flexibility of the blade made it possible to wear the urumi concealed under clothing, wrapping it around the body.

In some cases, the length of such a sword could reach six meters, although one and a half meters can be considered the standard. Previously, such flexible swords were worn by assassins, remaining unnoticed for weapons. After all, this sword, as already mentioned, is very flexible, and can be wrapped around a belt.
A flexible sword is a rather dangerous weapon that requires martial arts. It can work both as a regular whip and as a sword. Interestingly, urumi can have more than one stripe, but several, which makes it a powerful and very dangerous weapon in the hands of a true master.
Wielding this sword required good skills. Due to the fact that the urumi was very flexible, there was a serious risk of self-harm for the owner. Therefore, beginners began training with long pieces of fabric. Mastery of urumi is included in the complex of the traditional South Indian martial art of Kalaripayattu.

Kalaripayattu, as a martial art, was developed in the second half of the 16th century, despite the prohibitions of the British colonialists, who feared the emergence of an uncontrolled fighting structure. But, despite the bans, schools continued to train Kalaripayattu fighters. The primary rule of martial art for a warrior was perfect control of his body. The battle took place in conditions of incessant movement, instant lunges and dodges, jumps, coups and somersaults in the air.
The Kalaripayattu fighter was armed with a saber or dagger, a trident or a pike with a steel tip. Some masterfully wielded a long, double-edged sword. But the most terrible weapon was the Urumi sword. Several flexible blades, sharp as a razor, about two meters long, extended from the handle. The fight could have ended in the first second, since Urumi's movement was completely unpredictable. One swing of the sword sent the blades to the sides and their further movement was unpredictable, especially for the enemy.

The complex oriental bow was also well known in India. But due to the characteristics of the Indian climate - very humid and hot - such onions are not widely used. Having excellent damask steel, the Indians made small bows from it, suitable for horsemen, and bows for infantrymen were made of bamboo in the manner of the solid wooden bows of English archers. Indian infantry of the 16th–17th centuries. had already quite widely used long-barreled matchlock muskets equipped with bipods for ease of shooting, but there were always not enough of them, since it was extremely difficult to produce them in large quantities during craft production.

A feature of Indian striking weapons was the presence of a guard even on poles and maces.

Very interesting were Indian chain mail with a set of steel plates on the front and back, as well as helmets, which were used in India in the 16th–18th centuries. often made from separate segmental plates connected by chain mail weaving. Chain mail, judging by the miniatures that have come down to us, had both long and short sleeves up to the elbow. In this case, they were very often supplemented with bracers and elbow pads, often covering the entire hand.

Over the chain mail, mounted warriors often wore smart, bright robes, many of which had gilded steel discs on the chest as additional protection. Knee pads, leg guards and leggings (chain mail or in the form of solid forged metal plates) were used to protect the legs. However, in India, metal protective shoes (as in other countries of the East), unlike the protective shoes of European knights, never became widespread.

Indian shield (dhal) from Rajasthan, 18th century. Made of rhinoceros skin and decorated with rock crystal umbons.

It turns out that in India, as well as in all other places, right up to the 18th century, the weapons of heavily armed cavalry were purely knightly, although again not as heavy as they were in Europe until the 16th century. Horse armor was also widely used here, or at least cloth blankets, which in this case were complemented by a metal mask.

Kichin horse shells were usually made of leather and covered with fabric, or they were lamellar or lamenar shells made of metal plates. As for horse armor, in India, despite the heat, they were popular until the 17th century. In any case, from the memoirs of Afanasy Nikitin and some other travelers, it can be understood that they saw cavalry there “entirely dressed in armor,” and the horse masks on the horses were trimmed with silver, and “most were gilded,” and the blankets were sewn from multi-colored silk, corduroy, satin and “Damascus fabrics”.

Bakhterzov armor for a war elephant, India, 1600

This is the most famous armor for the war elephant. It is on display at the Royal Armories in the English city of Leeds. It was made around 1600, and it arrived on the shores of Foggy Albion 200 years later.
Elephants fought in this armor in Northern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Today this is the largest elephant armor in the world, which is officially registered in the Guinness Book of Records.

Scale armor for a war elephant, India, 17-18 centuries

Metal plates are sewn onto a base, such as leather. Some of the plates are made of yellow metal, like tiles. Each plate overlaps several neighboring ones, which allows for stronger protection and thinner plates. Thanks to thinner and lighter plates, the weight of the entire armor is also reduced.

Plate armor for a war elephant

Amendments to the law “On Weapons”, which came into force on January 1 of this year, will please many weapons collectors. It would seem that such amendments are minor, but for most interested people they are very important. This is exactly the case when any comma decides the fate of a weapon. Remember? You cannot execute and pardon.

Legislative adjustments have brought weapons kept in private collections back into the legal field. Often it is in the old grandfather’s house in the attic or basement that a real treasure is preserved, which any museum will be delighted to acquire. Previously, such guns were simply hidden - God forbid someone finds out, they would immediately go to prison for possession. However, there was also slyness here; people did not want to bother with the official registration of weapons with history.

Now everything has become much simpler. The point here is this: if you want to have some kind of dueling pistol in your personal collection, have it. And in unlimited quantities. But you still have to formalize it. First you need basic registration of civilian weapons. But if previously historical trunks were strictly recorded, now they can be collected in any quantity. Before the adoption of this law, it was possible to have no more than ten historical trunks in private hands. If more, they should have been re-registered.

But there are, of course, limitations. These weapons must be identified in the museum collection.

That is, collectible weapons must be recognized as a historical exhibit. After such an examination, it no longer matters where and with whom, for example, a flintlock musket is stored. It is important that this is a historical relic. You no longer need to license it.

The law contains an important prohibition. It is absolutely forbidden to shoot from historical weapons. Basically. Even if someone rented this beautiful gun.

How does it usually happen? The historical reenactors club organizes a show battle, say, on the Borodino field. The case is very spectacular, important and useful. But if earlier it was possible in such performances to shoot from truly historical, that is, museum weapons, now it is not. You can show off, show off with him. But filling it with gunpowder and knocking out a spark - alas. Copy such a fusee (which is very expensive) and shoot. Now such specimens are of state value and will be protected. And reenactors will apparently have to make their own working copies of ancient weapons.

By the way, in some remote Siberian and Far Eastern villages, old-timers still use the so-called Sibirka or Suzgunka. There is a village in Siberia - Suzgun, where these weapons were made. There is a similar settlement of truly skilled people in Dagestan - Kubachi. Many people know this village as a place for the production of silver products - jewelry, dishes. But the main thing is that for almost a thousand years the best edged weapons in Eurasia were made here. Moreover, the “trick” is not only in the silver notch on the blade. Caucasian craftsmen knew how and still know how to make blades that have no equal in the world. And they are very expensive.

You cannot shoot from historical weapons. Even at costumed historical re-enactments

And in Suzgun they made high-quality firearms. These are muzzle-loading capsule shotguns. They began to be made in Russia when the Tsar allowed their commercial production.

The local residents really liked the loading scheme for such weapons. If necessary, you just need to bite off a piece of lead by eye (many people bit it off with their teeth, health allowed) - on a bird or larger animal, again, if necessary, pour out the gunpowder and insert the primer. All. It was necessary to operate it manually, gunpowder was poured into the barrel, and wads were driven in with a ramrod. In general, like Chingachgook. The main thing is dexterity and eye. Some local hunters still shoot from such guns. Some Siberian hunters believe that this is cheap and convenient - no shell casings are needed. Lead and gunpowder are consumed solely as needed, no more and no less. But now such “economical” shooting is illegal. It is impossible to register such a fusée, because there is no number on the barrel, and no identification marks at all. Moreover, the data in the police bullet casing file. Therefore, the new law requires such a trunk to be designated as a museum exhibit.

The law will designate these weapons as some kind of historical value. Moreover, in direct, that is, monetary terms. And, indeed, maybe it makes sense to sell the old flintlock gun and buy a modern smooth-bore gun?

These rifles from the times of the Great Patriotic War can be used to open blank fire if they are replicas. Photo: Alexander Demyanchuk / TASS

The meaning of the new law lies elsewhere - in the legalization of weapons collections. There are many of them, including in Russia. And they cost incredible amounts of money. You can argue that there is the most valuable thing in the caches of this or that tycoon - a jewelry collection, a collection of paintings, say, Flemish painting, or an ancient, but still military arsenal. It is known that some oligarchs consider it an honor to have a serious collection of trunks, blades and knightly armor.

Here's an example. Who remembers what the future British Prime Minister Lieutenant Churchill used to shoot at the beginning of the century? Let us remember that young Winston, participating in the African imperial wars, shot from the famous revolutionary Mauser pistol-carbine. This is a weapon with a large wooden holster. True, then this pistol was not yet revolutionary. The famous German pistol was created by the Federle brothers, the eldest of whom, Fidel, was in charge of the experimental workshop of the Mauser plant. The owner of the plant, Paul Mauser, joined the work on the pistol at the stage of improving the design. The pistol was patented for it.

The Mauser was easily converted into a light cavalry carbine, for which a wooden holster was used as a butt. A powerful cartridge with a caliber of 7.63 mm made it possible to pierce through timber 15 centimeters thick from 25 meters. It was loved by both the Reds and the Whites, and was used by the Basmachi and partisans. Before the war in Africa, this “toy” was given to Churchill by his mother, the Duchess of Marlborough - this not poor lady could afford such a gift for her beloved son. Then it cost her 5 thousand German marks. At that time, an Opel car cost 3.5 thousand marks. According to legend, in the fall of 1898, during the Sudan campaign, the patrol of the 21st Hussars, led by 25-year-old Churchill, was ambushed and surrounded by a superior enemy force. Churchill and his soldiers were very lucky - the dashing young officer managed to shoot back straight from the saddle. What can I say, a good weapon and excellent dexterity. Subsequently, Churchill began collecting Mausers. A question that concerns many historians: no one knows where exactly this pistol is now. Can you imagine how many Moscow apartments you can buy for such a “toy”?

It is known that Mao Zedong’s guards were the so-called Mauserists. And Ivan Papanin took the Mauser to the polar winter.

In Germany, production of the Mauser C-96 ceased in 1937, and in China in the 1980s.

Weapon collections often make up a significant part of the inheritance and even the family fortune. Moreover, surprisingly, our legislation has not yet allowed the legalization of weapons collections. The 18th century musket was believed to still be a live barrel. Perhaps this is true. But it’s unlikely that anyone with a musket will take to the battlefield today. But many will be interested in looking at such a product. And whoever has the means to buy it, hang it on the wall and show it to friends. This was allowed in Russia.

According to experts from intelligence services and law enforcement agencies, the value of Russians' weapons collections can be estimated at tens of billions of rubles. For example, the weapons collection of the famous MUR, which was compiled by the heroic employees of the criminal investigation department, is worth fabulously. By the way, the operatives collected these guns, taking them from the bandits, at their own peril and risk. They beautifully and lovingly decorated a real museum in the capital’s police headquarters. Where access is only for its experts. Let's say we need to compare the caliber, powder residue, and bullet deformation. But it is made and decorated so beautifully that any museum will envy. Again, let us remind you about the cost of the exhibits - there are confiscated flintlock pistols, capsule revolvers and even homemade machine guns from the 70s. And everything can “work” so far. This is the point of the “Moore” museum - any exhibit is functional, it can be used as a sample, that is, shoot, look at the range of the shot, penetration.

Competently

Leonid Vedenov, head of the Main Directorate of State Control and Licensing and Permitting of the Russian Guard, Lieutenant General of Police:

Many collectors were waiting for amendments to weapons legislation. Now collecting and exhibiting weapons will become much easier. The new law states that “old (antique) weapons, copies of ancient (antique) weapons, replicas of ancient (antique) weapons and edged weapons of cultural value have the right to be acquired by legal entities and individuals licensed to collect weapons.” The federal law introduced an exception for certain types and types of weapons, the circulation of which is prohibited on the territory of Russia, if such weapons are cultural property. The acquisition, exhibition and collection of such weapons and ammunition for them on the territory of Russia are not subject to licensing in the case of acquisition, exhibition and collection by state and municipal weapons museums.

Yes, you can collect weapons, but not all of them. On the territory of Russia there is a ban on the acquisition for the purpose of collecting “sporting and firearms short-barreled weapons with a rifled barrel and cartridges for it.” In general, don’t expect the legalization of combat pistols.

Help "RG"

The following are registered with the Russian Guard:

• 4.2 million gun owners, owning 6.7 million guns
• 23.3 thousand private security organizations, of which 5.8 thousand private security organizations using 51 thousand units of service weapons
• 686.1 thousand private security guards
• On the territory of the Russian Federation, the circulation as civilian and service weapons of flails, brass knuckles, shurikens, boomerangs and other items of impact, crushing and throwing action specially adapted for use as weapons is prohibited - Article 6 of the Law “On Weapons”.
• On the territory of the Russian Federation, it is prohibited to circulate as civilian and service weapons cold bladed weapons and knives, the blades of which, with a blade and blade length of more than 90 mm: are either automatically removed from the handle when you press a button or lever and are fixed by them, or are pulled out by force gravity or accelerated movement and are automatically recorded.

How often do we talk about how our “own” is better than someone else’s? Meanwhile, in technology, the concepts of “one’s own” and “someone else’s” very often, in fact, mean nothing. Well, in the field of gunsmithing, the best example of this is perhaps the pistols of the Spanish company Bonifacio Echeverría SA from Eibar, which began production around 1908 with the production of a pistol, the development of which is usually attributed to Juan Echeverría himself. There is practically no information preserved both about the company and about him, especially regarding the first years of operation of this enterprise, but it can be said that the pistols that received the name “star”, that is, “star”, were simply copied from the “Mannlicher” » 1901. But at the same time, their similarity was not identical, so the Austrian gunsmith could not sue the Spaniards. And again, it is not clear why, but the “star” trademark was registered only in 1919, i.e. 18 years after the first pistols under that name were released!

Pistol "Star" model B 9-mm caliber chambered for "Parabellum" cartridge.

At this time, Bonifacio Echeverria was already both the main owner of the company and its chief designer. And it was then, namely after 1920, that another “star” appeared with a closed bolt-casing, designed on the model of the Colt M-1911. But again on the basis. Well, then the company “Echeverria and Co.” became one of those four Spanish arms companies that were able to work after the civil war, and it still exists today and still produces pistols under the “Star” brand - needless to say, solid longevity !

Well, we will look at its samples, starting with the 1908 Star model. It is clear that it appeared a little earlier, namely at the end of 1907, and for a long time it was known only to a very narrow circle of specialists. It was a pistol with a fixed barrel, a free open bolt housing and ribbed washers on it for the fingers - which is why they talk about it as a copy of the Mannlicher pistol.

The openly located trigger only increased the resemblance to the Mannlicher pistol, but that was where it ended, since the Mannlicher was distinguished by a curved and relatively thin handle, while the Star had a thick handle with “chopped” outlines and a completely different trigger shape. This was done because the “Austrian” was loaded with a cartridge pack, while the “Spaniard” had a replaceable magazine with a spring for eight rounds of 6.35 mm “auto” caliber.

On the bolt-casing it was written AUTOMATIC PISTOL STAR PATENT, and the cheeks of the handle were made of hard rubber and had a checkered notch. Pistol length 115 mm. Weight of the pistol without cartridges: 445 g.

In 1914, the Star pistol appeared chambered for 6.35 and 7.65 mm caliber cartridges, which differed from the previous model only in details. So, in particular, the “star” trademark appeared on it - a six-pointed star with rays. The length of the pistol was 175 mm. Weight of the pistol without cartridges: 850 g. Barrel length: 112 mm. The magazine has a traditional eight-round design.

It was followed by the Star pistol of the 1919 model (model 1), which differed in the order of disassembly: in the first models of these pistols, the bolt-casing was separated by pressing a knurled peg located in front of the trigger guard. On the 1919 pistol, it was held in place by a special latch on the frame in front of the safety bracket.

Various versions of the 1919 pistol were chambered for 6.35 and 7.65 mm “auto” cartridges or for the 9 mm “short” cartridge and had very different barrel lengths - whatever you like. Here the inscription was already different: BONIFACIO ECHEVERRIA EI BAR (ESPANA).

The Modelo Militar pistol was released in 1920, and became a kind of transitional model between models based on the Mannlicher model and pistols similar to the Colt-Browning. The “Model Militar” was made on the basis of the American Colt M-1911 caliber .45 and had the same barrel bore locking mechanism – that is, the “Browning earring”. But this model also had differences, how could it be without them. The Spanish pistol did not have a frame safety. And the handle itself has a more straightened outline.

Another characteristic feature was the design of the rear part of the bolt casing. It was raised and equipped with two grooved “tablets” for the fingers. The safety lever is located on the left, where it turns a special flap that prevents the trigger from hitting the firing pin. To ensure its downward movement, a recess is made on the shutter-casing.

The pistol used 9-mm Largo (Bergman Bayard) caliber cartridges, which was done in the interests of its use in the Spanish army. But the military chose the Astra, and Echeverria sent it for commercial sale, at the same time adding modifications for .38 “super” and .45 AKP cartridges. Gun length 200 mm. Weight of the pistol without cartridges: 1100 g. Barrel length 122 mm. The magazine also holds eight rounds.

A year later, the Star pistol Model A appeared, which was a modification of the Modelo Militar: with a casing like a typical Colt - i.e. it had vertical notches for the fingers. A small hole was made in the trigger head. The safety lever was moved to the rear left upper part of the frame behind the cheek of the handle, as was the case with the Colts from the very beginning. The sights were modeled after the Browning High Power model.

The Model A, or "Model 1921", was chambered for a variety of cartridges, including the 7.63mm Mauser, 9mm Largo and .45 AKP. Some samples at the rear end of the handle had grooves for a holster-butt. The first pistols did not have a frame safety, but then in later models they decided to install it again, and the length of the lever of this safety was almost equal to the length of the entire rear surface of the handle.

Model A gained great popularity among the so-called “Guardia Seville”, which adopted it in October 1922 under the designation “pistola “star” de 9 mm, modelo 1922, para trope de la Guardia Civil.” On the bolt-casing there is a mark: BONIFACIO ECHEVERRIA above the words EIBAR (ESPANA), in front of which there is an image of a six-pointed star and the name “STAR” CAL .9M/M, and their belonging to the “Seville Guard” was certified by the letters GC under the crown. The first pistols received wooden cheeks with a diamond cut on the handles, which were replaced with plastic ones in later releases. So for those who are making a film about the Spanish Civil War and a pistol is used during the action, it is best to take the Star, especially if the shooter is a guardsman from the Seville Guard.

The Star Model B pistol appeared after 1926 and was even more similar to the Colt, primarily in the shape of the handle. The hole on the trigger was removed. The pistol was designed for the powerful 9mm Parabellum cartridge. It was produced in the 30s both before and after the end of the Spanish Civil War, and in 1941 - 1944. The German army purchased more than 35,000 pieces. So this pistol had to fight outside of Spain. Production of the Model B pistol ceased around 1984. Pistol length 215 mm. Weight of the pistol without cartridges: 1085 g. Barrel length 122 mm. The magazine has now become more capacious: it holds nine rounds.

In 1946, the Star Super B model appeared, which used a Browning lug instead of a swinging “Browning earring.” In the same year, this pistol was adopted by the Spanish army. And not surprisingly, compared to the American Colt of the classic type and caliber, it was lighter and had not seven, but nine cartridges in the magazine. The powerful Parabellum cartridge, however, even with a smaller caliber had an excellent stopping effect. Well, the fact that these pistols looked similar like twin brothers did not bother the Spanish military at all - the main thing is that the pistol shoots well!

Then the commercial model BM with a steel frame was released, which was one of the smallest pistols that had an interlocking bolt chambered for the 9 mm Parabellum cartridge.

The next BKS model, also chambered for the 9 mm Parabellum cartridge, weighed very little - only 20 ounces with a 4.24-inch barrel and an eight-round magazine. It also had a layout typical of a Colt, but there was no frame fuse.

Weight reduction was achieved by using a light alloy frame. The BKS model was replaced by the BKM model, which differed mainly in its finishing. They had angled finger grooves on the slide, whereas the previous model had vertical ones. However, it is models A and B that are considered the main success of this company and are very widespread. Their reliability, high quality workmanship and good accuracy are noted. The pistol is comfortable to hold in your hands, unlike the American Colt, for which not every hand is suitable! That is, it is a copy, but a very, very good one!

Ancient Russian weapons

In the early autumn of 1808, in the vicinity of the ancient Russian city of Yuryev-Polsky, a local peasant woman was collecting hazelnuts. By chance, her gaze was attracted by a shiny object lying under a rotten snag. It turned out to be a metal helmet and the remains of chain mail, which had turned into a shapeless lump of rusty iron. The helmet has a well-preserved silver plate with an inscription. From it, experts were able to determine that the armor belonged to the Pereslavl prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, the father of Alexander Nevsky. But how did the prince’s helmet end up under the snag?

In 1216, on the Lipitsa River near Yuryev-Polsky, a battle took place between the Russian princes, in which Yaroslav Vsevolodovich participated. He was defeated and, apparently fleeing, threw away his heavy chain mail and helmet. Nowadays this helmet adorns the exhibition of the Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin - the richest collection of ancient Russian weapons.

The medieval history of Rus' is replete with wars and military conflicts. Outstanding historian of the 19th century. Sergei Mikhailovich Solovyov calculated that from 1228 to 1462, 302 wars and military campaigns and 85 major battles took place in Rus'. Weaponmaking also improved.

But not only military weapons were made by Russian gunsmiths. For court ceremonies - ceremonial exits and departures of the tsar, receptions of foreign ambassadors, and troop reviews - ceremonial weapons were required.

At coronation celebrations in the 17th century. An indispensable attribute of the royal regalia, in addition to the crown, orb and scepter, was the state sword and state shield. The king's "large military outfit" certainly included a saadach device (a bow, a case for a bow, and a quiver for arrows), a damask helmet, mirrored armor, a shield and a saber.

In ancient times, it was customary to give weapons as gifts. Of particular value are the ambassadorial gifts to the Russian tsars - excellent examples of ceremonial Western European and Eastern weapons.

Armor of Alyosha Popovich

Remember Vasnetsov’s painting “Bogatyrs”? Epic heroes in armor - the combat uniform of a medieval warrior - on horseback. Can you describe what Alyosha Popovich’s armor is made of and explain what misyurka, yushman, aventail is?

Russian armor of the late Middle Ages was unlike Western European plate armor. About two hundred metal plates with a total weight of up to 50 kg, connected by belts and hinges, completely covered the knight’s body. The armor was adjusted to his height. But the inconvenience was that the knight could not put on them and mount his horse without the help of a squire. Knocked out of the saddle, he was unable to rise from the ground on his own. Solid metal armor protected the body well, but hampered movement and limited maneuverability in battle. The knight's horse was also clad in armor.

The Armory Chamber displays a complete set of ceremonial armor for rider and horse, made by the famous Nuremberg blacksmiths and presented by the Polish king Stefan Batory to Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich in 1584.

Russian warriors most often fought with the Polovtsians and Tatars - lightly armed steppe horsemen. Their battle tactics consisted of a rapid attack and an equally rapid retreat, so Russian warriors needed light armor that would not interfere with fast and maneuverable combat.

The most common armor in Rus' was chain mail - a long, almost knee-length shirt, woven from metal rings. Making chainmail and other types of ringed armor was not easy. First, the blacksmith pulled out metal wire - about 600 m for one chain mail. Then I cut it into pieces 3 cm long and rolled them into rings. I welded half of them, and flattened the ends of the rest and punched holes in them. Four solid ones were inserted into each open ring and secured with a rivet. One piece of chain mail required about 20 thousand rings. She weighed up to 17 kg.

The chain mail cost a lot of money. It was cherished, passed on by inheritance, and considered an expensive gift. The enemy's armor was the best prize of war.

The history of one of the chain mails stored in the Armory is interesting. It belonged to Pyotr Shuisky, a famous Russian commander of the 16th century, a participant in the Kazan campaign and the Livonian War. After his death, the chain mail went to the treasury of Ivan the Terrible. Having received news of the conquest of Western Siberia, the Tsar sent it as a gift to Ataman Ermak Timofeevich. Half a century later, this armor was discovered in the possession of one of the Siberian princes and returned to the treasury. Apparently, after the death of Ermak, the chain mail fell into the hands of the enemy.

The shell, a type of ringed armor, had smaller, slightly flattened rings. The gunsmith worked on one shell, consisting of approximately 50 thousand rings and weighing 6-10 kg, for almost two years - six thousand hours of painstaking work! Remember the find in the vicinity of Yuryev-Polsky, which was mentioned at the beginning of the chapter? It was the armor that belonged to Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich.

The Armory Chamber's collection also includes armor made of large flat rings. This is a baidana. It belonged to Tsar Boris Godunov. On each of its many rings there is an inscription: “God is with us, no one is with us,” that is, “no one will defeat us.”

In addition to ringed armor, Russian warriors also had mixed, ringed-plate armor. In the 16th century A very effective type of armor appeared - bakhterets: chain mail, into which hundreds of metal plates were woven at the front and back. One overlapped the other, making the armor multi-layered, protecting even from a bullet. The number of plates of the bakhterets reached 1.5 thousand, and the yushman consisted of only a hundred plates, but large ones that did not overlap each other. It was in Yushman that Vasnetsov portrayed Alyosha Popovich.

Royal mirror

Armor not only protected, but also decorated the warrior. Polished, or even silvered, they glittered in the sun like fish scales. The “mirror armor”, which was worn over ordinary chain mail, was especially beautiful. It consisted of large metal plates, polished to a shine (hence the word “mirror” - mirror), covering the chest, sides and back.

In 1616, the masters of the Armory Chamber made luxurious mirror armor for Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, decorated with chasing, carving and gilding. On the chest, in the center of the armor, a double-headed eagle was depicted, and around it, in a ring, was an inscription containing the full title of the king. The king usually appeared to the army during reviews wearing an elegant mirror. In the 17th century This armor was valued at a huge sum for those times - 1,500 rubles.

A warrior's head was protected in battle by a helmet. There were several types of them in Rus'. Vasnetsov's Ilya Muromets is wearing a shishak - a helmet with a high, pointed top that protects against a fatal vertical blow from a sword or saber. A side blow could only concuss, “stun” a warrior. Sometimes such a helmet was crowned with a spire with a colored flag or a bunch of feathers - the distinctive sign of a military leader. Images of cones are often found on ancient icons and book miniatures.

And again let’s turn to our “textbook” - Vasnetsov’s painting. Alyosha Popovich apparently has a misyurka on his head - a helmet with a flat top. To protect the neck and cheeks, a chainmail mesh called aventail is suspended from it.

The king appeared before the army in a ceremonial helmet - the “cap of Jericho”. In 1621, the masters of the Armory Chamber made an amazingly beautiful damask helmet for Mikhail Fedorovich. Its base, the shishak, was forged in the East, and Russian craftsmen supplemented it with earflaps, a nape cap and a nosepiece, richly decorated with gold notches (gold wire was driven into the grooves of the scratched design), precious stones and pearls. The artist placed an image of the Archangel Michael, the tsar's patron, made in enamel on the nasal plate.

Vasnetsov faithfully copied the “Jericho Cap” on the head of Dobrynya Nikitich from a unique Byzantine helmet of the 13th century stored in the Armory. There is nothing like it in any congregation in the world. This helmet is not just an artistic value, but also a fact of history: it was brought to Russia by the Byzantine princess Sophia Paleologus after marrying Ivan III. That is why it is so different from Russian helmets.

There is no need to explain to modern people what a shield is. Ancient Russian warriors used large almond-shaped shields. It can be assumed that it was precisely such a shield that Prince Oleg hung on the walls of Constantinople.

According to the Byzantine historian Leo the Deacon, the Russians, holding back the onslaught of the enemy, “closed their shields and spears tightly, giving their ranks the appearance of a wall.” It was precisely such a wall that the experienced warriors of Emperor Tzimiskes could not destroy near the Bulgarian city of Dorostol, which was defended by the Kiev prince Svyatoslav.

Later, the Russians adopted Tatar round shields. Until the end of the 17th century. they were used by the royal army. In the Armory, in a display case with royal regalia - crowns, barmas, crosses - there is a round shield covered with half-decayed cherry velvet and decorated with figured precious cufflinks. This is the state shield, which, together with the state sword, has participated since the end of the 17th century. in court ceremonies. In subsequent centuries, the royal regalia was almost completely updated, but the ancient state shield and sword continued to be used in the funeral rites of emperors.

Don't get into trouble

Arab traveler Ibn Fadlan in the 10th century. shared his observations that Russian weapons are a sword, an ax and a knife. The Tale of Bygone Years provides semi-legendary evidence. The Khazars once demanded tribute from the glades. And they took it and sent swords instead of tribute. The Khazar elders saw these weapons and decided: “We will be tributaries of these people, for their swords are sharp on both sides, and our sabers have one blade.” Indeed, Russian swords had a double-edged, straight, wide blade. Between the blade and the handle there was a cross that protected the hand from an oncoming blow. The sword was worn in a leather sheath on a belt. He was sacred to the Russian warrior. In pagan times they swore on the sword, as they later swore on the cross.

The sword was considered a symbol of princely power. Perhaps it was no coincidence that it was Dobrynya Nikitich who Vasnetsov put the sword in the hands of? After all, rumor connected this epic hero with Dobrynya of Novgorod, the uncle of Prince Vladimir the Baptist.

The reliable weapon of medieval warriors, foot and horse, was the spear. The princes also fought with a spear. It is known that in the Battle of the Neva in 1240, the great commander of Ancient Rus', Alexander Nevsky, wounded the leader of the Swedish army, Birger, with a spear in a duel. And Dmitry Donskoy went to the Kulikovo field with a spear in his hands.

The slingshot served not only as a combat weapon, but also as a hunting weapon. With her, the brave men went alone to fight the bear. There was also a slingshot as part of the king’s ceremonial weapons. In written sources of the 16th century. it was called the first among the weapons of the “Great Royal Dress”. The Armory Chamber houses an ancient Russian spear, made for one of the Tver princes. The base of its “rozhn” is bound with silver sheets with carved images of scenes of the death of the Tver Prince Mikhail in the Horde.

Knives complemented the weapons of ancient Russian warriors: belt knives - worn behind the belt; shoemakers - tucked into the top of the boot; podsaadnye - included in the kit with a bow and arrows. In fights, knives were used as hand-to-hand combat weapons.

In the "Tale of Bygone Years" we read that in 1022 two armies met on the battlefield - Russian and Kasozh. According to ancient custom, the Kasozh prince, the hero Rededya, challenged his opponent, the Tmutarakan prince Mstislav, to a duel. Two mighty knights fought, but only Mstislav was stronger. He threw Rededya to the ground and stabbed him with a knife.

Murder weapons or jewelry?

The most ancient weapon was the battle axe, but in those days it was called an axe. The ax was considered the weapon of the poor. A peasant or artisan, becoming a warrior out of necessity, armed himself with a home carpenter's axe. A real battle ax had a blade in the shape of a crescent, and on the back side of the axe, i.e. the butt, there was a hook for pulling riders from the saddle.

Axes also served as ceremonial weapons. Ivan the Terrible's personal bodyguards - bells - wore silver hatchets decorated with gold notches on their shoulders.

A type of ax is a reed. Unlike the axe, it had a long shaft, almost as tall as a man, and a large blade with a point at the upper end. Berdysh could serve as both a chopping and piercing weapon. In the XVI-XVII centuries. The berdysh was part of the mandatory weapons of the archers. They also used it as a stand for shooting from heavy arquebus: at the lower end of the reed shaft there was an iron tip, which was stuck into the ground when shooting.

After the Tatar invasion, Russian soldiers quickly mastered the saber, although they had known it for a long time. Unlike a sword, a saber has a curved blade, sharpened on one side. This curvature allowed for a glancing blow, leaving longer and deeper wounds. In the 15th century The saber finally replaced the sword in Rus'. The best sabers were forged from damask steel - pure carbon steel, which had great strength and elasticity. With a well-sharpened damask blade you can cut a gauze scarf on the fly.

Richly decorated sabers of Russian and oriental work were also part of the “Great Royal Attire”. The scabbards of such sabers were made of gold and silver and decorated with diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. In 1618, the Russian master Ilya Prosvit forged a unique saber for Mikhail Fedorovich. Its damask blade is cut through with an ornament of gilded lilies. There is an inscription on the blade with a golden notch telling about the owner of the saber and its creator.

But the special pride of the Armory was not these ceremonial sabers, but two simple, combat ones, with notches on the blade and without any special decorations. Once they belonged to the liberators of Moscow from the Poles - Minin and Pozharsky.

And every battle in the Middle Ages began with archery fire at the enemy. Usually they shot from 200-300 steps, and from a good bow from 500. When shooting from a horse, the range of the arrow increased significantly.

Making a quality bow required great skill. It was glued together in layers from hard wood, horn plates and animal tendons. To prevent the onion from becoming damp, it was covered with birch bark or thin skin and coated with varnish. Such a bow, despite its small size, had amazing elasticity and, without a taut bowstring, bent in the opposite direction. The bowstring was made from ox sinew or twisted silk thread.

It was not easy to make good arrows. A tetrahedral wooden blank about 1 m long was split into four parts and glued together with the outer sides inward. Such a shaft did not bend or warp. A metal point was put on one end of it. The steel, hardened tip could pierce metal armor. Sometimes the arrowheads were made with spikes, which made it difficult to remove the arrow from the wound. A feather cut lengthwise was glued to the other end of the shaft or wound with a thread to provide the arrow with a stable position in flight.

The bow was a very effective weapon. A good shooter, firing 8-12 shots per minute, could hit all targets at a distance of 130 steps. Due to its high fighting qualities, the bow was used by Russian soldiers until the widespread use of firearms.

Bows were stored in special leather cases - rays, and arrows - in quivers. Together, both were called gardening devices. The shooter wore a beam with a bow on his left side, and a quiver with arrows on his right (for convenience when shooting).

In 1628, a group of craftsmen from the Armory Chamber produced a gardening device of rare beauty and richness, which was included in the “Great Order” of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. The leather cases of both items are covered with an openwork through ornament made of gold, decorated with enamels and semi-precious stones. 3.5 kg of precious metal was used for these purposes. This saadak was intended for state ceremonies, so the jewelers placed images of the state symbols of Russia - a double-headed eagle and a rider on a horse - on the arm and quiver.

The crossbow, or crossbow, has long been known in Rus'. Unlike a bow, it had a special mechanism for tensioning the bowstring, which significantly increased the force of the shot. Crossbow arrows were often made of all metal. During the siege of Moscow by the Tatars in 1382, the noble Tatar Murza, the favorite of Khan Tokhtamysh, was killed by an arrow fired from a crossbow.

In ancient times, every man, if necessary, took up arms and became a warrior. Military valor, the ability to wield weapons - these qualities were highly valued and were glorified in ancient Russian literature. In “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” the Kursk prince Vsevolod spoke about his warriors this way: “...they are nurtured under their helmets, they are nourished from the end of their spears... their bows are drawn, their quivers are open, their sabers are sharpened, they themselves gallop like gray wolves in a field , seeking honor for yourself, and glory for the prince."