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sa81 KRASA: Czechoslovakia's Ultra-Compact Lost PDW
🕑 Added 2024-10-14 12:00:02 +0000 UTCThe Krása project (which translates as "beauty", but is also a shortening of "short assault rifle" - "KRÁtký SAmopal") is a fascinating piece of Czech small arms development. In 1976, the Czechoslovakian military requested development of a compact personal weapon for special troops (paratroops, armored vehicle crews, etc) and unit commanders. It was to be chambered for the standard 7.62x39mm cartridge, but it should be no more than 1.6kg (3.5lb) empty and just 270mm (10.6") long when folded.
The project was tackled by Jiri Čermák, who was the designed of the vz58 rifle. He began by simply shortening a vz58 as much as possible, but that was not sufficient to meet the goals. So he went on create a new rifle with a radically different feeding system. Instead of pushing rounds forward out of the magazine, it would pull them rearward, like a Mars or Boberg pistol (or like the North Korean Type 73 machine gun). This required a very different type of magazine, but allowed Čermák to create a functional weapon that was close to the requested size - 315mm (12.4") long and 2.1kg (4.6lb).
The first prototype was designed in late 1980, and two examples were made in 1981, designated the sa81. After only a small amount of function testing, the project shifted to use the new 5.45x39mm cartridge. One example in that caliber was made, the sa83, in 1983. However, the project was cancelled at the end of 1983 in favor of the new Lada program, which planned to create a complete new family of small arms. Lada was in turn cancelled by the fall of communism, and eventually replaced by the short-lived CZ2000 family in 5.56x45mm.
The Krása project made a brief comeback around the same time as the CZ2000, called project HROM. It uses the exact same mechanism, but with distinctive elements from the Lada/2000 guns like the sights and furniture. That project also was cancelled after just a couple prototypes.
In my opinion, the reverse-feeding concept remains a fascinating potential solution for an ultra-compact PDW. Seeing someone finish its development using a cartridge like .300 Blackout today would be awesome...
Thanks to the Czech Military History Institute (VHU) for graciously giving me access to this one-of-a-kind prototype to film for you! If you have the opportunity, don't miss seeing their museums in Prague:
https://www.vhu.cz/en/english-summary/
Comments
Risto Alanko
This is Czech logik: the stuff doesn't fit in a line, so we'll put them in a column. A real 3D design project. I wonder how long the handguard would work as a cas cylinder...
Glenn Miller
Great job in showing how this little gadget works!
Guido Schriewer
actually I like slow short fat and heavy as 45acp. but this 7,62tok... one has to acknowledge its performance.
Guido Schriewer
please tell me you've got your cam on a 58E in prugue..... or whereever. the 58 isn't exactly unwieldy to begin with. shorten that... SMALL weapon! THAT is like a mp5k but in 762by39. whattheweight.... nice history so from that to the bren basicly.
Bruce Brodnax
I wonder if during the one firing test, it was a case of "it works great on semi-auto, but in full auto when [not if] the extraction fails you get the world's worst round over round jam that requires full disassembly in the middle of a firefight. All for a Vm that's just slightly better than the 7.62 Tok..."
Derek Elsberry
That is phenomenally cool. Would love to see it produced as a fully functioning firearm by someone "just because". Would likely need double earpro, though.
Glenn Miller
The Emperor protects!
Claus
Great presentation, nice Wera screwdriver.
Niclas Hansemark
Anyone else thinking: Bolt pistol?
