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Zastava M59/66

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The Zastava M59/66 PAP is a Yugoslavian licensed derivative of the Soviet SKS semi-automatic rifle. In Yugoslavia, it received the popular nickname "papovka" derived from PAP, the abbreviation for poluautomatska puška, or Serbo-Croatian for "semi-automatic rifle".[4] The M59/66 functions identically to the SKS, but has a permanently attached grenade launcher spigot that also serves as a muzzle brake.[6] The weapon was also produced with a folding grenade launcher sight which is normally folded flat behind the front sight.[5]

Zastava M59/66 PAP
Zastava M59/66A1
TypeSemi-automatic rifle
Place of originYugoslavia
Service history
In service1961–present
Used bySee Users
WarsSee Conflicts
Production history
DesignerMilan Ćirić (M59)[1]
Božidar Blagojević, Miloš Ostojić, and Milan Vasiljević (M59/66)[1]
Designed1957–1959[1]
Produced1961[2][3]–1986[4]
No. built234,060[1]
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Mass4.1 kg (9.0 lb)[5]
Length1.12 mm (0.044 in) (with bayonet folded)[5]
Cartridge7.62×39mm[5]
ActionGas-operated (tilting bolt)[5]
Rate of fire35–40 rounds/min[5]
Muzzle velocity735 m/s (2,410 ft/s)[5]
Effective firing range500 m (550 yd)[5]
Feed system10-round fixed magazine fed by stripper clip[5]
SightsIron sights graduated from 100 to 1,000 meters[5]

History

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Development

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Yugoslavia's defense industry started planning the development and production of a new self-loading rifle design during the 1950s, namely to replace the bolt-action Zastava M48 then in service with the Yugoslav People's Army.[1] In 1957, Yugoslavia acquired the rights to manufacture the Soviet SKS semi-automatic carbine under license, and a research team led by Milan Ćirić was placed in charge of the program.[1] Limited production of the SKS commenced in 1961 at Preduzeće 44 (Enterprise Facility 44), which was located in Kragujevac and had undergone an unprecedented expansion in 1953 to better accommodate mass production of various weapons.[7] Aside from this preliminary production run, however, no SKS carbines were produced at the Kragujevac facility again until 1964, when the weapon type finally entered serialized mass production.[3] In the interim period, Zastava tooled up for SKS production with new equipment, including vertical forging presses, purchased from Steyr Arms of Austria.[1]

The earliest examples of the SKS manufactured in Kragujevac under the auspices of Zastava received the designation M59 and initially resembled late Soviet pattern carbines, albeit without the chrome-lined barrels characteristic to the latter.[3] Between 1964 and 1967, Zastava manufactured 52,069 M59s.[3]

In 1966, the M59 was modified to fire 22mm rifle grenades via the addition of an integrated grenade launcher spigot.[2] The new model included a folding ladder sight for use with the rifle grenades as well; this also doubled as a gas shutoff to enable the rifle to cycle correctly.[2] This variant received the designation M59/66.[7] The new M59/66 concept was jointly designed by two Zastava engineers, Božidar Blagojević and Miloš Ostojić, and Colonel Milan Vasiljević of the Military Technical Institute.[1] Production of the M59/66 lasted from 1966 until 1970.[2] After 1970, the M59/66 was manufactured with flip-up tritium or painted phosphorous night sights.[2] This received the designation M59/66 A1.[2] Between 1966 and 1971, Zastava manufactured 132,081 M59/66s and M59/66A1s, at which time production ceased for the Yugoslavian People's Army.[1] The M59/66A1 continued to be manufactured for export as late as 1986.[4]

Service

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The M59/66 remained in service with military and security forces in Yugoslavia until the dissolution of that country in 1991, although by then it had been largely superseded by the M70 assault rifle, a Yugoslav derivative of the Soviet AK-47.[8] At the time, most of the M59/66s were either warehoused or in limited service with territorial defense units.[1] Due to the availability of surplus M70s and other Kalashnikov-pattern rifles during the Yugoslav Wars, the M59/66 was withdrawn from active service in Yugoslavia's various successor states during the 1990s.[8]

During the South African Border War, the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) received an unknown number of M59/66s and 22mm M60 rifle grenades, also of Yugoslav origin, as military aid.[9] Even in the southern African theater, the weapon's basic design was considered quite dated by the peak of the war in the 1980s;[10] however, PLAN retained the M59/66 due to its lack of equivalent weapons capable of launching rifle grenades.[11] PLAN insurgents made effective use of rifle grenades fired from M59/66s against light armoured South African military vehicles, namely the Casspir.[10][12] The insurgents loaded their M59/66s with the M60 anti-tank variant as well as the more slender M60 AP1 anti-personnel rifle grenade.[10][12] They frequently initiated ambushes of South African military or police columns by attempting to disable the lead vehicle with an M60, either targeting the engine block or the wheels.[12] By the end of the war, each PLAN section included at least one insurgent armed with an M59/66, and another with an RPG-7.[9] Larger PLAN units included an equal number of insurgents armed with M59/66s and RPGs, with each carrying at least three rifle grenades or five PG-7 projectiles, respectively.[12]

Second-line units of the Ethiopian Ground Forces used large numbers of the M59/66 alongside original Soviet SKS carbines during the Ogaden War.[13]

The Republic of Macedonia Army used the M59/66 during the 2001 NLA insurgency.[14] Throughout the early and mid 2000s, the M59/66 remained the standard issue rifle of Macedonian rear echelon units and artillery crews.[14]

Description

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The Zastava M59/66 PAP is identical in function and operation to the Soviet SKS in nearly every respect, except its ability to launch 22mm rifle grenades from an integral grenade launcher spigot mounted at the front of the barrel.[7] The rifle has been fitted with a folding ladder sight for use in launching grenades.[7] This sight is normally locked into a folded position atop the gas block.[7] Prior to firing a rifle grenade, the sight is unlocked by depressing a switch on the gas port.[7] This action also closes off the gas port in the barrel, which prevents the semi-automatic action from being cycled while a grenade is being launched.[7] The sight ladder may then be raised and locked into the vertical position.[7]

The M59/66 was fitted with an unusual bayonet mount which also doubled as the mount for the front sight and the folding grenade launcher sight.[7] The original Soviet blade bayonet as standard to the SKS had to be replaced by a unique Yugoslav bayonet to accommodate the new mount placement.[7]

A commercial variant of the M59 and M59/66 series, available for sale to civilians in some of the post-Yugoslav republics, lacked the bayonet or the ability to fire rifle grenades.[15]

Users

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Current users

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Bangladesh Army soldiers marching with a soldier from the United States in single file during a tactical training exercise. Note the point man carrying Zastava M59/66.

Former users

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Bogdanović, Branko (11 March 2021). "PAP M59/66". Oružje Online. Vilnius. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Iannamico, Frank (2013). "The SKS Rifle". Henderson, Nevada: Chipotle Publishing & Small Arms Review. Archived from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d "Poluatomaska Puska (PAP) M59 SKS Carbine". www.milsurps.com. 2011-03-01.
  4. ^ a b c Popenker, Maxim (2023). "The Zastava M.59 and M.59/66 carbine, the Yugo SKS (Yugoslavia)". Modern Firearms. Tempe. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gander, Terry (1997). Jane's Infantry Weapons, 1997-98. Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group. p. 204. ISBN 0-7106-1548-5.
  6. ^ Walker, Robert (2012). Cartridges and Firearm Identification. Abingdon-on-Thames: Taylor & Francis. p. 88. ISBN 978-1466502079.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Steve Kehaya; Joe Poyer (1996). The SKS Carbine (CKC45g) (4th ed.). North Cape Publications, Inc. pp. 34–35, 118–119. ISBN 1-882391-14-4.
  8. ^ a b Tucker-Jones, Anthony (2012). Kalashnikov in Combat. Philadelphia: Casemate Publishers. pp. 103–104. ISBN 978-1848845794.
  9. ^ a b c "PLAN rendezvous at 2 am". Cape Town: University of Cape Town. 2011. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  10. ^ a b c Hooper, Jim (2013) [1988]. Koevoet! Experiencing South Africa's Deadly Bush War. Solihull: Helion and Company. pp. 66, 179–180, 259. ISBN 978-1868121670.
  11. ^ Moorcraft, Paul (1990). African Nemesis: War and Revolution in Southern Africa, 1945-2010. Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books. p. 227. ISBN 978-0080367156.
  12. ^ a b c d Stiff, P. (2000). The Covert War: Koevoet Operations in Namibia 1979-1989. Galago Publishihg Pty Ltd. pp. 72, 249, 309. ISBN 978-1-919854-03-8.
  13. ^ a b Ayele, Fantahun (2014). The Ethiopian Army: From Victory to Collapse, 1977-1991. Evanston, Illinois (US): Northwestern University Press. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-8101-3011-1.
  14. ^ a b "Macedonia's Weaponry: A New Nation Re-Arms and Fights". Small Arms Review. Henderson, Nevada. 1 October 2003. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  15. ^ "Титова "паповка" још пуца". Politika (in Serbian).
  16. ^ "TENDER NOTICE P-4 SEC" (PDF). dgdp. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  17. ^ "SALW Guide Global distribution and visual identification Bangladesh Country report" (PDF). Bonn International Benter for Conversion. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  18. ^ "Oruzane snage Bosne i Hercegovine". Forum klix.ba (in Bosnian).
  19. ^ "Defile povodom Dana Republike Srpske 9. januar 2019" (in Serbian). Youtube, channel Nezavisni portal Foče. 2019-01-09. Archived from the original on 2019-04-12.
  20. ^ a b c d Primerjalna analiza gardnih enot oboroženih sil Slovenije, Hrvaške, Srbije, BiH, Kosova, Črne Gore in Makedonije, Fakulteta za družbene vede, Ljubljana
  21. ^ "Naoruzanje i oprema Gardijskog bataljona". YouTube, channel RTS emisija Dozvolite - Zvanični kanal (in Serbian). 2014-05-31. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15.
  22. ^ Mtonga, Robert; Mthembu-Salter, Gregory (1 October 2004). "Country study: Zambia" (PDF). Hide and Seek: Taking Account of Small Arms in Southern Africa. p. 285. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  23. ^ a b "Gun Review: Yugo M.59 Semi-Automatic Rifle Series". Tactical-life (in Serbian). 2014-10-03.
  24. ^ "M59/66A1 (SKS) Semi Automatic Rifle". Campbell, Australia: Australian War Memorial. 2023. Archived from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
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