MP-443 Grach

Russia's standard-issue 9mm service pistol — a DA/SA sidearm adopted to replace the Makarov PM, fielded in Chechnya, Syria and Ukraine, and now being supplemented by newer designs.

Overview

The MP-443 Grach, officially designated the Pistolet Yarygina (PYa) and assigned the GRAU index 6P35, is a semi-automatic service pistol that has served as the standard sidearm of the Russian Armed Forces since its formal adoption in 2003. Chambered in 9×19mm and built around a short-recoil, tilting-barrel action, it was designed to replace the long-serving Makarov PM and provide a modern, high-capacity handgun for the post-Soviet Russian soldier. The Grach (“Rook”) is produced by the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, now part of the Kalashnikov concern, and remains in widespread front-line use, albeit increasingly supplemented by newer models such as the Udav and PL-15 Lebedev.

Development

Development of the MP-443 began in the 1990s under the Russian Army’s “Grach” program, which sought a 9×19mm pistol to succeed the 9×18mm Makarov PM. The design, led by Vladimir Yarygin at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, was adopted in 2003 and given the military designation PYa, according to Wikipedia. However, real mass issuance was slow; significant fielding only began around 2012 as production ramped up and older stocks of Makarov pistols were gradually withdrawn. The pistol was publicly displayed at arms exhibitions in the early 2000s and has since been a fixture of Russian military kit, though detailed production numbers remain not publicly established.

🔒 The rest of the MP-443 Grach file is for BattlePolicy Pro members. Stop here and you miss the part that actually matters: how it performs and where it falls short, its combat record, how it stacks up head-to-head against its real counterparts, the complete specifications table, and our analysts’ procurement, supplier and assessment notes. Unlock the full file with BattlePolicy Pro →