The “Kordun” (named after a region in Croatia) was the first pistol design from Marko Vukovic, lead designer for IM Metal and later HS Produkt. It was made in 1985 for the Yugoslav Peoples’ Army, with the goal of being a softer-shooting and higher capacity sidearm than the then-standard M57 Tokarev. The Cordon is unusual in being a short recoil, flapper-locked pistol. It is chambered for the 7.62x25mm Tokarev cartridge, with (I believe) a 10-round double stack, single feed magazine. It was indeed a very pleasant pistol to shoot (and a .32 ACP version apparently even nicer), but was rejected by the Yugoslav Army for its complexity and difficult disassembly/reassembly process.
Many thanks to HS Produkt for giving me access to prototypes like this one to film for posterity!
The 7.62×25 ammunition has not gotten the respect it deserves in the West. Now that it is available, if a bit pricey, I am surprised that no manufacturers have come out with a double stack pistol with all the modern design imperatives. I would think that this would be a viable product, though one requiring a concerted effort to educate the shooting public on the ammunition.
Likely b/c the length of the cartridge requires a specialized frame, longer than 10mm, & .38/.45 ACP. With the cheap Toks still rolling in from Eastern Europe, no manufacturer wants to compete w/ forged steel frames that are dirt cheap to make.
Check out the np762 from Norinco. There are places in the world where 7.62×25 is at least the same price or cheaper than 9mm (Canada was… but who knows now…)
I agree that it was practically optimal for the role it served in WW2 (the flattest-shooting cartridge that works safely in a cheap simple blowback), but it has been phased out even in most (all?) of the Eastern nations where it was ubiquitous.
Given that it was a niche cartridge during the 2+ decades when surplus was widely available here and not pricy, what sane manufacturer would tool up for it now that it’s become scarcer and more expensive? What role would it serve in a market with numerous affordable, very compact intermediate-cartridge SBRs, where SMGs mostly fill the niche of subsonic suppressability (and .300BLK can do that too)?
For a handgun, the 7.62×25 has better lower level body armor penetration than 9mm or .45 ACP. I think the issue of defeating body armor will become a bigger issue in the future. That is the role I see it filling. And I see it as a better round for SMGs than 9mm or .45 ACP.
Valid points. I believe .22TCM would be even better for both, but sadly its creators seem to be letting it die.
Wow, that’s a lot of very complex machining for a sidearm.
Is it short or long recoil operated… There is no slide… It seems a barrel with rear extention and a bolt nestled therein…
Flaps seem unlocked within a short distance but… The barrel with rear extention seems halted by hitting the far dismount bridge…
Which part separates the bolt from barrel extention and… When…
It seems… Barrel and bolt starting recoiled together until the flaps unlocked and continueing to travel bacwards through the permission of parts friction and gained momentums of bolt with empty case and… The barrel with integrated rear extention until the barrel hitting the dismount bridge… Even if the barrel and bolt separation occurs at anywhere of journey…
A confusing and dubious system to depend on…
IMHO…
Since the unlocking occurs within a short distance… The pistol should be classified as “Short Recoil Operated”… But… True system may oddly be classified as “ Short recoil with fully recoiling barrel”…
Barrel and bolt start recoiling togather through same speed and when unlocking occurs… The remaining gas pressure in the empty case and barrel will increase the bolt speed causing the barrel and bolt separation to start extraction…
Since the little massed bolt travels quicker than the recoiling barrel extention… It should be hoped for the bolt to reach the bolt stop bar in the barrel extention before the barrel to reach and hit the dismount bridge to end the extraction should… The gained bolt and barrel separated distance permits through the gamble of parts friction…
IMHO
“(…)It is chambered for the 7.62x25mm Tokarev cartridge, with (I believe) a 10-round double stack, single feed magazine.(…)”
Wait… weapon it was supposed to replace, namely M57 http://modernfirearms.net/en/handguns/handguns-en/serbia-semi-automatic-pistols/m57-eng/ has capacity 9, so replacing it with fire-arm with capacity 10, provides +11% change, that is surprisingly low for such change. For comparison K14-VN https://modernfirearms.net/en/handguns/handguns-en/vietnam-semi-automatic-pistols/k14-vn-eng/ high-capacity TT-33 derivative has capacity 13 as opposed to 8 of basic weapon, that is +63% increase.
What is the dark piece affixed or molded to the underside of the barrel? Is this added mass to adjust for function? Is it a buffer of some sort?
Seems a simple cover for springs made of plastics…
It appears to be made of a material that is or was malleable. My guesses were either lead or epoxy; hard to tell from the video, but the appearance from below shows it was formed or applied onto the barrel, and crudely at that. Given that this was a prototype I would assume there was a specific fault this was addressing, and it certainly wasn’t cosmetic.
Interesting design. I think if, he had stopped trying to make it look “p38” after having to; to come up with it (In my opinion, he aesthetically had a p38 in mind.) then… Might have been improved, via a full slide type layout I.e. Stop trying to make it look like a p38 at some point in it’s development.
I like the hammer “Failsafe safety thing” makes me think if the main mech, could not have been via a grip safety… Simplfy it a bit like. I do like that in principle; non tilting barrel. To me a good deal of the mech, seems able to be placed inside a “normal” slide; which would encompass the hammer more. I don’t like the spring arrangement. Think that could be improved via a fully encompassing slide/wrap around barrel spring/springs… Interesting gun; probably watch that again/read comments.
I personally would like to see, use of more available forces I.e. You are gripping the grip and your finger does pull on the trigger… In tbe sense of; sort of like, when you get one metal piece in guns that does two things “In the good designs” you know it will hold the spring, and do something else; a wee pin or such. Well your hand, I think is missing; in regards use. Purpose, reducing overall mass/complexity. Difficult to achieve but I think worth trying. Because… It is just better, think Swiss watch; if there are cheap simple things we can do, that work; surely they should be done.
Haven’t pinned any down yet, with this but I might he he.
Watches can use ones pulse for power… Or movement of the wrist “some shit; I haven’t got a Swiss watch.” but the point is; someone thought to use available forces.
Tuning fork top; grip “Safety” design, saves money in machining, it hits the flappers… Moves back, flappers open… Ways. Grip power. Adverts use a Jugoslavian female shot putter; who empties mag and throws pistol into floor, in dismissive manner. Buy win free jugo car.
Meh, ways; think Swiss Watch & female Jugoslav 1980’s shotputter, can be combined… With slick/cheap mech.
Djavoshksa! “Made up word” buy pistol weak pussy man; 80’s Yugoslav ad.
Wants to have a 250 bux lead on the cheapest Glock mind; but in a better calibre 7.62x25mm.
Ok done the ad, gun needs more work, he he. Good though in principle; inline barrel, low grip angle lark… Mash it up.
“(…)In my opinion, he aesthetically had a p38 in mind.(…)”
Such choice is mind-boggling for me, at in this (1985) Walther already had introduced P5 https://modernfirearms.net/en/handguns/handguns-en/germany-semi-automatic-pistols/walther-p5-eng/ which abandoned P.38 look.
Probably liked “German” things, ten years later, less. Meh, I like Webley autos… Albeit they miss the bayonet attachments for Germans.
Of Webley .455 revolvers. Pritchard bayonet; good idea, everyone stabbing the same.
Woke pish Army adverts these days; rescue a refugee you want out you country anyway… Given; how many, all of piss poor cnuts.
Should be trained and advertised to bayonet Russians “I have nothing against Russians” but lets get real, lbtq soldiers, Pritchard the cnut in the eye.
Be that Croats “Bit Nazi” fair play we all like leather jackets, even leather chaps… No? Oh well.
The (I suppose, unless there is another unknown prototype up to 1990?)) next gun of his, PHP MV, also had this barrel protruding p38 looks (as well as functioning).
So its safe to say that M. Vukovic was at that times obsessed with such quirky barrel look.
Anyway you shut up and salute
Do your duty Sir, he he.
https://youtu.be/DQoGNAXPUJM
6.53mins