C&R · IV · 194
Stechkin APS
Section IV: still an NFA firearm, also a curio or relic
Official wording
ATF P 5300.11 · APRIL 2025 EDITION · SECTION IV · VERBATIM · PDF P. 87 ↗
Russian (U.S.S.R.), Stechkin, automatic pistol, Model APS, cal. 9 x 18 (Makarov), of Soviet manufacture.
What this entry requires
- ATF REQUIRESMade or imported as stated: “of Soviet manufacture”
- INFOATF states no date; production was about 1951–1958.
- INFOStill an NFA firearm; only registered examples transfer, with ATF approval (26 U.S.C. 5812, 5861).
Editorial facts · Our research
- Country
Russia (U.S.S.R.)Basis: the ATF wording - Manufacturer
- Vyatskiye Polyany machine-building plantBasis: outside reference ¹
- Type
- PistolBasis: the ATF wording
- Action
- Select-fire / autoBasis: no citation
- Caliber
- 9×18mm MakarovBasis: the ATF wording
- Made
- 1951–1958production; ATF states no dateBasis: outside reference ²
- Service
- Military
Source
- Official wording
- ATF P 5300.11, April 2025 edition · Section IV · PDF p. 87 ↗ · ATF original ↗
- Entries
- 1 line
- Verbatim check
- Checked against the PDF text before every release
- Editorial facts
- Confidence: Medium · Last revised 18 October 2026 (Evidence pass) · How we rate confidence
- References
- 1. Wikipedia, “Stechkin automatic pistol” ↗, maker: infobox manufacturer Vyatskiye Polyany Machine-Building Plant
- 2. Wikipedia, “Stechkin automatic pistol” ↗, years: infobox production date 1951–1958 (APS)
- Fact tags
- ATF the ATF wording states it.
- REF ¹ an outside reference supports it; the number points to the list of references.
- ESTIMATE an approximate or indirect reading, for example the production range of the base model.
- NO CITATION we haven’t attached a reference for this fact; it’s our editorial reading, not ATF’s.
- Source checked
- 20 October 2026: ATF’s page still lists the April 2025 edition
- Corrections
- None
Historical context
Image: Wikimedia Commons, “Stechkin APS.jpg” by Vitaly V. Kuzmin, CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved October 2026.
Summary: Wikipedia, “Stechkin automatic pistol”. Text CC BY-SA 4.0.
FROM WIKIPEDIA
The Stechkin Automatic Pistol is a selective fire machine pistol manufacturered by Russian company Vytatsky Polyany Machine-Building Plant. It is chambered in 9×18mm Makarov and 9×19mm Parabellum. The APS was designed by Igor Stechkin for use by artillery and mortar crews, tank crews and aircraft personnel, for whom a cumbersome assault rifle was deemed unnecessary.