Although mighty
big (55 Caliber) and originally developed as an anti-tank rifle -
the Russian built
PTRS- 41 is the predecessor of the SKS rifle.
In 1938, Simonov designed the PTRS-41, a magazine fed, semi automatic anti-tank rifle.
The PTRS-41 fired
a 14.5 mm (55 Caliber) armor-piercing bullet which had a muzzle velocity
of 1012 m/s (3350 ft. per sec.)
It could penetrate
an armour plate up to 40mm thick (1.574 inches) at a distance of 100 metres
(110 yards).
The original version
of the PTRS-41 sported a carrying handle, bipod, 5 round clamshell
magazine, and a
very large muzzle
brake compensator up front.
