The GSh-18 is a Russian semi-automatic pistol developed by KBP Instrument Design Bureau in the late 1990s. The pistol's name is derived from the initials of its designers, Gryazev and Shipunov, as well as the its standard magazine capacity of 18 rounds.
The GSh-18 is a rotating-barrel, short-recoil, locked-breech pistol with 10 locking lugs spaced equally around the barrel. These lugs provide a large locking surface area, resulting in a strong lockup. While the GSh-18 can use standard 9×19mm Parabellum rounds, it was designed to use the higher-velocity, Russian armour-piercing 7N31 9×19mm round. The pistol incorporates a pre-set striker, in a similar manner to the Glock. The frame is made of polymer. The GSh-18 pistol is of incredibly simple design and construction, containing only 17 total parts.
