In Russia, rail rides you! This ‘Bizon-2’ subgun has a more extensive rail network than the entire United Kingdom. Never heard of the PP-19 Bizon before? You’re not alone . . .
The ‘Bison’ was first developed in the early 1990s from the Kalashnikov platform of the AKS-74. The PP-19 is a true Kalashnikov design, and not just a knockoff, since it was actually developed by Mikhail’s son Viktor Kalashnikov.
Unlike the AKS-74, the Bizon is a true subgun. It was originally chambered in 9×18 Makarov, and has also been offered in 9X19, .380 ACP (huh?) and 7.62 Tokarev.
This video shows perhaps its most interesting feature, a 64-round helical drum magazine reminiscent of the Calico pistols and carbines of the late 1980s. Modern versions utilize twin 32-round detachable box magazines like those shown at the top of the article.
The Bizon has not, to my knowledge, been imported for civilian sale in the United States. It would be pretty neat to own Russia’s home-grown counterpart to the H&K MP5, but we probably never will.