The Fort-12 ( Ukrainian: ''Форт-12'') is a

semi-automatic pistol A semi-automatic pistol (also called a self-loading pistol, autopistol, or autoloading pistol) is a repeating firearm, repeating handgun that automatically ejects and loads cartridge (firearms), cartridges in its chamber (firearms), chamber afte ...

which was designed in the late 1990s by Ukrainian

firearm A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions). The first firearms originate ...

s designer

RPC Fort Fort (' (full name), ''НВО "Форт"'' (short name)) is a Ukrainian weapons manufacturer from Vinnytsia, Ukraine. History In 1991, a new company was formed to design and manufacture small arms for Ukrainian Interior Ministry, Security Serv ...

History

The Fort-12 was produced to replace the

Makarov pistol The Makarov pistol or PM ( rus, Пистолет Макарова, r=Pistolet Makarova, p=pʲɪstɐˈlʲet mɐˈkarəvə, t=Makarov's Pistol) is a Soviet semi-automatic pistol. Under the project leadership of Nikolay Fyodorovich Makarov, it beca ...

s in Ukrainian service. RPC Fort acquired machinery from the

Česká Zbrojovka Uherský Brod Česká zbrojovka a.s. (CZ, ), is a Czech Republic, Czech armament manufacturer that is based in Uherský Brod. The company is known for producing service, hunting and sporting firearms. It is owned by the Czech holding company Colt CZ Group, Co ...

and the first "Fort-12" pistols were made in 1995. In December 1998, the "Fort-12" was adopted. While early Fort-12 copies suffered from reliability issues, RFC Fort addressed those problems and improved the design.

Design

The Fort-12 is chambered in the 9x18mm Makarov, former standard ammunition for the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and

Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, abbreviated as the Ukrainian SSR, UkrSSR, and also known as Soviet Ukraine or just Ukraine, was one of the Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Union from 1922 until 1991. ...

. The Fort-12 is similar to the

CZ-75 The CZ 75 is a semi-automatic pistol made by Czech firearm manufacturer ČZUB. First introduced in 1975, it is one of the original " wonder nines" and features a staggered-column magazine, all-steel construction, and a hammer forged barrel. It ...

, utilizes a simple blowback-operated action, double-action type trigger and manual safety lever on the left side.

Accessories

RFC Fort also provides duty

holster A handgun holster is a device used to hold or restrict the undesired movement of a handgun, most commonly in a location where it can be easily withdrawn for immediate use. Holsters are often attached to a belt or waistband, but they may be atta ...

for uniformed security personnel.

Variants

Fort-12 family

Fort-14

Designed for the Ukrainian law enforcement, the Fort-14 has a longer barrel and larger magazine than the Fort-12.

Fort-17

Other variants

Users

* ** Fort-12T, Fort-12TM, Fort-12R are Fort-12RM are allowed for private security guards * :* Ukrainian Customs :*

Ministry of Internal Affairs An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement. In some states, the i ...

:*Private security guards :*

Security Service of Ukraine The Security Service of Ukraine ( ; abbreviated as SBU [] or SSU) is the main Internal security, internal security agency of the Government of Ukraine, Ukrainian government. Its main duties include counter-intelligence activity and combati ...

National Police of Ukraine The National Police of Ukraine (, ; /NPU ), often simply referred to as the (), is the national, and only, police service of Ukraine. It was formed on 3 July 2015, as part of the post-Euromaidan reforms launched by Ukrainian president Petro Por ...

"''20 вооруженных неизвестных в камуфляже ворвались в два административных здания Государственной службы охраны ГУМВД Украины в Донецкой области... со склада были похищены 129 автоматов "Калашникова", 430 пистолетов "Макарова", 20 пистолетов "Форт", а также 14 тыс. боеприпасов''"
Службу Госохраны Донецка ограбили: похищено более 500 единиц оружия
// Корреспондент.NET от 22 июля 2014 :*

State Border Guard Service of Ukraine The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine ( SBGSU; , ; ) is the border guard of Ukraine. It is an independent law enforcement agency, organized by the Constitution of Ukraine as a military formation, the head of which is subordinated to the Pres ...

* ** An agreement was signed in October 2000 on the delivery of a batch of Fort-12 pistols to Uzbekistan

Former users

* ** BerkutА. Рычков. Сто дней "Форта" // журнал "Оружие и охота", № 3, 2000 ** Grifon"''В Донецке группа вооруженных автоматами людей ограбила оружейную комнату специального подразделения МВД судебной милиции Грифон. Похищены 45 автоматов Калашникова и 25 пистолетов, сообщает пресс-служба ГУ МВД Украины в Донецкой области... В частности, были похищены... автоматические пистолеты Стечкина (АПС) калибра 9 мм. – 20 единиц, Форт-12 калибра 9 мм. – пять единиц''"
В Донецке ограбили спецподразделение Грифон: унесли 45 автоматов и 25 пистолетов
// "Корреспондент.NET" от 29 июля 2014 ** Main Department of Internal Affairs of the city of KyivГенерал Александр Бевз: "С преступностью нельзя бороться наездами" // газета "Сегодня", № 28 (283) от 13 февраля 1999 *: **From 2008 to 2011, Fort-12Ts were sold on civilian market as non-lethal self-defence weapon. ***Since August 2014, Ukraine have banned the export of arms and military products to Russia, which includes

magazines A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...

and other spare parts for previously sold pistols.Оружейный завод "Форт" отказался от сотрудничества с российскими заказчиками // информагентство "Украинские национальные новости" от 16 сентября 2014

Fort-12N recipients

Gallery

File:Pistolet fort 12 travmatik com 2 by-sa.jpg, Fort-12 File:Pistolet fort 12 travmatik com 3 by-sa.jpg, Fort-12 disassembled File:Pistolet fort 12r travmatik com by-sa.jpg, Fort-12R

References

Literature

* Макет масо-габаритного пістолета Форт-12: керівництво з експлуатації. – Вінниця: КНВО "Форт" МВС України, 2007. – 10 с.

External links

* M. R. Popenker
Fort 12 pistol (Ukraine)
at the Modern Firearms website {{RPC Fort weapons .380 ACP semi-automatic pistols 9×18mm Makarov semi-automatic pistols Semi-automatic pistols of Ukraine Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1998