Specifications Pya Caliber.............................................................9 mm Cartridge......................................9x19 "luger", 7N21 Weight w/o cartridges.................................0.95 kg Length...........................................................196 m Length of barrel.........................................112.5mm Bullet muzzle velocity............................................. .................................335 ("luger"), 465 (7N21) m/sec Effective rate of fire.............................15-20 rds/min Sighting range..................................................50 m Magazine capacity...........................................17 rds

   By the early 1990 s. relying on research efforts on an advanced pistol conducted in the USSR in the late 1980s, the Ministry of Defense experts came up with specification for a new standard army pistol. With a weight of less than 1 kg, the pistol was to have a magazine with a considerably greater capacity than that of the Makarov PM pistol. The bullet was to provide penetration sufficient to kill manpower wearing Class 2 body armor at a range of 25 m and stopping power (after body armor penetration) comparable to that of 9x19 Parabellum and .45 АСР (11.43x23) cartridges. The pistol was expected to fire the following four types of cartridges: the widely popular 9x18 PM; the 7.62x25 TT; the 9x18 PMM high-power cartridge already developed by that time; and a new enhanced pistol cartridge, which was under development at that time. The pistol was to feature a standard effective range of fire of 50 m. The pistol was expected to be suitable for right-handed, left-handed, or two-handed firing and have a 15-cartridge magazine (later the capacity was increased up to 17 rounds).
     The Main Missiles and Artillery Directorate (GRAU) of the USSR Ministry of Defense issued the pistol specification requirements in early 1991. The research and development project was given the name "Grach5. The project involved the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, Klimovsk-based TsniiTochMash and Tula-based TsKIB SOO; Tula-Based KBP Instrument Design Bureau joined the project later.
     IMZ designers proposed the following three prototype pistols, among which was a pistol designed by V. A. Yarygin to fire 9x18 PM, PMM, and 7.62x25 TT cartridges;
     The drastic economic recession of the 1990 s slowed down the Grach project. Nevertheless, the work was going on. In 1993 the Russian MoD revised the specification requirements for the new standard pistol of the Armed Forces, in addition, the ability to fire 9x19 Parabellum (Luger) type cartridges would also boost the pistol's export potential, which was of importance given the economic hardships.
     The Izhevsk Mechanical Plant was already working on the Yarygin pistol chambered for NATO 9x19 cartridges. When the domestic 7N21 round became available, the pistol was modified to fire it. In 1998-1999, the new pistols 6P35 Yarygin, TsniiTochMash's 6P35 and SR. 1 and KBPs GSh-18 underwent the official tests. Cartridges were improved as well The Yarygin PYa pistol, developed at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant» was recommended for adoption by the Russian Armed Forces. Finally, under a governmental decree dated 21 March, 2003, the following three different pistol systems were simultaneously fielded with the Russian Armed Forces:
— SPS chambered for 9x21 cartridges;
— PYa chambered 9x19 cartridge;
— GSh-18 chambered for 9x 19 cartridges.
     The 9 mm 6P35 Yarygin PYa pistol is a short-recoil-operated weapon. The bore is locked by a slide skewing into the ejection port. When the barrel and the slide are forced back by the recoil the cam slot of the barrel nut interacts with the barrel latch (slide stop) and forces down the breech, disconnecting the barrel and the slide and unlocking the bore. The barrel stops, while the slide continues to recoil, extracting the spent cartridge case, compressing the recoil spring under the barrel, and rotating the hammer to the rear. When the slide, forced by the recoil spring, returns forward, it chambers the next round from the magazine and moves the barrel forward The cam slot of the barrel lug runs over the barrel latch axis, the breech rises, and the barrel nut Socks with the ejection port surface. The barrel is cold-forged, while the frame is made of steel.
     The trigger and firing mechanism comprises a half-hidden hammer and a cylindrical spiral hammer spring. St can operate in the single-action and the double-action modes. The manual ambidextrous safety lever mounted on the frame, blocks the sear, the trigger, the hammer, and the slide The hammer may be blocked both in the cocked and the released positions. The ability to block the firing mechanism in the cocked position enables a shooter to carry the cocked pistol with a chambered cartridge, so that it will only take releasing the safety catch to fire the first shot. Besides, the first shot will be fired with a short travel and a slight pull of the trigger, which increases the hit probability. The half-cock prevents the hammer from striking the firing pin and thus a shot if the pistol is dropped or the hammer is accidentally released when being cocked. The firing pin is mounted inside the slide and spring-loaded to rule out accidental firing of the cap. The cartridge extractor, mounted inside the slide, also serves as a loaded-chamber indicator. When a round is chambered, the front edge of the extractor is slightly elevated.
     The pistol is fitted with a foresight made integral with the slide and a rear sight on a dovetail sight mount. The sights are equipped with white inserts to facilitate aimed low-light fire {in twilight, dark rooms, etc.; export versions may be filled with capsules filled with fluorescent paint). The pistol is zeroed-in at a range of 25 m by adjusting the rear sight for windage, or replacing it for vertical adjustment. The bullet dispersion at a range of 25 m is 13 cm. The pistol is fitted with a plastic wraparound grip, grooved for better stability. The frame is grooved along the front grip plate with the same end in view.
     The PYa pistol is fed from a detachable double-column box-type steel magazine. The magazine release button is located behind the trigger guard on the Sift, but can also be reinstalled on the right side of the frame. The magazine has indicator holes to visually control the number of rounds remaining. When the magazine release button is pressed it drops down under its own weight. The pistol fires 7N21 cartridges, capable of killing manpower wearing Class 2 body armor, as well as standard 9x19 Parabellum (Luger) rounds. It is equipped with a slide stop.
     Izhevsk Grach's MP-443 'export' or 'commercial' version became available as far back as 2000. There is also the 6P35-02 variant with a plastic pistol frame, similar to the Viking pistol described below.