Defence Research and Development Organisation's 5.56x30 mm protective carbine is now fit to be inducted into services after the weapon successfully completed final user trials

Joint Venture Protective Carbine or Modern Sub Machine Carbine (MSMC) is a unique calibre weapon for short range operations. Its low recoil provides stabilized firing during rapid firing and can be fired by single hand. It has ambidextrous features for cocking handle and a retractable butt for balanced firing which is most suitable for concealed area operations. The production of carbines is under progress from Ordnance Factories and major private companies.

Sources said that the carbine met all General Staff Qualitative Requirements.

This was the last leg of trials in a series of user trials which have been carried out in extreme temperature conditions in summer and high altitudes in winter.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had unveiled the 5.56 x 30 mm JVPC during DefExpo-2020 at Lucknow. The weapon has already passed the MHA trials and procurement action is initiated by the CAPFs and various State Police organisations.

Sources said that the carbine met all General Staff Qualitative Requirements. 

This was the last leg of trials in a series of user trials which have been carried out in extreme temperature conditions in summer and high altitudes in winter. 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had unveiled the 5.56 x 30 mm JVPC during DefExpo-2020 at Lucknow. The weapon has already passed the MHA trials and procurement action is initiated by the CAPFs and various State Police organisations.

The new carbine is a gas-operated semi bull-pup automatic weapon with a rate of fire of over 700 rounds per minute.

The effective range of the carbine is more than 100 m and weighs about 3.0 kg.

Weapon Data


Among the characteristics that make the new carbine very potent weapon for counter-insurgency and 
counter-terrorism operations include its low recoil, retractable butt, ergonomic design, single hand firing capability, and multiple picatinny rails.

Following design from machine pistols like the Uzi, the MSMC has a pistol grip which allows the user to fire it even with one hand. This allows the insertion of 30-round MSMC magazines on the pistol grip. It has a retractable buttstock and ambidextrous cocking levers on both sides of the MSMC, alongside the fire selectors to suit individuals who prefer to fire the weapon from either the left or right shoulder located above the trigger.

The MSMC has a rate of fire of around 800 rpm with a mass of less than 3 kilograms. It has an effective range of around 200 meters. It has a butt extracted length of 750 mm and a butt retracted length of 560 mm. It utilities the 5.56×30 mm calibre which fires at a muzzle velocity of 650 meters per second.

It has a picatinny railing on the receiver to allow the installations of weapon sights like reflex sights with iron sights built into the railing. The weapon fires in a gas operated mode, utilizing rotary bolt locking and a gas piston. The MSMC can also be suppressed with the installation of a silencer.

Like the Israeli Uzi, the MSMC is made of stamped sheet metal while having polymer housing. An unusual element in the design is the placement of the bayonet lug, located above the barrel just at the front of the receiver. A three-point sling is used to help carry the MSMC via shoulders.

The first prototypes have a large trigger guard, but later versions had this removed and instead, had traditional trigger guards instead when they showcased in exhibitions in 2013. In 2014, the MSMC's buttstock length changed from 558 mm to 500 mm