Inside the ZPU-4 Four Guns, One Mount | How this gun became a Drone Killer

Описание: The ZPU-4 is one of those Cold War weapons that looks simple… until you realize what it’s actually doing. It takes the Soviet 14.5mm KPV heavy machine gun and stacks four of them on one mount, turning 14.5x114mm into a literal wall of tracer and steel. In this video, we break down how the ZPU-4 is built, how the crew runs it, why Soviet designers chose a manual, rugged setup, and what “volume of fire” really means when all four barrels are firing together.

You’ll also see why the ZPU-4 showed up early in conflicts like Korea and later in layered air-defense networks, what different 14.5mm ammo types were meant to do (API, tracer, incendiary mixes), and why this system never fully disappeared even after missiles took over the anti-aircraft job. The twist is that in modern wars, the ZPU-4 is often used against drones, low-flying helicopters, and light vehicles, because it’s cheap, mobile, and brutally effective for the targets it can realistically reach.

If you’re into Soviet weapons engineering and “how it works” breakdowns, subscribe. Next up: how the Soviets pushed this idea further with systems like the ZU-23-2 and the ZSU-23-4 Shilka.

Timestamps:

00:00 the “wall of fire”
00:55 Why the Soviets built the ZPU-4 (1949)
02:10 The KPV and 14.5x114mm explained
03:25 ZPU-4 layout: mount, cradle, controls
04:45 Rate of fire math: 4 barrels, 2,400 RPM
06:05 Mobility: breakdown, towing, fast setup
07:15 Ammunition types: B-32, BZT, MDZ belts
08:35 Korea: low-altitude threat and AAA reality
10:05 Operating it: crew roles, reloads, heat, noise
11:40 Why missiles replaced it, and what missiles cannot do
12:55 The comeback: drones, “technicals,” modern use
14:20 ZPU-4 legacy: ZU-23-2, Shilka, Type 56 copies