MOSCOW, January 24. /TASS/. Russian firearms manufacturer TsNIITochMash (an affiliate of the public corporation Rostec) will issue a civilian version of Russia’s newest handgun Udav for professional athletes.

The weapons’ parameters will be competitive with those of Colt, Glock and other foreign counterparts, Rostec’s press-service said on Thursday.

"The civil version will be adjusted to the requirements of professional athletes. Its parameters will be competitive to those of such renowned firearms brands as Colt, Walther, Heckler&Koch, Glock, Browning, CZ and others," Rostec said.

The corporation has plans for creating an export version of the civilian Udav. The press-service said "it will retain the firepower, accuracy, ergonomic design and small weight."

"Modern composite materials guarantee the weapon’s stable performance at air temperatures ranging from 50 degrees below freezing to 70 degrees above zero Celsius. It is equally convenient for left-handed an right-handed users. The design allows the shooter to actually see and feel the presence of cartridge in the chamber," the press-service quotes Rostec’s industrial director, Sergei Abramov, as saying.

The magazine’s capacity is 18 cartridges, ten more than that of the Makarov handgun.

Udav can fire 9 mm by 21 mm tracer, armor-piercing and expanding ammunition. Two special cartridges of sub-sonic and enhanced penetrability have been designed especially for it.

The self-loading handgun Udav from TsNIITochMash is an entirely Russian-designed and manufactured product. It has passed government certification tests and been authorized for official use. Three versions of it are being readied for mass production for the army, commando and crack forces and the civilian market.