Russian Weapons

APS

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:52:02 +0000

In 1951 the l.Ya. Stechkin 9 mm auto¬matic pistol developed at the TsKB-14 Central Design Bureau was adopted for service simultaneously with the Makarov 9 mm PM automatic pistol. The APS auto¬matic pistol was put on the production line at the Viatsko-Poliansky Machine-Building Plant «Molot» (Hammer).
The pistol is blowback operated. It fea¬tures the firing mechanism with a spiral open hammer and helical a mainspring. The hammer rests in cocked and half bent positions. The pistol grip houses a retarder of the rate of fire to stabilise the weapon during automatic fire with bursts. The thumb safety also serves as a selector of fire modes. It features three positions: safety, single and automatic fire.
The thumb safety locks a firing pin and a hammer and connects a slide with the receiver. The triggering - with warning. The self-cocking fire is possible. The 20-round magazine with a checkerboard cartridge arrangement don’t protrudes from the pis¬tol grip. The curve-slide sight is graduated for 25, 50,100 and 200 meters. The radius of dispersion at a range of 50 meters con¬stitutes 5 cm and at a range of 200 meters it constitutes 22 cm. The pistol is being carried in a wooden or plastic holster-stock, it is used as a shoulder stock in the automatic mode of fire. Early in the 1990s at TsKlB SOO (Central Bureau) the team of designers, including l.Ya. Stechkin, A.V. Baltser and A.V. Zinchenko had developed new automatic pistols such as the 5.45 mm OTs-23 <«Drotik» and the 9 mm OTs-33 «Pernach» which, among other things, remained as experimental versions.

Specifications
Camber………………………….9mm
Cartridge…………………9×18PM
Weightw/o cartridges……………….1.02 kg
Weightw/Tiofete*slock ………………1.78kg
Pistol length……………………..225 m
Length w/nobtei stock . . ……. 540 mm
Length ot bairel………………….140 mm
Bullet muzzle velocity ……………..340 m/sec
Effective rate of fire…………….40/90 rds/min
Sighting range……………………. 200 m
Magazine capacity………………….20 rds

SPP-1

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:49:47 +0000

NRS-2

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:48:08 +0000

The NRS («scout’s firing knife», Index 6P25») was developed in Tula by R.D. Khlinin with a strong resemblance to the convention¬al knife NR (6P25U) and adopted for service in the Soviet Army. Any knife per se, in the first place, is a working tool and then it is a weapon. The firing device is assembled inside a cavity of the knife’ handle. The detachable 7.62mm sub-caliber barrel is chambered for the special SP.3 cartridge (See the MSP pis¬tol). The flash and fire crack are suppressed, however, there is a danger of burning by the powder gases the hand of a shooter,
In the NRS-2 firing knife adopted for service in 1986 together with the NR-2 non-firing knife was chambered for the 7.62mm SP.4 cartridge (See pistol the PSS) with a bullet featuring very high piercing and stop¬ping capabilities and not so prone or subject¬ed to ricochets. Developers of the NRS-2 knife was a team, including G.A. Savischev, I.F. Shedlos and V.Ya. Ovchinnikov. The blade of the NRS-2 is somewhat updated as com¬pared with that of the NRS. The firing mech¬anism assembled in the knife’s handle fea¬tures a cocking lever, thumb safety catch and release lever (button).
The lugs on the arrester are intended to extract the fired cartridge case. The knife is compete with a rig to carry it on the waist-belt, on hand or on the hip. During the fire the knife’s handle is directed forward, for aiming serves the slit on the knife’s arrester and front sight on the handle’s head. Although the sighting range is rated within the 25 m range, the effective fire is possible at rather shorter ranges. The shot is fired from the stretched hand, nevertheless, during the fire demonstrations the shooters prefer to hold the knife with both hands. The effective rate of fire of both the NRS and NRS-2 is two shots per minute.
Specifications NRS
Weight of knife w/o scabbard, g………………………..325
Blade length, mm ………………………………..158 .
Size of knife in scabbard, mm……………………322×63x30.5
Size of a knife w/o scabbard, mm……………….. 280×52.5×30.
Three cartridges…………………………………SP.3.
Bullet muzzle velocity, m/sec…………………………. 140
Effective rate of fire, rds/min……………………………2.

SV-99

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:45:11 +0000

The SV-99 magazine sniper rifle cham¬bered for the 5.6mm cartridge with a ring blast¬ing cap type .22 LR developed by V.F. Susloparov derived from the BI-7-2 biathlon («Biathlon-7-2») and «Sobol» hunting carbines was offered by Izh designers intended for skilled sharpshooters at short ranges of up to 50-70 m.
The weapon is complete with the PBS (silencer) and the 5.6mm cartridge is very suitable both for creation of high precision weapon systems intended for short ranges and «silent» weapon systems.
The non-chromed barrel is made via a cold forging and features 6 threads or rifles. The longitudinal sliding bolt of straight travel with the crank-base bolt mechanism of locking allows the shooter to quickly reload the rifle by slight movement of the hand. In addition to the speed this also reduces the noise gener¬ated by the bolt.
The firing mechanism is outfitted with a safety device.

The trigger pulling effort is being adjusted within the limit from 0.5 to 1.0 kgf. The rifle is fed from a 5-round removed box magazine
that is not protruding from its seat, a 10-round magazine is optional.
An optical sight is mounted on the upper part of the receiver via a «swallow-tail» attachment. The PO 4×34 or PO 6×42 sights are optional.
The buttstock is made from chesnut-wood with adjustment of the buttplate and the «cheek» in cross and vertical direction (the stock length is adjusted within 20 mm limit). The rifle may be mounted on the bipod or on the hand support, which are attached to the metallic sliding device housed in the fore grip. In the lower part of the stock provision is made for two spare 5-round magazines.
Inasmuch as this rifle was also intended for use in buildings the buttstock may be removed and substituted for the wooden pis¬tol grip. The rifle features a very convenient stock for delivering fire and a rather low dis¬persion shot pattern, at a range of up to 100 meters the rifle with the silencer can hit a tar¬get with 10 rounds fired in series the circle of radius equal to 4-4.4 cm and at a range of 50 meters the target with radius equal to 1.5 cm.

Specifications
Caliber………………………..5.6mm
Cartridge……………………….22 LR
Weapon weight w/o rds and a sight………3.75 kg
Weapon length w/stock and silencer……..980 mm
Weapon length w/handle and silencer……. 720 mm
Barrel length……………………350 mm
Sighting range………………..up to 100 m
Magazine capacity ………………….5 rds

VSK-94

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:41:52 +0000

In 1995s the Tula-based KB Instrument Design Bureau had developed, in the framework of its family weapons, on the basis of its assault rifle 9A-91 the «silent» automatic sniper rifle VSK-94 featuring the sighting range of up to 400 meters. This weapon is chambered for cartridges like the SP.5, SP.6, and, if needed, the more cheap PAB-9 cartridge with a bullet pene¬trating a 8 mm steel plate at a range of 100 meters.
The VSK-94 like 9A-91 is being operated by a gas driven unit, locked by a rotating bolt, features a hammer type firing mecha¬nism with a thumb safety-selector lever, and a folded operating handle of a bolt carrier. The thumb safety-selector is noted for its almost inaudible click (as compared with that of the AKM or SVD versions).

)The con version of an assault rifle into a sniper rifle was accompanied by the installation of a removable silencer, detachable skeleton-type plastic stock with a rubber shock-absorber, which is made integral with a pis¬tol grip. The standard plate of the receiver permits the mount of sights, also developed at the Design Bureau (KPB), a x7 day sight PKS 0-7 and night sight (both with an aim¬ing mark in the form of a red dot). The iron sight is intended for ranges of 100, 200, 300, and 400 meters.
The silencer (PBS) is without removable components. The VSK-94 may be used in a close combat as an assault rifle.
Like the VSS rifle the VSK-94 sniper rifle is easy to disassemble for carrying in a special case. It takes about one minute to assemble this weapon.

Specifications
Caliber ………………………..9mm
Cartridge……………….SP.5. SP.6 (9×39)
Weapon weight w/o magazine
an optical sight…………………2.7 kg
Rifle length w/silencer……………..900 mm
Barrel length…………………..230 mm
Muzzle velocity…………….270-290 m/sec
Rate of fire………………700-900 rds/min
Effective rate of fire …………..30/90 rds/min
Sighting range…………………..400 m
Magazine capacity ………………..10 rds

AS

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:39:01 +0000

The silent submachine gun complex comprising the AS (Index 6P30) special pur¬pose submachine gun and the SP6 car¬tridge constitutes the whole “family weapons with the BSK silent sniper com¬plex. The 70% of parts and units of the VSS and the AS are unified.
This submachine gun features the unfolding to the left skeleton metallic stock, plastic pistol grip and a 20-round magazine.
The SP-6 cartridge developed by Yu.S. Frolov and E.S. Kornilova is equipped with the armor-piercing bullet and results in bet¬ter penetration performance. The similarity of ballistics of the SP-5 and SP-6 bullets allows the delivery of fire from both versions
via identical graduation of the sight. An opti¬cal or night sight is optional.

For the submachine gun a decrease of the fire cracks serves not only the concealment of the fire emplacement, but the reduction of the acoustic stress on the shooter himself and possibility of voice contact during the fighting in small buildings, underground passages and the like. The essential advantages under these conditions is a low bullet ricochets as compared with the 5.45mm and 7.62mm of the submachine guns cartridges.
The VSS and AS silent submachine com¬plexes were made at the Tula-based Ordnance Plant and intended for special purpose sub-units of some law enforcement agencies.

Specifications
Caliber 9mm
Cartridge ………………….SPS. SP6 (9×39)
w/foWed sock …………………615mm
Sighting rangew/open sight…………..400m

VSS

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:34:14 +0000

The silent sniper complex was developed at the TsNII (Central Research Institute) TOCHMASH byRI. SerdukovandV.F Krasnikov and was adopted for service in 1987. The BSK complex comprises the sniper special purpose rifle (VSS «Vintorez», Index 6P29) and the SP5 (7N8) 9 mm special cartridge.
The SP5 sniper cartridge was developed by N.V. Zabelin and L.S. Dvoryaninov on the basis of the cartridge case Mod. 1943. The heavy subsonic bullet retains good stability on its trajectory and in addition to a high accuracy features assured penetrating per¬formance and defeats at a range of 400 meters live targets in II, III level armor vests (with firing SP6 cartridge).

The rifle is a gas-operated weapon, the bore barrel is sealed by a rotating bolt with six locking lugs. The relatively smooth recoil enhances the weapon’s accuracy. The firing mechanism is of a hammer type with a light striker. The safety lever is of a thumb type. The separate fire selector (single-shot and continuous fire modes) is located behind the trigger.
The powder gases are exhausted into the integrated silencer through grooves in the walls of the barrel and through the muzzle end face escape into the separator. The fire crack does not outstrip the crack of the small cal¬iber sport rifle.
The cross section of a target hits dispersion at a range of 100 meters is equal to 12 cm. The VSS rifle is equipped with the PSO-1 -1 sight or night sight, there is also available an iron curve-slide sight. The unremoved wooden skeleton-type buttstock is outfitted with an elastic buttplate. The rifle is easily broken into large parts for concealed carrying.
The 10-round plastic magazine with a checkerboard arrangement of cartridges is made of plastic.
Specifications
Caliber………………………9mm
Cartridge ……………..SP5, SP6 (9×39)
Pistol weight w/o optical sight
and cartridges ………………2.45 kg
Complex length……………….894 mm
Barrel length…………………200 mm
Muzzle bullet velocity ………….290 m/sec
Rate of lire ……………800-900 rds/min
Effective rate of fire…………30/60 rds/min
Sighting range
w/optical sight ……………….400 m
w/night optical sight ……………300 m
w/open sight ………………..400 m
Magazine capacity…………..10 « 20 rds

OTs-38

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:31:29 +0000

The OTs-38 (Index SVI368) .silent spe¬cial” revolver has been developed by I.Ya. Slechkin at the TsKIB SOO chambered tor the same 7.62mm SP.4 cartridge with the cut-off exhaused powder gases similar to the PSS self-loading pistol. This revolver is intended for special operations and rated for engagement of manpower at ranges of up to 50 m.
The revolver is builet on an .upturned” configuration. The barrel is located nearly over the trigger, the shot is fired from a lower chamber of the drum. The lower location of the barrel relative to the wrist of the hand enhances the accuraey of fire. The assembled barreldrum is hinged on a vertical pin to the right. The drum is loaded with five cartriges in a clip. The fired cartridge cases are also extracted simulte-
neonsly in a clip. All this facilitates the preparation to open fire.
The firing mechanism is of a hummer-type with a protruding cocking piece, wich ensures a self-cocked shot or a shot with pre-limenary cocking of the hammer. The two-sided non-automatic sufety lever locks the cocked hammer. There is also an automatic safety device, which prevents a shot with a partially or completely hinged drum as well as at strikes or inadvertant drops.
The revolver may be shipped complete with a laser target designator (LTD), which is located in the slot of the receiver above the barrel, the switch-off of the LTD is located on the receiver behind the trigger guard.
The trigger guard is intended to fire the weapon in the gloves, its form is rated for fire from two hands.

PSS

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:29:01 +0000

The 7.62 mm PSS (special-purpose, self-loading, Index 6P28, code name «Val» pistol) was developed at the TsNII (Cenlral Research Institute) TOCHMASH by V.N. Levchenko and Yu.M. Krilov chambered for the SP-4 car¬tridge developed by V. A. Petrov. This complex was adopted for service in 1983.
The SP-4 bottle-shaped rimless cartridge case completely hides the bullet. The long wad-piston is replaced by a small device in the form of a cup. The cylindrical bullet is made of the hard alloy and features on its upper part the brass band. By the moment when a bullet completely leaves the cartridge case its band reaches the muzzle end face and it seems as if the bullet propels itself along the rifled part of the barrel. The bullet penetrates at a range of 25 meters the armor vest of II level of protection and at a range of 30 meters penetrates a 5 mm steel plate.

The self-loading mode of operation with such a cartridge proved to be a considerable achievement (taking into account the inside pressure in the cartridge case) and demand¬ed an additional rifling of the barrel beginning from the cartridge chamber, the latter travels a little backward with recoiling slide and the rilled part shifts forward under the effect of a bullet. This reduces the contact of the car¬tridge case with cartridge chamber and enhances its extraction.
The firing mechanism of the hammer type ensures firing with self-cocking or with preliminary cocking and features thumb safety. The pistol grip constitutes a part of its rear receiv¬er to which are attached the plastic side-pieces. The magazine is of a one-row type.
The Tula-based Ordnance Plant (Armory) has launched the PSS and MSP pistols in production.
Specifications
Caliber………………………..7.62mm
Cartridge …………………………SP4
Pistol weight w/cartridges …………….0.88 kg
Pistol length…………………….165 mm
Barrel length……………………..35 mm
Muttle bullet velocity ……………..200 m/sec
Effective rate of fire ……………..6-8 rds/min
Sighting range……………………..50 m
Magazine capacity…………………..6rds

APB

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:26:33 +0000

The «aulomatic silent pistol» (APB, Index 6P13) developed by A. S. Neugodov derived from the Stechkin automatic pistol was adopted for service in 1972. Traditionally, the pistol is the barrel-slide blowback operated weapon with the iner-tial retarder of the rate of fire, hammer type firing mechanism, safety lever and the curve-slide sight.
The elongated barrel is jacketed with an integrated chamber intended for the escape of exhausted gases through the grooves in the barrel. Thanks to this the muzzle velocity of the bullet drops below the subsonic speed. After the bullet leaves the bore the gases from the expansion chamber return to the barrel and escape through the muzzle end face with reduced temperature and pressure. The muzzle part of the barrel protrudes from the barrel-slide and features the threads for the noz¬zle-silencer separated inside by a row of expanded chambers.

The pistol is noted for the fact that the integrated chamber literally «enters into» the outlines of the barrel-slide.
The APB pistol is outfitted with the wire-made detachable shoulder-rest instead of the holster-stock. The removed nozzle unit is fastened by a screw to the shoulder-rest. The reduced recoil energy of the cartridge, increased weight of the pistol in the combat readiness and shifting of the center of gravi¬ty forward led to the low dispersion shot pat¬tern as compared with the base APS pistol.

Specifications
Caliber………………………….9mm
Cartridge………………………9×18 PM
Weight w/loaded magazine and silencer ……………..1.66 kg
Silencer weight ……………………0.4 kg
Weight ol shoulder-rest……………….0.2 kg
Muzzle bullet velocity …………….. 290 m/sec
Magazine capacity ………………….20 rds