In every country in the world, special services are armed with only the best examples of small arms. In some cases, special models are produced for them. The line of PSS pistols refers specifically to special samples. For the first time, the PSS-2 pistol, which is in service with the Russian FSB, was presented to the general public as part of the Army-2020 international forum.
The new pistol was adopted by the FSB back in 2011. This development is an evolutionary development of the PSS model, which was adopted by the special forces of the KGB of the USSR in 1983. Both models of small arms were created by the designers of the Central Scientific Research Institute of Precision Engineering (TSNIITOCHMASH) from Klimovsk near Moscow (today a microdistrict of Podolsk).
The enterprise TSNIITOCHMASH is now part of the Rostec state corporation and boasts a wide range of defense products. At the same time, small arms from Klimovsk are traditionally the hero of ratings of unusual pistols. In this regard, the PSS Vul and PSS-2 models are no exception.
The history of the appearance of the PSS-2 pistol
The history of the PSS-2 silent-firing pistol (special self-loading pistol) must begin with a story about its predecessor. In 1983, a self-loading pistol for silent and flameless firing PSS "Vul" was adopted by the special units of the KGB of the USSR. The pistol was developed in Klimovsk as part of a special pistol complex for 7, 62-mm cartridge. In addition to the PSS pistol itself, the SP4 cartridge was part of the complex.
The assignment for the development of a silent compact self-loading pistol, allowing for concealed carrying, was received at TsNIITOCHMASH in the early 1970s. Research and development work on the creation of a new model of small arms received the code "Vul".
The designers V. N. Levchenko and Yu. M. Krylov were responsible for the development of the pistol, V. A. Petrov and E. S. Kornilov were responsible for the creation of a special cartridge for it. Klimovsk notes that the created pistol complex, based on a cartridge with a cutoff of powder gases in the case, has become a unique development that has no analogues in the world.
The presented pistol PSS "Vul" in its combat capabilities was not inferior to the 9-mm PB pistol, which since 1967 has been in service with Soviet power structures, primarily army reconnaissance groups and special forces. PSS "Vul" is the only self-loading pistol in the world that provides silent and flameless shooting at a distance of 50 meters.
Distinctive features of the PSS pistol were that it surpassed the PB model in compact design, and the MSP and S4M pistols were superior in rate of fire. The high rate of fire of the weapon was directly related to the use of specially created ammunition.
The pistol, which received the GRAU 6P28 index upon adoption, for a long time fully satisfied the employees of special units of the KGB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military intelligence. The task of creating a new model of small arms for silent and flameless shooting was formulated already by the FSB of Russia in the 2000s.
In the terms of reference for the new pistol, it was said that it should surpass its predecessors in power. The requirements for a new model of short-barreled weapons indicated that the pistol should ensure penetration of body armor of the 2nd protection class. According to TsNIITOCHMASH, R&D for the new pistol received the code "Vestnik".
Within the framework of the Vestnik design and development work, designer V. M. Kabaev under the direct supervision of P. I. Serdyukov created a 7.62-mm self-loading pistol PSS-2 chambered for the new SP16 cartridge with special characteristics. As noted in the magazine "Klimovsky gunsmith", the team of engineers A. A. Bagrov, V. A. Petrov, M. I. Kabaeva and E. S. Kornilova was responsible for the development of the new cartridge.
It is reported that the main work on the new 7, 62-mm pistol complex was completed at the end of the last decade. The novelty was able to pass all the necessary checks and tests and interested potential customers. In 2011, the PSS-2 pistol was officially adopted by the special forces of the FSB of Russia. And the new product was presented to the general public only in 2020. In 2021, it will be exactly 10 years since the adoption of this unusual pistol into service.
Features of the PSS-2 pistol
In terms of its firing characteristics, the new PSS-2 pistol, developed by a team of TsNIITOCHMASH specialists, comes close to the usual models of army pistols. This was achieved due to the more powerful special cartridge SP16. The use of the new ammunition makes it possible to ensure not only the defeat of unprotected enemy manpower at a distance of up to 50 meters, but also the defeat of opponents protected by body armor of the 2nd protection class at a distance of up to 25 meters.
As with the previous model of the Vul PSS, in Klimovsk they refused to use traditional ammunition and silent firing devices (PBS) in the pistol case. The use of PBS would lead to an increase in the size of the weapon, which does not fit with the terms of reference, which assumed the preservation of the compactness of the model.
At the same time, the pistol has grown in size, which is largely due to the use of a new cartridge. The shutter, frame and magazine have become larger in size. At the same time, the principle of operation of the weapon completely copies the model of the PSS "Vul". But external changes, as they say, are on the face. The trigger-type firing mechanism has also undergone changes. Whereas in the previous version the parts were borrowed from the legendary Makarov pistol (PM), the novelty received a trigger based on parts from the Serdyukov SR1M “Vector” pistol.
Also, a serious visual difference is the appearance of a Picatinny rail under the barrel of the pistol, which makes it easy to install a tactical attachment on the weapon: tactical flashlights or laser designators. Sights - open type, consist of a rear sight and a front sight located on the bolt.
PSS-2 received the ability to fire both from a combat platoon and self-cocking. According to the development company, the safety of handling weapons is ensured by two automatic fuses located on the back of the handle and on the trigger. The declared temperature characteristics of the model are from -50 to +50 degrees Celsius.
The main feature of the pistol can be called its SP16 closed-type cartridge, which works on the same principle as the SP4 cartridge, but is distinguished by its large size and power. SP16 of caliber 7, 62x45 mm received a new sleeve (SP4 - 7, 62x42 mm). The sleeve of the new cartridge has become longer and wider in diameter, which made it possible to increase the volume of gunpowder. At the same time, the initial speed of the bullet's flight increased to 300 m / s, for the previous model this figure was 200 m / s.
The PSS-2 pistol is powered by ammunition from detachable box magazines designed for 6 rounds. The location of the cartridges in the store is single-row. A cartridge with a powder gas cut-off in the case provides the weapon with silent and flameless firing. According to TsNIITOCHMASH, the mass of the SP16 cartridge is 37 grams, the mass of the bullet is 9.9 grams.
Despite the increased size, the pistol is still quite compact. The total length of the PSS-2 does not exceed 195 mm. The mass of the weapon with a magazine without cartridges is 1 kg. At the same time, in comparison with its predecessor - the PSS model - the new pistol has grown noticeably. The total length of the Vul PSS was 170 mm.
The increase in the size of the weapon made it possible not only to improve the ergonomics of the new pistol, but also to provide the model with better combat capabilities. The large mass of the bullet and the increased weight of gunpowder provide an increase in penetrating and lethal action. Visually, the pistol's barrel length also increased. At the same time, the very shape of the bullet has changed. In the SP16 cartridge, it acquired the shape of a chisel, which also, apparently, increases the penetrating capabilities of the ammunition.
PSS-2 pistol appreciated by foreign military
It is worth noting that the model was appreciated by representatives of foreign armies. The Armaments Tactical and Technical Information Service (SITTA) of the French Defense Ministry, following the results of the Army-2020 exhibition, included the new Russian PSS-2 pistol in the category of unique developments. SITTA emphasizes that Russia remains the only country in the world that has mastered the technology of creating a lighter and more compact weapon than a pistol with a silencer.
"The signature of the sound of a shot is practically absent for the new SP16 ammunition and the PSS-2 pistol,"
- note the French observers.
At the same time, very soon the general public will be able to get acquainted with the real sound of the PSS-2 shot in the cinema. The release of the Russian military drama Palmira is scheduled for 2022. Especially for this film, in the summer of 2021, filmmakers recorded at the TsNIITOCHMASH training ground real sounds of shots of various types of weapons, including the new silent PSS-2 pistol and the VSS Vintorez sniper rifle.
