No noise and dust, or before and after MSS. Part 2.
As mentioned in the previous part, the need to create an automatic self-loading pistol was obvious, and in 1971-1972. the search for technical solutions continued by the designers of TsNIITOCHMASH (department 46), in parallel with the specialists of the research structures of the special services. It was clear that both a new cartridge, of a different design, and a pistol of a non-standard design would have to be developed, since the known automation schemes were not suitable. And new, promising solutions and design schemes for weapons and cartridges were found! In other words, such results are usually called inventions.
Based on these results, the research work "Vul" was included in the TsIITOCHMASH thematic plan for 1973, the purpose of which was to study the optimal parameters of a self-loading pistol rifle complex for silent firing based on a cartridge with a powder gas cutoff in the case.
Petrov Viktor Alekseevich (for the cartridge) and Yuri Krylov (for arms) were appointed as responsible executors of the work, Elena Sergeevna Kornilova was responsible for developing the technology for manufacturing the cartridge case.
The terms of reference provided for the creation of a new cartridge of 5, 6 … 7, 62-mm caliber with a muzzle energy of a bullet 1.5 times higher than that of the SP-3 and a compact self-loading pistol weighing no more than 600 grams. With the presentation of higher requirements for range, accuracy of fire and penetrating action than for the available cartridges. And in November 1974, the TK was even more "clarified" - now the task was to pierce a 6B1 body armor when firing a pistol at a distance of 25 m. from the pistol complexes that were in service at that time in the Soviet and foreign armies, they were not capable of this.
Since the Customers had previously concentrated their research mainly in the caliber 5 … 5, 6-mm, the work on the Vul research and development work contained quite a lot of research on the development of structures in these calibers, especially at the first stages. In one of the variants, the "rolling" bullet of 5, 2-mm caliber weighing 5, 78 grams with a VNM hard alloy core and a thick-walled shell of 50 steel, hardened to HRC 37 … 42 hardness, was supposed to provide the required penetration level at an initial velocity of 250 m / sec. The name "rolling" bullet received because on its outer surface by the rolling method, a very frequent sloping helical "cutting" of a triangular shape was carried out. Before assembling the cartridge, the bullet was pressed into a cylindrical brass liner, forming corresponding grooves on its inner surface. The brass liner, together with the bullet, was inserted into the muzzle of the sleeve and, when fired, served as a barrel, giving the bullet rotation. In this case, the barrel of a pistol (or other weapon) would be smooth and intended only for directing the bullet. Such "delights" in the design of the cartridge were explained, first of all, by the desire to find a way to give the bullet the required rotation "bypassing" the rifled barrel, since I really wanted to get rid of the ejector rod. And also the desire to simplify the design of a self-loading pistol as much as possible, to "untie" the effect of the bullet on the operation of its automation when guiding the bullet along the rifled barrel, as well as the desire to create a cartridge design "independent" of the weapon.
However, as a result of the experiments carried out, it was found that such a design is not optimal. In addition to its obviously high complexity and low manufacturability, serious problems were obtained with accuracy, high residual pressure of powder gases, and difficult extraction of the spent cartridge case. Based on the results of the research, it was concluded that the design of the cartridge with a rolling bullet is unacceptable for mass production and is only suitable for manufacturing in small quantities. Also, although 100% penetration of the 6-mm plate of the 6B1 body armor and a 25-mm pine board behind it at a distance of 25 m was ensured, the destructive effect of the rolling bullet was 1, 3 - 1, 6 times inferior to the bullets of the SP-3 cartridge (by the area of the full affected area) and 2 times - the bullets of the 9-mm cartridge for the Makarov pistol.
The design of cartridges with a two-element 5, 45-mm bullet with "bare" steel or heavy tungsten cores was also worked out and studied in detail. An interesting way was to compensate for the extremely small (0, 10 - 0, 13 kgf · s) recoil impulse of such a cartridge. In the muzzle part of the sleeve there was a bushing (called the "automatic bushing"), which could move, or rather, move outward from the muzzle of the cartridge under the action of the pallet when it was braked by about 2 mm per cartridge size. That was supposed to reliably provide the moving parts of the automatic pistol with the energy necessary to extract the spent cartridge case and reload the new cartridge. Those interested in the details of these options can refer to the third book of the monograph by V. N. Dvoryaninov "Live cartridges of small arms".
Active research of design options for the future new cartridge in small calibers (5 … 5, 5-mm) continued until 1977. However, the research results obtained in practice and their objective analysis led the Customers to the need to adjust the terms of reference for the future pistol complex. The interdepartmental commission, which accepted the next stage of the Vul research and development project, recommended continuing research on the development, clarifying the requirements for the lethal effect of the bullet and for breaking through various obstacles (they abandoned the requirement to pierce the 6B1 body armor), as well as for the mass-dimensional requirements for the pistol (weight without magazine - no more than 750 g; dimensions - no more than 165 x 115 x 32 mm). The bullet caliber was set as "no more than 7.62 mm."
Last but not least, the reason for adjusting the requirements was their streamlining in connection with the research that began at that time on the development of a unified system of silent small arms, which made it possible not only to "put things in order" among disparate samples of special weapons and directions of their development, but also to substantiate the requirements for each class of such weapons. We will return to this work a little further.
Based on the requirements specified in 1977, the future cartridge was redesigned taking into account all the accumulated experience and results. To increase the destructive effect of the bullet, it was decided to return to the caliber 7, 62 mm - the limit according to the TK. The weight and initial velocity of the bullet were chosen, including taking into account the magnitude of the recoil impulse of the cartridge of the order of 0, 20 kgf
Carefully examining today the design of the SP-4 cartridge, created as a result, its originality and uniqueness are not immediately obvious. The cartridge differs significantly in its design from its predecessors and "fancy" experimental versions. The design team, mainly V. A. Petrov, managed to solve many large and small problems inherent in a live cartridge with a cutoff of powder gases in the sleeve, already described above in the history of the creation and development of such cartridges.
Having used all the experience accumulated by the domestic patron makers by this time, Viktor Alekseevich went much further than them in almost every element of his cartridge.
The design of the primer assembly was changed - a self-obturating primer-igniter KV-9-1, modified in sensitivity, was used, which was attached to the sleeve body with additional punching. The photo clearly shows his "work". The bullet became steel and changed its shape. For guidance along the rifling of the bore, a brass leading belt appeared on the bullet in front. In this case, the diameter of the "body" of the bullet does not exceed the diameter of the barrel bore along the rifling fields. Both the shape of the pallet pushing the bullet and the process of its braking in the muzzle of the cartridge case have changed. The sleeve itself has become noticeably thicker. Comparing the appearance of the cartridge before and after the shot (in the photo - the extreme left and right, respectively), it can be seen that the sleeve of the SP-4 cartridge does not undergo such cardinal plastic deformations as in the SP-2 and SP-3 cartridges.
When firing at two sheets of 20 steel with a thickness of 1 mm, spaced by 35 mm, and a 25-mm dry pine board behind them at a distance of 10 cm, the SP-4 cartridges provide 100% penetration of both steel sheets at a distance of 50 m; 90% penetration of two steel sheets and boards at 25 m and 60% penetration at 50 m. The SP-4 bullet also provides 100% penetration for 25 meters of a 5-mm sheet made of AMg6 aluminum alloy, and bullets of SP-cartridges 3 and 9x18 PM do not penetrate this obstacle.
In the course of developing a new cartridge, the designers found and worked out to the reliability required from a military weapon, both original technical and technological solutions. Therefore, many deservedly consider the SP-4 cartridge to be the highlight of the silent pistol complex.
In "ordinary life" Viktor Alekseevich Petrov always remained a simple, kind and unsaturated person. To the banal question “How are you?” He invariably answered with the words of V. S. Vysotsky "Drives losers around the world with a bundle, life flows between his fingers like a thin cobweb …". The external "simplicity" played by him could mislead only the first time. Colleagues and friends knew well his highest literacy, erudition and decency. The only thing he could not stand was stubbornness (especially in the absence of the necessary knowledge on the topic) and the inability to adequately assess objective criticism in disputes and discussions. "Aleksseich", as he was called among friends and at work, never complained about fate and was always ready to help. His labor activity is completely connected with the city of Klimovsky, Moscow region and TsNIITOCHMASH, where he first came to the pre-graduation practice in 1960 and already in 1961 he was hired for a permanent job in the cartridge department No. 23, after graduating from the Leningrad Military Mechanical Institute. With the formation of a special department No. 46 at TSNIITOCHMASH, he moved there to the group of patron makers, where he worked until his retirement. On the creative account of Viktor Alekseevich, not only the SP-4 cartridge, although it is he who is his most famous work, put into service. For the development of this cartridge, V. A. Petrov, among others, was awarded the State Prize of the Russian Federation in 1993. Viktor Alekseevich Petrov passed away on January 2, 2016. And today, examining one of the results of his work, we can appreciate his design talent with due respect. Blessed memory, Viktor Alekseevich!
As mentioned above, when designing the SP-4 cartridge and choosing its basic technical characteristics, the requirements of gunsmiths for the recoil momentum were taken into account for the possibility of creating automatic (self-loading) weapons by them. It is worth recalling that up to this point, self-loading samples for a cartridge with a cutoff of powder gases in the sleeve have not been created.
It is wrong to think that only the provision of a sufficient recoil momentum (of the order of 0, 20 kgf · s) and the absence in the design of a new cartridge extending beyond the size of the sleeve of the stem-pallet solved all problems "automatically". There were other, very unpleasant "little things" left.
Since there is no other source of energy besides recoil for automation, only schemes with a recoil of the shutter were suitable for the operation of the pistol, generally speaking. At the moment of braking the pallet on the muzzle of the sleeve, a dynamic blow was inevitably obtained, slowing down the movement of the moving parts of the pistol's automatics. Moreover, both the very fact of the dynamic shock impulse and its not guaranteed uniformity (stability) from shot to shot were unpleasant, especially in different operating conditions. The beginning of the movement of the bolt group simultaneously with the movement of the bullet, according to the understandable laws of physics, inevitably led to the beginning of the removal of the cartridge case from the chamber “ahead of time”. In this case, the braking of the pallet occurs at the moment when the muzzle of the sleeve has already moved away from the end of the chamber and the muzzle does not have the required support. And without such a support, the liner must have significantly thicker walls to ensure its strength both in the longitudinal (breakage) and radial (swelling) directions. Which, of course, is not permissible and can spoil the whole idea due to a significant increase in the weight and dimensions of the cartridge. The forced delay (locking) of the bolt group to synchronize the start time of the rollback with the end of the pallet braking also led to a significant complication of the design and, as a result, its general inapplicability for military weapons. It was these riddles that did not previously make it possible to build an acceptable design for a self-loading pistol for a cartridge with a cut-off of powder gases in the sleeve.
PSS pistol. Right and left views.
But the talented gunsmith designer Yuri Krylov found an original way out! The “golden key” of the pistol design is the movable bolt and chamber, but structurally divided into two independent parts, each of which has its own return spring.
This decision made it possible to implement the following scheme for the operation of the PSS pistol: Before the shot, the cartridge was sent into the chamber, fixing in it with the slope of the sleeve. At the same time, the chamber is tightly pressed against the hemp of the barrel by its return spring. The shutter rests against its mirror in the bottom of the sleeve, choosing a mirror gap, and the groove of the sleeve is under the extractor tooth. In this case, the bolt does not adhere to the chamber, a guaranteed gap remains between them.
When fired, simultaneously with the beginning of the movement of the bullet, both the chamber and the bolt begin to roll back, as a whole, since the sleeve, "expanded" within the framework of elastic deformation by the pressure of the powder gases (Pmax. Av. = 2750 kgf / cm2), is pinched in the chamber and remains motionless relative to it, that is, the end and slope of the sleeve do not move away from the front end of the chamber and have the necessary "support" from its side. Having passed its way in the case and accelerated the bullet to the required speed, the pallet is braked in the muzzle of the case, cutting off the powder gases in its body. The dynamic shock from braking the pallet is transmitted through the case body to the chamber, slowing down its movement back. In this case, the chamber does not completely stop, but it is significantly slowed down and takes "on itself" all the dynamic impact. The shutter, which at this moment is not mechanically connected to the chamber, continues its movement backward by inertia with the speed (impulse) acquired by this moment. The chamber, after passing a certain path of 8 mm (which is guaranteed that the pallet has already slowed down), stops abruptly, resting against a special stopper on the pistol frame (marked in red in the figure below), after which it returns to its original position under the action of its own return spring …
The bolt, as already mentioned, continues its rollback, holding the spent cartridge case with the extractor by the groove, eventually extracting it out of the chamber. The pressure of the powder gases in the case at this moment is already much less than the maximum and the case is not pinched in the chamber. It must be said that during detailed studies, carefully examining the frames of high-speed filming of the shot process under various operating conditions, it turned out that there are deviations from the "ideal" model of the pistol functioning described above. Sometimes the sleeve does not "get stuck" in the chamber and begins to come out of it together with the bolt, and the chamber remains in place. But this does not lead to any fatal consequences for the cartridge or to delays in the operation of the pistol. In other cases, the sleeve "sits" so significantly in the chamber that the chamber, together with the sleeve, continues its movement backward along with the bolt until it stops against the stopper. In this case, normal extraction of the spent cartridge case also occurs, as if "with a striker", and there are no delays in the operation of the pistol or problems with the cartridge case. With such an elegant technical solution, it was possible to solve the standard "riddles" - to ensure the reliable operation of the automatic pistol, which had never been done before.
PSS self-loading pistol, incomplete disassembly.
The rest of the design elements of the PSS pistol are less original, their functioning and purpose are similar to the designs of other pistols. The trigger mechanism is completely borrowed from the PM, the 6-round magazine differs in that the cartridges in it are located at a certain angle due to the long length of the SP-4 cartridge and the need to provide a comfortable grip for the pistol grip.
But the mobility of the chamber and the presence of its own return spring was able to be used again during one shot cycle: at the end of the bolt rollback, the chamber is already in its original position, pressed against the barrel hemp, and the sleeve has already been removed from the chamber. The bolt, finishing its rollback, picks up the chamber with the corresponding protrusion and draws it into the joint rollback again, compressing its return spring (a second time in the same shot:-) As a result, the shutter braking at the end of the rollback is softer and more bumpless than it could would.
The pistol practically does not emit a "clang" sound of moving parts when fired, and the main source is, as before, the sound from expanding powder gases due to their breakthrough between the walls of the case and the pallet. This is also evidenced by the obvious fact that the sound of a shot from the PSS and NRS-2 is practically the same, but the NRS-2 does not have any moving parts of automation at all. The general impression of the "noiselessness" of the NRS-2 and SP4-PSS is usually characterized as an average between clapping hands and the sound of a shot from an ordinary, unworn air rifle.
The main technical solutions incorporated in the design of the MSS were developed by Yu. M. Krylov, who, unfortunately, died early in the prime of his creative powers and could not finish work on his brainchild. The development and refinement of the pistol at the ROC stage was carried out by Viktor Nikolayevich Levchenko.
Almost all descriptions of the operation of the PSS automatics (as well as in the description of the RF patent for it) indicate that the movable chamber allows you to avoid the formation of a vacuum behind the bullet and, accordingly, the formation of a clap sound when it exits the bore. According to some "authors", this is the main reason for the presence of a movable chamber in the design of the pistol! The primary source of such misconceptions was indicated above and it is only regretful that this statement has since become firmly established in the theory of silent ammunition and has leaked into applications for inventions and popular science literature. In fact, due to the inevitable breakthrough of gases between the moving pallet and the walls of the sleeve, there is always excess (increased) pressure behind the bullet of the SP-4 cartridge in the PSS barrel. It is not possible to create in practice an absolutely sealed structure in this sense, especially in conditions of mass production.
Another common and not entirely correct statement says that spent cartridges from SP-4 are dangerous immediately after use and for some time after the shot due to the high residual pressure in the cartridge case. This opinion has its origins, most likely, due to the usual caution based on the experience of using previous generations of cartridges, SP-2 and SP-3. Since they possessed a thin-walled sleeve, a non-self-occluding primer, and could indeed present surprises when they were immediately removed from the chamber. Therefore, such a danger was deliberately indicated, although it was practically not observed due to the fact that it took a lot of time to remove the spent cartridge case from the LDC or SMP … no capsule dropping out is observed and is not allowed. After being thrown out of the pistol, the spent cartridge case is noticeably hot and this is indeed a dangerous factor - you can simply burn your hand if you grab the recently spent cartridge case with your bare hand. Interestingly, there is a little surprise trick here. Immediately after the bullet has fired and for a few seconds after the shot, the case of the case remains cold, since it takes a certain time for the walls of the case to warm up with hot powder gases. At the same time, the residual pressure in the liner immediately at the end of the pallet braking is about 1000 kgf / cm2, but it drops very quickly and stabilizes at the level of 500-530 kg / cm2 due to the transfer of heat to the liner and bleeding off the powder gases.
Shot casings continue to "hiss" for a long time, slowly releasing the remaining powder gases, spoiling the air and mood of warehouse workers, if they took such casings "on record." Therefore, during test and practice firing, spent cartridges from SP-4 are pierced with an elementary device, similar to a large hole punch with a sharp spike, before being handed over to the report.
Returning to the history of the development of the entire complex, we note that the RG040 complex, consisting of a 7.62-mm RG020 (SP-4) cartridge and an RG021 self-loading pistol (PSS, index 6P24), was fully worked out according to the Vul design and development project in 1979 - 83 years and in 1984 was adopted by the special forces of the KGB of the USSR, and in 1985, under the index 6P28, army special forces. In addition to this, in 1986, the NRS-2 reconnaissance knife was adopted, a version of the NRS modernized by the specialists of the Tula Arms Plant for the SP-4 cartridge.
Self-loading pistol PSS (left) and scout knife NRS-2 (right).
State tests of the pistol complex, carried out in 1983, showed that it fully complies with the requirements of the TK:
1. In terms of accuracy of firing from a PSS pistol at 25 and 50 m (sitting from a support and standing from a hand), the new complex is equivalent to a 6P9 pistol chambered for 9x18-mm PM and an MSP pistol chambered for SP-3.
2. In terms of penetration, it is equal to the 6P9 pistol and 2 - 3 times superior to the MSP pistol.
3. In terms of the lethal effect of a bullet when firing at 25 m, it is practically equivalent to an AKM submachine gun with a PBS chambered for the "US" cartridge and is 1, 8 times superior to an MSP pistol in the largest area of the affected area in a mastic target.
The main performance characteristics of the PSS pistol:
• Weight with loaded magazine - 0, 85 kg, with magazine without cartridges - 0, 7 kg;
• Length - 165 mm;
• Sighting range - 50 m;
• Muzzle velocity of a bullet - 200 m / s;
• Diameter of bullet dispersion at a distance of 25 m - no more than 15 cm.
As you can see, having much smaller dimensions, greater ease of wearing and use than a silent pistol PB (6P9) with a classic expansion-type silencer chambered for 9x18-mm PM, the new complex was not inferior to it in terms of combat characteristics, surpassing the lethal effect of a bullet. And also significantly surpassed its other predecessors in all respects. It is efficient, reliable and fully meets the requirements imposed on it.
It is necessary to dwell separately on the requirements for the domestic pistol system for silent shooting and its uniqueness.
As mentioned above, at the end of the 70s, extensive research and analytical research work was carried out to develop a single concept for a domestic silent weapon system. Its purpose was not only to develop and substantiate the tactical and technical requirements for different elements of the system, but also to substantiate the composition of the system itself, that is, its elements, since before that time different special departments had different points of view on this matter and, accordingly, the development of special weapons and ammunition was scattered and chaotic.
After conducting a comprehensive analysis of possible options for the use of special weapons - from "very peculiar" tasks to army operations and scenarios for the protection of law and order, four elements of the future system were identified - a pistol, a sniper rifle, an assault rifle and a grenade launcher. For each of them, their requirements were developed and substantiated based on the tasks to be solved, which did not "overlap" each other and did not suffer from the eternal desire to get everything at once and in one miniature contraption. It was possible to streamline the future system, unify cartridges and reduce the overall product range, eliminating duplication and expensive exclusives.
In addition, based on the experience of combat use and theoretically calculated scenarios, it was shown that the use of special weapons with the proposed level of technical characteristics in terms of range and accuracy of fire, the degree of muffling of the sound of a shot, the penetrating and lethal effect of bullets will significantly increase the effectiveness of such operations. Including the "work" of the army special forces, law enforcement agencies, various kinds of special services and units.
Unfortunately, modern reality has given a very large number of examples of practical confirmation of the correctness of the conclusions and decisions made at that time. Numerous results of the actual use of domestic special weapons speak for themselves. Silent weapons, which, for obvious cinematic and detective reasons, were previously associated exclusively with espionage and "very special" operations, are now widely used. Of course, Vintorez and Val are more popular and famous.
But the PSS also takes its important place in the system. Silent self-loading pistol complex, for example, is indispensable in the protection of public order. Because the roar of gunfire is the weapon of attackers seeking to sow as much panic and fear as possible. But the quiet and timely elimination of such a threat, without attracting unnecessary attention and panic, is the business of law enforcement officers, special services and special weapons.
Therefore, answering the question about the reasons for the absence of foreign analogues in the PSS, first of all, it must be said about the absence in other countries of such a concept and an integrated system of special weapons with substantiated technical requirements and methods of its application. And only in the second place - purely technical and design reasons.
Those who know the subject of the issue usually object that today there are and are known many foreign patents in this regard from different periods, including cartridges with a cutoff of powder gases in the case. In this regard, it should be noted that the presence of this or that patent is in no way equivalent to a finished, comprehensively worked out and adopted product. Moreover, many beautiful ideas protected by patents do not withstand, as a result, testing by practice and real production. Moreover, even simply repeating a known construction or principle is not always possible.
Such a statement is very clearly illustrated by the following story, which Viktor Alekseevich Petrov loved very much. In his words, the situation was like this: Around 1991-92, most likely from the Transnistrian region, the Israeli special services received two PSS pistols and 24 SP-4 rounds for them. At that time, these samples of special weapons had not yet been "discovered" and are known to foreign experts. Having carried out a detailed study of the combat and tactical characteristics of the complex, the Israeli experts who know a lot about their business were quite impressed with them and concluded: the complex is so good that it is very, very desirable to have something like that in service. A unique case - it was decided to repeat the design of the pistol and cartridges, having mastered their own production, regardless of costs. We connected designers and production workers, allocated funding. We started with a pistol. We made the most accurate copy of the PSS and checked it with a few shots - it seems to work. Of course, with a small number of experimental firing, it was obvious that "everything is not so simple" and the main problems await them ahead, especially in difficult operating conditions. We took care of the release of cartridges. The local manufacturer, having familiarized himself with the task and the design, enthusiastically took up this order, indicating the readiness time of about 3 months. However, not after 3, not after 9 months, the result was not achieved. Something did not work out all the time and the cartridges refused to function stably and correctly even under normal conditions, from the "native" pistol. Then the Customers turned to a “friendly” company in Italy with the same task - to set up the production of an analogue of the SP-4. The Italians indicated a readiness period of 4-6 months and assured the Customers of a positive result. However, after two years, they also failed to complete the task …
From 1990 to 2000, the director of TsNIITOCHMASH was A. V. Khinikadze. Those were very difficult times for the defense industry, especially for research institutes. Alexander Valerianovich, including in search of ways for the survival of the institute, became one of the initiators of an unprecedented policy of openness. It was under him that the World learned about the existence of many previously classified developments. TsNIITOCHMASH has become a permanent participant in many international exhibitions, unique samples of special small arms created in Klimovsk appeared at the stands for the first time. Including MSS and SP-4. At one of these exhibitions, an interesting delegation from Israel came to Mr. Khinikadze with an official letter containing a request for the supply (sale) of a solid batch of SP-4 cartridges and PSS pistols. In conversations with visitors, the background of the issue was clarified. Where, in fact, does the knowledge of Viktor Alekseevich Petrov come from. The visitors lamented with great regret that the cartridge, apparently, possesses some hidden design subtleties and technological know-how, which they had not been able to unravel and repeat. But, since TsNIITOCHMASH did not have the right to independently conclude foreign trade contracts and was present at the exhibition to resolve technical issues, consultations and explanations, the visitors were transferred to the caring hands of state merchants and Khinikadze did not see them again. But the letter survived and Viktor Alekseevich claimed that he kept it.
There is no reason not to trust this story, since V. A. Petrov never had a bad habit of embellishing anything or simply lying "with three boxes" to raise his own prestige.
Here, of course, a flat joke “would be given to the Chinese” suggests itself, but the matter is much more complicated than it seems at first glance. It should be remembered, for example, that the detailed development of the SP-3 in terms of design and manufacturability, as well as its introduction into production, took about 12 years. Many "new" problems had to be solved during the development of the MSS - SP4, R&D on which was carried out for about 7 years, if we count from 1977. Therefore, just like that, quickly, and also taking into account a fundamentally different approach and a different Western model in the design and development of products, a significant difference in the technologies used can be said that the result was a foregone conclusion.
For the same reasons, most likely, at one time, attempts to create foreign cartridges with a cut-off of powder gases in the sleeve and weapons under it ended in failure. They simply could not provide and afford fundamental, scrupulous and, therefore, long-term research on the development and "fine-tuning" of both the design and technology. Another model, other principles for assessing the effectiveness of the result. The difference in approaches between domestic and foreign developments (even of the same type) becomes well understood when comparing them, for example, based on the materials of Book-2 "Modern foreign cartridges" and Books-3, 4 of the monograph "Fighting cartridges of small arms" by V. N. Dvoryaninov.
The above history clearly shows that the PSS-SP4 complex is a highly effective and extremely necessary weapon that specialists from many countries would not mind taking into service. And the statements that the lack of analogues in the world is explained only by the absence of an extreme need for it or statements about the low combat and tactical characteristics of the complex are incorrect.
As for the combat characteristics, they are given above in relation to the MSS and SP-4. These samples were developed and adopted for service more than 30 years ago. Much has changed since then, including in the field of personal protective equipment. Bulletproof vests have become more common and have significantly improved their protective performance. Therefore, the combat capabilities of penetrating such barriers provided by SP-4 did not fully meet modern requirements.
In this regard, TsNIITOCHMASH was given the task of finalizing the silent pistol complex in order to increase armor penetration, namely the possibility of hitting enemy manpower protected by 2nd class body armor (type 6B2) at a distance of up to 25 meters. This work was successfully carried out by the specialists of the R&D department No. 46 "Vestnik" and the new complex was adopted by the special units of the FSB of Russia in 2011. Both a new pistol, called PSS-2, and a new SP-16 cartridge with a powder gas cut-off in the sleeve were developed.
The design of the new 7.62-mm SP-16 cartridge was developed by Viktor Alekseevich Petrov just before he went on a well-deserved retirement. He met the end of work on this cartridge, as well as the adoption of the entire complex for service, when he was retired. The final adjustment and introduction of the cartridge into production was carried out by Alexey Bagrov. The new SP-16 cartridge is one millimeter longer than its predecessor and wider in the outer diameter of the sleeve. The design of the bullet of the cartridge has been changed. Its head part, according to RF patent 2459175, has the shape of a chisel for more effective penetration of protective compositions from Kevlar-type fabrics (to cut, and not try to wash them). The leading belt has been preserved on the pool. At an initial speed of 300 m / s. the bullet confidently penetrates the 2nd class body armor (type 6B2) and the 25-mm board behind it at a distance of 25 meters. The capsule assembly has changed very significantly. In accordance with the new "energy" of the cartridge, both the pallet and the sleeve itself have changed. Thus, using all the experience accumulated over many years in the development of such cartridges, as well as due to new technical and technological solutions, our cartridge-makers managed to create a silent cartridge (!), Which surpasses many "ordinary" standard pistol cartridges in its combat characteristics.
The PSS-2 pistol (on the left in the figure) is built according to the same principle as the PSS, having a movable bolt and chamber. But the pistol underwent significant revision, which was carried out by V. M. Kabaev under the direct supervision of Pyotr Ivanovich Serdyukov. The new pistol uses a trigger mechanism borrowed mainly from the Serdyukov SR-1M pistol and built according to the "ALWAYS ready to fire" principle. Such a mechanism has two fuses (on the back of the handle and on the trigger) and provides an opportunity to open fire immediately by taking the pistol in hand and pulling the trigger. The use of such a scheme of fuse operation allows the owner of the pistol to provide a significant advantage over the enemy in efficiency, especially in short-term combat clashes. At the same time, of course, complete safety of using the pistol outside the combat position is ensured, that is, when carrying, storing, etc. Also, the designers managed to eliminate one of their small shortcomings of the PSS - a wider than usual grip of the pistol grip, which caused some discomfort and remarks " users ". The new design of the mechanism feeding the next cartridge and the magazine (for 6 cartridges) made it possible to make the PSS-2 handle in the usual dimensions.
The new pistol weighs 1 kg (with a magazine, without cartridges), has a length of 195 mm, an aiming range of 50 meters.
Thus, our designers created and in 2011 adopted a significantly improved pistol system for silent and flameless shooting, consisting of a PSS-2 pistol and an SP-16 cartridge.
About which it is also absolutely true that it is unique in its kind and has no analogues.
In preparing this article, the following materials were used:
* V. N. Noblemen. Book-3 "Modern domestic cartridges, how legends were created" (ISBN 978-5-9906267-3-7) of the monograph "Small arms combat cartridges" (ISBN 978-5-9906267-0-6). D'Solo Publishing House, Klimovsk, 2015;
* V. V. Korablin, edited by D. Yu. Semizorova. "TSNIITOCHMASH. 70 years in the science of weapons"; ISBN 978-5-9904090-2-6. LLC "Publishing House A4", Klimovsk, 2014;
* Kalashnikov magazine, №3 / 2006;
* Own drawings of the author;
* Materials of the free encyclopedia "Wikipedia";
* Materials of the encyclopedia of small arms world.guns.ru by Maxim Popenker;
