Among hand-held firearms, you can often find designs that do not always fit into the framework we are accustomed to. In an attempt to achieve higher characteristics from a product or to make it more convenient to use, designers introduce both old and new solutions into individual models, which does not always lead to positive results, and most often, with the improvement of some characteristics, others begin to underestimate. In some cases, for highly specialized weapons, this is justified, in others, such solutions are not widespread.
In general, the development of firearms, like, in principle, any development, can be compared with evolution, during which, as you know, survives not more complex, but the most adapted, capable of rapid adaptation (in some cases, even the simplest, and not more complex organism). But, unlike living organisms on our planet, firearms appeared in the air and only relatively recently went under water. In this article, we will try to get acquainted in more detail with firearms for underwater shooting, namely with pistols.
Since we have touched on such a topic as the development of firearms, then before getting acquainted with underwater pistols, you need to recall two very interesting subclasses of "ground" pistols: the derringer and the pepperbox. The designs of these pistols have their drawbacks, including the mass and cost of production, when it comes to rifled weapons. It should be noted that the mass increases depending on how many times the weapon is able to fire without reloading. That is, if you want to shoot more often - wear more. With the exception of some highly specialized pistol models, such designs have not been used for a long time and are considered obsolete. One could have long ago abandoned such weapons on the outskirts of history to flintlock rifles, but both designs have found their place where, most likely, they will remain for more than a dozen years and where none of the now familiar pistol designs are simply unable to replace them, - in water.
The main reason why such designs remain and will remain in demand and irreplaceable is the design of the ammunition for firing underwater, or rather, the design of the bullet. It is no secret that bullets of conventional ammunition very quickly lose their speed in water, this happens for an understandable reason: the density of water is higher than the density of air. For this reason, after a couple of meters, such a bullet will not cause absolutely any harm to the enemy, although the cinema tells us the opposite, but they have their own physics there, and we have our own. It seems that there is no solution to this problem, except to increase the mass of ammunition beyond reasonable limits, but if you cannot change something, then you can always use it.
Many people know such a harmful phenomenon as cavitation, but in this case, on the contrary, it turns out to be useful. A bullet for shooting underwater has one subtle feature in its design: its nose is not pointed, but blunt. This is necessary so that in the course of its movement the bullet creates a cavitation cavity, roughly speaking, a cavity with a reduced pressure, respectively, and a lower density. In our case, we are talking about the density of water vapor. Thus, the kinetic energy of the bullet is spent for the most part on the creation of a cavitation cavity, and not on overcoming the resistance of the aqueous medium.
Of course, such a solution does not allow achieving the same firing distances as in the air, however, instead of the effectiveness of weapons at a distance, almost point-blank, we already get a distance of a couple of tens of meters. Since it is a warm season now, you can check whether such a distance of using underwater weapons is enough on our own experience. You can simply plunge into the water in any body of water at least to a depth of 3-5 meters and try to consider something in the same twenty meters from you.
It is easy to guess that in order to create a cavitation cavity, the bullet itself must have considerable strength, which, in principle, is not a problem, since in our case the stabilization of the bullet by rotating around its axis is not used, which means that we need to think about how the rifling will interact in the bore and the body of the bullet are unnecessary: the barrel is smooth. The bullet is stabilized in a rather interesting and as simple way as possible. Due to its increased length, when trying to deviate, the tail of the bullet will touch the edge of the cavitation cavity, that is, the zone with increased density, from which it will simply push off. The most primitive example is the children's fun of throwing stones into the water, from the surface of which they bounce cheerfully at the correct angle and speed of throwing, something similar happens here. The tail of the bullet, when deflected, abuts against a medium with a higher density and returns to its place.
By the way, it is necessary to mention a two-medium weapon, which can be successfully used both on land and under water, using the same ammunition. It uses a combined stabilization of the bullet, so that when firing in the air, the bullet is stabilized by the usual rotation. But you need to understand that such compromises always leave their mark, as a result, such a weapon has both underestimated characteristics when firing under water and when firing on land. This is explained by a shorter bullet, with insufficient length for shooting under water, and this also explains the low characteristics when shooting in the air, since the balance of such a bullet is usually shifted slightly back.
Thus, if we want to get the maximum efficiency of the weapon when firing under water, the cartridge for such a weapon must be equipped with a sufficiently long bullet, and therefore, the total length of the cartridge will significantly exceed its counterparts for firing in the air. We do not consider the option with a recessed long bullet in the sleeve, since even this length is not enough to achieve maximum efficiency.
What does a very long cartridge mean for a weapon design? This means that to reload the bolt group you need to roll back the length of the entire cartridge and a little more, but since we are talking specifically about pistols, such a design will be at least more than the same pepperboxes or derrengers, in which for each the cartridge has its own individual barrel.
Now that it has become more or less clear why the designs of pistols for underwater shooting are exactly what they are, you can get acquainted in more detail with specific models of weapons.
Underwater pistol Heckler & Koch P11
I would like to highlight this pistol as the most interesting development among all underwater pistols, since a set of quite interesting, although in some cases controversial, decisions clearly distinguish it from the background of others. This weapon is not new, developed in the early 70s of the last century, has been mass-produced since 1976. Until now, this pistol is in service and is still quite successfully used.
By its design, the P11 underwater pistol is a five-barreled derrenger, with a detachable block of barrels. This is the first interesting design decision for this weapon. Logically speaking, if it is necessary to reload weapons under water, it is much easier to change one large block of barrels than to manipulate individual cartridges, even if they are fastened together with a moon clip. It seems that both the first and the second procedure are quite simple, but it must be borne in mind that these actions will not be performed with bare hands, plus not always in conditions of sufficient illumination. In general, it seems like a plus in the form of a separate replaceable barrel block.
But where there are pluses, there are always minuses. At first glance, the main disadvantage is the mass and volume of wearable ammunition, which is logical in principle, but if it is not planned to organize a mini-war under water, then even the same five shots in case of emergency is quite enough. A big drawback is the design of the barrel block itself. The fact is that the ammunition is equipped at the factory, and although purely theoretically, if you have straight arms, you can do it yourself, there will still be a problem in the form of a lack of ammunition. That is, we can talk about a shortage of replaceable barrel blocks.
The design of the barrel block itself is not overly complex. Muzzle cuts are covered with membranes, which are pierced by a bullet when fired. In the breech of the barrels there is a thread into which ammunition is screwed. The most attentive people might have noticed that the blocks of barrels in different images of pistols may differ, both in sights and in their length, and the reason for this lies in another feature of this weapon.
The fact is that replaceable barrel blocks are equipped not only with cartridges for underwater shooting, but also with ammunition for firing in the air. These blocks can be distinguished primarily by the sighting devices. If there is no question of how you can aim with such a small rear sight and front sight under water, then the block of barrels is equipped with cartridges for underwater shooting and vice versa.
For firing in the air, barrel blocks can be equipped with two types of ammunition: conventional and armor-piercing, which is interesting, both versions of ammunition have spindle-shaped bullets, although in the first version, the initial bullet speed is only 190 meters per second. The muzzle velocity for underwater shooting is 110-120 meters per second.
The mass of the barrel block is approximately 500 grams, which casts doubt on the advisability of carrying additional barrel blocks for firing in the air. So, the ability to fire 10 shots will result in one kilogram of additional weight. This is comparable to a full-fledged modern pistol, the magazine of which can hold a larger amount of cheaper ammunition, but back the devil disappeared into the little things.
All cartridges for the P11 pistol have one interesting feature in the form of a plastic pallet that moves along the bore along with the bullet and locks the powder gases inside the barrel. That is, when firing under water, the shooter will not be unmasked by the powder gases escaping to the surface of the water after the shot, and in the case of firing in the air, the shot will be absolutely silent. Against the background of almost complete silence, the advantage of a separate weapon for shooting in the air no longer seems so obvious.
And finally, the most interesting feature of the P11 pistol is the way it ignites the powder composition of the cartridge. No matter how strange it may sound, but the weapon that is in the water, and most often salty, is electric. The initiating composition ignites not due to deformation of the capsule, but during the combustion of a tungsten coil, through which an electric current is passed.
The pistol is powered by two nine-volt batteries. The OSA pistols immediately come to mind, which have found mass distribution in Russia as a means of self-defense. True, the switching in the P11 pistol is no longer carried out electronically, but mechanically by turning the switch contacts with each pull of the trigger. It is difficult to say which is more reliable in this case, mechanics or electronics, but that mechanical switching is easier and cheaper to organize - no doubt, especially since the dimensions of the pistol allow.
The mass of a fully equipped pistol is 1200 grams, its length is 200 millimeters, the same height, excluding sighting devices. In general, the pistol is not small, which is both a plus and a minus of the weapon. The diameter of the bullets is 7.62 millimeters, since a plastic pallet is used, which locks the powder gases in the bore, the diameter of the bore is larger.
The effective ranges of this weapon are 15 and 30 meters, for firing under water and in the air, respectively. The last figure suggests that there is no stabilization of bullets of cartridges for shooting in the air, although it is quite possible to organize the interaction of the rifling in the barrel bore and the plastic pallet.
If you look at all the disadvantages and advantages of such a weapon, it is not difficult to see that the P11 has more advantages, just like a pistol for underwater shooting, than disadvantages, which is confirmed by the fact that the weapon has been in service for more than 30 years.
Domestic pistol for underwater shooting SPP-1 (SPP-1M)
Usually, when comparing pistols for underwater shooting, this domestic sample is not presented in the best light. Indeed, in terms of the totality of new and interesting solutions, the P11 looks almost like a weapon of the future, against the background of our nondescript and, to be sure, not the most beautiful weapon. But not every "SUV" will pass where the "loaf" passes, so let's understand in more detail, and not evaluate the weapon by its appearance.
In 1968, a task was issued to create weapons for swimmers. Along with the cartridges described above with elongated bullets, creating a cavitation cavity around themselves, work was also carried out on the creation of a reactive bullet. Taking into account what we see now in the armament of our army and foreign ones, bullet-missiles have not found application not only in the air, but also in the water. And although samples of weapons for such ammunition were not only developed, but also produced, they did not receive distribution, since such a design needs space for acceleration in order to gain speed sufficient to defeat the enemy. Plus, on top of everything else, the cost in production also plays an important role, and if the cheaper version of the ammunition shows acceptable results, then it is obvious in whose favor the scales are tilted when choosing.
The development of the SPP-1 pistol was undertaken by the great-nephew of the famous designer Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov Vladimir and his wife Elena. The development of a new SPS ammunition, with a metric designation of 4, 5x39, belongs to Sazonov and Kravchenko. You can't say much about ammunition, but you should immediately notice that, despite the same length of the sleeve, this cartridge has nothing to do with the common 5, 45x39 and 7, 62x39. The cartridge case has a rim and has no groove. The bullet is a steel rod 115 millimeters long and weighing 13.2 grams, as is clear from the metric designation of the ammunition, caliber 4.5 millimeters. For ease of reloading, these ammunition is placed in a plate clip.
The pistol itself, by its design, is a derringer in the most lightweight, hammerless design. The firing mechanism is striker, self-cocking. When the trigger is pulled, the striker is cocked and rotated by 90 degrees, followed by a stall, a blow to the primer and, as a result, a shot.
Both the safety guard and the trigger, against the background of the usual models of pistols, look excessively large, but this is necessary for the convenient use of weapons in a diving suit. It is for this reason that the fuse switch is not a small detail at all. The fuse switch itself has three positions, in its lower one it allows you to fire a weapon, on average, puts the weapon on the fuse and in the upper one opens the barrel block for reloading.
If we compare with the process of reloading the German P11, then our SPP-1 will lose. Here, what skill you don’t possess, but to open the block of barrels, remove the spent cartridges and insert new ammunition, while trying to combine 4 chambers with 4 cartridges that will dangle in all directions due to their length, a task that requires iron nerves, especially taking into account that all this will not be done in the most relaxed atmosphere. Replacing the barrel block itself is much easier and faster. But it should be noted that this weapon is not for the extermination of enemy crowds pounding at you, but for several shots, so it's not worth taking as a significant minus, as, in principle, the ability to fire only 4 shots against 5 shots from a German pistol.
A much more significant drawback seems to be that the powder gases, floating to the surface, will perfectly mark the location of the shooter, which is not in German weapons. On the other hand, it is not always possible to notice what and where there gurgled, even despite the volume of powder gases. However, it cannot be written off that the P11 pistol, when locking the powder gases, also has the ability to silently and flamelessly fire in an air atmosphere, which is already its clear advantage over the SPP-1. Which, by the way, with the same ammunition that is used for underwater shooting, is effective when firing on land at distances of up to 30 meters. If we talk about the firing range, then the domestic pistol outperforms the German one under water by several meters. With equal depths of use, in the air, the results are approximately the same, if we do not take into account the work of the bullet itself on the target, which will be somewhat different for long "nails".
If we take the mass and dimensions of the pistols, then the domestic pistol is easier, however, the comparison in terms of weight and dimensions is not entirely correct, since despite the general similarity of the designs, the implementation of these designs is different. The mass of the equipped pistol SPP-1 is 950 grams, while its length is 244 mm.
Separately, it is worth mentioning that at the moment the SPP-1 pistol exists in a modernized form, under the designation SPP-1M. There are no significant differences between the old and the modernized model, the main differences relate to the firing mechanism. Externally, pistols differ in an enlarged safety guard and a trigger.
If to be objective, it turns out that the domestic pistol is not inferior to the German one in terms of the totality of its characteristics, however, the latter has a clear preponderance in the form of noiselessness.
Other little-known models of pistols for underwater shooting
The considered two pistols of German and Soviet design are far from the only weapons in the class of pistols for firing under water. Despite the fact that the weapon is very highly specialized, there are many interesting, but little-known developments. Among these developments there are both relatively new weapon models and quite old ones.
Judging by the designation of the weapon, this pistol appeared in 2005, but the first mentions of it date back to 2010, when the pistol came into the field of view of cameras. It should be noted that even at the moment, little is known about weapons, but even what is known allows us to draw certain conclusions.
You can notice the general similarity of the design with the Soviet SPP-1, but there are also differences. The main difference between pistols is that Chinese weapons have only three barrels. In addition, the weapon has a different angle of inclination of the handle for holding, but there may be enough options for implementing the trigger to talk about copying. What can be said with confidence is that the principle of using the cavitation cavity has remained unchanged. Although the pistol also uses different ammunition from the Soviet, namely the same cartridges that are used in the machine for underwater shooting, caliber 5, 8 millimeters.
Whether it is worth treating this pistol as a copy or considering it an analogue of Soviet weapons is everyone's personal business, but the fact that the pistol itself was clearly created with an eye on the SPP-1 is indisputable.
This rather controversial development was described several times in magazines devoted to weapons and military equipment, despite the fact that journalists gave this weapon a rather high rating, the pistol did not go into mass production. The reasons for this lie not so much in the situation in the country, at the time of the completion of development and all tests, but in the fact that in practice this weapon lost both to the Soviet pistol and the German one.
The main disadvantage of the weapon is its single charge, although in general, the Yugoslav designers were moving in the right direction. This weapon was supposed to become the main one for swimmers, both in water and on land, in addition, with the help of the same weapon, it was possible to give a signal, using it as a rocket launcher. This was all realized, of course, with the use of ammunition of various equipment. In general, to be objective, we are talking about a rocket launcher, which has significantly expanded its capabilities thanks to the use of different cartridges.
The cartridge itself was a large thick-walled sleeve, into which a long bullet was placed. It should be noted that the images that are available now are somewhat different from reality. So you can pay attention to the pointed nose of the bullets, with which the ammunition in the water will show not the best results. In addition, the cartridge had such a feature as locking the powder gases in the barrel bore, which ensured complete quiet operation in the air and excluded the breakthrough of the powder gases in the water. Based on the available images, we can conclude that the locking of the powder gases was "dull", in fact, they were gradually bleed off through several holes specially designed for this.
In principle, everything in ammunition is usually no longer surprising, but some points raise questions. For example, the entire cartridge is assembled on threaded connections, and even the capsule is screwed in separately. Obviously, this was done so that the casings could subsequently be reused after reloading, and a rather complex design for the ammunition, which even includes an intermediate striker, was required to ensure the tightness of the cartridge during prolonged stay in an aqueous medium at high pressure.
The whole design looks really interesting, primarily due to the sectional photographs, but it is unlikely that this pistol can be considered as a full-fledged competitor to the multi-charge one, although as the own development of the Yugoslav gunsmiths, this weapon is worthy of at least attention.
A total of 5 weapons were produced, none of them was used in hostilities.
In 1969, a designer from AAI completed work on his underwater pistol. Despite the fact that this weapon is often called a revolver, it is actually a six-barreled derringer. The weapon itself is not of particular interest, it is simple and even to some extent primitive. The only thing that deserves attention is the casing around the barrel block, which is made of foam. The volume of the casing was selected in such a way as to approach zero buoyancy, why it was necessary remains a mystery, since due to the increased dimensions, the weapon was not only inconvenient to use on land, but also when moving under water, a large area gave more resistance. In the end, so that the swimmer does not lose the pistol, it could be tied with a string, which would have less negative consequences.
It is interesting that although the very idea of locking the powder gases in the sleeve did not belong to the designer, he was the first to use it for underwater weapons, which, as we can now see, largely determined the further development of this class in the West. It is worth noting that, despite the use of the cavitation effect, the effective range of the weapon did not exceed 10 meters, which can be explained by the rather large caliber for this weapon - 9 mm. This pistol was in service only in Belgium, where it was later replaced by the German P11.
Separately, mention should be made of the use of rockets instead of elongated bullets. Basically, this idea was implemented in weapons with a long barrel, since such a projectile needed time to gain speed, and the use of the barrel made it possible to do this more quickly. However, there were also options for short-barreled weapons. For example, the Stevens revolver, of which it is only known that the caliber was 9 millimeters. In addition to this revolver, you can find mention of the German BUW and BUW-2 pistols, which also used jet ammunition.
The main disadvantage of such weapons was that the bullet needed a certain distance to gain sufficient speed to defeat the enemy, while in the aquatic environment the effective range of use was limited. As a result, this leads to the fact that the effective use of weapons is in a very narrow range.
Conclusion
Recently, information has often appeared that here and there gunsmiths made a breakthrough in the field of underwater firearms, but later it turns out that the design of already existing ammunition was simply repeated with changes sufficient not to pay for the use of someone else's patent.
Most often, everything revolves around bullets of various shapes, which are recessed into the sleeve for a part of their length almost to the bottom of the sleeve, which, although it reduces the total length of the ammunition, does not allow placing such cartridges in the pistol grip. In addition, such a decision is just another compromise, which is most often made for the sake of the possibility of using ammunition for underwater shooting in conventional weapons designed for firing with conventional cartridges. This means that ammunition variants with longer bullets will perform better.
The conclusion suggests itself that the designs described above will remain in service for a very long time and will be repeated in one form or another over and over again, at least until the designers come up with a new way to "beat" physics.
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