Russian special purpose weapons. Sniper rifle "Vintorez" VSS: comparison with competitors and technical characteristics Which units of the VSS Vintorez are in service

The sniper complex, which was created in Tula, at TsNIITOCHMASH by designers P. I. Serdyukov and V. F. Krasnikov. The complex, which included the VSS Vintorez itself ( IN intovka WITH special I am an explanation website) and the SP-5 9*39 mm cartridge, adopted for service in 1987. The rifle is still used by the Russian Army Special Forces to this day.

Ammunition for VSS

SP-5 is a sniper cartridge, which was developed by other inventors, N.V. Zabelin and L.S. Dvoryaninov, also adopted for service in 1987.

When creating the SP-5, the good old 7.62*39 US caliber cartridge was taken as a basis ( U smaller WITH crust). Such cartridges were used in machines with the PBS-1 device. The bullet from this cartridge had a subsonic speed of 310 m/s, which, when using a silencer, made firing from the machine gun silent. At the same time, the bullet had a decent weight of 12.6 g and a design that ensured effective destruction of enemy personnel at a distance of up to 400 meters. However, there was a drawback: low accuracy of fire. In the 60s, the indicator was satisfactory, but in the 80s it clearly became insufficient.

So, based on the cartridge case from this 7.62 * 39 mm cartridge, a sniper cartridge with subsonic (300 m/s) bullet speed was developed, which received the working designation RG037. It had a length of 46 mm, with total mass 16 g, bullet weight 10.6 g, and had good shooting accuracy. At a distance of 100 meters R50=4 cm, and at 400 m – R50=16.5 cm.

Performance characteristics of the VSS Vintorez rifle

Caliber	9 mm
Ammo	9x39 mm SP-5, SP-6
Weight without sight with empty magazine	2.65 kg
Magazine weight without cartridges	0.15 kg
Weight with loaded magazine and sight	3.43 kg
Length	894 mm
Barrel length	200 mm
Height	159 mm
Width	59 mm
Initial bullet speed	290 m/s
Rate of fire	600 v/m
Rate of fire	40-100 v/m
Magazine capacity	10 rounds
Range of a direct shot at the chest figure	185 m
Sighting range	600 m

Description of "Vintorez"

A sniper rifle can conduct both single and continuous automatic fire using the good old principle of removing powder gases from the barrel. This channel is locked by 6 lugs of the rotary sliding bolt. There is a double-action flag-type safety, similar to a rifle safety. SVD: It locks the trigger and limits the action of the bolt carrier. Butt VSS "Vintorez"- skeletal type, detachable and made of wood. The entire rifle can be disassembled and folded into a case for concealed carry and transportation.

The rifle's magazine is box-type and has a capacity of 10 rounds (but a machine gun magazine is also suitable AS VAL for 20 rounds), made of plastic. The rifle is equipped sighting devices open type: front sight and sector sight located on the muffler body. For sniper shooting The PSO-1 sight is used during the day, and the ESPU-3 is used for night shooting.

The entire barrel in front of the forend is covered by an integrated silencer.

The muffler operates as follows: after the shot, when the bullet passes the front part of the barrel, part of the powder gases rushes through six rows of transverse holes in the barrel into the expansion chamber of the muffler. In this case, the pressure of the powder gases in the barrel bore and their speed are reduced. A stream of powder gases flowing from the muzzle of the barrel hits the separator, which “divides” it into numerous multidirectional flows, intensively reducing their speed and temperature. As a result, the gases escaping from the muffler have subsonic speed and slight temperature, which does not create pop or muzzle flash, and the shot becomes almost silent. The use of an integrated muffler made it possible to reduce the overall length of the weapon, compared to a muffler mounted on the muzzle of the barrel.

Disassembly and assembly of the special sniper rifle VSS "Vintorez"

Weapons of the VSS and AC type have an expansion type muffler and are subject to heavy contamination by powder deposits during firing. For cleaning and lubrication, as well as eliminating minor malfunctions of the VSS and AC, they are partially disassembled. It is carried out without using special tool and is similar for both types of weapons in terms of the operations performed, with the exception of separating and attaching the butt of the rifle. The procedure for partial disassembly of the VSS and AC:

Disconnect the magazine (hold the rifle with your left hand by the fore-end, grab the magazine with your right hand, press the latch and, pushing the lower part of the magazine forward, separate it from the weapon), remove the weapon from the safety lock and, moving the bolt frame back, check if there is a cartridge in the chamber. Release the bolt and control release the hammer.
Prepare accessories.
Grasping the forend with your left hand, press the housing latch with your index finger, right hand turn the silencer clockwise and, pushing it forward, separate it from the weapon.
Using a screwdriver, press the separator latch, push the separator into the housing with your finger and then, pushing it with a cleaning rod, separate it from the housing. Separate the separator spring by moving it forward along the barrel.
Press down the lock of the receiver cover, press the protrusion of the return mechanism stop with your finger and, lifting the rear end of the cover, separate it from the receiver.
Holding the rifle, push the return mechanism stop forward until its protrusion comes out of the groove of the receiver; lift the stop and remove the mechanism from the bolt frame channel.
While holding the rifle, push the guide forward until it comes out of the receiver socket, then remove it while holding the firing pin.
Pull the firing pin back all the way and, lifting it, separate it from the receiver.
Pull the bolt frame and bolt back as far as it will go and move them upward to separate them from the receiver.
While holding the bolt carrier in a vertical position, lifting and simultaneously turning the bolt clockwise, remove it from the bolt carrier.
Press the housing latch with your thumb and remove the forend, pushing it forward.
Turning the tube clockwise until the protrusion of the box aligns with the slot on the receiver, separate it from the barrel, moving it backwards.
For separating the butt of a VSS rifle – press down the butt lock and, moving the butt back, separate it from the receiver.

VSS "Vintorez" - a special sniper rifle, is part of the BSK complex (silent sniper complex), consisting of a rifle, a 9-mm SP-5 sniper cartridge (SP-6 armor-piercing cartridge), optical sight 1P43 (PSO-1-1 and night sights MBNP-18 and 1PN75).

The VSS Vintorez sniper rifle was developed by designers P. Serdyukov and V. Krasnikov at the Klimovsky TsNIITochMash.

In 1987, the new VSS "Vintorez" complex was adopted by special forces units of the KGB of the USSR and reconnaissance and sabotage units of the Soviet Armed Forces and units of internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs under the designation "special sniper rifle" (VSS) index 6P29.

The new one, which is a group means of covert attack and defense, was intended to hit targets with sniper fire in conditions requiring silent and flameless shooting at open enemy personnel (destruction of enemy command personnel, his reconnaissance groups, observers and sentries), as well as disabling devices observations, elements military equipment and destruction of unarmored vehicles at ranges of up to 400 m during the day with an optical sight and 300 m at night with a night sight.

The design of Vintorez is extremely simple. Its special feature is the trigger mechanism, consisting of a firing pin and two sears - one for automatic, the other for single fire.

The principle of automation and barrel locking is the same as that of a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

The VSS automation operates on the principle of removing powder gases from the barrel bore into a gas chamber located on top of the barrel under a plastic fore-end; the barrel bore is locked by turning the bolt with six lugs. The gas piston is rigidly connected to the bolt frame. The inside of the piston is hollow, and a return spring enters it at its front end. The USM is a striker type, allowing both single and automatic fire.

Sights consist of an open sector sight mounted on the muffler body and designed for a firing range of up to 400 m, and a front sight in the muffler. The Vintorez VSS can be equipped with a PSO-1 type sight, any standard night sight (NSPUM, NSPU-3), as well as PO-3x34 type sights with a special adapter.

Food is supplied from a plastic box magazine with a double-row arrangement with a capacity of 10 or 20 rounds.

The butt is wooden, made similar to the SVD and equipped with a rubber butt.

The VSS Vintorez rifle is equipped with an integrated device for silent and flameless shooting (SFS), mounted on the barrel. The action of the PBS rifle is associated with the unusual design of the barrel itself. Its front part, closed by a muffler, has six rows of through holes made along the bottom of the rifling. When fired, as the bullet moves along the barrel, the powder gases exit through these holes into the muffler cylinder, and then are successively dispersed, pass through expansion chambers, a separator, are broken into mutually extinguishing flows, and are cooled by a mesh radiator rolled into a roll. The separator includes several partitions installed at different angles to the axis of the bore. This design of the muffler, along with the use of the SP-5 cartridge with optimal ballistic characteristics, made it possible to significantly reduce the level of unmasking signs (sound and flame of a shot).

Shooting from the Vintorez VSS is carried out with special SP-5 and SP-6 cartridges.
The 9-mm SP-5 sniper cartridge with a heavy bullet weighing 16.2 g was created by TsNIITOCHMASH designers N. Zabelin, L. Dvoryaninova and Yu. Frolov based on the cartridge case of the intermediate cartridge mod. 1943. The subsonic muzzle velocity of this cartridge (270 - 280 m/s) provides the necessary reduction in sound level when using a silencer, and the increased bullet mass with steel core- sufficient penetrating effect at ranges up to 400 m. The weight of the SP-5 cartridge is 32.2 g, the length of the cartridge is 56 mm. The relatively low speed of a heavy bullet is partly compensated by its high energy and lateral load, which ensures stability on the trajectory and sufficient penetration. Based on the SP-5, the SP-6 “armor-piercing” cartridge was developed. SP-6 has a bullet with a tungsten carbide core and powder charge, reinforced by 20% compared to the SP-5 cartridge, which allows it to penetrate a 6-mm steel plate at a distance of 100 meters. At a distance of 200 meters, a bullet from the SP-6 cartridge pierces a steel sheet 6 mm thick, at a distance of 500 meters - 2 mm thick, while unconditionally hitting living targets located behind these covers. However, unless necessary, it is not recommended to shoot only SP-6 cartridges, as they cause increased wear on the barrel and weapon mechanism. The SP-5 cartridge is used for shooting at unarmored targets and for training. The ballistics of the SP-5 and SP-6 cartridges are different in trajectory height, so the rifle must be sighted separately for each of these ammunition.

The VSS Vintorez sniper rifle can be disassembled into three units (a barrel with a silencer, a receiver with a trigger mechanism and a butt) and, together with a sight and magazines, is packed in a “diplomat” type suitcase with dimensions of 450x370x140 mm, and the time required to transfer the weapon from transport to combat position is no more than 1 minute.

The service life of the VSS rifle is officially 1,500 rounds, but with timely care, cleaning and lubrication, this weapon can withstand up to 5,000 rounds without deteriorating in combat quality.

The BCC rifle is designed to perform precise, accurate and quiet "bite and run" operation. You should not get carried away with frequent and prolonged shooting from it. For precision combat, the backlash between the working surfaces of the working parts is left minimal, and after shooting three full magazines, deposits of powder deposits negatively affect the flawless operation of the mechanism. In continuous mode, the weapon can withstand more shots, but after cooling down, the Vintorez begins to delay. This phenomenon is especially noticeable in damp weather, because with increased air humidity, powder deposits tend to “swell.” Therefore, the rifle should be cleaned as often as possible.

The disadvantages of this rifle, according to the experience of its combat use among the troops, include the low strength of some parts, especially the receiver cover, as well as a click when switching the fire mode safety switch lever. VSS rifle, just like any other sniper weapon, requires especially careful handling, which is not always possible to observe in combat conditions.

IN combat use"Vintorez" is an order of magnitude more effective than all known weapons of this class and purpose.

The VSS Vintorez sniper rifle is produced at the Tula Arms Plant and is in service with special forces of the Russian Armed Forces and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the FSB and the Presidential Security Service. In addition, it is exported to the countries of the Middle East and South America, as well as to the USA.

The design of the rifle was considered so successful that on its basis they created the Special Automatic (AS) “Val” and the small-sized SR-3 “Vikhr” assault rifle.

VSS "Vintorez" (Special Sniper Rifle) is part of a silent sniper complex (BSC), consisting of a 9-mm sniper cartridge SP-5 (or armor-piercing SP-6), a rifle, an optical sight PSO-1-1 or 1P43 and night sights 1PN75 and MBNP-18.

VSS Vintorez rifle - video

The VSS Vintorez sniper rifle was developed by designers V.F. Krasnikov and P.I. Serdyukov at TsNIITochMash in the city of Klimovsk.

In 1987, the VSS Vintorez complex was adopted by reconnaissance and sabotage units of the USSR Armed Forces, internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and special forces units of the KGB of the USSR under the designation VSS (index 6P29).

VSS "Vintorez" sniper rifle - designed for silent and flameless sniper shooting at enemy personnel (defeating enemy reconnaissance groups, his command staff, sentries and observers), as well as disabling elements of military equipment, surveillance devices and unarmored enemy equipment at a distance up to 400m using an optical sight, and up to 300m using night sights.

The VSS rifle consists of:

The barrel connected to the receiver
- butt
- bolt carrier with gas piston
- shutter
- return mechanism
- drummer
- mainspring with guide
- trigger mechanism
- receiver covers
- muffler housing, separator and forend.

The principle of operation of the automation and the purpose of the parts and mechanisms of the Vintorez rifle are based on the use of the energy of powder gases removed from the barrel bore into the gas chamber, and then converted into kinetic energy mobile automation system. Locking and unlocking the barrel bore is carried out by rotating the bolt around the longitudinal axis. The trigger mechanism is a striker type of original design, with the ability to conduct single and automatic fire. The cartridges are supplied from a double-row sector magazine with a staggered arrangement. The cartridge is chambered using the bolt. The spent cartridge case is removed by a spring-loaded swinging ejector mounted on the bolt. To reflect the spent cartridge case, a spring-loaded reflector located in the bolt is used.

The rifle barrel is only 200 mm long, chrome-plated, and has six right-hand rifling. On the hem of the barrel there are protrusions with bevels - for preliminary rotation of the bolt at the beginning of its locking. In the middle part of the barrel there is a gas chamber, as well as a cylindrical surface with annular grooves for attaching the muffler housing. In the muzzle there are 54 holes (6 rows of 9 holes), drilled along the rifling of the barrel. They are designed to discharge gases from the barrel bore into the expansion chamber of the muffler. A specially shaped separator spring is placed on the muzzle of the barrel. It ensures that the muffler is centered relative to the axis of the barrel bore. The muffler centering unit was created as an original design, its device is protected by a Russian patent.

The receiver serves to connect the parts and mechanisms of the rifle. It is made by milling from a steel billet. This significantly increases the rigidity of the structure, but at the same time increases the complexity of its manufacture and increases the cost. However, for special forces it is quite logical to have weapons that are more expensive, but provide high accuracy of fire and reliability. The top of the box is closed with a lid that protects the parts and mechanisms of the weapon from contamination. It is made of thin sheet steel by stamping. To give rigidity, with a small thickness of the metal, extrusions are made in it. On the right side of the cover there is a window for ejected cartridges and a cutout for moving the bolt handle.

The safety lock, which, when turned on, eliminates the possibility of turning the trigger, ensures the prevention of accidental shots due to falls, weapon impacts, or accidental pressing of the trigger. In the on position, the safety box closes the cutouts for moving the reloading handle and thereby protects the receiver from sand and dust getting into it. Protection against premature shots when the bolt is unlocked is provided by a self-timer, as well as by the relative position of the bolt frame and bolt when closing the barrel bore and locking the bolt.

On the left side of the receiver there are protrusions like " dovetail» - seats for optical sights. The central and two rear protrusions serve as a base for mounting night electro-optical sights, and the two front and central ones serve as a base for daytime optical sights.

The receiver also contains a fire type translator and a magazine latch with a spring.

The main rifle shooting mode is single. However, the design of the trigger mechanism, located in the receiver, provides for the possibility of automatic fire. The fire type translator is attached to the receiver inside the trigger guard, behind the trigger. To conduct single fire, the translator is placed in the “Single fire” position (indicated by one dot), and for automatic fire - “Automatic fire” (indicated by three dots). You can use the translator with the thumb and forefinger of the hand holding the handle.

To increase the accuracy of a sniper rifle, it is necessary that its mechanisms affect the weapon as little as possible during operation.

To fulfill this condition, the automatic rifle has light moving parts (bolt and bolt frame). Another solution was the use of six bolt lugs in the locking mechanism, interacting with the protrusions of the receiver. In this case, the two lower lugs act as a cartridge rammer. Locking and unlocking of the bolt is carried out by rotating it around the longitudinal axis, which occurs through the interaction of the tracking grooves of the bolt frame and the leading lugs of the bolt. This made it possible to ensure rigid symmetrical locking of the barrel and reduce energy losses when unlocking the bolt.

Another solution promoting accurate shooting was the use of a striker-type impact mechanism. The light striker serves to break the igniter primer and, when de-cocked, gives the rifle a slight disturbing impulse. In addition, this design solution made it possible to facilitate the operation of the automation. This, as well as the specially designed layout of the gas outlet unit, ultimately made it possible to reduce the “tossing” of the weapon during a shot, which in turn made it easier to monitor the results of shooting through an optical sight.

The VSS strikers of the first series have a firing pin and a tail, in which there is a hole for the guide of the mainspring, grooves for guiding in the receiver, protrusions for cocking and for setting the striker on the self-timer. In subsequent releases, the firing pin was moved to the bolt. The cylindrical surface of the striker enters the bolt channel.

The return mechanism is designed to return the bolt frame with the bolt to the forward position after firing or loading the weapon, as well as to fix the receiver cover. The return spring guide together with the rod is a telescopic structure that provides the required stroke length of the bolt frame. To reduce noise when the moving system hits in the rear position, a polyurethane gasket is provided in the design of the return mechanism stop. To prevent the penetration of exhaust powder gases from the receiver to the shooter's face, there is a rubber sealing ring between the protrusion of the return mechanism stop and the receiver cover.

The mainspring serves to impart energy to the striker sufficient to break the cartridge primer. The mainspring guide also has a telescopic design.

The integrated silencer is an integral part of the rifle. It includes the muffler body and separator. The muffler body consists of an expansion chamber for preliminary release of gases and a muzzle muffler chamber. A separator is installed in the front part of the housing.

RVVDKU cadet with VSS at demonstration performances

The separator is a stamp-welded structure consisting of a bushing, insert, washer and cage. Cylindrical surface washers and bushings serve to ensure alignment of the separator and the body, the conical surface of the bushing is used to install the separator on the separator spring located on the muzzle of the barrel.

The silencer is put on the rifle barrel and secured to it with two cotters and a latch. This mount makes it easy to remove and install the silencer on the weapon. After the shot, when the bullet passes the front, perforated part of the barrel, part of the powder gases rushes through the side holes in the barrel into the expansion chamber of the muffler. At the same time, the gas pressure in the barrel and their speed after the bullet leaves are reduced. A stream of powder gases flowing from the muzzle of the barrel hits a separator, which “divides” it into numerous multidirectional flows, intensively reducing their speed and temperature. As a result, the gases escaping from the silencer have a subsonic speed and low temperature, that is, they do not create pop or muzzle flash, and the sound level of the shot is approximately 130 dB, which corresponds to a small-caliber rifle.

The use of an integrated silencer made it possible to reduce (compared to a silencer mounted on the muzzle of the barrel) the overall length of the weapon.

The sight block with the aiming bar, the front sight base with the front sight, and the separator latch with a spring are attached to the muffler body.

The removable butt of a skeleton-type rifle (like the SVD) is made of multi-layer plywood. It is attached to the receiver using a dovetail lug and a latch. When creating the butt lock, an original design solution was used, protected by a Russian patent. The clamp ensures quick removal and attachment of the stock, and a rigid (without play) mount on the weapon.

The forend of the Vintorez rifle is made of plastic and is designed for ease of control of the weapon when shooting, protecting your hands from burns and securing the tube. The forend is held by the muffler body, and when the muffler is removed, by the body latch, which is automatically pressed during the assembly process by the internal inclined plane of the forend.

The trigger mechanism is used to release the firing pin from the combat cocking and from the self-timer cocking, to ensure single and automatic firing, to stop firing, to prevent shots when the bolt is unlocked and to put the machine on safety. The trigger mechanism is placed in the receiver and includes a safety, sear, disconnector, translator, self-timer, trigger, trigger spring, trigger axis, self-timer spring, sear spring and disconnector. The design of the trigger mechanism is also protected by a Russian patent.

For aimed shooting For rifles and machine guns, different day and night sights are used at different ranges.

The daytime optical sight of the PSO-1-1 rifle is similar to the PSO-1 sniper sight SVD rifles, but with remote scales for the ballistics of the SP-5 cartridge. The upper handwheel of the sight - for setting the range - has a scale with numbers from 5 to 40, with a division value of 25 m, which corresponds to aiming angles for firing at ranges from 50 to 400 m. Since the ballistics of the SP-6 cartridge is close to the ballistics of the SP cartridge -5, the sight scale is used when firing both cartridges. The side handwheel, as in the PSO1 sight, is used to introduce lateral corrections. The sight reticle has one main square for aiming at the target. To the right and left of it is a lateral correction scale, below is a rangefinder scale for a target 1.7 m high (height figure) with numbers from 1 to 40 in tens of meters of range. The PSO-1-1 sight has 4x magnification and a field of view of 6°, its weight is 0.58 kg.

In addition to the PSO-1-1 sight, another daytime optical sight, the 1P43, can be used for firing from the VSS.

For shooting at night, the NSPU-3 or MBNP-1 night sight is used. IN lately A new generation of night sights has been created - the 1PN93 series of sights.

Fighter 45 OP Special Forces Airborne Forces with VSS

In case of failure of the daytime optical sight or the impossibility of its use for other reasons, a mechanical sighting device is used, consisting of a sector-type sight and a front sight in the front sight adjustable in height and in the lateral direction. The sight and front sight are located on the muffler body. The sighting bar has a mane with a slot for aiming and cutouts for holding the clamp in the installed position. The sighting bar has a scale with divisions from 10 to 42: on the right side from 10 to 40, on the left - from 15 to 42. The scale numbers indicate firing ranges in tens of meters. This scale allows you to set the sight according to the distance to the target with an accuracy of up to 20 - 30 m.

On the base of the front sight and on the body there is a general mark that determines the position of the front sight after the weapon is brought into normal combat.

When using the weapon, placing the sight and front sight on the silencer requires strictly monitoring the correct connection of the silencer, protecting it from impacts and other mechanical damage.

One of the requirements for the new rifle when it was created. - possibility of concealed carrying and high readiness for combat use. Therefore, the rifle is disassembled into three main units - the rifle with the stock and silencer removed, the silencer and the stock. The time it takes to transfer it to a combat position is no more than 1 minute.

If necessary, the rifle can be transported disassembled to its main components in a 45x37x19 cm case or in a bag. To make the packaging in the case, a split wooden model of the rifle was created.

Ammunition VSS "VINTOREZ" SP-5, SP-6

Shooting from the VSS Vintorez rifle can be carried out:

SP-5 cartridges (sniper)
- SP-6 (increased armor penetration).

These cartridges have the same charges, but differ in the design of the bullets.

The bullet of the SP-5 cartridge has a steel and lead core placed in a bimetallic shell. The shape of the bullet provides it with good ballistic properties when flying at subsonic speeds. The SP-5 cartridge does not have special markings; packaging cardboard boxes with such cartridges are labeled “Sniper”.

The bullet of the SP-6 cartridge consists of a hardened steel core of increased length, placed in a lead jacket and a bimetallic shell. The tip of the SP-6 cartridge bullet is painted black, and there is a black stripe on the box. The cartridge cases are steel, coated with green varnish.

Both cartridges have similar ballistics and can be used in both VSS and AC. At the same time, the SP-5 cartridge has better accuracy, and the SP-6 has armor penetration. The latter should be used to defeat personnel wearing personal protective equipment, as well as in cars or behind light shelters.

SP-5 and SP-6 cartridges are produced by the Klimovsky Stamping Plant.

In addition to standard ammunition, there are training cartridges SP-6UCH - for training in loading weapons. There are longitudinal grooves on its sleeve, and on the box there is the inscription “Training”.

To test the strength of the weapon locking unit, the SP-5UZ cartridge is used. On the packaging box with these cartridges there is the inscription “Enhanced charge”. They are used only in factory conditions; the use of such cartridges in the army is strictly prohibited.

Partial disassembly of VSS Vintorez

Silent weapon when shooting at to a greater extent than usual, it becomes contaminated with powder soot. Therefore, after firing the VSS, you need to clean it as quickly as possible. To do this, the rifle is partially disassembled, which is done without special tools.

The order of partial disassembly is as follows:

Disconnect the magazine and check to see if there is a cartridge in the chamber.
- Separate the muffler and disassemble it.
- Remove the separator spring from the barrel.
- Disconnect the rifle receiver cover.
- Remove the return mechanism. 6. Remove the mainspring from the guide.
- Take out the drummer.
- Separate the bolt carrier with the bolt and separate the bolt from the bolt frame.
- Disconnect the handguard.
- Separate the tube.
- For VSS - separate the butt.
- Assembling the weapon is done in reverse order. It takes from 30 to 60 seconds.

VSS rifle configuration

Each VSS rifle is equipped with an individual set of spare parts ZIP-O.

Sniper rifle VSS Vintorez, (VSS - Sniper Special Rifle), created at the Klimovsky TsNIITOCHMASH design team under the leadership of Peter Serdyukov Photo (c) KardeN

VSS Vintorez with a PSO-1 optical sight and a tactical flashlight Photo (c) KardeN

VSS Vintorez sniper rifle and AS Val assault rifle Photo (c) KardeN

Feedback from an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

“Great rifle. Compact, handy, accurate. In our division it is used with AS machine magazines. Standard SP-5 and SPP cartridges have, to a small extent, different ballistics, so our snipers, depending on preferences, bring their rifles to normal combat under the type of cartridge they like. The only depressing thing is the absence of a cheekpiece on the butt, which apparently was done for the sake of a quick transition, when shooting, to mechanical sighting devices.”.

KardeN is an employee of a special unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who has extensive combat experience in “hot spots”

History of creation

Intensifying confrontation between the Soviet Union and the West in the seventies of the last century, expansion of geography undeclared wars and local military conflicts required more and more new types of special weapons, including those for fighting at short distances with enemy personnel equipped with personal protective equipment. In 1987, a new weapon-cartridge complex "Vintorez" was adopted by special forces units of the KGB of the USSR and reconnaissance and sabotage units of the Soviet Armed Forces, and units of internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs under the designation "Special Sniper Rifle" (VSS) index 6P29. The new weapon, which is a group means of covert attack and defense, was intended to hit targets with sniper fire in conditions requiring silent and flameless shooting at open enemy personnel (destruction of enemy command personnel, his reconnaissance groups, observers and sentries), as well as incapacitation surveillance devices, elements of military equipment and the destruction of unarmored vehicles at ranges of up to 400 m during the day with an optical sight and 300 m at night with a night sight.

Silencing the sound of a shot is based on the integrating principle. When a bullet passes past many holes in the walls of the barrel, powder gases penetrate through them into the expansion chamber of the muffler not immediately, but sequentially. With such a consistent expansion of hot powder gases, their temperature drops, therefore, the volume and “exhaust” pressure are reduced. In addition, during the process described above, a single sound exhaust is split into many components. Residual sound waves, reflected from the obliquely placed partitions of the separator, overlap each other in opposite phases and are mutually absorbed. The rifle can fire both single shots and bursts. For concealed carry, the sight, stock and silencer are separated from the rifle. All these parts fit into dimensions of 37x27x4.5 cm and can be carried in an ordinary briefcase.

Shooting is carried out with special SP-5 and SP-6 cartridges. The bullets of the SP-6 cartridges have a steel core and a powder charge that is strengthened by 20% compared to the SP-5 cartridge. At a distance of 200 meters, a bullet from the SP-6 cartridge pierces a steel sheet 6 mm thick, at a distance of 500 meters - 2 mm thick, while unconditionally hitting living targets located behind these covers. However, unless necessary, it is not recommended to shoot only SP-6 cartridges, as they cause increased wear on the barrel and weapon mechanism. The SP-5 cartridge is used for shooting at unarmored targets and for training. The ballistics of the SP-5 and SP-6 cartridges are different in trajectory height, so the rifle must be sighted separately for each of these ammunition.

The sighting range on the head is 200 meters, on the body - 400 meters. The rifle is equipped with sights: optical PSO-1 and night sights NSPU-3. The disadvantage of this rifle, according to the experience of its combat use among the troops, is the low strength of some parts, especially the receiver cover, as well as a click when switching the fire mode safety lever. The VSS rifle, like any other sniper weapon, requires especially careful handling, which is not always possible to observe in combat conditions. The design of Vintorez is extremely simple. Its peculiarity is the trigger mechanism, consisting of a firing pin and two sears - one for automatic, the other for single fire. The principle of automation and barrel locking is the same as that of a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

The VSS rifle consists of a barrel with a receiver, a silencer with sights, a stock, a bolt frame with a gas piston, a bolt, a return mechanism, a hammer mechanism, a trigger mechanism, a forend, a gas tube, a receiver cover and a magazine. The VSS automation operates on the principle of removing powder gases from the barrel bore into a gas chamber located on top of the barrel under a plastic fore-end; the barrel bore is locked by turning the bolt with six lugs. The gas piston is rigidly connected to the bolt frame. The inside of the piston is hollow, and a return spring enters it at its front end. The USM is a striker type, allowing both single and automatic fire.

The safety box, located on the right side of the receiver, simultaneously closes the groove for the reloading handle, protecting the box from dust and dirt getting inside. The fire type translator is mounted inside the trigger guard, behind the trigger. When it moves horizontally to the right, single fire is conducted, and when it moves to the left, automatic shooting occurs. The reloading handle is located on the right side of the receiver. Sights consist of an open sector sight mounted on the muffler body and designed for a firing range of up to 400 m, and a front sight in the muffler. Food is supplied from a plastic box magazine with a double-row arrangement with a capacity of 10 rounds. The butt is wooden, made similar to the SVD and equipped with a rubber butt.

The VSS is equipped with an integrated device for silent-flameless shooting (SFS), mounted on the barrel. The action of the PBS rifle is associated with the unusual design of the barrel itself. Its front part, closed by a muffler, has six rows of through holes made along the bottom of the rifling. When fired, as the bullet moves along the barrel, the powder gases exit through these holes into the muffler cylinder, and then are successively dispersed, pass through expansion chambers, a separator, are broken into mutually extinguishing flows, and are cooled by a mesh radiator rolled into a roll. The separator includes several partitions installed at different angles to the axis of the bore. This design of the muffler, along with the use of the SP-5 cartridge with optimal ballistic characteristics, made it possible to significantly reduce the level of unmasking signs (sound and flame of a shot). The VSS can be equipped with a PSO-1 type sight, any standard night sight (NSPUM, NSPU-3), as well as PO-3x34 type sights with a special adapter.

The weapon can be disassembled into three units (barrel with silencer, receiver with trigger mechanism and butt) and, together with the sight and magazines, is packed in a “diplomat” type suitcase with dimensions of 450x370x140 mm, and the time required to transfer the weapon from the transport position to the combat position is , is no more than 1 minute. On the basis of "Vintorez" the Special Automatic (AS) "Val" and the small-sized automatic rifle SR-3 "Vikhr" were created. The service life of the VSS rifle is officially 1,500 rounds, but with timely care, cleaning and lubrication, this weapon can withstand up to 5,000 rounds without deteriorating in combat quality.

Since the VSS is a weapon-cartridge complex, a few words about the SP-5 cartridge. The 9-mm SP-5 sniper cartridge with a heavy bullet weighing 16.2 g was created by TsNIITOCHMASH designers N. Zabelin, L. Dvoryaninova and Yu. Frolov, based on the cartridge case of the intermediate cartridge mod. 1943. The subsonic muzzle velocity of this cartridge (270 - 280 m/s) provides the necessary reduction in sound level when using a silencer, and the increased mass of the bullet with a steel core provides sufficient penetrating effect at ranges up to 400 m. The weight of the SP-5 cartridge is 32 .2 g, cartridge length - 56 mm. The relatively low speed of a heavy bullet is partly compensated by its high energy and lateral load, which ensures stability on the trajectory and sufficient penetration. Based on the SP-5, the SP-6 “armor-piercing” cartridge was developed. The SP-6 has a tungsten carbide core bullet and penetrates a 6mm steel plate at a distance of 100 meters. Both of these ammunition can be used for firing from the Vintorez VSS.

When working in a sniper pair, it is very desirable for one of the snipers to have a Vintorez. He begins silent shooting, “taking down” those who are in the enemy’s rear ranks. Another sniper, armed with a conventional rifle, is included in the events when the enemy discovers the results of the “silent” operation. In another variant, a shooter with any “noisy” weapon finds himself firing, provoking the enemy to retaliate. After which a sniper with a Vintorez destroys identified enemy firing points from close ranges under the noise cover of a partner. The Vintorez is especially effective at night with a night sight during combat operations in populated areas.

The BCC is designed to perform precise, accurate, and quiet work in a bite-and-run manner. You should not get carried away with frequent and prolonged shooting from it. For precision combat, the backlash between the working surfaces of the working parts is left minimal, and after shooting three full magazines, deposits of powder deposits negatively affect the flawless operation of the mechanism. In continuous mode, the weapon can withstand a larger number of shots, but after cooling down, the Vintorez begins to delay. This phenomenon is especially noticeable in damp weather, because with increased air humidity, powder deposits tend to “swell.” Therefore, the rifle should be cleaned as often as possible. For continuous automatic silent shooting there is a special automatic machine AS “Val”, which is structurally similar to the VSS rifle and has a large spread of bullets. Due to the low weight and relatively heavy firing pin, when it is released and moved forward, a slight displacement of the weapon back is observed due to the reaction of the mainspring. Therefore, when shooting from the VSS, you should press the butt more tightly into your shoulder. Lubricating cartridges is prohibited!

The special sniper rifle “Vintorez” is produced at the Tula Arms Plant and is in service with special forces of the Russian Armed Forces and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the FSB and the Presidential Security Service. In addition, it is exported to the countries of the Middle East and South America, as well as to the USA. The VSS, which appeared in the late 80s, has become a weapons legend in the 10 years of its existence. In combat use, Vintorez is an order of magnitude more effective than all known weapons of this class and purpose. Practical Americans prefer the silent and invisible death of Russian production to the widely advertised NATO systems.

However, the person who fought with it in Chechnya can best tell you about the VSS and the effectiveness of its use in battle. Let me give an excerpt from the magazine “Soldier of Fortune” No. 8 / 1997: “The AS/VSS weapon system is close to the ideal weapon for special forces. Its skillful use can work wonders. So, for example, during one of the close fire battles, a reconnaissance group from our unit (group commander - I. Ch.) managed to “overwhelm” 5 people, including the lead patrol, until the opposing side began to understand something. The presence of standard day and night optics, an armor-piercing cartridge and an effective integrated silent and flameless firing device allows us to solve most of the problems that may arise before a “special forces” unit. For example, the classic problem of “taking down a sentry” is solved perfectly by VSS (better than a thrown knife, crossbow or God knows what else). This weapon is not for conscripts! Especially with the quality of the conscription contingent as it is now. You need to monitor it much more carefully than any infantry weapon (AK, PK, SVD). I, who was brought up on a Kalashnikov assault rifle, can’t even look at the firing mechanism without tears – everything is so miniature. There are some shortcomings: for example, the plastic forend does not “sit” tightly in its place, there is no bag for a night sight, the 10-round magazines for the VSS, I think, need to be replaced with 20-round ones (and for the AC, a 30-round one would probably be useful ). Upon receiving the BCC, I immediately put into storage all my AKMS with PBS, which we brought with us for lack of anything better.”

The Air Force Vintorez complex was put into service in 1987. The sniper rifle began to enter the USSR troops, arming parts of reconnaissance units, internal troops Ministry of Internal Affairs and special detachments of the KGB of the USSR. From the beginning of development, the project was assigned the index 6P29, which remained assigned to this weapon.

The Air Force's silent sniper rifle "Vintorez" is used by fighters to defeat enemy personnel. The main task is to quietly eliminate the DRGs, guards, etc. It has the power to disable unarmored vehicles.

History of creation

USSR special forces quite often took part in military conflicts on the territories of friendly countries. The main period of international assistance occurred in the second half of 1960 and the end of the 1970s.

Operations were carried out in countries such as: Vietnam 1961-1974, Syria 1967-1973, Mozambique 1967-1979, Cambodia 1970, Bangladesh 1972-1973, Angola 1975-1979, Afghanistan 1979-1989.

Military specialists were faced with enemy sabotage tactics that had to be countered. They themselves periodically had to carry out secret missions behind enemy lines. The Soviet Union had a large arsenal of weapons, but they were designed for open combat and were poorly suited to silent tactics.

It was necessary to improve the weapons of special forces groups, which was the reason for the creation of a small sniper complex with a silencer.

However, everything is in order.

Special purpose units Soviet Union had no special small arms until 1970. They mainly used general-arms types of weapons with silencers installed on them and cartridges with silent bullet flight.

Forced integration of components and attachments in the form of: silencers, optical sights and special cartridges, formed portable reconnaissance complexes:

Silence, based on AKM-74 with 6S1
Canary, based on AKS-74U
Pistol PB () based on Makarov
Pistol APB (automatic silent pistol) based on Stechkin.

The practicality of such an alliance concealed disadvantages. Pistols with installed silencers had large sizes. Automatic systems lost their firing range.

The command of the KGB and GRU of the USSR General Staff set the designers the task of creating new sample silent weapons for high efficiency of unit operations in covert conditions. Interested departments put forward their tactical and technical requirements to small arms, which turned out to be contradictory.

The disagreement served to agree on a single project - the special sniper rifle "Vintorez".

Test sample of gun number one was given the index RG036. The model was created by weapons designer V.F. Krasnikov. He used in the design a barrel chambered for the 7.62US cartridge, used in integrated complexes based on the Kalashnikov assault rifle.

The structure of the muzzle had individual system removal of powder gases, which looked like a piston and rested against the back wall of the expansion chamber of the muffler itself. This solution facilitated and simplified the design of the silent prototype, but served as a loss of reliability for use in various conditions and the sample was not accepted.

1981 was the rebirth of the silent gun; design engineers presented a new prototype rifle chambered for the RG037 cartridge. In the new design, a rooted removal of powder gases was used through the side windows in the barrel.

The sound of the shot was dampened due to the installation of muzzle and extensive chambers. This helped reduce the sound pressure to the parameters of a PB pistol. The positive qualities were added by light weight and small dimensions, which did not interfere with punching a steel sheet 1.6 mm thick at close range.

According to the new technical specifications from General Staff in 1985, the Vintorez sniper rifle was supposed to hit an enemy wearing a bulletproof vest at a distance of 400 m, which did not correspond to the characteristics of the RG037 cartridge.

The designers began to modernize the gun for the 9x39mm cartridge, which was the last engineering solution in the development of this model.

Device and features

Designers tried their best to simplify technical features guns. Assault rifle has a trigger mechanism, which includes two sears and a striker. They divide firing modes into automatic and single. The automation system is quite similar to the mechanics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle.

The name of the parts of the Vintorez VSS complex includes:

Trunk
Receiver
Sighting system
Wooden stock
Bolt carrier
Return mechanism
Impact mechanism
Trigger
Muffler attachment
Handguard
Receiver cover
Magazine with 10 rounds of ammunition.

The automatic mechanism is activated by the injection of powder gases. For this purpose, special passages were designed in the barrel leading to the gas chamber. The rotating valve closes the channel. The gas outlet plunger is firmly connected to the bolt frame, and has a reverse spring inside its jacket. A flag-type fuse is installed on the right side of the housing.

The fire mode switch is built into the trigger guard, allowing you to quickly move the flag with your index finger to the desired position.

A standard sector sight is installed on the body. It is complemented by a front sight located on the body of the muffler, which in turn covers the front part of the barrel. The design had six rows of holes for the removal of powder gases.

Passing through the holes, the gases enter the silencer chamber, where they are dispersed and the sound of the shot is muffled. The rifle can be equipped with optics: PSO1, NSPU3 and a collimator.

Performance characteristics

The table shows the main parameters and potential of the Vintorez sniper rifle

Weight without attachments. kg	2,5
Weight of night vision sight, kg	2,1
Weight of the optical sight, kg	0,58
Caliber, mm	9
Length VSS, mm	894
Length of optics with eye device and lens hood, mm	375
Length of night optics with aperture, mm	340
Shooting modes	automatic, single
Amount of ammunition in the magazine, cartridges pcs.	10
Starting bullet speed m/s	300
Maas cartridge, g	23,5
Bullet weight, g	16
Chuck length, mm	56
Penetration capacity of steel sheet 4 mm/m	400
Penetration ability of body armor 6B2/m	400

Lethal force and effective range

The striking force of the 6P29 weapon is capable of penetrating a steel shelter more than 2mm thick from a distance of 500m and defeating a hiding enemy. The SP5 cartridge is capable of this.

The technical characteristics of the SP6 cartridge increase this figure by 20-25%. A long sighting range was not pursued by the designers; the main goal was to ensure the rifle was silent. Silent shooting is necessary for the stealth of scouts and attack aircraft. The maximum engagement distance in special operations usually does not exceed 300 meters.

Although it seems possible to get into the case from Vintorez with more long distance. Additional sighting systems are designed for a maximum distance of up to 500 meters, which is confirmed by tests.

Rifle equipment

Each unit of the BCC small arms includes a kit for caring for the body and cleaning the barrel.

The ZIP-0 kit includes the following items:

Ramrod
Oil can
Scraper
5 magazines with a capacity of 10 rounds each
Belt
Accessory (case for listed objects)

The silent VSS has a tactical set of equipment for carrying. When disassembled, it fits into a backpack, which is equipped for a fighter.

The dismantled Vintorez does not take up much space in the equipment of a soldier preparing to carry out a mission. The components are easily removed from a portable backpack or case, after which the weapon is assembled in a matter of seconds.

Carrying and stowing kit consists of:

VSS carrying backpack
Optical backpack
Belt for carrying stores.

Application

The VSS received its first baptism of fire in Afghan war, where it gained a reputation as a reliable small arms for reconnaissance and attack aircraft. Soldiers' stories tell of the miracles of a silent liquidator during close combat.

In one of these clashes, a special forces group eliminated five Mujahideen, having previously eliminated the patrolmen. After completing the task, the group quietly left.

Taking down a sentry using a silent rifle is much more effective than throwing a knife or shooting a crossbow.

After the end of the war in Afghanistan and a short four-year break, the rifle took part in two Chechen military campaigns that took place from 1994 to 2000.

Not only special forces soldiers, but also motorized rifle soldiers spoke well of the rifle. One of the commanders of a motorized rifle unit, with the rank of major, believes the VSS good addition to the main armament based on personal experience.

The major said that he carried the VSS on his back and, if necessary, could destroy the enemy with a silent shot without detecting the entire group. In one of these situations, he managed to eliminate six enemy personnel.

The rest fled, abandoning 10 Kalashnikov assault rifles, zinc and ammunition, and mines.

Despite positive reviews, a silent machine is unable to outperform all analogues of small arms. "Vintorez" is a rifle designed for assault, sabotage and reconnaissance operations.

It will ideally preserve the fighter’s secrecy without giving away his location. The potential of the weapon is not designed for prolonged combat.

IN peaceful life"Vintorez" is not used, as it is a special-purpose weapon. On its basis, game analogues were created for fans of this weapon and active recreation in military style.

There are several types of tactical competitions where you can see the BCC layout in action:

Paintball
Airsoft
Laser tag

You can view and purchase the most similar version of the BCC in specialized sports stores.

Does this project have a future?

Most likely the project has a future; the Vintorez folding sniper rifle does. There are no worthy analogues in terms of cost and simplified automation scheme yet. We are talking specifically about close combat, since at long range the primacy remains with the SVD.

Despite its small ammunition capacity, the silent rifle firmly occupies the niche of sabotage and reconnaissance weapons. Participation in military conflicts over the past 30 years characterize the rifle vehicle as very reliable. The fighters who used it more than once even gave it a nickname - silent death.

When leaving on a mission, a scout will most likely want to take the Vintorez VSS with him.