Made in the USSR: silent pistols used by special services

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

The arms business in the Soviet Union developed very well. In addition to rockets, aircraft and machine guns, the country also made silent pistols to solve more "delicate tasks." In total, there were several very popular models of silent weapons in the USSR. A new round of development of this segment began in the 1960s. Let's take a closer look at these samples.

1. Pistol PB

A pistol designed specifically for reconnaissance and sabotage units. Small and silent, the PB was supposed to help Soviet soldiers solve tasks behind enemy lines. There is an ingrained opinion that the PB was created on the basis of the PM. In fact, this is not the case. Only the store and the trigger was taken from Makarov. The weapon turned out to be so successful, reliable and unpretentious that it is used by special forces to this day.

2. Pistol APB

The APB pistol is a silent modification of the APS. In the Soviet Union, this was the only model of an automatic silent pistol. The weapon was equipped with a magazine for 20 rounds. Silent shooting, in turn, was achieved using a muffler. Despite its many advantages, the pistol turned out to be too expensive to manufacture and is not mass-produced today.

3. Pistol C-4

A silent pistol designed specifically for the KGB of the Soviet Union. The weapon used 7.62 × 63mm "snake" rounds. Silence when fired was achieved using the method of cutting off the powder gases using a special piston. The pistol had only two shots. The S-4 did not stand in service for a long time and was removed immediately after the appearance of the SMP.

4. Pistol SME "Groza"

A more advanced modification of a silent pistol for the KGB, which was developed by Soviet designers in the early 1970s. The new pistol also used a propellant gas cut-off method. Despite numerous advantages over its predecessor, the SME was adopted by only a limited batch. It is still in service with Russia today.

How does a weapon silencer function and does it have any disadvantages?

The advent of firearms in just a few centuries radically changed the face of war, completely replacing all types of throwing weapons. That's just for the high efficiency of the gunpowder arsenal had to pay for the absolute unmasking of the fighter at the time of the shot. That is why, since time immemorial, people have wanted to learn how to hide shots. It turned out to be done only in the 19th century with the help of mufflers.

What is it all about

The correct and full name of a weapon silencer sounds like "a device for silent flameless shooting." This accessory is a mechanical device that conceals the fire of a shot and dampens its sound. A silencer is installed on the barrel of the weapon. Sometimes it is an integrated element of its design. In fact, such a cunning device is arranged quite simply.

The first mufflers appeared in the 19th century. At the same time, the first patented sample of a device for silent shooting was created by the famous weapons designer Hiram Maxim.

Weapon silencer device

The muffler is based on a metal cylinder, the internal space of which is divided into many chambers by means of through partitions. Regardless of the type of silencer (removable or integrated), the principle of operation of the device is the same. The whole point is reduced to the dilution of gases coming out of the barrel of the weapon through chambers with partitions. This allows you to reduce the muzzle pressure and start rapid cooling of the powder gases.

The exit of gas from the muffler becomes gradual, which significantly affects its volume. In other words, the volume of the shot drops due to the fact that the gases resulting from the launch of the bullet do not escape from the barrel all at once, but come out in small portions in turn. The larger the chamber used by the PBS, the stronger the efficiency of the muffler.

Video demonstrating the work of PBS

Disguise fee

Of course, you have to pay for disguising a fighter in this way. Any suppressor reduces the initial velocity of the bullet, which affects the destructive effectiveness of the weapon. This is due to a reduction in muzzle pressure.

In addition, mufflers impose a conditional restriction on the ammunition used. The fact is that the cartridges should have as little powder charge as possible. Otherwise, the excessive power of the shot will cause the early wear of the PBS. Finally, the muffler gets very hot during shots, which can also lead to its early failure.