The intelligence of the KGB of the USSR invented the first silent pistol S-4

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

In the Soviet Union, huge resources were spent on maintaining their intelligence in the correct tone, because its agents carried out a huge number of special assignments that influenced the fate of the country and its appearance in the world. Unfortunately, sometimes such assignments were associated with the need to secretly eliminate a person. Such a weapon was specially created for this.

The intelligence of the Soviet Union performed a lot of difficult, dangerous and incredibly important work for the state, and therefore needed the best and rather specific equipment. Much attention was paid to the armament of KGB agents. For obvious reasons, very often it had to be as compact and secretive as possible. So, in the 1960s, in the Land of the Soviets, the newest (at that time) S-4 silent pistol was designed and put into production.

The S-4 pistol is remarkable only for the fact that it was able to become the first serial silent weapon with piston cartridges. The weapon was created specifically by order of the State Security Committee. Almost complete noiselessness and absolute flamelessness of the pistol was achieved thanks to the use of special cartridges, the cut-off of powder gases in which was carried out using the piston-pusher.

The principle of operation of the C-4 was as follows. During the shot, the pusher piston moved the bullet along the barrel, while the powder gases did not leave the liner. Braking and locking of the piston was provided by the liner itself, and its thick walls prevented the structure from swelling and the formation of a wedge under the action of the released gases. For quietness and compactness, one had to pay with a weak cartridge, high cost of construction and a rarity of ammunition. The caliber of the pistol is 7.62x39 mm. Sighting range - 15 meters. Effective range - 10 meters.

The C-4 pistol had only two charges. It had a very complex design and required manual cocking of the firing mechanism before firing. Already in the 1970s, this weapon will receive a modification under the "M" index. Improvements will solve some of the problems of the previous model.