VSS Vintorez
| VSS Vintorez | |
|---|---|
| File:Vss1.jpg | |
| Type | Sniper rifle |
| Place of origin |  Russia |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Spetsnaz, OSNAZ |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Pyotr Serdyukov |
| Manufacturer | Tula Arms Plant |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 2.6 kg[1] |
| Length | 894 mm[1] |
| Barrel length | 200 mm[2] |
| Cartridge | 9x39mm[1] |
| Action | Gas-operated, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | 700 rounds/min[1] |
| Muzzle velocity | 290 m/s |
| Effective firing range | 400 m |
| Feed system | 10 or 20-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Telescopic sight and Iron sights |
The VSS ([Винтовка Снайперская Специальная, Vintovka Snayperskaya Spetsialnaya] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help)), "Special Sniper Rifle", also named Vintorez (Thread Cutter), is a suppressed sniper rifle manufactured by Tula Arms Plant. It is in use by various military and otherwise militant organizations, especially those of former Soviet states.
The VSS Vintorez was designed by TsNIITochMash as a suppressed, flashless sniper rifle. It uses a heavy subsonic 9x39mm cartridge in combination with its integral sound suppressor. The heavy bullet is very effective at penetrating body armor even with its subsonic speed. Its effective range is 400 meters.[1] The VSS is normally used in semi-automatic, but it is capable of automatic fire.
This rifle was first used by the USSR in Afghanistan. It fires a 9 x 39 heavy (240 grains) steel core projectile sub-sonically at under 600 feet per second (250-290 m/s), and it's SP-6 armor piercing bullet defeats all known body armor and helmets to a distance of about 400 meters. It is effectively silenced such that all anyone hears, to about 15 meters, is the bolt clicking.
Since the VSS is meant for use in discreet operations, it can be broken down into three parts to be carried in a special 450 x 370 x 140 mm (17.7 x 14.5 x 5.5 inch) briefcase. The briefcase also has space for a PSO-1 scope, a NSPU-3 night vision device, and two magazines.
References
- ^ a b c d e "Special Purpose Sniper Rifle VSS "Vintorez"". Retrieved 2007-08-29. Cite error: The named reference "Enemy forces" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Popenker, Max R. "VSS 'Vintorez' silenced sniper rifle (USSR/Russia)". Modern Firearms. Retrieved 2007-08-29.