What makes the shot of the weapon silent. On devices for silent and flameless firing. Double-barreled pistol MSP

cooking

Despite generally negative results tests, by a joint decision of the GRAU MO and Mminoboromprom, the development of silencers PBS "s continued. It took 8 months to eliminate inconsistencies with the requirements of the TTT and comments on the results of the first field tests of silencers for the Kalashnikov assault rifle. In December 1955, based on NII-61, factory tests of the silencer for Kalashnikov assault rifle "PBS", which, as expected, went "without a hitch."

In January 1956 Three PBS silencers were delivered to the test site for each type of weapon (SKS, AK and RPD), 100 obturators for them and 20,000 US cartridges of the OP-04 batch.

The principle of operation of PBS mufflers remained the same, but they were structurally redesigned. To facilitate cleaning, the steel case was made of two hinged half-cylinders. In the cavity of each half-cylinder, there were 12 steel semi-circular partitions. semi-cylinders with a head were made using a threaded connection.

A leaf spring was riveted to one of the semi-cylinders, which interacted with the fixing recesses of the head to ensure tight clamping of the obturator and prevent self-unscrewing of the body. Obturators for all mufflers had the same design and consisted of a solid rubber plug enclosed in a metal clip.

When assembling the muffler, the protrusion of the clip enters the groove of the head, which runs perpendicular to the thread for attaching the body, which ensures a stable position of the plug in the muffler (when screwing in and unscrewing the body, the plug does not scroll, which ensures the stability of the weapon’s battle). The muffler heads of the SKS and RPD differed only in the attachment point to the weapon: the SCS has a clamp with a clamping screw, while the RPD has flats for a wrench.

The muffler head for the AK due to the elimination of the central hole of the obturator (to reduce the speed of moving parts of automation in order to ensure a given resource of parts and eliminate delays in firing such as skipping a cartridge when feeding) received an additional expansion chamber in the form of a cover screwed onto the head nozzle connecting the PBS to the barrel machine.

Diametrically located in the branch pipe were 4 holes with a diameter of 2 mm, through which the powder gases entered the cavity of the cover and flowed out of it into the atmosphere also through 4 holes with a diameter of 2 mm. The composition of frost-resistant rubber for the manufacture of obturators (mixture 4RI-304A based on SKBM rubber) and instructions for determining frost resistance were developed by the Moscow Tire Plant of Glavshinprom of the USSR Ministry of Chemical Industry.

To ensure aimed firing with US cartridges, each muffler was attached to the sight pads, which were installed on the base of the aiming bar by introducing the axes of the spring clamps into the holes of the aiming bar axis from the outside. SKS, AK and RPD sight pads are structurally the same and differ only in size, due to the dimensions of the weapon sights and the working profile, made according to the ballistics of the sample.

Just like I did in previous tests. The PBS for the RPD was equipped with a clamp attached to the barrel and nozzle to increase the time the gases act on the piston in order to increase the reliability of the pressed moving parts. The collar was suitable only for RPD machine guns manufactured since 1954. (modernized).

The refinement of the US cartridges consisted in changing the design of the bullet (to ensure the required penetrating action, a steel core made of U12A steel was introduced), adjusting the diametrical dimensions (in particular, the diameter of the leading part decreased by 0.01 mm and became equal to 7.94-0.02) and masses (12.40-12.70 g).

The speed of bullets V10 cf. = 270-295 m/s with the difference between the lowest and highest bullet velocities in the group not exceeding 35 m/s. Accuracy of US cartridges was checked by shooting from a certified SKS carbine in three groups of 20 shots each at a distance of 100m.

At the same time, the average radius of a circle with a center at the midpoint of impact, accommodating 50% of the holes, should have been no more than 3.5 cm (a fairly stringent requirement, when accepting cartridges of the 1943 model with a Ps bullet firing from an accuracy ballistic barrel g50, no more 2.5 cm, and the modern drawing requirement for the US cartridge when firing from the MTs-14-1 ballistic rifle under the same conditions is no more than 3.5 cm).

Details of the silencer PBS-1. 1 - housing, 2 - head, 3 - separator assembly, 4 - obturator, 5 - head cover, a - gas outlets d=2mm

The second ground tests were carried out from February 13 to April 14, 1956. The conclusion of the report on the test results read: “7.62-mm cartridges with a reduced bullet speed (OP-04 batches) and silencers for silent and flameless firing from SKS, AK and RPD, as if basically satisfying TTT GAU No. 006029 and draft drawings, may be allowed for military tests for a fundamental assessment and determination of the place of these cartridges and silencers in the weapon system.

Options for fastening the belleville spring to the cover of the PBS-1 muffler head

Again the magical "mostly satisfying". How were things really?

Undoubtedly, most of the previously noted shortcomings have been eliminated. So, the US bullet with a steel core confidently pierced at the maximum aiming range (400m) not only 4-6 inch pine boards and any projection of the SSH-40 army helmet (even through penetrations of both sides were noted), but also a promising protective vest designed by NII- 3 (steel plates made of steel 30 FGN, 2 mm thick, covering the chest; plates 1.2 mm thick, covering the stomach and back, laid on 10 layers of nylon).

The survivability of obturators in any conditions was more than the established 200 shots. There were also no complaints about noiselessness and flamelessness, regardless of the shot at the obturator, but it has not been possible to defeat smoke to this day. The place of firing from AKM with PBS-1 is clearly recognizable from a distance of 50m, and with intensive firing from one firing position, aimed shooting is difficult due to tearing and suffocation.

1 - silencer for AK, 2 - silencer for SCS, 3 - silencer for RPD

Further. Although it was possible to slightly increase the stability of bullets in flight and reduce the percentage of holes with an ovality of more than 1.3, holes in the entire range of aiming ranges still have an ovality, which, however, practically does not affect the accuracy and penetrating effect of bullets.

In addition, unlike previous tests, the instructions of the “Service Manual” on the prohibition of firing with a silencer with cartridges of other nomenclatures had to be strictly observed - the silencers definitely failed, losing partitions that damaged the hull.

The main "pitfalls" were the instability of the battle and the discrepancy between the contour curves of the sight pads (worked out aiming angles) and the aiming ranges. So, the largest spread of the average points of impact reached (in thousandths of the distance in height and lateral direction) at the SCS - 2.1 and 3.7; in AK - 5.7 and 3.2; RPD has 2.4 and 2.5.

The discrepancy between the aiming angles and the firing range generally led to almost zero results. So, when firing from an AK at a distance of 300m, bursts without a silencer (cartridges with a Ps bullet) hit an average of 6 targets No. 6.8; with a silencer (US cartridges, zeroing in at 100m) - 1 target, and after zeroing in at 300m - 13 targets.

Disassembled silencer for AK rifle. 1 - muffler body (a - half-cylinders, b - partition), 2 head body, 3 - head cover (c - holes for the exit of powder gases), 4 - obturator (plug)

In addition to the shortcomings, the report also presented the results of studies of the ballistics of the US cartridge. It was found that the presence of an obturator in the silencer reduces the initial velocity of bullets by 12 m/s with a new obturator and by 4 m/s when 200 shots are fired at the obturator. A revelation for the testers was the fact that with increasing barrel wear, the speed of the US bullet increases, which in turn inevitably leads to an increase in the sound pressure of the muzzle wave.

Sight pads for AK (1), SKS (2), RPD (3) and a collar that is put on the RPD gas chamber (4)

From a physical point of view, this fact is explained by the fact that with a sufficiently long barrel in the area close to the muzzle, the frictional resistance to the movement of the bullet is greater than the pressure force of the powder gases on the bottom of the bullet, as a result of which the bullet speed decreases in this area, and it is sharper in a little worn barrel, where the frictional resistance is greater. This assumption was confirmed practically by successive trimming of the barrel of a ballistic carbine with a step of 50mm.

When firing cartridges with a Ps bullet, a decreasing series of bullet velocities was obtained: 715, 701, 686, 669 and 659 m/s. For US bullets, an increasing series was obtained: 276, 289, 294, 299 and 299 m/s. Thus, when the carbine barrel was shortened by 150 mm, the speed of the Ps bullets decreased by 49 m/s, and the speed of the US bullets increased by 23 m/s. Apparently, each generation of PBS developers and testers rediscovered this phenomenon, and for some it is still unknown today.

How else to explain the requirement for the speed of US bullets of the current drawing No. 4-027027 V10 cf. = 285-300 m/s? It was not otherwise that they were going to shoot only from new weapons with normal temperature? By the way, the Mitin brothers undoubtedly knew about this phenomenon, having set the bullet speed of the UZ cartridge to no more than 260 m / s - this was required by a sufficient “park” of worn-out three-rulers.

Each PBS silencer is equipped with an aiming bar installed on the machine instead of the standard one. On its front side there is a scale for setting the range for Ps cartridges, on the back - for US

In the early 1970s, the creation of PBS-2 failed precisely because of this same phenomenon. The problem was aggravated by the fact that the force of pushing a 5.45-mm bullet through the barrel is much greater than that of a 7.62-mm one, and when firing from the new barrel of the AK74 assault rifle, the bullet flew out at speeds of only 70-120 m / s, which is clearly is not enough not only for any acceptable lethal and penetrating action, but also for effective shooting further at 100m.

On worn barrels, when firing the same cartridges (5.45x39 US), the speed of the bullets significantly exceeded the speed of sound, and there was no need to talk about any noiselessness of the shot. When firing from the new RPK74 machine guns, US bullets generally got stuck in the channel without leaving the barrel. For these reasons, the birth of the BS-2 silencer for the 5.45-mm complex did not take place and the 7.62-mm LKM (S) with the PBS-1 silencer is still in service.

But back to the events of 1956. To ensure the possibility of conducting military tests of a silent complex (according to modern terminology), it was necessary to clarify the aiming angles in the entire range of aiming ranges. Shooting was carried out at the GRAU and NII-61 range until the end of 1957. Along the way, the problem of self-unscrewing of the muffler on the AK was solved - a Belleville spring riveted to the end of the cover was introduced into the PBS design.

Military tests conducted in 1958 showed the high efficiency of the new weapons of the reconnaissance units. In addition, it turned out that equipping the PBS with the RID machine gun was not practical for tactical reasons, and the PBS for the SCS was considered a rudiment (since the SCS did not fall into the new infantry weapon system and were replaced by machine guns) and did not recommend it for production.

The dissenting opinion of the military representative at NII-61, engineer-lieutenant colonel Makarenko, turned out to be prophetic in the act of 07/23/1957: “With a positive conclusion of the troops, it is necessary to refine the design of the sight. Military shooters unanimously rejected the presence of a sight lining. It is painfully troublesome in a combat situation to change the pad when changing the type of cartridge and at the same time manage not to lose it.

In the end, the problem was solved quite simply - the aiming bar of the machine gun received two aiming scales (for the Ps bullet and for the US), as well as a mechanism for taking into account corrections in height and on the side to bring the US machine gun to a normal battle with US cartridges relative to the battle with the PS cartridge.

In 1959 The modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle was adopted by the army, during the development of which experienced US cartridges and a PBS silencer were used. In the same year, the PBS was also put into service, officially intended for manning the AKM (although nothing prevented it from being equipped with the AK). It is noteworthy that the name of the silencer in the “Service Manual” and the “Firing Tables” published by the Military Publishing House is different from the name in the design documentation - “for silent firing” and “for silent firing”. But let's leave it on the conscience of the proofreaders.

Initially, PBS "s were produced by NII-61 (apparently, several thousand pieces), which clearly did not cover the need for them. In 1962, it was decided to expand their production at the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant. Izhevsk residents were horrified by the low-tech muffler and offered their own design , retaining all the parameters. The changes affected the body and the separator. The body was made of a pipe, and the non-separable separator was assembled from washers fastened with three screws. The upgraded silencer was successfully tested. It turned out to be not only cheaper to manufacture, but also stronger - when firing cartridges with Ps was not destroyed by the bullet.The modernized silencer received the abbreviated name PBS-1.

7.62 mm cartridges arr. 1943 with a US bullet (GRAU index 57-N-231U) were originally manufactured at NII-61, and then their production was transferred to plant No. 711 (Klimovsky stamping plant). Already at the design stage, the US bullet received a black and green distinctive nose color, and metal boxes and wooden boxes received two stripes of the same colors. 1200 pieces were packed in an old-style box. cartridges and 6 obturators in two metal boxes; after modernization of capping - 1360 pcs. and 6 obturators.

For almost 50 years, the PBS-1 has been in service. Attempts to create a new generation of PBS "s failed. So, in 1979, after the adoption of the 5.45 mm AKS74U assault rifle with a short barrel, it seemed that it was technically possible to create such a silencer. TSNIITOCHMASH developed two versions of the silencer - PBS-3 and PBS-4 , differing from each other only in the possibility or impossibility of firing automatic fire with US cartridges. But these were no longer PBS in the classical sense: both required alteration of the standard AKS74U. As a result of the work, the AKSB74U appeared (later renamed AKS74UB) - a special-purpose model that did not receive wide distribution.

Yuri Ponomarev

Often, when fired, they try to hide its sound. And the main reason for this is the desire to hide the shot itself or its location. For this task, silencers for weapons were created, or as they are also called sound moderators. Basically, they are used by snipers in the army and special forces, although sometimes hunters do not disdain them.

The prices for these accessories fluctuate in a fairly wide range, which is why many people try to assemble a muffler at home, sometimes even from improvised means. The main thing is not to forget that the use of sound moderators in Ukraine is quite legal, but only on non-self-made ones. And only on the weapons that are provided for this.

How does a weapon silencer work?

In order to understand the principle of operation and the device of the silencer, it is necessary to understand what is the cause of the sound. There are three main sources:

moving parts of the weapon - when fired, they hit each other with great force and speed, thereby creating a sound

shock wave from a bullet (if the bullet has a speed higher than the speed of sound)

sound from propellant gases - when exiting the barrel, they have supersonic speed and make a loud sound when expanding

And if practically nothing can be done with the first two points, then the silencer is called upon to cope with the third.

How a sound moderator works

The principle of operation of the PBS is to reduce the speed of powder gases, cool them and thereby reduce the pressure in the muzzle of a pistol or rifle. Chambers inside the cylinder allow this to be achieved. In them, gases swirl and exit at a slower speed. Also, the muffler can use heat-absorbing materials that help cool the propellant gases, thereby absorbing energy and reducing their speed.

Some models have only gas expansion chambers, others have heat absorbing materials. But the best are those models in the design of which both methods of reducing the energy of powder gases are used.

Pistol silencer device

All silent shooting devices are divided into two types:

integrated - are part of the weapon barrel

tactical - screwed onto the muzzle using a special thread or secured with clips

It is tactical silencers that are the most common. They also come in several types and differ in their internal structure. The most common are:

The simplest - consists of a cylindrical expansion chamber, with a connecting nut and a slot closed in front by a rubber membrane. Since the chamber is larger than the bore, the gases in it expand, losing speed and leaving it after the bullet with less energy. The membrane wears out over time (it's rated for about 100 shots) and needs to be replaced periodically or a solid rubber stopper should be used.

With obturation - it also consists of an expansion chamber and two rubber or ebonite plugs-obturators between which there is a spacer sleeve.

Two-chamber eccentric - has a chamber with a baffle and acts almost like the simplest.

With heat absorption - the principle is based on the absorption of heat, and as a result of energy with the help of copper or brass wire or aluminum shavings. The disadvantage of such models is the need to change the absorbers frequently.

Multi-chamber - they operate on the principle of the simplest, but since they have several chambers with partitions instead of membranes, there is no need to replace them, which means that the service life is longer.

With flow splitting - consists of an internal sleeve with perforation and a helical flow splitting spiral.

How to make a homemade silencer for a pistol?

Homemade silencers for weapons are not the best the best option. Indeed, in order for such a product to fully fulfill its functions, and besides, it was safe to use, it is necessary to carry out a lot of calculations, choose the right materials and assemble this entire structure. And this is not so simple, especially in "handicraft" conditions. And even if you do everything right, there is no guarantee that you will get exactly the result you were striving for. Therefore, we strongly advise you not to do this business on your own. It is better to contact specialized stores where you can choose and buy not only a sound moderator for your carbine or pneumatics, but also other weapon tuning.

Some craftsmen, of course, try to make mufflers out of PET bottles or MAN oil filters. The first option generally looks comical, and the second one may drown out something, but it will not work for a long time and can be dangerous to use. Of course, there is another option to dig up a couple of drawings on the Internet and turn to some kind of turner. But even this does not guarantee that you will get exactly what you wanted. Therefore, it is better not to take risks, but to turn this question to professionals.

main conclusion

So, having understood the principle of operation of the PBBS and having familiarized ourselves with the drawings of the silencers, one main conclusion can be drawn - the manufacture of a silencer for firearms the question is quite complex both in terms of calculations and in terms of production. Therefore, we strongly advise you not to do this on your own. It is better to contact specialized stores and purchase this device there. Moreover, in the same place you can buy not only a silencer, but also a recoil pad, supports, handles and much more, which will greatly facilitate your hunting.

William Godfrey De Liesle was fond of weapons from the age of 16, and by the beginning of World War II he was working in the Air Ministry. Youthful fantasy and practical experience gave excellent result. The sound of his brainchild's shot was not even heard late at night, the firing range at the same time reached 250 meters. According to eyewitnesses, the loudest source of sound was the impact of the striker on the primer of the cartridge.

In order not to give out his location, the shooter had to ensure that the target was hit from the first shot. Practically in all comparative characteristics De Liesle was better than others: the degree of suppression of the sound of a shot, accuracy, accuracy of fire ... It is not surprising that a job was found for him in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Shortly after the war, most of the De Lisle was destroyed: the authorities feared that they would lose control and the weapons could fall into the hands of criminals.

9-mm silent pistol "Welrod Mk1" (Welrod Mk1), UK

The superiority of the enemy in 1940 forced Great Britain to change the tactics of warfare with Germany. Direct clashes between regular units did not bode well, at the same time, special-purpose weapons were required to successfully carry out sabotage operations behind enemy lines.

In 1942, in a laboratory located in London, one of the most effective pistols of the Second World War was created - the 9-mm silent Welrod Mk1 pistol. An integrated silencer excluded mechanical sounds at the time of the shot and after it. Luminous dots on the sight and front sight helped to aim at night.

The pistol was designed to be fired by an experienced shooter at a distance of up to 45 meters during the day and up to 18 meters at night, at a greater distance, shooting was found to be ineffective. The weapon was used during classified operations in Laos, Cambodia and North Vietnam.

Self-loading pistol PSS ("Vul"), USSR

In the USSR, the creation of special-purpose weapons was carried out in complete secrecy. In practice, there was no urgent need for such a weapon. Nevertheless, the work of designers A. Levchenko and Yu. Krylov was appreciated. In 1983, the “special self-loading pistol”, aka “Vul”, was adopted for service.

The sound level of a PSS shot is somewhere between a 4.5mm air rifle shot and a handclap. Given the purpose of the weapon - the silent destruction of the enemy at short distances - the pistol was quite compact and easily fit in a coat pocket.

The production of the PSS was entrusted to the notorious Tula Arms Plant. The cartridges were made of hard alloy, with a brass leading belt in front and a small recess in the back. A heavy bullet from a distance of 20 meters pierced a steel helmet, and from 30 meters - a steel sheet 5 mm thick.

Pistol Mark 3 Model 0, USA

In the late 1960s, similar tasks were set in the United States to develop "silent" pistols using powerful cartridges. In 1972, a similar device was patented, and soon adopted under the name MkZ Model 0.

The key goal of the project was to create a universal waterproof silencer that a combat swimmer could use not only under water, but also immediately after leaving the shore. If the pistol and silencer were transported by the swimmer separately, the muzzle of the barrel was sealed with a rubber cap. The silencer successfully fulfilled its purpose, but was subject to rapid wear, its service life was only 30 shots.

Submachine gun MP-5SD, Germany

The firm "Heckler und Koch" created a 9-mm submachine gun MP5, which earned fame and commercial success. As part of the model range, "silent" models with the SD index, equipped with an integrated silencer, were developed.

Silent shooting devices

Silent is any weapon equipped with a silencer. This term is conditional, since it is impossible to completely avoid the sound accompaniment of a shot. As you know, the sound of a shot arises from the rapid expansion of powder gases after leaving the barrel. Their pressure and temperature at the muzzle (for small arms- respectively, about 200 kg/cm and 1000 degrees C) far exceed these parameters of the ambient air. A weapon is considered silent if the sound level at the moment of firing does not exceed the level pneumatic weapon. In other words, it is difficult to distinguish at a distance of more than 50 meters from the shooter.
Sources of sound when fired are:
a) cotton, caused by the instantaneous expansion of powder gases after exiting the barrel (they move at a supersonic speed of about 555 m / s);
b) the shock wave created by the bullet (if its speed is higher than the speed of sound, i.e. more than 320 m/s);
c) the clang of the moving parts of the weapon (the trigger on the drummer, the drummer on the primer, the bolt on the barrel and butt plate).
There are three main ways to reduce the sound level when fired:
- limiting the speed of the expiration of powder gases from the bore;
- limiting the speed of a bullet to subsonic (no more than 300 m / s);
- blocking of powder gases inside the cartridge case.

FIRST WAY

Work on silencers began at the end of the 19th century, following the introduction of smokeless powders. The first working device was created in 1898 by the French Colonel Gumberg, who installed a cylinder with a valve at the end of the rifle barrel that cuts off the gas flow after the bullet has taken off. And due to the removal of gases back, he hoped to achieve a reduction in recoil. But he could not cope with the breakthrough of gases to the outside, even before the bullet took off. More successful was the American I. Maxim (the son of the famous creator of the machine gun), who in 1907 finalized the Gumberg scheme and hurried to organize a company for the serial production of his devices.
Many mufflers of various kinds appeared during the First World War. So, in Russia, a simple and rational design was proposed in the summer of 1916 by A. Ertel. Like others, he primarily dealt with silencers for guns, which is understandable, given the then huge role artillery and the already introduced method of sound detection of its positions. But when they turned to rifles, the attachments were too bulky. Their rapid development began in the 60s with the development of various special services and special operations forces.
Those tasks that turned out to be too tough for Humbert, Maxim and Ertel are successfully solved by modern designers. As calculations show, the shot could be made almost silent (with a sound level not higher than 6 dB), by reducing the pressure of the powder gases before their release into the atmosphere to 1.9 kg / sq. cm, and the temperature to 15-30 degrees C. Expansion-type mufflers, which are now most widely used, perform this task best of all. In them, the speed of the outflow of powder gases from the bore was reduced by expanding their volume in special muzzle devices. Although such devices did not completely solve the problem of sound suppression, elimination of flames and smoke, they were most widely used in the 20th century. In them, the speed of powder gases leaving the barrel was limited not only due to their expansion, but also by swirling, flowing from chamber to chamber, colliding oncoming flows, passing through heat extinguishers and "cutting off".
The simplest silencer of this type (Fig. 1) is a cylindrical expansion chamber attached to the muzzle of the barrel and closed in front with a rubber membrane with a slit.

Fig.1
The simplest muzzle silencer:
1 - rubber membrane with a slot, 2 - expansion chamber, 3 - connecting nut

This chamber is much larger in volume than the bore, so the gases, expanding in it, lose speed and flow out of it after the bullet has taken off. However, some of the gases are ahead of the movement of the bullet in the barrel and have time to exit through the membrane slit even before the bullet takes off, when the pressure has not decreased enough (it must be at least 2 atmospheres - only in this case the effect of silencing is achieved). In addition, the rubber membrane wears out quickly. Therefore, it is usually replaced with a solid rubber or rubber stopper. In this case, the outflow of a part of the powder gases, which is ahead of the bullet's departure, is almost completely excluded. The disadvantage of traffic jams is that they can withstand no more than 100 shots. Therefore, they need to be replaced periodically.
A silencer with two rubber seals (in the rear and front parts of the cylindrical expansion chamber) was successfully used in the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War on a 7.62-mm rifle of the 1891/30 model of the year (Fig. 2).

Fig.2
Silencer with obturation:
1 - spacer, 2 - rubber obturator, 3 - expansion chamber

Multi-chamber silencer:
1 - chamber, 2 - partition

Silencer with split flow:
1 - inner sleeve with perforation. 2 - helical flow splitting spiral

Rice. 3
Silencer with swirl flow:
1 - body, 2 - swirl baffles

Multi-chamber silencers implement the same idea as single-chamber silencers (Fig. 3). As the bullet moves from chamber to chamber, the volume of propellant gases gradually increases and the pressure decreases. The larger the total volume of such chambers, the higher the jamming effect. However, some of the powder gases always lead the bullet, since the diameter of the holes between the chambers is slightly larger than the diameter of the bullet. Therefore, in fact, multi-chamber silencers reduce the sound level of a shot in about the same way as single-chamber ones. Their advantage is that it is not required to change plugs, therefore, they are more durable.
There are mufflers in which special absorbers (aluminum shavings, copper or brass wire) are used to reduce the energy of powder gases. Their disadvantage is that these absorbers have to be changed periodically.

SECOND METHOD

It is easiest to limit the speed of a bullet to subsonic in pistols, since their initial speed is usually less than the speed of sound, and the effective firing range does not exceed 20-25 meters. In submachine guns, it is more difficult to do this, since the initial velocity of the bullet is 390-400 m / s, the effective firing range reaches 50-80 meters. Here, this speed is reduced in one of the following ways:
a) installing a shorter barrel;
b) by drilling radial holes in the barrel for the expiration of powder gases;
c) the use of cartridges with a lower mass of powder charge.
But in the latter case, due to a decrease in the recoil momentum, the reliability of the weapon’s automation is not ensured. To eliminate this drawback, it is necessary to create submachine guns with a reduced mass of moving parts and a return spring force.
In rifles (effective firing range of at least 200 meters), subsonic muzzle velocity can only be achieved by using special cartridges. However, this raises a number of problems. Thus, reducing the bullet speed of the American 5.56-mm M1 93 cartridge from 980 to 310 m/s sharply reduces the effective firing range. This was partially offset by an increase in the mass of the bullet. In the specified cartridge, it is increased from 3.56 to 5.3 grams, which led to an increase in its lateral load (the ratio of the mass of the bullet to the cross-sectional area), a decrease in the loss of speed on the trajectory and, consequently, an increase in the effective firing range. That is why, without exception, in all rifle cartridges designed for silent shooting, the mass of the bullet is greater than that of the regular one.
With a decrease in the initial speed of the bullet, its stability on the trajectory also decreases (which, generally speaking, is provided due to the gyroscopic effect of the rotation of the bullet around its axis, the required speed of which is achieved by increasing the steepness of the rifling). In cartridges for silent shooting, bullets differ in their aerodynamic parameters from standard ones. Therefore, cutting the barrels of regular rifles may be unacceptable for firing with special cartridges. In each case, this problem is solved separately.
Reducing the amount of gunpowder in the standard case does not provide a stable initial velocity of the bullet and causes misfires when firing in cases where the weapon is tilted down (the gunpowder is then poured to the bullet and it may not be near the primer). To avoid this phenomenon, it is necessary to reduce the free volume of the sleeve or use gunpowder with a lower density.

THIRD WAY

Consider it on the example of a cartridge for an American silent smoothbore revolver of 11.2 mm caliber. A 6-shot revolver, its weight is 900 grams. It was used in Vietnam to fight the enemy, who was in underground structures. The cartridge consists of a sleeve made of alloy steel (diameter 13.3 mm, length 47.6 mm) with a percussion primer, a propellant charge of gunpowder, a piston, a pallet-container with 15 pellets. When the striker hits the cartridge primer, the propellant charge ignites and under the influence of expanding powder gases, the piston pushes the pallet-container with the shot charge out of the cartridge case and the barrel of the revolver. When leaving the barrel, the container is destroyed, giving the pellets an initial speed of 228 m / s. The noiselessness of the shot is ensured by the piston pushing out the pallet-container. Approaching the front of the sleeve, it cuts into the thread, loses its energy and stops, reliably blocking the powder and primer gases. As a result, the power of sound and flame is drastically reduced. The sound is only a little louder than when the hammer strikes the head of a revolver with a dry trigger. Of course, the container with pellets can be replaced by a bullet.
The disadvantage of such ammunition is that they are dangerous both before the shot (since they are miniature charged barrels) and after it (because they then turn into miniature grenades). The first danger is dealt with by stacking such cartridges in especially strong steel boxes, the second - by undermining the used cartridges.

Today, the main areas of research are further sound reduction, reduction in the weight and dimensions of the silencer, and reduction of their influence on the accuracy and accuracy of fire.

On devices for silent and flameless firing. Actually, the initial question of the study was: "What kind of silencer to put on the Bulgarian Arsenal assault rifles introduced into ARM 3.1 under the 5.56 mm NATO caliber?"

First, a few words about terminology. In English-speaking countries, silent and flameless firing devices are called "suppressor", "sound moderator", "silencer". There is no clear gradation of terms. However, it can be conditionally assumed that

silencer (in domestic terminology - "silent shooting device" (PBS)) is a device designed for special operations, with a high degree muting, implying single firing and the use of subsonic ammunition;
suppressor (in domestic terminology - "low-noise firing device" (PMS), "tactical suppressor-flash suppressor") - military version, involves firing with conventional supersonic cartridges and bursts; it provides less, but often not very unnecessary noise reduction, and also eliminates the muzzle flash that unmasks the arrow and at the same time acts as a muzzle compensator.

Hispanic military uses one word "silenciado" for both types of instruments.

Silencer performance is measured in decibels (dB). The decibel is a logarithmic unit of levels, a relative value. The "zero" value in acoustics is taken to be the intensity J/(sq. m x s), approximately equal to the lower limit of audibility at 1000 Hz. The difference between 0 and 50dB is smaller than between 130 and 135dB. If the silencer attenuated the sound by 20 dB, then this means that the volume of the shot became quieter by 100 times, 30 dB - by 1000 times. The hearing threshold for a person is 0dB, a quiet conversation has a volume of about 56dB, a shot from an air rifle - 101dB, a shot from a small-caliber rifle - 131dB, a shot from a submachine gun - 157dB, from a pistol - 163dB, from a rifle - 165dB.

The following main sources of the sound of a shot can be distinguished:
- powder gases breaking through the gap between the bullet and the walls of the bore; the volume level of the sound generated by this source reaches 100-125 dB;
- grooves flying out of the barrel after the bullet and overtaking it; sound level - 115-135dB.
- at a supersonic bullet flight speed (over 320 m/s at sea level), a shock (“ballistic”) wave is formed in front of its toe in the air, which is also a source of high-level sound.
Plus the sound that occurs when a bullet hits a solid object, such as a ricochet on a metal surface. This, too, should not be forgotten when it comes to quiet operations.

Not a single scheme for muffling the sound of a shot eliminates it completely - we are talking about reducing the volume to a value that is poorly distinguishable at a certain distance. The most advanced muzzle silencers, usually related to special means, are able to reduce the volume of the shot to such a level that only the clang of the shutter is heard when firing. The indicators of tactical silencers are much more modest. They suppress the sound of a shot by 20-30dB for rifles of caliber 7.62x51 mm, by 25-35dB for weapons under intermediate and pistol cartridge; on average from 160-165 to 130-140 dB, i.e. at best, approximately to the level of the volume of a shot of a sports small-caliber rifle. When using conventional ammunition, 125dB is the actual limit of silencing. Subsonic cartridges (the so-called "sabsonics") allow you to reach best result, but they have a weak lethal and penetrating ability, so the military are skeptical of them, but they are in tactical silencers that are compatible with standard army ammunition and allow firing bursts. last years began to show interest. The use of a tactical silencer does not make shooting silent, but in battle it makes it difficult for the enemy to detect the source of the sound, and for his own it facilitates voice control, in addition, at night the device works as a flame arrester.

A subsonic rifle cartridge has a heavier bullet than a conventional cartridge and a reduced weight of gunpowder, which results in another drawback of the subsonics: when firing a weapon without a silencer, the automatic reloading does not work or is unstable. The .40 S&W and 9x19mm pistol calibers solve the problem of speed limiting with a heavy bullet, 180 and 147 grains respectively, and they have enough powder load to work without a silencer. And the cartridges of caliber .45 ACP are almost all subsonic.

The effectiveness of the PBS depends on design features and the caliber of the weapon, the length of the barrel, the design and size of the silencer itself, as well as the ammunition used. It should be noted here that the AK-family assault rifles, due to the brutality of the venting mechanism, are muffled much worse than the AR-15 family rifles. It is also noteworthy that pistol silencers are slightly superior to rifle silencers in terms of sound suppression, although it would seem that a pistol shot should be silenced better than a rifle shot. The fact is that pistol silencers have smaller dimensions comparable to the pistol itself. In general, for pistols, the combination with a silencer is not very indicated. A massive part attached to the end of the barrel significantly changes the balance of the weapon, affecting the accuracy of shooting, and also creates an increased load on the barrel and bolt parts, and can even cause them to break. PBS, designed specifically for submachine guns, are large and therefore provide better damping.

The standard design of most pistols does not provide for the attachment of PBS, but at the same time, the manufacturer offers a special modification with a barrel extended for a silencer, catchy called "Tactical" or "Combat", or third-party barrels with a muzzle thread for screwing a silencer are available for purchase.

Pistols that have a Browning locking, barrel warp, and these are the Colt M1911, Browning HP, FN FNP, Glock, SIG-Sauer 220-series, CZ75, and most HK pistols, must have a muffler with a short travel compensator (t .n "recoil booster"). Otherwise, when firing subsonic cartridges, the automatic pistol will not work. Weapons with a swinging larva lock (Walther P-38, Beretta 92) are spared this need. The recoil booster can be integrated into the body of the pistol silencer, as is the case with Advanced Armament Corporation, for example, or it can be made as a removable optional base, as we see in the example of the Gemtech Multimount system.

The effectiveness of pistol PBS also depends a lot on the caliber of the weapon, which is good for the YHM Cobra M2 silencer, produced by the American company Yankee Hill Machine for the three most popular calibers in the United States. At the same time, a 9-mm muffler provides a sound reduction of up to 35 dB, and in calibers 40 S&W and .45 ACP - 27 and 22 dB, respectively. True, for a 9mm pistol it is more difficult to find subsonic ammunition, while in the 45 caliber they are all such. 45 ACP also developed so-called "wet" mufflers (wet suppressors) to improve muffleability. For example, the AAC Ti-RANT 45 muffler has a dry damping of 30dB and a liquid-filled damping of 41dB.

When firing supersonic cartridges from a 9mm pistol, we will get a sharp sound resembling a snap of a whip, there is no escape from the effect of a ballistic wave, while when using a "sabsonic" with a loose weight of gunpowder, it will be nothing more than a soft pop combined with a metal clang of a shutter. There is a constructive solution that allows you to turn supersonic ammunition into subsonic when firing from special weapons. So, the Heckler & Koch MP5SD submachine gun with an integrated silencer is designed to use standard ammunition, but to reduce the bullet speed to subsonic, 30 small holes are made in its barrel, through which part of the powder gases is discharged into the rear expansion chamber of the silencer. The APB pistol (a modification of the Stechkin automatic pistol) has two groups of holes running along the bottom of the rifling in the barrel walls. The first group of four holes is located 15 mm from the chamber, the second, consisting of eight - 15 mm from the muzzle. When fired, powder gases pass through these holes into a tube located around the barrel, and from it pass into the expansion chamber of the muffler.

Unfortunately, the "7.62" game engine does not know the difference between supersonic and subsonic cartridges in terms of the amount of silencing. This parameter in the config is assigned to the silencer, not the ammunition. But the weak damaging and penetrating effect of "sabsonics" in the game is strongly felt, which actually deprives their use of any meaning, except perhaps for a lesser effect on weapon wear. Therefore, if the player does not set additional self-limitations for himself, subsonic cartridges are out of the gameplay. In game configs, the amount of silencing is determined by the "SilencingValue" indicator. Balancing the characteristics of the PBS, I proceeded from the fact that the shooting will be carried out mainly with conventional supersonic ammunition. Therefore, for rifles and assault rifles, the SilencingValue value was significantly reduced, and in ARM version 4.52 it was again even more reduced.

Another characteristic that has been adjusted in ARM is the survivability of silencers. The resource for modern multi-chamber tactical silencers is ~ 10-30 thousand shots, i.e. actually even exceeds the barrel resource. And if in "7.62" (and the HardLife addon) for the purposes of "gameplay" the resource of the weapon is reduced by an order of magnitude, then the resource of the silencer is reduced by as much as 2 orders of magnitude. All this also had to be corrected.

The main direction in the fashion of "Arma Realista" was the revision of the compatibility of silencers and various models of weapons. In the original "7.62" AK-101 assault rifles (5.56x45 mm) were generally without the possibility of installing a silencer, and for AK calibers 7.62x39 (AKM, AK-103, AEK) and 5.45x39 mm there were silencers of a separate standard. In the Hard Life Addon, it became possible to attach the latter to the AK-101/102 as well. Let's try to figure out what is true and what is not. Obviously, there is no such "hard binding" that for each caliber there is only a specific silencer, i.e. In principle, a silencer for 7.62x39mm is suitable for both 5.56x45mm and 5.45x39mm.Moreover, silencers for 7.62x51mm rifles can also be used for weapons chambered for an intermediate cartridge, through an adapter of course.This is good news.

The bad news is that the mounting standard (thread) imposes significant compatibility restrictions. Although, of course, no one has canceled adapters, but in reality, I doubt that they are in great use in active military units. Moreover, if in the game the silencer was obtained as a trophy, and not purchased in a store, then a set of adapters should definitely not be included.

For Kalashnikov assault rifles Russian production and their foreign clones, there are the following mounting options:

M14x1 left thread (in foreign terminology 14mm LH) - Soviet AK-47 and AKM. This also apparently includes the Chinese "Type 56" and "Norinco", the Yugoslav Zastava M70, as well as the Bulgarian Arsenal AR of early releases.
M24x1.5 right-hand thread (in the USA they are most often called "24mm Bulgarian", most Americans are sure that the Kalashnikov assault rifle was created in Bulgaria) - AK-74, AKS-74U, AK 100 series, Saiga carbines (regardless of caliber) and Bulgarian Arsenal. I note that on modern AKs, unlike AK-47 / AKM, in which the thread for the silencer is directly on the barrel, the base of the front sight with a thread is pressed onto the barrel.
26 mm left-hand thread (26mm LH FSB) - Yugoslav Zastava M92. It is most problematic to pick up a silencer on it.
22 mm right hand thread - Romanian AK. Romanians are not like people, but we are of little interest in the context of AR fashion. :)))

The Americans and their allies have an even greater variety of fastening standards, and in the USA inch muzzle threads (1/2-28, 5/8-24, 9/16-24, etc.), and in Europe - metric (15x1 RH, 13x1 LH, 18x1 RH, etc.). And an equally impressive number of standards of special adapter flame arresters designed for quick attachment and removal of the silencer. The reason is that, until recently, the armies of NATO countries did not pay much attention to silencers, considering them equipment for special operations. Silencer development was carried out by private manufacturers focused primarily on the civilian market. Fortunately, in the USA this type of equipment for civilian shooters is not prohibited; moreover, it is considered a sign good manners use a silencer so as not to injure your hearing and those around you. Each company produces mufflers according to its mounting standard, and even one manufacturer can have several options for such standards.

For pistol-caliber silencers, a threaded connection is practiced. A certain unification has been achieved here, since most of the 9x19 mm caliber weapons circulating in the Americas have a 1 / 2-28 thread. But in the 45th caliber, on the contrary, there is complete inconsistency: the HK USP Tactical pistol has a 16x1 LH thread, the American pistol created on its basis marines Mk 23 SOCOM - 16x1 RH, SIG-Sauer P220 Combat and FN FNP-45 - .578-28, Ingram MAC-10 submachine gun - 7/8-9. Adapters for adapting a pistol silencer to a different thread size are usually not used. It either uses a replacement rear coupler (or union nut at the base of the muffler) or requires an entire muffler from a different model.

In the design of modern foreign rifle silencers, mounting on a special adapter-flame suppressor is practiced. This method of attaching a silencer allows you to easily and quickly put it on a weapon in the field, but does not provide advantages regarding unification, since the design of the adapters is different for everyone, and the adapters-flame suppressors themselves are screwed onto the muzzle thread. Standard is 1/2-28 for caliber 5.56x45 mm and 5/8-24 for caliber 7.62x51 mm, or another (15x1 RH, 9/16x24 m etc.). Thus, the leading American manufacturer of PBS Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC) produces products with attachments to flame arresters of the Ratchet Mount, MITER Mount, and Spring Mount standards, and its main competitors Knights Armament Company (KAC) and Gemtech - QD mounts. mount" and "Bi-lock QuickMount". There are rifle silencers with a conventional threaded mount. The same AAC and Gemtech offer these. Silencers popular in the civilian market manufactured by Red Jacket Firearms, Tornado Technologies (brand "Stubby") and the Finnish company BR-Tuote Ky (brand "Reflex") are threaded fasteners. And the only truly universal silencer for assault rifles is Gemtech's HALO 5.56mm with a patented mounting system compatible with a standard 2A NATO flash hider or structurally similar.

In general, the list of muzzle thread options is approximately the following:

Pistols, submachine guns, pistol carbines

FN FiveSeven 5.7mm - 10x1 RH;
American pistols 9x19 mm - 1/2-28 (or 1/2-32, 1/2-36);
CZ 75 Phantom, CZ452, CZ Kadet 9x19mm - 1/2-28;
Beretta 92/M9/90Two/CX14 - 1/2-28 (or 13.5x1 LH);
Beretta CX4 .40 S&W - 14.5x1 LH (or 9/16-24, 9/16-28);
Beretta CX4 .45 ACP - 0.578-28 (or 16x1 LH);
SIG-Sauer 9mm - 13.5x1 LH;
Ingram M11/9 - 3/4-10;
Ingram M10 - 7/8-9;
UZI, miniUZI - 26x1.5 RH (thread on the receiver);
microUZI - 24x1 (threaded on the receiver);
.40 S&W - 9/16-24 (or 9/16-28, 14.5x1 LH);
.45 ACP (M1911A1, Glock 21, Sig-Sauer P220 Combat, FN FNP) - .578-28 (or 37/64-24);
HK USP .45 - 16x1LH;
HK USP/P9S/VP70 9x19mm - 1/2-28 (or 13.5x1 LH);
HK Mk 23 SOCOM .45 - 16x1 RH;
Glock 17/18/26/34 9x19mm - 1/2-28 (or 13.5x1 LH);
Walther P99 - 12x1 LH (or 13.5x1 LH);
Walther PP, PPK, PPK/S, PPK-L .380ACP & .22LR - 1/2-28 (or 13.5x1 LH);
FAMAE SAF 9x19mm - 14x1 LH;
9 mm submachine guns (including HK MP5 and Steyr AUG) - 1/2-28;
some submachine guns and carbines 9 mm - 1/2-32, 1/2-36;
HK P7/P7M8/P7M13 - 13.5x1LH;
Colt SMG 9mm - 1/2-36;
FN P90/PS90 - 12x1mm LH;
HK MP5 .22 - 8x0.75;
HK UMP - without a muzzle thread, the silencer is mounted on a flash hider, made integral with the barrel;
submachine guns .40 S&W - 9/16-24 (or 9/16-28, 14.5x1 LH);
submachine guns .45 ACP - .578-28 (37/64-24).

Rifles, machine guns, carbines

US M1/M2 Carabine .30 - 9/16-24;
US 7.62x51 mm (DPMS, Armalite, etc.) - 5/8-24;
Springfield M-14/ M1A 7.62x51 mm - .595x32;
Springfield SOCOM16 - .670x40;
KAC SR25 - 5/8-24;
Euro 7.62x51 mm (Sako, Tikka, Blaser) - 18x1 RH;
FN-FAL, L1A1, SAR-48 - 9/16x24 LH;
DSA SA58OSW - 1/2-28 (or 9/16-24);
FN FNC, FS2000 - 9/16-24LH;
FN Heavy Barrel 7.62mm 11/16x24;
AR-15, M-16, M-4, AR-180 5.56mm - 1/2-28 2A;
Colt Sporter & AR-15 7.62x39 mm - 5/8-24;
AR-15 .300 AAC Blackout - 5/8-24;
Remington 700 - optional 5/8-24, 9/16-24 or 1/2-28;
Ruger Mini-14, AC556 - 9/16-24 RH (or 1/2-28);
Ruger Mini-30 7.62x39mm - 5/8-24;
HK 5.56 & 7.62mm - 15x1 RH;
HK 3-lug adapter - 1/2-28 (1/2-36);
Steyr AUG 5.56 mm - 13x1 LH;
Galil 5.56 & 7.62 mm - 13x1 RH;
SIG 5.56 & 7.62 mm (?) - 16x1.5 RH;
.338 cal - 3/4-24 (or 9/16-28, 9/16-32);
.50 BMG - 7/8-14 (Barrett), 1-14 (ArmaLite);
rifles AW - 18x1.5 RH / LH;
rifles MAS 1949-56 7.62x51 mm - 17x1;
rifles Brugger & Thomet APR - 22x1.

The main types of silencers produced in Russia are PBS-1, PBS-4 and TGP-A. Serbs for Zastava assault rifles produce mufflers of their own production. As they are called, I could not install. There is also a Ukrainian development - PSVUZ (a device that reduces the sound level of a shot. But I couldn’t find any information about the Bulgarian PBS. If they are produced, then their quality is probably not competitive in the Western market.
In the USA, a number of arms companies produce silencers under the M24x1.5 standard, less often under the M14x1. However, as stated, the first is converted into the second by simple actions. The most respected manufacturer, Red Jacket Firearms, manufactures both replicas of Russian PBS-4s (under the name "PBS-5"), as well as more modern silencers of their own design. Very good, as they say, and cheap silencers are produced by the Finns for their Valmet assault rifles, and at the same time for other weapons, incl. for AK under the M14x1 standard, under the name Reflex KRS.

The most famous silencer for the Kalashnikov assault rifle is the domestic PBS-1. The design of the PBS-1 (and its earlier version, simply PBS) is based on the fact that a bullet flying out of the barrel pierces a thick rubber washer located at the base of the muffler (the so-called obturator). Leading gases are retained by it and through special channels are sent to the expansion chamber, from where they flow smoothly into the air. When the bullet pierces the puck, most of the gases follow it; but, having successively passed through several expansion chambers, these gases escape into the atmosphere, having lost a significant part of the energy. PBS reduces the volume of an automatic shot to the level of a small-caliber rifle. Therefore, a shot from an AKM is practically inaudible already at a distance of 200 m.

There are two main disadvantages of the PBS-1: the need for subsonic ammunition and low survivability. The silencer is designed for 200 rounds of US cartridges. After that, the obturator must be replaced. When using supersonic cartridges, the failure of the device occurs much faster, and when firing in bursts, almost immediately. In addition, there is such a phenomenon as the aging of rubber, and spare obturators also age - even without being used in a silencer. And to use the PBS, it is supposed to replace the aiming bar with a special one designed for firing subsonic ammunition, and this cannot be done hastily in battle.

I will make a reservation, PBS-1 is still used with supersonic ammunition. I don’t mean the options when they took “purely borrowed in the reconnaissance platoon to shoot at the banks”, and no one gave out US cartridges ... No, they take the obturator out of the PBS and use it without it as a flame arrester. And the sound of the shot at the same time comes out a little softer, although not much quieter. But if you shoot without an obturator with US cartridges, the power of gunpowder is not enough to reload the machine gun. :))

At present, the design of the PBS with an obturator is considered obsolete. She was replaced various options multi-camera options. Multi-chamber expansion silencers have been especially actively improved in the USA, which today is the leader in this area - at least according to the Americans themselves. Russian designers have chosen their own path - the creation of a special silent weapon based on the principle of expanding gases in a variable-closed volume, having achieved great success here, but with regard to tactical silencers for conventional army machine guns, no great achievements, presumably.

The patriotic myth, embodied in the game "7.62" and the HardLife addon, is that modern domestic silencers chambered for 5.45 mm are quieter and more tenacious than their American counterparts. Compare:
Tactical silencer (5.56x45 mm) - SilencingValue 0.65, Resource 250.
Silencer PBS-4M (5.45x39 mm) - Silencer PBS-4m (5.45 mm) - SilencingValue 0.85, Resource 500.

In fact, the opposite is true. Already because the very design of the Kalashnikov assault rifle with its noisy gas exhaust system creates considerable difficulties for the PBS designers. And if the silence of the M16 / M4 rifle of 5.56 mm caliber to the level of small-caliber even using conventional ammunition, modern American sound suppressors allow you to shoot in bursts (link to youtube), then we have to resort to tricks with rubber bands, or special weapons such as "Val" and "Vintorez" and the obligatory use of subsonic cartridges.

It turned out even more interesting with the transition Soviet army for caliber 5.45 mm. In general, suspicions involuntarily creep in, but was the person who made such a decision an American spy? The new "tumbling" cartridge turned out to be frankly frail. With a small caliber, the relative length of the barrel of the AK-74 assault rifle, with the same dimensions as that of the AKM, became much larger, and the bullets of US 5.45 mm cartridges gave unstable ballistics, especially when using an obturator. When firing from an AK-74 assault rifle with a new PBS-2 silencer developed for it, it turned out that a subsonic bullet flies out at speeds of only 70-120 m / s, which is clearly not enough not only for any acceptable lethal and penetrating action, but also for effective shooting even at 100 m. On worn-out barrels, when firing with the same cartridges, the speed of bullets significantly exceeded the speed of sound, and there was no need to talk about any noiselessness of the shot. When firing from the new RPK-74 machine guns, US bullets generally got stuck in the channel without leaving the barrel. That's why further work were continued with a shortened modification of the 5.45-mm machine gun - AKS-74U, and the silencers PBS-4 and PBS-5 chambered for 5.45x39 mm, which went into series, were made without an obturator and, in fact, are not "silent firing devices", but "devices that reduce the level shot sound." Moreover, according to the reviews of American shooters, a copy of the PBS-5, manufactured by the American company Red Jacket Firearms, is inferior in terms of sound reduction to the BMF-AK silencer developed and produced by the same company for AK assault rifles.

Attention should be paid to two more mufflers of domestic design.

TGP-A - Tactical silencer-flash suppressor - automatic.
Can be mounted on AK series assault rifles and RPK series machine guns. Designed to provide masking of the shooter's position in the daytime and at night by reducing the intensity and changing the sound field of the shot, as well as eliminating the muzzle flame. Available in M14x1 and M24x1.5 versions.

ATG - Automatic tactical silencer.
Designed to reduce the sound and flame of a shot when firing from 5.45 mm AK74, AKS74, AK74M, AK105 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 5.56 mm AK101, AK102 Kalashnikov assault rifles and 7.62 mm AK103 and AK104 Kalashnikov assault rifles. When installing a silencer on AK103 and AK104 assault rifles and using a 6Ch7 obturator in the silencer, it is possible to conduct silent and flameless firing of 7.62 mm US cartridges. For rifles of other calibers, the use of a shutter is not provided.

Added on 09/23/2013. In America, a new word in the development of silent tactical weapons was the creation of the .300 AAC Blackout caliber (7.62x35 mm), approved in January 2011 by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers "Institute (SAAMI). 300 AAC Blackout, in fact, is an analogue of the Russian cartridge 7.62x39 mm, but made in dimensions of 5.56 mm NATO, thanks to which it was possible to achieve maximum unification of the design with assault rifle AR-15. Supersonic ammunition.300 AAC Blackout is somewhat inferior in muzzle energy to the Russian 57-N-231 and Serbian M67, and subsonic ammunition with a heavy 14-gram bullet is superior in this parameter to their Russian counterpart 7.62 US and special cartridges of caliber 9x39 mm SP-5 and SP- 6. Thus, American shooters received a weapon system based on the well-known and proven Stoner rifle, but with significant preferences for silent shooting. It is no coincidence that Advanced Armament Corporation, which specializes in the production of tactical silencers, became the conductor of the new cartridge. However, the .300 AAC Blackout system has not yet entered service with the US military and security forces and remains in the plane of sports and hunting weapons.

Based on websites advanced-armament.com, airsoftgun.ruak-info.ru, akfiles.com, allenarmstactical.com, class3weapons.com, covenantarms.com, deltapdesign.com, en.wikipedia.org, fnforum.net, forgottenweapons.com, forum. guns.ru, gem-tech.com, guns.connect.fi, i2.guns.ru, knightarmco.com, militarist.com.ua, militaryphotos.net, nikols.at.ua, redjacketfirearms.com, russianguns.ru, sgcusa.com, silencer.com.ua, silencerforum.com, silencershop.com, silencertalk.com, silencertests.com, talks.guns.ru, waguns.org, wologda.net.ru.

This material was written for the purpose of informational support of the "Arma Realista" mod to computer game "7.62".