Firearms / Sniper rifles / VSS Vintorez
VSS Vintorez
General Facts
- TYPE
Silenced sniper rifle - ORIGIN
USSR - NICKNAMES
Vintorez, thread cutter (Russian nickname)
6P29 (GRAU designation) - DESIGNED
Mid 1980's - late 1980's - DESIGNER
TsNIITochMash - PRODUCTION
1987 - present - PRODUCERS
Russia - TOZ
USSR - TOZ - QUANTITY
Unknown - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
Powerful and armor piercing ability
Rugged and reliable
Very limited noise and muzzle flash
Functions similar to AK-47
Secondary role as assault rifle
Limited magazine capacity
Expensive ammunition
Difficult to control automatic fire
Limited effective range
Introduction
The VSS Vintorez is a silenced sniper rifle of Soviet origin. It is a unique weapon that was conceived in the 1980's to silently engage armored targets out to 400 m. The name VSS stands for Vintovka Snayperskaya Spetsialnaya, which is Russian for special sniper rifle. The nickname Val means thread cutter. The VSS stems from the same project as the AS Val silenced assault rifle and has a 70% parts commonality.
Design
The VSS is based on a Kalashnikov receiver that is modified to fire the 9x39mm round. The gas mechanism allows for both semi-automatic and automatic fire. The most striking feature of the AS Val is the long integrated silencer with small polymer forearm. A fixed wooden stock is fitted. The PSO-1 4x scope is fitted as standard although other optics and the iron sights may be used instead.
Firepower
The AS Val fires the powerful subsonic 9x39mm round that was specifically designed for this weapon. 10 round magazines are most common, although the 20 and 30 round magazines from the AS Val en SR-3M may be used as well. The fire selector allows for semi-automatic fire and automatic fire at 900 rpm. The maximum effective range is 400 meters, although 200 to 300 meters is the practical range.
Users
The VSS is used by various reconnaissance and special elements of the Russian armed forces. It has also been adopted by various law enforcement and internal security units. In various recent internal conflicts the VSS proved to be very suitable for urban and night time combat.
VSS Vintorez
The VSS Vintorez is a silenced sniper rifle. It is produced in only one version, although the AS Val silenced assault rifle may be considered a variants since it has a 70% parts commonality. The VSS is easily identified by the long integraded silencer, box magazine and fixed wooden stock. Most of the time the PSO-1 4x scope is fitted.
- Specifications:
- VSS Vintorez
Type | Sniper rifle |
---|---|
Caliber | 9x39mm Soviet |
Magazine | 10, 20, 30 rounds |
Operation | Gas operated, long stroke gas piston, rotating bolt |
Fire selector | 0-1-F |
Rate of fire | 800 - 900 rpm |
Barrel length | 200 mm |
---|---|
Rifling | ? |
Muzzle velocity | 290 m/s |
Stock | Fixed |
Length | 894 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 2.6 kg empty without scope, 3.41 empty with PSO-1 sight |
Sights | Iron sights, PSO-1 scope, optional night vision sight |
Remarks | Integral silencer |