Engineering:VSS Vintorez

VSS Vintorez
with a PSO-1 optic and 10-round magazine
Type	Designated marksman rifle
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1987–present
Used by	see Users
Wars	Chechen Wars 2008 South Ossetia war War in Donbas Syrian Civil War Russo-Ukrainian War
Production history
Designer	TsNIITochMash Pyotr Serdyukov and Vladimir Krasnikov
Designed	1980s
Manufacturer	Tula Arms Plant
Produced	1987–present
Variants	see Variants
Specifications
Mass	2.6 kg (5.73 lb)
Length	894 mm (35.2 in)
Barrel length	200 mm (7.9 in)
Cartridge	9x39mm
Action	Gas-operated, closed rotating bolt
Rate of fire	800–900 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	282–292 m/s (925–958 ft/s)
Effective firing range	300 m
Maximum firing range	400 m
Feed system	Detachable box magazine (shared with the AS Val and SR-3M)
Sights	Open sights: Rear notch on tangent (graduated from 100 to 400 m) and front post mounted to suppressor housing, "Warsaw Pact Rail" for optics

The VSS Vintorez (Russian: Винто́вка Сна́йперская Специа́льная «Винторе́з»; GRAU designation 6P29) is a marksman rifle featuring an integral suppressor originating from the Soviet Union. The Vintorez was developed alongside the AS Val to replace modified general-purpose firearms, such as the AKS-74UB, BS-1, APB, and PB, for clandestine operations. Development of the Vintorez began in 1983 prior to the AS Val in 1985 by TsNIITochMash based on the prototype RG-036 completed in 1981. Manufacturing began at the Tula Arms Plant after its initial adoption in 1987.

Design

The Vintorez is integrally suppressed and chambered in 9×39mm, a subsonic cartridge, in order to reduce its report and was designed alongside the AS Val. Four rows of nine holes are drilled in the barrel which follow the rifling and allow gas to escape the barrel behind the projectile into the suppressor. The suppressor effectively hides muzzle flash and reduces the muzzle report of the firearm to 130 dB. However, there are no design features which reduce the noise of the action.

The action is similar to that of AK-type rifles with a similar long-stroke gas system with the piston located above the barrel. The Vintorez design characteristically uses a rotating bolt with six locking lugs and a milled steel receiver. It accepts the same standard 10 or 20-round double-stack detachable box magazines as the AS Val, as well as the 30-round magazine of the SR-3M. Its components are shared with the Vintorez excluding the buttstock/pistol grip. Much like the AS Val, the Vintorez can be disassembled to fit into a special case for transportation.

Manipulation of the Vintorez is also similar to many other AK-type rifles: charging handle on the right side, tangent rear sight, magazine release button behind the magazine well, and safety lever above the trigger guard. The fire selector is, however, located behind the trigger within the trigger guard. The rifle also has an "AK-type" Warsaw Pact rail for various optical sights, namely the PSO-1-1, PSO-1M2-1, and 1-PN-51 calibrated for use with the 9×39mm cartridge. The standard open sights are graduated from 100 to 400 m in 25 m increments.

Variants and derivatives

• VSSM GRAU 6P29M: The most modern iteration of the VSS rifle featuring an aluminum buttstock with an adjustable cheek and butt pad. Additionally it is fitted with Picatinny rail on the top of the dust cover and sides and bottom of the suppressor. Deliveries started in 2018.
• VSK-94: A variant of the 9A-91, a redesign of the AS-Val concept produced in the 1990s, outfitted for a marksman role.
• AS VAL: The AS Val was developed alongside the VSS Vintorez to replace modified general-purpose firearms, such as the AKS-74UB, BS-1, APB, and PB, for clandestine operations.

Users

VSS carried by Russian Airborne Troops during the 2014 Moscow Victory Day Parade

• Armenia: a small quantity of weapons were received from Russia among other arms before 2014.
• Belarus: Used by various special forces.
• India: Used by MARCOS
• Georgia: used by army and police special forces.
• Russia: Special forces, Federal Security Service (FSB) and OMON.
• Ukraine: Used by SBU Alpha Group.

Former users

• Template:Country data Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
• Soviet Union

See also

• AMB-17
• AS Val
• List of Russian weaponry
• List of equipment of the Russian Ground Forces
• Night Fighting Weapon System
• OTs-14 Groza
• VSK-94

External links

• "Special Purpose Sniper Rifle VSS 'Vintorez'". http://www.enemyforces.net/firearms/vss.htm. 
• Tula Arms Plant—manufacturers page (404, archive)
• Modern Firearms