Engineering:Vityaz-SN

Vityaz-SN
A Vityaz-SN equipped with Zenit-made rails.
Type	Submachine gun
Place of origin	Russia
Service history
In service	2008 – present
Production history
Designer	Izhmash
Designed	2004
Manufacturer	Izhmash
Produced	2008 – present
Variants	Version 10, Version 20
Specifications
Mass	2.9 kg (6.39 lb)
Length	705 mm (27.8 in) stock extended 480 mm (18.9 in) stock folded
Barrel length	237.5 mm (9.4 in)
Cartridge	9×19mm Parabellum
Action	Blowback, closed bolt
Rate of fire	700-750 RPM
Muzzle velocity	380 m/s (1,246.7 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	200 m (218.7 yd)
Feed system	30-round box magazine
Sights	Adjustable iron sights and Picatinny rail or dove-tail side rail for mounting various optical or collimator sights

The Vityaz-SN is a 9×19mm Parabellum submachine gun developed in 2004 by Izhmash. It is based on the AK-74 rifle and offers a high degree of parts commonality with the AK-74. It is the standard submachine gun for all branches of the Russian military and police forces. "Vityaz" (витязь) is Russian for "knight".

Design details

The Vityaz-SN at Interpolitex 2013.

The Vityaz-SN is a selective fire weapon that uses a simple closed bolt, straight blowback method of operation. As such, it has no gas system and the internal components have been modified accordingly. The bolt carrier with integral charging handle is similar to AK, however the piston rod and rotary bolt were removed and the piston extension was plugged with a steel insert. The return spring and guide rod are almost identical to those of the AK.

The Vityaz has a four-groove barrel with a 240 mm (1:9 in) right-hand rifling pitch. It is chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum pistol cartridge and will also fire the new high-pressure armor-piercing 7N31 round that can penetrate soft body armor. The gun is fed from a 30-round box magazine and comes with a fastening device that joins two magazines together. Its muzzle brake has three small rectangular ports on each side that serve to reduce muzzle rise, however their main purpose is to protect the muzzle from damage. It can be equipped with a detachable sound suppressor.

The Vityaz shares the same trigger and safety mechanisms as the AK-74 rifle. The selector lever is placed on the right side of the receiver, above the trigger, and has three settings: the uppermost "safe" setting disables the trigger and physically blocks the charging handle; the middle position (marked "АВ") enables fully automatic fire and the lowest position ("ОД") activates the semi-automatic function of the trigger. It utilizes the AKS-74 shoulder stock, which folds to the left side of the receiver. The pistol grip is identical to the grip of the AK-100 series and is made of a black fiberglass-reinforced polyamide. The forearm has attachment points for laser target designator, tactical flashlight and fore grip.

The Vityaz-SN is provided with two types of rail system for mounting various optical or collimator sights. A Picatinny rail on top of the receiver or a dove-tail side rail, and it also has the standard AK-type front and rear sights.

Users

• Namibia: Used by Namibian Marines.
• Russia: Used by various Spetsnaz units.

Gallery

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See also

• Heckler & Koch MP5
• Scorpion Evo
• FAMAE SAF