Every person has the right to life, liberty and property. But what to do if someone encroaches on this right? The first option is to surrender to the mercy of the winner. The second is to defend yourself. What if the enemy is stronger? If there are several of them and the forces are clearly unequal, how to defend yourself? There is only one way out - to have a self-defense weapon.
Anyone can find themselves in a situation where they need to defend themselves, and a legal weapon will help you with this.
What is a self-defense weapon
Anyone can find themselves in a situation where they need to defend themselves. Few have close combat skills and know how to fight or run fast. Those living in a disadvantaged area or those whose way home runs past abandoned houses, vacant lots, and forest belts should take care of self-defense weapons. There is no point in obtaining a license; it is better to choose an option that is relatively safe for others, one that scares off attackers or incapacitates attackers for a short time (enough to escape). You need a weapon for self-defense without a license.
The main regulatory act regulating the types of weapons for self-defense in Russia is Law No. 150-FZ, Article 3. Although smooth-bore weapons are permitted, they cannot be used without a license. For example, a pump-action requires a license.
The law regulates the excess of permissible self-defense. If serious bodily harm is caused to the attacker or his death, the defender faces a real prison sentence, regardless of the situation in which the participants in the events were. It is recommended to use only legal civilian self-defense weapons that do not require a license for protection.
The most important thing is to limit the destructive effect. In this article we list the most common types of legal self-defense weapons.
Types of self-defense weapons
Civilian weapons include weapons used by citizens of the Russian Federation for self-defense, for sports and hunting.
Civilian weapons include weapons used by citizens of the Russian Federation for self-defense, for sports and hunting.
Self-defense weapons include:
- long-barreled smooth-bore firearms, including those with traumatic effect cartridges, complying with the standards of the federal executive body exercising the functions of developing state policy and legal regulation in the field of healthcare;
- domestically produced barrelless firearms with traumatic, gas and light-sound cartridges that comply with the standards of the federal executive body exercising the functions of developing state policy and legal regulation in the field of healthcare;
- gas: gas pistols and revolvers, including cartridges for them, mechanical sprayers, aerosol and other devices filled with tear or irritant substances, approved for use by the federal executive body exercising the functions of developing state policy and legal regulation in the field of healthcare ;
- electroshock devices and spark gaps of domestic production, having output parameters that comply with state standards of the Russian Federation and the norms of the federal executive body exercising the functions of developing state policy and legal regulation in the field of healthcare.
It will no longer be possible to convert an injury into a military weapon
Weapons that can be used for self-defense cannot be converted into combat weapons due to their design features. The requirements for the technical characteristics of such weapons and ammunition for them will be determined by an order of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the draft of which was presented for public discussion on December 30.
Civil means for the people
Civilian weapons, according to the text of the document, include sporting and hunting firearms, including rifled and smooth-bore, decommissioned cold, training and cut weapons. The Ministry of Internal Affairs also proposed that civilians consider weapons of self-defense - this category is being introduced for the first time. This includes traumatic, pneumatic, signal and bladed weapons, throwing small arms and projectiles for them.
A traumatic weapon cannot be made from a combat weapon, just as it cannot be converted into a combat weapon. The weapon must not have a design that allows, as a result of making “changes, its barrel, bolt, drum, frame, receiver or bolt to be used to replace the corresponding parts of the firearm.” In addition, a traumatic weapon should not have a design that allows the barrel to be disconnected from the body part or bolt - otherwise it will fail.
It will also not be possible to shoot firearms from a traumatome - the relevant technical characteristics are specified in the document. And on all spent cartridges there must be signs that allow identification of the type of weapon. The same requirements apply to gas weapons.
The Ministry of Health proposed remotely conducting psychodiagnostics for a medical certificate for weapons
Aerosols or mechanical sprayers, gas cartridges must have a bright, identifiable color and not look like small arms. The same applies to stun guns - they will be specially marked with an individual number.
Strengthen outreach efforts
It was necessary to approve forensic requirements for the parameters of civilian and service weapons in connection with the entry into force of amendments to the Law “On Weapons” adopted this year. According to it, alteration of trunks was prohibited; it was given a clear definition. In particular, drilling the barrel, which makes it possible to impart rotation to the bullet, and any rifling transfer the weapon to the rifled category. According to the new rules, only those who have owned a smoothbore gun for at least five years can purchase it.
The majority of traumatic weapons sold in Russia are not newly created models, but converted combat units, Anton Tsvetkov
. According to him, once-used PM, TT and other barrels can be from twenty to forty no.
“They were stored in warehouses as combat weapons, and then were bought back and converted,” the expert explained. “Most of the parts in them are parts of military weapons, and although design changes have been made to them, it is not a difficult task for craftsmen to convert the barrel back into a firearm.”
Candidates for gun ownership are offered to be checked by the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Alteration of weapons was previously a criminal offense, and now that this concept has been given a precise definition, it is necessary to tighten control over such samples, says Anton Tsvetkov. People who buy firearms should be warned about liability, and when obtaining a weapons license, it would be nice to give additional explanations about this, added the leader of Strong Russia.
“If we are not talking about pure criminality, but about converting weapons into combat weapons, for example, for self-defense or some kind of special status, I cannot call it anything other than stupidity,” Tsvetkov noted.
Tighter control means fewer crimes
Updating the forensic requirements for weapon parameters was necessary primarily so that it was possible to more accurately determine the weapon from which the shot was fired. Anatoly Vyborny , Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, told Parliamentary Newspaper about this.
. The deputy paid special attention to traumatic weapons, the requirements for which are also becoming more stringent.
Anatoly Vyborny © Yuri Inyakin/PG
“Often injuries can cause serious harm to health or even death, so you need to be able to clearly identify them,” Vyborny noted. He hopes that the new rules will reduce the number of crimes both related to the conversion of weapons and those related to their combat use.
This year, a law was adopted according to which all weapons and ammunition controlled by the Russian Guard must be registered in a special state information system, recalled its co-author Anatoly Vyborny. The goal is to increase the efficiency of state control over the circulation of weapons, he explained.
In addition, changes have been made to the Law “On Weapons”, according to which people with two or more convictions, as well as those who were caught driving drunk, will not receive a firearms license. New grounds have emerged for which a license can be revoked: carrying a weapon while intoxicated, denying regulatory authorities access to the place of its storage, failure to present the weapon for inspection.
“An integrated approach will allow us to more clearly regulate the circulation of weapons,” Vyborny added.
Gas self-defense weapon
The operating principle of a gas gun is that it creates an aerosol cloud with a physiologically active irritating substance. After application, the attacker feels pain in the eyes and a burning sensation in the nasopharynx. The strength of the aerosol cloud depends on the concentration of the active substance.
The operating principle of a gas gun is that it creates an aerosol cloud with a physiologically active irritating substance
A gas pistol differs from a gas canister only in the shot and the range of the gas cloud (gun: up to 5–10 m; canister: up to 2–3 m). A shot from a gas gun is identical (in sound) to a shot from a combat pistol. In addition, in some situations, having seen a gas pistol in design, but in appearance a real one, an attacker will not always check the product for authenticity. Therefore, gas weapons also have a psychological deterrent effect.
Gas weapons are divided into pistols and revolvers, chambered for 8 mm cartridges. and 9 mm. There are many models of gas pistols, differing in design, cartridge caliber, manufacturer, price and quality. Although, in essence, all gas weapons have approximately the same effect.
If we talk about the efficiency of gas, I did not hear a single positive review from the 5 people (sellers, permitting system employees) with whom I had the opportunity to communicate. They are all unanimous in the opinion that gas can mostly irritate an attacker rather than calm him down. In addition, there are restrictions on the use of gas weapons: you cannot shoot against the wind, in small enclosed spaces, etc. In addition, when shooting, you need to be calm in order to aim well, but under stress, according to experts, this rarely happens.
Hands up! Citizens will be deprived of injuries similar to combat “trunks”
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has prepared new requirements for weapons for self-defense. All imported and domestic traumatic and gas pistols and revolvers can still be converted into combat ones. Purely theoretically. And mechanical and aerosol sprayers can look like scare guns. There are stun guns that also look “not according to regulations.”
They want to make firearms of limited destruction, or injuries, according to their own standards, and military weapons - according to theirs. In this case, no cartridge from a military firearm with a metal core should be inserted into a wound that does not pierce outer clothing. And the cartridges should be marked with a certain type of weapon, follows from the draft order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Executive Director of the Union of Russian Armourers named after M.T. Kalashnikov Vladimir Zhikharev believes that the problem consists of two parts:
“The first thing that can and should be supported is to make it more difficult for criminals to convert traumatic weapons or weapons of limited destruction into lethal ones. On the other hand, it is necessary that the introduced requirements are achievable by industry. So that gunsmiths are not required to produce “disposable” models that would fall apart after the first shot, or to introduce requirements that are technologically impossible.
Smoothbore weapons
Long-barreled smooth-bore firearms are also considered one of the types of weapons for self-defense. But we must immediately make a reservation - this is not the best choice for self-defense. Suffice it to recall the film “Terminator”, in which the main character shoots back at an evil cyborg with a pump-action shotgun. Such weapons are suitable only in special and most extreme cases, since even when shooting with rubber bullets, it’s scary to imagine what kind of injuries can be inflicted on the person attacking you, and then you may appear before the court not as a victim, but as a criminal, and then you you will have to prove that you are right.
Long-barreled smooth-bore firearms are also considered one of the types of weapons for self-defense.
This type has other disadvantages, besides the fact that it is not always a good choice for self-defense, and this is, for example, its length - more than 80 cm. To put it mildly, it is difficult to walk around the streets with such a gun. Moreover, this is prohibited by law. It can only be transported or carried when folded and without cartridges in the magazine or barrel. Thus, the only place where you can use this weapon for self-defense is your own home, which should also have a special safe. To purchase this weapon, you will need to obtain a license, take appropriate courses, and, if there is a need to transport it, also a hunting license.
Modern Russian service and civilian self-defense weapons
With the collapse of the Soviet Union in our country after 1991, a completely new political and economic situation emerged, which led to a forced conversion of the defense industry, which coincided in time and place with a significant reduction in orders for the Armed Forces. Soon all this was superimposed on the collapse of the policy of gradual, evolutionary reform of the state from totalitarianism to democracy (in the true sense of the word); the replacement of freedom of opinion with freedom of action, causing rampant permissiveness, aggravated by regressive trends in the economy, a sharp drop in living standards and the impoverishment of the majority of the people, as well as the aggravation of interethnic relations. As a result, Russia inherited from the USSR in the early 1990s permanent instability of society, a moribund economy, hotbeds of regional and interethnic conflicts not only along the perimeter of its eastern and southern borders, but also the tragedy of Chechnya, which turned from a police operation into two full-scale wars. The wave of violence unleashed by the criminal world has increased the demand for civilian self-defense weapons, leading to the expansion of the so-called arms market, replenished not only from domestic sources, but also through active acquisitions abroad. The legalization of possession of firearms, including short-barreled ones, in accordance with the Law of the Russian Federation “On Weapons” adopted in 1993, allowed numerous private security companies and detective-search structures to arm themselves with “service weapons.”
A similar situation in which Russian arms production found itself forced them to independently look for new places to apply their forces and interests, incl. and in the production of “police” and “civilian” weapons so necessary for our state. Along with this, the opening up of opportunities to enter the international arms market accelerated the creation in Russia of numerous designs of so-called pistols. "civilian self-defense weapons." That is why leading domestic arms enterprises have actively joined the fight for the arms market, counting on receiving significant profits, having begun fairly large-scale research and development work on the design and production of police, service and civilian self-defense weapons, as well as one euphemism, the so-called "sports and training" weapons. These types of weapons appeared precisely after the adoption of the Law of the Russian Federation “On Weapons”.
In the 1990-2000s, more than a dozen similar pistols appeared in Russia, intended for sale abroad. The main developers of such weapons were the teams of the Tula Central Design Bureau of Sports and Hunting Weapons (TsKIBSOO) and the Design Bureau of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant (IZHMEH). The Izhevsk Mechanical Plant was actively involved both in the development of samples of service weapons and cartridges for them, and in the creation of a legislative and regulatory framework. In close cooperation with Tekhkrim CJSC, domestically produced gas cartridges of 7.6 mm caliber were developed based on the 5.45 mm MPTs pistol cartridge case and standards for traumatic safety were developed. In the field of service weapons, Izhevsk residents clarified the vague requirements of the first edition of the Law for service weapons and cartridges, thanks to which private security companies received weapons chambered for the 9x17 Browning Short pistol cartridge.
The championship in the competition for the production of various models of short-barreled service and civilian self-defense weapons is firmly held by Izhevsk residents, since, according to official data, the share of this enterprise in the export of sporting and hunting weapons (where pistols are also carried with full right) from Russia is more than 70% and pistols with The export brand “Baikal” is supplied to 65 countries around the world.
5.6 mm sports training pistol MCM-K “Margot”
One of the first in our country in 1990 was the small-sized 5.6-mm sports training pistol MCM-K, created by designer V.A. Izhmekha. Yarygin. It was a remake of one of the most popular Soviet small-caliber pistols - a sports pistol designed by M.V. Margolin MCM, designed to use a 5.6 mm (.22 LR) rimfire cartridge.
Initially, the 5.6-mm MCM-K pistol was positioned by Izhevsk gunsmiths as a sports training weapon, which received the poetic name for export - “Margot”, intended for sports training shooting in sports shooting ranges and on shooting stands. However, due to its small weight and size characteristics (total length - 193 mm, height - 130 mm; thickness - 38 mm; weight without cartridges - 0.8 kg), the absence of protruding parts, good accuracy of fire and a fairly high stopping effect of the soft shellless bullets of a 5.6-mm target cartridge, it has received recognition abroad as a simple, reliable and inexpensive self-defense weapon.
.22 (5.6 mm) pistol "Margot"
The operating principle of the automation is the use of recoil energy from the free shutter. Inertial locking - by the mass of the bolt. The impact mechanism is trigger type, without self-cocking. The trigger mechanism included a comfortable trigger, pull rod and trigger sear. The protrusion of the rod served to separate it from the sear by a moving shutter casing. The return spring was placed under the barrel, and its rod was fixed with a pin. The safety device was made in the form of a special groove on the safety cocking of the hammer. When the trigger was placed in the “safety” position, the sear cocking rod entered the indicated groove, which ensured mutual locking of the trigger and sear. It was fed from a single-stack box magazine with a capacity of 7 rounds of .22 LR ammunition.
When developing the MCM-K pistol V.A. Yarygin significantly shortened the pistol barrel (from 130 to 98 mm), made changes to the frame and replaced the adjustable sights with a non-adjustable rear sight. The trigger stroke increased from 1 - 4 mm (in the MCM) to 5 mm (in the MCM-K), and the trigger force - from 1.0 kg to 5 kg (respectively). From the Margolin MCM sports pistol, the Margot pistol received very good ergonomics. It was distinguished by a convenient and comfortable handle, good controllability of the weapon when shooting and aiming, as well as high combat qualities.
In 1992, the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant mastered the production of small-caliber Margot pistols for export. Along with the development of foreign arms markets, Izhevsk gunsmiths made an attempt to “plow” undeveloped virgin soil in their homeland. A variant of the Margot pistol was proposed to arm operatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. At the same time, the “new” - old weapon, which received the factory designation “Drill”, was now designed to use another more powerful pistol cartridge 5.45x18 MPC, more suitable for performing the tasks facing law enforcement agencies. This model, shortened (relative to the Margot) with a total length of 173 mm, a barrel length of 78 mm and a weight of 0.56 kg, was equipped with a non-automatic safety lever, which also served as a shutter stop. It was mounted on the left side of the frame. For greater convenience of concealed carry, the outer contours of the bolt casing received smooth contours, and, unlike the Margot, the trigger was half-hidden by the casing. In addition, the Drill received a single-row box magazine with a capacity of 10 rounds. Soon another modification of it appeared - the 5.45-mm small-sized pistol "Super-drill" M 2, which was distinguished by the presence of a bolt stop: a push-button magazine latch mounted on the handle behind the trigger guard, and the presence of a finger rest on the trigger guard, ensuring ease of shooting with both hands, and the angle of the handle and its width and new shape ensured ease of aiming and shooting offhand.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Izhevsk gunsmiths offered foreign business partners another version of the “Margot” - the MP-449 sports training pistol, designed to use the 6.35 mm Browning (.25 ACP) pistol cartridge, popular in the West. This model, unlike its ancestor, received a non-automatic fuse, which also served as a shutter stop.
Along with this, Izhmekh also produced two versions of 6P36 gas pistols, created on the basis of the Margo pistol - 7.6 mm IZH-77-7.6 and 8 mm IZH-77-8.
5.6 mm self-loading pistol MP-435
In 1994, the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant mastered the production of the 7.6 (8) mm gas pistol IZH-76, which represented the West German Reck G5 pistol adapted to the technological flows of Izhmekh. This pocket pistol had very small weight and dimensions (total length - 135 mm, height - 100 mm, thickness - 25 mm, weight without cartridges - 0.5 kg). The automation of this weapon worked on the principle of using the recoil of a free shutter; the trigger mechanism - striker-type - was equipped with a safety lever that locked the sear. The cartridges were fed from a single-row box magazine with a capacity of 5 cartridges. A special feature of the IZH-76 pistol was that its main parts - the frame with the barrel, the bolt housing, and the trigger - were made by precision casting from a very fragile zinc-aluminum alloy (the use of which precluded firing with live ammunition). The IZH-76 pistol remained in production for a very short time - in 1994 - 1995. Due to its low qualities, it was not in demand by potential buyers.
.22 (5.6 mm) pistol MP-435
However, ten years later, the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant again pulled this design out of hiding and soon another “new” self-loading pistol MP-435 was born, designed to use a small-caliber cartridge of caliber 5 .6mm (.22 LR) rimfire. The MP-435 is an almost exact copy of the IZH-76 gas pistol. One of the main, but very important differences from its predecessor was the use of a 5.6 mm steel barrel in the pistol. While the frame and the bolt casing are again made of zinc-aluminum alloy, which naturally raises a number of questions about its service strength when firing small-caliber cartridges.
This weapon is intended for self-defense and defeating the enemy at short distances. Due to its small size and the absence of protruding parts, the pistol can be conveniently placed in a jacket pocket, handbag or small holster.
The pistol's automatic operation also operates on the principle of blowback. Self-cocking trigger mechanism - striker type. The MP-435 pistol is equipped with a safety lever (mounted on the left side of the frame behind the pistol grip), which, when turned on, blocks the firing pin and the bolt housing. After firing the last cartridge, the bolt casing is fixed in the rearmost position. Sights consist of a non-adjustable front and rear sight. The target firing range was 15 m. At the bottom of the magazine there is an additional plastic support for the ring finger, which in theory should help to more securely hold the weapon when firing.
9-mm small-sized double-barreled pistol MP-451
In 2005, Izhevsk gunsmiths created a fundamentally new for Russia small-sized double-barreled pistol MP-451, similar to the American Derringer pistols, which were very popular at the end of the 19th century.
The new miniature Izhevsk weapon (total length - 130 mm, height - 97 mm, thickness - 25 mm, barrel length - 60 mm, weight without cartridges - 0.35 kg) was designed to use the 9x17 Browning Short pistol cartridge, which is widely used It is used not only abroad in “civilian” pistols, but also in Russia in service weapons. Therefore, the MP-451 pistol can be used not only as a compact self-defense weapon, but also as a “last chance” pistol.
9-mm small-sized double-barreled pistol MP-451
The MP-451 pistol has a classic design: a vertical block of two barrels is fixed to the frame. To load the pistol, the barrel block is rotated down relative to a horizontal axis pressed into the front of the frame. This locks the trigger. One cartridge is manually inserted into the chamber of each barrel, then the block of barrels is returned to the firing position and locked using a locking lever rotating in a vertical plane.
The pistol has a non-self-cocking hammer-type trigger mechanism without self-cocking with automatic switching to the second barrel when re-cocking. This weapon was equipped with a number of service elements that increased the safety of using the pistol for a wide range of consumers who did not have stable skills in handling firearms: - the trigger extended only when the hammer was cocked; — the fuse was combined with the barrel locking lever.
Although the MP-451 pistol can only be fired at point-blank range at a distance of no higher than 10 - 15 meters, it had non-adjustable sighting devices consisting of a front sight and rear sight. When firing at a distance of 10 m (four series of two shots), r50 was no more than 200 mm.
9-mm self-loading small-sized pistol OTs-21 “Baby”
Along with the Izhevsk residents, their Tula colleagues from TsKIBSOO (which since December 1995 became part of the Instrument Design Bureau) were very actively developing new types of “civilian” self-defense weapons.
In January 1994, Tula designers from TsKIBSOO began work on designing a new small-sized pistol, the customer of which was the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. In accordance with the terms of reference for the topic “Baby”, it was necessary to create a concealed weapon to arm operational internal affairs officers as a backup pistol. The new weapons were to use standard 9x18 PM pistol cartridges and 9x18 PBM cartridges. It was assumed that these cartridges would provide high stopping power when fired at short distances.
9-mm pistol OTs-21 “Baby”
Designer TsKIBSOO Yu.I. Berezkin quickly developed a 9-mm self-loading pistol OTs-21, which received the name of the theme - “Baby”. Its first sample was produced in Tula in December 1994.
The OTs-21 self-loading small-sized pistol was intended to defeat the enemy at short distances up to 15 m. This compact personal self-defense weapon (total length was 126 mm, height - 100 mm, thickness - 20 mm, weight without cartridges - 0.6 kg) could used for concealed carry by law enforcement officers.
The automatic operation of the OTs-21 “Malysh” pistol worked on the principle of free-breech recoil. Self-cocking firing mechanism with hidden trigger. There are no safeties, but an accidental shot is prevented due to the relatively large trigger force of 6 kgf with a trigger travel of 10 mm. Power was supplied from a single-row box magazine with a capacity of 5 rounds, which in the lower part had an additional support for the ring finger of the hand, which increased the reliability of holding the weapon when firing.
The OTs-21 pistol is distinguished by the complete absence of sighting devices; instead of them there is a longitudinal groove milled on the upper plane of the bolt housing. Despite such a primitive sighting device, when shooting at a distance of 10 m, r 50 is 60 mm. Good accuracy of fire ensures that the “Kid” can confidently hit targets at a distance of up to 25 m. The initial bullet speed was 275 m/s. Although this pistol also has some disadvantages, and first of all, sharp recoil, which was felt when firing very powerful cartridges for this compact weapon, such as 9x18PM and 9x18 PBM.
5.45 mm self-loading small-sized pistol OTs-26
On the basis of the OTs-21 pistol, the designers of TsKIBSOO (KBP) created a very successful self-loading small-sized pistol OTs-26, which was designed to use the 5.45x18 MPTs pistol cartridge. Structurally, it was almost identical to its predecessor.
The OTs-26 was a truly powerful concealed weapon. Its automation also worked on the principle of blowback. The pistol was distinguished by a whisperless trigger mechanism (shooting was carried out only by self-cocking), the absence of protruding parts on the side surfaces, the speed of opening fire (firing without first cocking the hammer), the convenience of concealed carry due to its low weight (weight without cartridges was only 0.4 kg) and small dimensions (total length - 117 mm, height - 85 mm, thickness - 19 mm), as well as increased safety. The capacity of the single-row box magazine is 5 rounds. The initial bullet speed was 285 m/s. The OTs-26 pistol took into account the complaints made in connection with the lack of sighting devices in the OTs-21, so the new model featured standard non-adjustable sighting devices, consisting of a front and rear sight. Targeted shooting was carried out at a distance of up to 10 m.
9-mm self-loading pistol P-96
In 1996, the Tula Instrument Design Bureau (KBP), following its potential competitors, began creating short-barreled self-defense weapons. The design and scientific potential of TsKIBSOO, which recently merged with KBP, played a significant role in this. In the same year, the first prototypes of two 9-mm self-loading pistols were manufactured: the combat P-96 and the service P-96S (which is reflected in its name, “S” - service), developed for different cartridges. The P-96 pistol with an increased magazine capacity (18 rounds) used the 9x19 Parabellum pistol cartridge. It was assumed that this pistol could also use a new cartridge developed by KBP 9x19 PBP (increased penetration). Its compact version P-96S, with a magazine capacity of 10 rounds, used the less powerful 9x17 Browning Short pistol cartridge.
During the development of the P-96, emphasis was placed on the use of polymer materials and technologies for the manufacture of main parts and components, including frames, which simplify and reduce the cost of production. Modern foreign experience in the field of pistol design was also taken into account.
The automation of the P-96 pistol worked on the principle of recoil of the barrel with its short stroke. The barrel bore was locked by turning the barrel. When rotated 30 degrees counterclockwise, the protrusion on the breech of the barrel engaged with the front surface of the cutout in the bolt casing, which simultaneously served as a window for extracting the spent cartridge case. Since part of the recoil energy is spent turning the barrel, the pistol had good stability when firing. The P-96 pistol had a self-cocking striker-fired firing mechanism. The firing pin was constantly pre-cocked and was fully retracted only when the trigger was pressed. The spent cartridge was deflected by the firing pin. An automatic safety device was mounted on the trigger. The automatic safety was turned off when the trigger was pressed. At the same time, it was allowed to carry a pistol with a cartridge in the chamber, which ensured the constant high combat readiness of the pistol. When firing a shot, the trigger moved progressively. Food was supplied from a double-row box magazine with a capacity of 18 rounds. The push-button magazine release was located on the left side of the pistol grip at the base of the trigger guard, where it was easy to reach with your thumb. When you pressed it, the magazine fell out of the handle under the influence of its weight. Non-adjustable sights, designed for a firing range of up to 25 m, consisted of a front sight and rear sight. All external surfaces of the pistol were rounded so as not to snag on clothing when removing the weapon from a holster or pocket.
The first public display of the P-96 pistol took place at the international arms exhibition in Moscow in 1997, when KBP put on public display one of the first prototypes of this weapon. The P-96 was one of the first Russian models of short-barreled small arms for self-defense, developed with an eye to the international market, and was not an adaptation of existing army or police pistol models.
However, during the factory testing of the P-96, Tula gunsmiths were faced with an unpleasant surprise - they were unable to achieve reliable operation of the automatics of their pistol in difficult operating conditions (with degreased parts; dusty conditions; in humid climatic conditions; when firing for five days without cleaning and weapon lubrication). The chosen scheme for the automatic operation of this pistol, designed to use the powerful 9x19 Parabellum cartridge, did not justify itself. Similar negative results were obtained during tests of a pistol designed for the high-pulse 9x19 PBP cartridge. In this regard, the KBP management decided to stop further work on the P-96 pistol and concentrate all efforts on its second version - the P-96S service pistol.
9-mm self-loading pistol P-96S
The P-96S service pistol, designed to use the less powerful (compared to the 9x19 Parabellum) 9x17 Browning Short cartridge, had a completely different fate. It belonged to a new generation of personal weapons, which concentrated the latest achievements in the design and production of short-barreled weapons. Being compact (total length - 151 mm, height - 106 mm, thickness - 31 mm) and lightweight (weight without cartridges 0.46 kg), without protruding parts, with good ergonomics, the P-96S pistol provided not only the possibility of concealed carry, but also high effectiveness of combat use.
9-mm P-96S pistol
After two years of testing the P-96S service pistol, KBP mastered mass production (at the facilities of TsKIB SOO) in October 1998.
The P-96S pistol was intended for close combat. Its automation worked on the principle of recoil of the barrel with its short stroke. The barrel bore was also locked by rotating the barrel by 30 degrees, while the locking protrusion on the breech of the barrel entered the window for ejecting the spent cartridge case in the upper part of the bolt casing.
Striker-type trigger mechanism with preliminary cocking of the striker. Half-cocking of the striker was carried out when the bolt casing was retracted to the rearmost position. When the trigger was pressed, the firing pin was first cocked, while the sear moved the firing pin to the rearmost, “combat” position, and then, under the influence of the bevel of the disconnector, it lowered and disengaged with the firing pin. The firing pin, under the action of a spring, rushed forward and, having traveled 30 mm, pierced the cartridge primer. After the shot, when the bolt casing moved back, the disconnector was pressed to the side by the bevel of the bolt cylinder, and the released sear rose upward under the action of a spring, placing the firing pin half-cocked as the bolt casing moved forward.
The automatic safety was mounted on the trigger and turned off when pressed correctly; it guaranteed the safety of carrying a weapon with a cartridge in the chamber, ensuring high combat readiness of the pistol. The trigger had a small, even trigger pull, since it had a longitudinal stroke and, when pressed, did not turn, but progressively moved backward. The push-button type shutter stop is located on the left side of the frame and is controlled by the thumb of the right hand. The P-96S is characterized by the versatility of the springs used in the design of the pistol: for example, the disconnector spring also acts on the sear; the striker spring performs the functions of a trigger spring and at the same time a reflector spring; the role of the reflector is performed by the firing pin, and the firing pin extends beyond the shutter mirror at the moment the cartridge is reflected by approximately 6 mm. In addition, the cocked firing pin regularly protruded 1 mm from the bolt housing. The cartridges are fed from single-row box magazines with a capacity of 10 rounds. The push-button magazine latch was located on the left side of the pistol grip at the base of the trigger guard. At the same time, the magazine latch can be easily rearranged for both right and left hands. Sights consisted of a horizontally adjustable front sight and rear sight. The front sight and rear sight slot are made very comfortable due to a significantly wider profile than the standard Makarov PM pistol.
18-mm barrelless traumatic pistol MP-461 “Guard”
At the beginning of the 21st century, Izhevsk gunsmiths from Izhmekh created a fundamentally new model of civilian self-defense weapon - the MP-461 Strazhnik barrelless pistol, designed to use 18x45 mm cartridges. New weapons have been produced by the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant since 2002.
18-mm barrelless traumatic pistol MP-461 "Strazhnik"
"Strazhnik" is a small-sized (total length - 115 mm) and very light (weight - 0.2 kg) two-shot barrelless firearm shooting device, designed for both self-defense and feeding sound and light signals.
The pistol consists of a frame with an electronic circuit and a power source located inside it, and a detachable clip into which two cartridges are inserted. A special feature of this device is the absence of a barrel; the thrown projectiles are accelerated to the required speed directly in the cartridge case. The second distinctive feature of the Strazhnik is the electric ignition system for igniting the powder charge. The cartridge used in the MP-461 pistol is equipped with an electric primer, to ignite which it is enough to close the electrical circuit, thus igniting the electric primer. Therefore, when you press the trigger, the contacts of the electronic circuit of the pistol are closed to the capsule. The power source is a watch battery (“tablet”), which lasts for two years. The low battery indicator is used to check battery performance.
For self-defense, the MP-461 Strazhnik barrelless pistol uses 18x45T traumatic cartridges equipped with rubber bullets with a steel core with a range of up to 7 m; for signaling - noise and signal cartridges of the same caliber. The pistol is reloaded by replacing the two-round cartridge clip.
The MP-461 Strazhnik pistol is the most powerful traumatic self-defense weapon produced in Russia; the muzzle energy of its bullet reaches 85 J.
Sergey Monetchikov Illustrations from the archive of the author and Vladimir Nikolaychuk
Barrelless self-defense weapon
Barrelless traumatic weapons are a non-lethal alternative to short-barreled firearms, in other words - firearms and revolvers. Such weapons are also barrelless because they do not have barrels, therefore they are intended for shooting at short distances, considered self-defense distances. A self-defense weapon is not required to have a special range, so the opportunities that a barrelless weapon provides in terms of the effective range of a shot are quite sufficient for a self-defenseman.
Barrelless traumatic weapons, like conventional firearms, are designed to mechanically hit a target at a distance with a projectile that receives directional movement due to the energy of the powder charge. But the main difference between barrelless traumatic and combat (as well as service) firearms is that barrelless self-defense weapons do not imply inflicting wounds incompatible with life on a biological target. We must immediately make a reservation that the use of even barrelless weapons can lead to death, but nevertheless for this class this probability is minimized. Traumatic cartridges for barrelless weapons are equipped with bullets made of fairly soft material (rubber, plastic), so such bullets do not have a high penetrating effect.
The caliber is such that a bullet hitting even parts of the body that are not absolutely vital for the body should incapacitate the attacker. When hit, the bullet causes a fairly powerful shock sensation, which in theory should not allow the attacker to continue aggressive actions. In reality, the situation with barrelless weapons is not so simple, and it cannot be called optimal for self-defense.
Self-defense weapons that require a license
All other types of self-defense weapons are already subject to mandatory licensing and registration, these include:
- Gas pistols and revolvers.
- Traumatic weapon.
- Firearms.
In order to obtain a license to purchase, carry and store such civilian weapons, you must contact the Licensing and Permitting Department (LRO) with the appropriate application for a permit for a self-defense weapon. Why collect the following documents:
- Passport and its photocopy.
- Two 3x4 photographs.
- The conclusion of the medical commission is a certificate in form N 002-О/у (psychotherapist, narcologist, ophthalmologist and therapist).
- Report from the district police officer.
In order for the district police officer to approve issuing you a license for civilian weapons, you need to buy a special gun safe, install it in your home and independently contact your district police officer to check the safety of storing weapons in your apartment or private house.
The period for consideration of an application for a license for civilian weapons at the LRO is 10 days. If you have been issued a license, you have 6 months to buy a weapon, since the purchase license is valid for exactly six months, and one license is issued for one weapon (up to 5 of them can be issued to one person). After you have bought a weapon in a gun store, you have 14 days to register it with the LRO, you must provide an application, passport and weapons license. An application for a permit to carry and store weapons is also considered for 10 days, after which a notification of the decision should be sent to your mailing address.
Electroshock self-defense devices
Electroshock devices are one of the most common means of self-defense in the world. Their damaging effect is based on the use of high voltage electrical impulses to temporarily disrupt the functioning of the neuromuscular system.
The principle of constructing a typical electroshock device is simple. The DC voltage from the power source (usually one or two 9-volt batteries) is converted by an electrical circuit into high-voltage pulses that are applied to the output electrodes.
The electrodes are ordinary metal rods separated by a gap. Typically, a stun gun contains two pairs of electrodes: control (cutting) and working.
The control electrodes are located from each other at a distance close enough for electrical breakdown of the air gap between them and the formation of a visible spark discharge. The working electrodes are spaced apart over a greater distance and cause damage upon contact with an object.
High voltage pulses (tens of thousands of volts) applied to the area of the body between the electrodes cause a convulsive reaction of the muscles and block the transmission of signals from the brain that control them. Increased muscle contraction in the area of contact with the electrodes leads to their rapid depletion due to the decomposition of sugar in the blood. These processes, combined with moderate pain and a strong psychological impact, lead to short-term immobilization of muscles and temporary incapacity of the attacker. Therefore, in English-language literature, electroshock devices are often called paralyzers . The most stable term that more adequately reflects the essence of the impact on the human body is “stun gun” (stunning weapon).
Wiretap move
The new “weapons” bill introduces verification of all candidates and selectively of weapon owners using operational investigative activities (ORA) in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB. Until now, there has been no such verification: everything was limited to characterizing materials from the district police officer.
If there is information about a citizen’s involvement in organized crime or about his intentions to use weapons for criminal purposes, this data will be transferred to the Russian Guard and will be the basis for refusing to issue a weapons permit. The waiver is valid for one year
Alexander Khinshtein, one of the authors of the bill, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications
The procedure for conducting such checks, according to the bill, will be determined by the Russian Government. At the same time, as Khinshtein notes, the refusal to issue a weapons permit can be checked for legality at the prosecutor’s office and appealed in court.
The main objective of this bill is to tighten government control over the circulation of weapons and try to prevent them from falling into the hands of those who could use them for some criminal purposes and violate public safety
Alexander KhinshteinChairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications
Photo: Alexey Abanin / Kommersant
At the same time, the new bill proposes to change four federal laws at once: “On Weapons”, “On the FSB”, “On the Police” and “On Operational-Investigative Activities”. All these changes will give security forces the right to check a candidate for receiving weapons using operational intelligence methods. These include, among other things, making inquiries, perusal (reviewing personal correspondence), monitoring telephone conversations and obtaining computer information by secret methods.
We are not creating any new entity. This algorithm already works for candidates for private security guards and private detectives who undergo checks using operational intelligence methods
Alexander KhinshteinChairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications
As an example, Deputy Khinshtein cites the following figures: since the introduction of amendments to the law on operational intelligence on the verification of candidates for private security guards, about 700 thousand employees of private security companies have passed it. At the same time, only 274 people were eliminated, in most cases due to connections with organized crime. Of these, 12 people successfully appealed the refusals.
According to the authors of the new “weapons” bill, checking weapon owners using operational intelligence methods cannot lead to abuse: corruption schemes will have to be built with each candidate, which is difficult and quickly calculated using the same operational intelligence methods.
This, by the way, is confirmed by the practice of checking private security guards and private detectives
According to Khinshtein, officers and special forces personnel (they formally undergo regular checks anyway), as well as indigenous peoples - for them weapons are inextricably linked with their way of life - will be spared from inspections using operational intelligence measures. The executive authorities (including the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB) have not yet commented on the bill: it was introduced on the last day of the autumn session of the State Duma and the security forces have not yet had time to study its text.
Photo: Alexander Galperin / RIA Novosti
Unnecessary measures
On the one hand, the bill developed in the State Duma seems adequate: indeed, the legal acquisition of weapons implies a thorough check of candidates. But people who are well acquainted with the weapons topic consider the rule on inspections using operational investigative measures to be unnecessary.
Their arguments have long been known: less than one percent of crimes are committed with legal weapons. But illegal accounts for more than 99 percent.
Number of weapons registered in Russia (data as of June 1, 2022)
In total, 3,632,861 gun owners are registered in Russia. They have 6,317,111 weapons in their possession, including:
service short-barreled - 1,639 units;
civilian firearms with a rifled barrel - 1,001,045 units;
civil firearms smooth-bore long-barreled - 4,213,430 units;
civilian weapons of limited destruction (traumatic) - 879,521 units;
civil gas (revolvers) - 193,621 units.
At the same time, the number of gun owners in Russia is declining: back in 2017 there were much more of them - more than 4.1 million people, and in 2015 - more than five million. Actually, it is no secret that since the creation of the Russian Guard, it has set a course to reduce the number of owners of civilian weapons - both hunting and sporting.
But the argumentation of supporters of such a policy is somewhat strange
For example, raising the minimum age for gun ownership from 18 to 21 has been widely touted as an important step in the fight against mass shootings in educational institutions.
However, according to the same National Guard, in Russia as of June 1, 2022, out of more than 3.5 million gun owners, there were less than four thousand people under the age of 25, and less than a thousand under 21 years of age.
Photo: Alexey Malgavko / RIA Novosti
At the same time, many crimes are committed in Russia with the use of weapons every year: in 2022 - 24.8 thousand, and in 11 months of 2021 - 22 thousand. But almost all the weapons used by criminals are illegal: in 2022, legally held weapons were involved in 200 criminal cases, mostly related to poaching, and in 2022 - in only 130 criminal cases. So it is with great difficulty that legal weapons can be considered the main thing in the arsenal of criminal elements.
Much more often, bandits use signal weapons converted into combat weapons. Over the past three years, according to various sources, from 73 to 80 thousand such “alterations” have been confiscated in the country. Against this background, the tightening of the circulation of legal weapons looks strange.
According to experts, the real problem is the catastrophic decline in weapons culture among the population
Lawmakers made a big mistake by lumping hunters, competitive shooters, and those who keep civilian firearms at home for defense into the same category. Formally, any owner of such a weapon has a hunting license. But those who actually go hunting at least twice a year are in the minority.
Simply no one considers real hunters in Russia. According to optimistic estimates, there are about two million of them in the country; according to pessimistic estimates, there are less than a million. As sports shooter and hunter Igor Trifonov says in a conversation with Lenta.ru, it is necessary to separate real hunters, athletes and “defense workers”. In this regard, the law on weapons, adopted in 1991, today requires significant revision.
Hunters communicate in groups where comrades monitor the correct use of weapons. Athletes are in teams where there are colleagues and coaches. These groups of gun owners know full well that this is a high-risk item. Here control is not only state, but also public. Should it be tightened up? The general consensus is that this makes no sense.
Igor Trifonov, shooter-athlete and hunter
