Silent automatic grenade launcher system "Silence"

Silent automatic grenade launcher system "Silence"

The silent automatic grenade launcher system "Silence" (GRAU index 6P15 ) was adopted by special units of the Soviet Army and Navy in 1975. This complex was created by TsNIITOCHMASH within the framework of the R&D “Silence” since 1967, in the interests of reconnaissance and sabotage units of the GRU General Staff of the Soviet Army and the KGB. Previously, these units were armed with special silent complexes “Izdeliye D” and “Izdeliye DM”, developed at the KGB Institute of Special Equipment. These complexes used for firing special silent 9mm cartridges with gas cutoff of the Phalanx series (PF, PFA, PFAM) with massive steel bullets, as well as expelling cartridges of the Mouthpiece series (PMAM) for throwing special 30mm armor-piercing incendiary grenades BMYA-31 "Lizard". The disadvantages of these complexes were the large mass and high cost of weapons and ammunition, and low rate of fire. Therefore, it was decided to combine in one complex an AKM / AKMS assault rifle, equipped with a PBS-1 shot silencer, with a specially designed under-barrel grenade launcher, which has low shot unmasking factors (muzzle flash and sound wave).

Silent automatic grenade launcher system "Silence" based on the AKMS assault rifle

The silent grenade launcher, created as part of the Silence development project, received the internal designation of the developer AG-018 and the GRAU index 6G16. It had an original design and used special PHS-19 blank cartridges, based on the 1943 model cartridge, to throw the 30mm BMYa-31 “Lizard” grenade. The grenade launcher was attached under the barrel of the machine gun using a special bracket attached to the barrel and a bayonet rest; the machine gun was equipped with an additional folding rear sight for firing from a grenade launcher. The 6P15 silent weapon complex, consisting of an AKM assault rifle with a PBS-1 silencer and a 6G16 grenade launcher, entered service with both the GRU units of the General Staff of the Soviet Army and some KGB units (Vympel). When adopted by the Soviet Army, the BMYA-31 grenade received the index GRAU 7G20, the PHS-19 cartridge received the index 7Shch2, and the shot as a whole for the “Silence” complex, consisting of the 7Shch2 cartridge and the 7G20 grenade, received the index 7P23. Grenade launcher rounds for “Silence” were supplied to the troops in zinc boxes containing both grenades and expelling cartridges in a common seal.

Silent grenade launcher "Silence". The bolt is removed from the weapon

Special “Lizard” grenade in inert ammunition (NAME-31) and an expelling cartridge PHS-19 for it

The silent grenade launcher “Silence” 6G16 is a fairly unique design, combining loading from the breech of the barrel and from the muzzle. A special armor-piercing incendiary grenade BMYA-31 is inserted into the muzzle of the weapon from the front and held there by spring clips. Stabilization of the grenade in flight is carried out by rotation, for which the muzzle of the grenade launcher barrel is rifled, and the grenade has ready-made rifling. To throw a grenade, special PHS-19 blank cartridges are used, loaded into a magazine with a capacity of 8 rounds, inserted into the handle of the weapon. The cartridges are sent from the magazine to the breech of the barrel and locked there using a longitudinally sliding rotary bolt operated by the shooter's hand. The breech of the barrel and the muzzle are separated by a special piston-pusher, which receives the impulse of the powder gases of the cartridge when fired and energetically pushes the grenade out of the barrel. After the shot, the piston rests against a special narrowing in the barrel, locking hot powder gases inside the barrel. This eliminates or significantly reduces the factors that unmask the shooter - muzzle flash and the loud bang of a shot. After the shot, the powder gases cool down and are released from the barrel. The initial speed of the grenade is 105 m/s; when it hits a target, its warhead is capable of penetrating up to 10 mm of steel and igniting the fuel or other flammable materials behind it.

Special frame sight for the “Silence” grenade launcher in firing position

To fire from a grenade launcher, a special frame sight is used, installed next to the rear of the machine gun; in addition, the machine gun, as a rule, was equipped with a removable rubber shock-absorbing butt plate for the butt. To install the 6G16 grenade launcher, both 7.62mm AKM assault rifles with a fixed stock and AKMS with a folding stock could be used. To fix the grenade launcher to the barrel of the machine gun, a special bracket is attached under the forend, and a slot is made in the bottom of the forend for the rear support of the grenade launcher. The front support of the grenade launcher is mounted on a bayonet lug under the barrel of the machine gun.

author of the site with the silent automatic grenade launcher system “Silence” at the Army 2020 exhibition, stand of TsNIITOCHMASH JSC

Characteristics of the “Silence” grenade launcher

Grenade launcher weight (without machine gun): 1.9 kg Caliber: 30 mm Magazine capacity for expelling cartridges: 8 pieces Sighting range: 400 meters

Rifle silence

The PBS-1 silent firing device is screwed onto the threaded seat of the muzzle of the machine gun barrel instead of a compensator. The device is a cylindrical chamber divided into compartments by steel washers. The washers are fastened with three steel rods. There are holes in the center of the washers for the free passage of bullets. In front of the first compartment from the muzzle of the machine gun barrel there is a solid rubber washer 18-20 mm thick, which initially (newly installed) had no holes. In front of the washer there is an additional chamber for the transfer of powder gases with four holes around the circumference, opening into an expansion chamber at the base of the PBS, which also has four holes around the circumference of the body.

Rifle silence

The grenade launcher is equipped with a rifle-type sliding bolt, which reloads the grenade launcher with propelling cartridges from the breech of the weapon and locks the barrel. In this case, the grenade launcher is muzzle-loading, because The grenade is inserted into the barrel of the grenade launcher from the muzzle side. The grenade is held in the barrel by spring bends in the walls of the barrel. In flight, the grenade is stabilized by rotation, due to the protrusions on the body of the grenade, which, when loading the grenade, enter the rifling of the barrel bore in the same way as in the VOG grenade launcher. There are 3 rifling in the barrel of the grenade launcher.

Rifle silence

The operating principle of the automation is a gas outlet. Locking is carried out by turning the bolt cylinder during the forward movement of the bolt frame - with locking on six lugs. The trigger mechanism provides both single shots and burst fire. It should be noted that conducting automatic fire through a silencer, regardless of its design, always negatively affects the quality of suppression. The powder gases do not have time to dissipate and cool, and the pressure does not have time to drop. The VSS rifle has an expansion-type muffler integrated into the design with annular diaphragm elements that reflect shock waves of powder gases. The barrel has several holes to relieve pressure into the rear cavity of the muffler (which distinguishes the integrated muffler from a conventional one). The silencer can be separated for cleaning and storage, but shooting without it is prohibited. Silencing the sound of a shot is based on the integrating principle. When a bullet passes past many holes in the walls of the barrel, powder gases penetrate through them into the expansion chamber of the muffler not immediately, but sequentially. With such a consistent expansion of hot powder gases, their temperature drops, therefore, the volume and “exhaust” pressure are reduced. In addition, during the process described above, a single sound exhaust is split into many components. Residual sound waves, reflected from the obliquely placed partitions of the separator, overlap each other in opposite phases and are mutually absorbed.

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Rifle silence

The cumulative charge of the grenade was capable of penetrating steel about 10 mm thick and provided the necessary destructive effect. The grenade was loaded from the muzzle. In this case, the grenade protrusions were placed in the rifling of the grenade launcher barrel. The grenade was fixed in the barrel with two spring-type, plate-type clamps. The delivery of expelling cartridges was carried out from a detachable multi-charge magazine located in the handle of the grenade launcher. Their loading into the chamber, as well as the removal of spent cartridges, was done manually using a longitudinally sliding bolt. It was locked by turning the reloading handle.

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BS-1 Silence

It must be said that the very principle of eliminating the sound and flash of a shot by locking powder gases in a closed volume is quite old - the first patents for such systems date back to the beginning of the 20th century. It should also be noted that around the same period (1960-70s) in the West, a number of small-caliber (50-60mm) mortars were developed in the West to arm their special forces, using the same principle of muffling the sound of a shot. Be that as it may, the BS-1 “Silence” complex entered service with the army special forces of the USSR Armed Forces. Its purpose was to destroy targets such as fuel containers, parked aircraft, cabins with electronic equipment, operational-tactical missile launchers, etc. Obviously, the noiselessness and flamelessness of the shot significantly reduced the chances of quickly detecting the shooter, and therefore increased the chances of the special forces successfully completing a combat mission and even, possibly, a successful retreat after completing the task.

VSS Vintorez

The first version of the rifle, which received the RG036 index, was created under the leadership of V.F. Krasnikov and chambered for the 7.62 US cartridge, which was used in silent systems based on the Kalashnikov assault rifle. The rifle had an original design of the gas exhaust system: a ring-shaped gas piston located around the barrel also acted as the rear wall of the silencer expansion chamber. This simplified and facilitated the design of the weapon, but had a negative impact on reliability in various operating conditions.

Rifle silence

The PBS-1 device is screwed onto the threaded seat of the muzzle of the machine gun barrel instead of a compensator. The device is a cylindrical chamber divided into compartments by steel washers. The washers are fastened with three steel rods. Holes are made in the center of the washers for free passage of zeros. In front of the first compartment from the muzzle of the machine gun barrel there is a solid rubber washer, which initially (newly installed) had no holes. In front of the washer there is an additional chamber for the transfer of powder gases with four holes around the circumference, opening into an expansion chamber at the base of the PBS, which also has four holes around the circumference of the body.

Characteristics of the complexes