What is the difference between a traumatic pistol and a combat pistol?

The main purpose of civilian weapons is to ensure the safety of life and health from criminal attacks by criminals. But as often happens, it is quite difficult to exercise the right to self-defense with a gas canister or a stun gun. It’s a different matter when you have a weapon, but what kind of weapon is better to have - combat or traumatic and what is the right thing to do so that protecting life in a conflict situation does not result in an accusation of excess authority or unlawful use of weapons.

What is a traumatic pistol

In the general classification of firearms, traumatic weapons are a special type that is subject to strict safety requirements. In Russian legislation, this type of weapon is combined under the concept of firearms with limited destruction. It includes the weapon itself and special ammunition.

Pistols and revolvers with traumatic action may be similar to real combat pistols and revolvers, or they may be made in the form of designs and shapes that do not fit into the usual idea of pistols and revolvers.

A special feature of this type is the design changes in the design of the combat model, in which it loses its combat properties and which, after such changes, cannot be used for firing ammunition with a metal bullet.

Simply put, it is impossible to fire a live cartridge from such a pistol, but it is quite possible to fire a traumatic one. The alteration concerns, first of all, the barrel bore, the return spring, and the mechanism that allows you to fire bursts.

A traumatic pistol uses cartridges that do not match the combat ones in size, and the barrel itself has deformations that, when fired by a rubber bullet, deform it too, thereby reducing the bullet’s flight range to 15-20 meters, while the effective firing range of combat pistol range is 25-50 meters.

Model rating

Each potential owner chooses a weapon based on a number of parameters. Some aspects are not taken into account, while others are decisive. The selected model must be not only functional, but also reliable. On the one hand, pistols with a metal body are considered the most durable. However, such a device must be worn only in a special holster.

In a critical situation, it is necessary to quickly obtain a weapon and have time to use it, observing all the rules. This is easier to do if some of the parts are made of plastic. There are many modern lightweight models. Therefore, the mass of the pistol cannot be an absolute indicator.

Another criterion is the cost of the model. It is known that traumatic weapons are several times more expensive than pneumatic weapons, so everyone would like to save a couple of thousand rubles on their purchase. If it is not possible to analyze the characteristics of a model in terms of strength, lethal force, weight, cost, or if you lack sufficient experience, then you can use ready-made rating tables. They include the most popular models.

These tables are compiled based on surveys, market analysis, and expert opinion. In different sources, the same models may occupy different places in the list, so it is enough to pay attention to their inclusion in the top three, five or ten.

Groza 021. The “Groza” series pistol is chambered for 9 mm caliber cartridges. The body is made of real weapon steel, and the handle is made of polymer. The heaviness of the weapon feels pleasant in the hand and increases stability when shooting. Magazine capacity - 14 rounds. To prevent this parameter from going beyond what is permitted, a limiter is installed. The sight is adjustable only in the horizontal plane, but even this fact distinguishes Groza from its “brothers”, whose sight is not adjustable at all. Self-loading is possible when shooting rubber bullets. If you use noise or gas cartridges, you will have to load the gun manually. This particular model is not produced today, but several successful modifications have been made based on it.

Warrior 410x45TK. The Ratnik model is considered a classic revolver. The spent cartridge cases are subject to extraction. To do this, you need to tilt the drum. The model has gained popularity for its reliability and safe handling. With a weight of only 500 g, it is possible to carry a self-defense product hidden from prying eyes. Drum capacity is 5 rounds. In terms of the amount of ammunition, this revolver is inferior to a pistol, but it is superior in rate of fire, this parameter is especially important in dangerous situations.

Fort-12T. This pistol is produced in Ukraine. Until recently, it was also produced in Russia, but after the agreements were broken, Russian production was reconfigured to another model. Despite this, Fort is still in demand on the Russian market; it is a harmonious combination of reliability, quality and ergonomics. The pistol's lifespan is 50,000 shots. Such a significant indicator for trauma is due to the fact that all parts are made of metal. The exception is the handle pad. Unfortunately, for known reasons, it has become quite difficult to buy a Fort pistol.

Streamer 2014. It is interesting to present not only domestic but also foreign products. The Turkish model Streamer 2014 was released, as the name suggests, in 2014. The frame, frame and main basic elements of the pistol are made of an alloy containing zinc, aluminum and magnesium (ZAM). The designers provided for the reinforcement of individual zones with steel elements. During its short period of operation, the Streamer has earned many positive reviews, mainly due to its shooting accuracy and accuracy. The magazine holds 14 rounds of 9 mm caliber. In general, this injury is considered quite powerful. The only drawback is that it is designed for right-handed shooting.

"Guardian" MP-461. It is impossible not to mention the development of Izhevsk gunsmiths. The guard is positioned as a barrelless weapon. The role of the barrel is played by the chamber. This pistol differs from classic ones in the electric pulse type of ignition. The pistol body is made of plastic, which reduces weight to a minimum. Modern models are equipped with laser designators. Two cartridges are placed in the chamber, after which the pistol requires reloading.

Wasp. The Guardian's direct competitor and analogue is the Osa barrelless pistol. Even though we mention it at the end of the list, it occupies a leading position in the ranking tables. Without restrictions, this pistol has an energy of 120 J. But legislation forced manufacturers to bring this figure to normal. There are double-barreled versions (Aegis) and four-barrel models (PB-4). The M-09 version has increased power and is used as a service weapon.

Legislative norms on traumatic weapons

Legislation regulating the right to acquire, store, carry and use firearms consists of federal laws and regulations of the government, internal affairs bodies, and the National Guard. The legislative system includes the federal law on weapons of 2011, instructions on the procedure for obtaining permits to purchase, carry and store traumatic weapons.

According to the law, a pistol or revolver is intended for mechanical destruction of targets with traumatic cartridges, gas cartridges or flash-noise cartridges. The main condition in this case is not fatal defeat, but infliction of injury or, at most, mutilation in order to stop the attack and protect life and health.

Legislation has found a universal formula for classifying weapons of limited destruction. For this purpose, the muzzle energy parameter created by a shot of ammunition with a rubber bullet is used. For different types of traumatic weapons it can be:

For a civil one, or in other words, permitted for purchase by citizens over the age of 21, it is a maximum of 91 J.
For service or one that is in service with government law enforcement agencies and private security forces, the maximum energy is 150 J.
For civilians - the maximum number of cartridges in the drum is 10 pieces;
For service personnel, the amount of ammunition is unlimited;
When carried, civilian weapons have a number of restrictions - you cannot carry them with a cartridge in the chamber, you cannot be in public places, you cannot have a weapon with you while intoxicated;
For purchase per person, no more than 2 units of traumatic weapons are allowed (the only exceptions are collectors)

What is the difference between a traumatic pistol and a combat pistol?

In technical terms, the differences between traumatic firearms and combat weapons can be divided into several key points.

The first concerns weapons converted from combat weapons, here the differences will be in the form of some parts of the design changed or replaced with others with lower tactical and technical characteristics. Here the comparison will be more correct and clearer.
The second point concerns traumatic weapons, which were originally designed as weapons of limited use. It would not be entirely correct to compare combat samples and purebred injuries here, although this can be done for clarity.
The third aspect concerns special devices for shooting rubber bullets. Some of these devices are so unique that it would be simply incorrect to compare them, for example, “Osa” or “Guardian” - these devices do not have a barrel, and in the classical sense of a pistol they simply do not fit, but at the same time they can compete in such categories as initial bullet flight speed, effective fire range, stopping power of ammunition.

For clarity, it is worth comparing the Makarov combat pistol and its “rubber-resistant” relative, the MP-79T. Both products have a frame made of weapons-grade steel. Both have an identical trigger and safety, and both have the same layout. But their trunks are completely different.

This is a combat PM, with the magazine disconnected, the bolt carrier with the bolt and safety and the return spring removed. Here it is worth paying attention to the shape of the barrel - it is flat with reinforcement in the breech at the chamber.

This is an incomplete disassembly of the MP-79 T, moreover, manufactured on the basis of a combat PM. Everything is the same, except for the barrel; on its side you can see a notch made by a milling machine.

And here is a section of the trunk. The first thing that catches your eye is the two wave-like swells that narrow the inner diameter of the barrel, the second difference is the narrowing in the muzzle. These obstacles do not allow the rubber bullet to pass freely through the barrel, which significantly reduces the initial speed of the bullet. But while a rubber bullet can deform, a bullet with a steel core cannot do this.

This is precisely the main difference between a traumatic pistol and a combat pistol.

Operating principle

The principle of operation of traumatic weapons is not very different from combat weapons. Consider, for example, how a traumatic pistol works. For clarity, let’s take a specific model - a Makarov pistol. This model will perfectly explain how a traumatic pistol works, since the operating principle of this model is very similar to many other models. Let's consider the shooting process itself, which consists of the following parts: - the pistol is charged and then transferred to the firing position; - then the shot itself is fired; - as a result of the shot, the cartridge case is ejected; — the final stage is the supply of the next cartridge. If we analyze this process step by step, we get: we move the shutter, thereby pressing the trigger, moving the latter to the ready position. The sear fixes it in the combat readiness position. The shutter begins to move backward. The rammer, on the contrary, moves forward and pushes the cartridge in the direction with it. Thus, the cartridge leaves the magazine and goes into the chamber, the hook enters. Now all that remains is to press the trigger, as a result the sear turns and the trigger breaks. What follows is a chain of actions: the trigger hits the firing pin with force, the firing pin hits the capsule, and the bullet tends to leave the barrel. Under the influence of gas, the upper part of the pistol is displaced, creating a gap through which the cartridge case leaves the chamber. There is no need to load the gun again, everything happens automatically. As you can see, the principle of operation is really very similar. However, traumatic weapons have a different cartridge case structure.

comparison table

Name	Makarov pistol (combat)	Makarov pistol traumatic MP-79T	Pistol Walter R 22T
Housing material	Weapon steel	Weapon steel	Aluminium alloy
Barrel material	Weapon steel	Weapon steel	Steel
Caliber	9 mm	9 mm	10 mm
Barrel type	threaded	Smoothbore with two bulges, with reduced clearance in the muzzle, with external load reduction zones	Smoothbore with 2 pins
Initial bullet speed	315 m/s	300-310 m/s	315 m/s
Muzzle energy	300J	30-70 J	36 J
Ammo	9x18 PM	9 mm R.A.	10x22T
Sighting range	Up to 50 meters	Up to 10 meters	Up to 10 meters
dimensions	161x127x30.5 mm	161x127x30.5 mm	170x115x35 mm
weight	0.73 kg	0.63 kg	0.6 kg

As you can see, the traumatic pistol is inferior to the combat model both in weight and in the muzzle energy of the shot and in the range of the bullet.

Types of cartridges for traumatic weapons

The modern market offers a truly rich selection of cartridges. Moreover, each type has a narrow specialization, that is, it is suitable for a specific weapon designed for a specific ammunition. Of course, this affects injury characteristics, so knowing about the most common cartridges will be very useful.

9 mm RA is one of the most famous ammunition used by the Makarych pistol. It is perfect for recreational shooting, but self-defense with it is not very effective. Primarily due to the low weight of the rubber bullet - no more than 1 gram. When shooting at an enemy dressed in warm clothes, already at a distance of 2 meters, a hit has a very weak effect.
.380 ME GUM – designed for traumatic revolvers “Viking”, “Gadfly”, “Shershen-3” and some others. Not very effective for self-defense due to low muzzle energy - no more than 50 joules.
10x22T - cartridge for pistols "Stalker", APS-M, as well as those developed on the basis of Walter. A very unsuccessful ammunition, completely unsuitable for self-defense. There are two reasons - the bullet weight is only 0.7 grams and the muzzle energy is 30 J.
The 10x28 mm cartridge is a relatively new ammunition, used in only a few pistols: TT-T, Steyr M-A1 and Grand Power T12. The long sleeve made it possible to use a fairly large amount of gunpowder, and this had a positive effect on the power of the cartridge. A nice bonus was the weighted bullet – 1.8 grams. Combined with the increased muzzle energy, this makes the ammunition one of the best on the market. Even when shooting at an enemy in warm clothes at a distance of up to five meters, the bullet retains enough power to stop him, causing a serious blow. Very few analogues can boast of this.
The 10x32T and 10x32TM cartridge is another not very successful ammunition. It is used in the Naganych traumatoma and the Leader TT. Primarily due to the small and often inaccurately weighed portion of gunpowder. Although the manufacturer claims a power of 60 J, in practice the figure is much lower - around 30 joules, and this is clearly not enough for effective defense. An interesting feature is that the cartridges are equipped not with one ball, but with two. True, each weight is only 0.7 grams.
11.43x32T is essentially a modification of 10x32T, developed jointly by the Barnaul cartridge. The bullet weight has been increased from 0.7 to 1.1 grams, which in itself is not bad. Muzzle energy is increased to 90 J thanks to the increased powder reserve. Finally, instead of two balls, one is used, which significantly improves shooting accuracy.
.410x45 is not the most common, although very successful cartridge. Used by the Ratnik 410x45TK revolver. The bullet ball weighs as much as 3 grams, and the muzzle energy reaches 100 J! Alas, such ammunition can only be purchased for official use, but still, knowing about its existence will be useful for every injury lover.
.45 Rubber is a very high-quality cartridge intended for pistols MP-353, Makarych MP-79-13T, GSh-18T and some others. Created at the limit of permissible parameters, that is, the muzzle energy is 90 joules, and the bullet weight is 1.5 grams. This makes it possible to have a serious stopping effect on the attacker, even when firing at an enemy in thick clothing and at a relatively long distance.
The 13x45 cartridge intended for the new version of the Ratnik did not demonstrate the best characteristics. It was equipped with two bullets with a total power of 120 Joules. Not bad, but two bullets reduced the accuracy of the shots. In addition, the aluminum sleeve swells greatly when fired, and sometimes even bursts, which is completely unacceptable.
Read also: How to properly aim and shoot an air rifle
18x45 is one of the oldest ammunition for civilian weapons - it was developed back in 1995. Designed for barrelless weapons - “Wasp”, “Aegis”, “Guard” and others. Initially, they had an increased weight of gunpowder, providing a muzzle energy of 85 J, but in 2002 the amount of gunpowder was reduced, which is why the figure dropped to 60.
18.5x55 - a modification of the above-mentioned cartridge, designed for barrelless injuries. It cannot boast of high power, but the elongated cartridge case made it possible to increase the accuracy of fire, which, according to many users, is a serious achievement.
20.5x45 mm is a very specific and fairly high-quality cartridge, alas, available only for use as ammunition for service weapons, primarily the Shaman pistol. Muzzle energy reaches 120 joules, thanks to the large amount of gunpowder. The bullet is much heavier than most analogues - as much as 15.3 grams. This allows her to maintain high energy even over long distances and cause serious injury to opponents wearing thick clothing. Due to the large weight, the behavior of the bullet in flight becomes slightly unstable, but when shooting at a distance of 5-7 meters this is not at all critical.
The 12x35 mm cartridge is designed for truly formidable weapons - Howda and Terminator. In fact, these are no longer even traumatic pistols, but traumatic sawn-off shotguns. The number 12 in the name of the cartridge does not mean 12 mm, but 12 caliber smoothbore weapons, that is, the diameter of the bottom is 21.5 mm! Due to the high weight of gunpowder, the muzzle energy is simply enormous. Combined with a 6.2 gram rubber bullet ball, this turns the injury into a particularly dangerous weapon. Unfortunately, due to their bulkiness, carrying them with you every day is very problematic. For example, the MP-431 Hauda weighs 2.1 kg and is 490 mm long. Therefore, this weapon is more suitable for transportation in a car. But for some categories of citizens, for example, truckers, it may well be a good choice due to its power.

https://youtu.be/h5rCfIGdHcY

This concludes the article. Now every reader can not only easily distinguish a traumatic weapon from a pneumatic one, but also understands the types of ammunition for the former. This means that he can easily choose an option that suits him completely.

How to buy a traumatic pistol legally

Today, by law, any citizen who has reached the age of 21 at the time of purchase can buy a traumatic pistol.

To purchase a weapon, you must go through a number of mandatory procedures in order to prove to government agencies that the purchase of a traumatic pistol will not be accompanied by future problems with the law. First of all, this concerns mental health. To do this, it is necessary to submit a standard certificate to the licensing authorities stating that there are no contraindications to the right to own a weapon. A certificate is obtained from a psychoneurological clinic or from a district psychiatrist at the place of registration.
The second point is to provide documents confirming that the applicant does not have problems with drug use. To do this, you will have to not only obtain a certificate from the drug treatment clinic at your place of residence, but also pass a test to ensure that there are no traces of narcotic or psychotropic substances in your body.
In addition, it is necessary to have a place of permanent registration. Without this, weapons simply will not be sold. And provide a document stating that there is no criminal record or they have all been expunged. In addition, you will have to order a certificate stating that all fines for the last six months have been paid, but in order for the matter to move forward and permission to be obtained as soon as possible, it is desirable that there were no fines at all for the last six months.
After receiving all the primary documents, you must pay the state fee for the right to purchase traumatic weapons.
The next step is submitting documents and photographs to the licensing authorities of the Russian Guard. In parallel with this, it is necessary to prepare a place for storing weapons. After submitting the documents, usually within 3-5 days a local police officer will arrive at the registration address to inspect the place where the weapon is stored and draw up a report. The purpose of his visit is to make sure that everything is ready for the normal storage of weapons.
In addition, before purchasing, it will be necessary to take courses in handling weapons. The courses are paid, so you will have to fork out some money, there are not many classes, but based on the results, you will be issued a certificate of completion of the training course and passing the exam.
After completing the entire list of preparatory activities, the permitting system will issue a permit for the right to purchase a traumatic weapon, which will be valid for 6 months. If the pistol is not purchased during this period, everything will have to be repeated from the very beginning.
After the weapon is registered in the store, within 10 days it must be registered in the licensing system and obtain permission to carry it. By the way, this right will be valid for 5 years, after which it must be extended with the obligatory completion of the entire chain of obtaining certificates, certificates and inspections of the safe by the district police officer.

How to buy a combat pistol legally

Alas, today the state does not allow it to be legal to buy and keep a combat pistol at home.

A rifle, carbine, or even a Kalashnikov assault rifle converted into an automatic carbine is possible, but a short-barreled rifled weapon in the form of a revolver or pistol is not allowed.

Of course, there are exceptions, in the form of award-winning or antique weapons, but this is too long a path. Alternatively, many become members of sports sections and clubs, but even in this case, the purchased weapons will not be stored at home, but in the weapons room under lock and key in the sports club.

And in this case, the transportation of weapons has big problems in terms of coordinating the route, checking the conditions of transportation and storage. Alas, the state is not yet interested in ensuring that citizens can ensure their own security and exercise their constitutional right to personal security.