For a long time, Kalashnikov assault rifles were produced in only two calibers - 7.62 and 5.45 mm. However, it turned out that such cartridges are not well suited for all situations. When the creation of 9x39mm assault rifles began at the turn of the 90s, the Tula design bureau of sporting and hunting weapons also became involved.
His employees Valery Telesh and Yuri Lebedev decided not to develop such a machine from scratch. They simply remade the well-known AKS-74U for a new cartridge. The design received the index OTs-12 (Sample TsKIB SOO 12) “Tiss”. Unfortunately, this machine never went into production.
History of creation
At the end of the 80s, special purpose police units began to be created in the USSR - special forces units. Their main weapon was a small-sized version of Kalashnikov assault rifles - AKS-74U. But practice quickly showed that the 5.45mm cartridge is not optimal for urban conditions. Light, high-velocity bullets have an increased tendency to ricochet (for example, off walls) and even sometimes, instead of penetrating cover, are destroyed on impact.
However, in the same 80s, a complex consisting of a silent AS assault rifle and a VSS sniper rifle was adopted. This weapon was initially going to use a subsonic version of the 7.62x39mm cartridge, but later the caliber was increased to increase its lethality. This is how the 9x39mm cartridge appeared.
This ammunition used heavy 16-gram bullets with a low initial velocity, which were not prone to ricochets in urban conditions, and, being inferior in power and armor penetration to conventional machine gun cartridges, were significantly superior to pistol cartridges.
Thus began the development of small-sized, no longer silent, machine guns chambered for this cartridge, one of which was the Tula “Tiss”.
Photo of the Tiss machine
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Design
In design and layout, the Tiss assault rifle is basically identical to the prototype - AKS-74U. Automation mechanisms activate powder gases diverted through a hole in the barrel. The barrel is locked by turning the bolt, during which two lugs move beyond the stops. On the right side of the receiver is a traditional AK flag, which acts as a fuse and a fire mode translator.
The stock is metal, folding. The “Tiss” differs in a different barrel and different dimensions of the shutter mirror (the bottom of the cup into which the bottom of the sleeve fits). Externally, the OTs-12 could be identified by a muzzle brake instead of a conical flash suppressor and a modified sight - the rear sight was moved to the rear of the receiver. Magazine capacity was reduced to 20 rounds.
For firing from the OTs-12, 9x39mm cartridges with bullets originally developed for the AS and VSS complex were used.
This is a bullet of increased combat accuracy SP-5 and SP-6 - increased penetration. Although the Tiss does not have a silencer, there is no reliable information about whether it was planned to use the PAB-9 bullet as standard ammunition.
Sniper rifle VS-121 caliber 7.62 mm. Device
VS-121 is a Russian sniper rifle with a bullpup configuration. Developed by the design and technology center of the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant on the basis of SVD.
In 2013, a rifle was designed within the walls of the design and technology department, which, although built on the basis of the SVD, nevertheless represents a completely new stage in the development of combined arms sniper weapons. The product called VS-121 even hints in its appearance: the future is already here. And although the rifle is issued by an ammunition magazine, which looks similar to the “SVD-shny”, the only thing left from the SVD in the new product is reliability.
Izhmash OTK employee Alexey Dolbilin told some details about the new rifle: “First of all, of course, the unusual layout attracts attention. The bullpup was not chosen by chance, because it has a number of significant advantages over the classical scheme
Regarding ammunition, we can say the following - now the VS-121 uses conventional 7.62 caliber cartridges, similar to those used in the SVD, however, Izhmash is in full swing working on the creation of promising ammunition. I won’t say which ones exactly yet. Regarding ergonomics, Izhmash has kept up with the times, and just like in the case of the AK-12, the VS-121 is equipped with picatinny rails for attaching any sighting devices and additional equipment. The weight of the new rifle is about 4.5 kg, which is at the level of the previous generation rifle. Regarding the operation of automation and the trigger mechanism: there will also be innovations. Since the previous rifle served the country for more than fifty years and did not fail, the new one should not only be reliable and equipped with modern trouble-free mechanisms. At this stage, the rifle can be equipped with a silencer for silent shooting, which makes it attractive for service not only in the Ministry of Defense, but also in federal departments such as the FSB.”
Comparison of VS-121 and SVD rifles
VS-121 is truly the long-awaited child of Izhmash. Along with the AK-12, the new rifle is already so highly anticipated among the troops that constantly, during meetings at exhibitions, officers torment Izhmash representatives with questions: “Well, when?” In the case of the VS-121, there is every reason to believe that the new rifle is a real wolf in sheep's clothing. The weapon should become a worthy replacement for the brainchild of Yevgeny Fedorovich Dragunov and will continue its glorious history in the Russian troops.
Design
The bullpup layout made it possible to reduce the length and weight of the weapon while maintaining a barrel length of 620 mm and a weight of no more than 4.5 kg. The barrel is made by electrochemical etching. It is also planned to use the planing and reduction method in the manufacture of barrels. Unlike its predecessor, the rifle is equipped with a new trigger mechanism. The VS-121 is equipped with a tactical silencer and it is possible to install any optical-electronic devices used in sniper business on four Picatinny rails. It does not have open sights. The automation is built on the principle of removing powder gases from the barrel bore. Unregulated trigger mechanism. It is planned to develop a new type of trigger.
The VS-121 rifle uses the same 7.62 mm cartridges as the SVD, but Izhmash is developing new promising ammunition.
Specifications
In parallel with the Tiss assault rifle, weapons similar in purpose were created. KB TsNIITochmash developed the SR-3 Vikhr, a version of the Val assault rifle without a silencer. In Tula, but already at the Instrument Design Bureau, they developed the 9A-91 family of automatic weapons from scratch.
| OTs-12 "Tiss" | SR-3 "Whirlwind" | 9A-91 | |
| Weight, kg | 2,5 | 2 | 1,8 |
| Length, mm | 730 | 610 | 594 |
| Initial bullet speed, m/s | 270 | 295 | 270 |
| Rate of fire, rounds/min | 800 | 900 | 700 |
| Sighting range, m | 400 | 200 | 200 |
The magazines of all samples had a capacity of 20 rounds, but were not unified. “Tiss” and “Whirlwind” were not designed for use with a silencer, but the 9A-91 package included a silent firing device. It was not intended to use optical sights on all samples.
The OTs-12 differed favorably from its competitors in that it was, essentially, a modification of the AKS-74U, a model that had long been proven in production and was cheap. “Whirlwind” was a variant of a weapon that was originally intended to be small-scale and have a higher cost (for example, the receiver was made by milling rather than stamping).
9A-91 was distinguished by its minimal size and weight, while claiming to be universal - the developers declared their model not only as a cheaper alternative to the Whirlwind that was better suited for mass production. A whole family of different calibers was developed.
An experimental batch of Tiss assault rifles has been placed at the disposal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
It is believed that the new weapon was highly appreciated there - the familiar design was combined with the convenience of conducting continuous fire (or bursts) and the high lethality of bullets. However, it did not go beyond the experimental batch, and “Tiss” did not go into mass production. And the designers of TsKIB SOO Valery Telesh and Yuri Lebedev began developing another weapon based on the AKS-74U - the Groza complex.
It is interesting that, unlike the OTs-12, both of its competitors, the Whirlwind and 9A-91, managed to go into production. Moreover, the “Whirlwind” model SR-3M received a removable muffler and enlarged magazines (for 30 rounds). The upgraded samples also received mounts for optical and collimator sights.
A decade later, in the 2000s, the Kalashnikov concern returned to the idea of a 9x39mm AK. The experimental AK-9 was, in principle, the same “Tiss”, only with a polymer stock and a Picatinny rail under the fore-end. However, he was not luckier - after 2009 it was announced that the development of weapons had been stopped.
Experimental project
To a certain extent, the OTs-12 "Tiss" assault rifle, differing little from the base model - a shortened Kalashnikov model, turned out to be a more durable, reliable and easy-to-handle weapon, and in some respects it even surpassed its prototype. However, mass production of the new machine was not organized, although until the mid-90s a certain number (according to some sources - dozens, according to other sources - hundreds) of units were manufactured.
Despite all the visible positive qualities, including inexpensive manufacturing, the OTs-12 did not become a serious competitor to other models, for example, the Whirlwind or 9A91. There is no exact data on the practical use of the Tissa: the weapon remained only at the training ground or was partially used by law enforcement units - history is silent. By and large, the OTs-12 remained a prototype.
