The production of its own traumatic weapons in Russia began not so long ago. The period of increased supply of trauma equipment on the market occurred in 2014. Some models have taken stable positions and do not lose popularity even today. The TT (Leader) traumatic pistol can in some ways be considered a pioneer. This is the first model that was constructed from a real TT combat pistol. As a result of the alteration, it became possible to replace live cartridges with traumatic ones, the role of a bullet in which was played by a pair of rubber balls.
The external resemblance to the legend of Soviet weapons caused a real stir among buyers.
The first disappointment set in just as quickly, as the quality of production could not be compared with expectations. Failures of the converted TT Leader were noted by the frequency of their occurrence. It was noted that even pistols assembled from scratch were more reliable than alterations. The Leader traumatic pistol is the brainchild of the Vyatsko-Polyansky Machine-Building Plant.
Basic information
He was engaged not only in assembling pistols, but also in their repair and improvement. The huge number of weapons received for modification indicates the extremely low quality of the products. It should be noted that high hopes were placed on the new product, since “Leader” really began to lead in sales figures.
However, even at that time it was already possible to select a means of self-defense with higher tactical and technical characteristics (tactical characteristics). It must be taken into account that a certain proportion of buyers are history buffs, and the TT pistol really had historical value. They were just happy with the Leader model, since they bought practically a military weapon for an acceptable price, and had no intention of using it to fire real shots.
In order to get rid of all the “misunderstandings”, we note that there is confusion among fans of mock-ups of real weapons. There is another version from Leader-M, which, in fact, is a modification of the Leader VPO-201 we are considering. But the MP-81 was also produced on the basis of the TT, although it is produced by the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant. To avoid this confusion, here we are reviewing the VPO-501 and will touch on the features of the Leader-M model.
general information
As mentioned above, Leader TT was published in 2004. Its creation and further production was carried out at the Molot enterprise, where they also dismantled and eliminated defects in pistols already sold.
The weapon belonged to the small-caliber class, used for self-defense. In 2004, there were few such protection products on the market, so Leader TT took a good position in the market. But even at a time when buyers had few options, everyone could choose something more durable and reliable than this traumatic pistol.
The increased demand for it was caused precisely by the fact that this weapon was converted from a combat TT. Therefore, not only people looking for a high-quality weapon for self-defense, but also history buffs were interested in trauma.
Competent pricing was of additional interest. The manufacturer did not set a high price tag on its gun, which attracted even more buyers.
Model characteristics
Since the leader traumatic pistol is a remake of the combat TT, it repeats all the features of its ancestor without scaling. This suggests that the injury has the same dimensions as its base.
The question of the effectiveness of the Leader as a means of self-defense remains open. One cannot ignore such characteristics as the dimensions of the weapon. Sometimes they are the determining factor. Perhaps the sight of a pistol, which the owner cannot hide, can cool the ardor of the attackers. Although we would not recommend relying only on the fact that criminals will be afraid of their appearance.
In approximately half of the cases, the demonstration of weapons only intensifies aggression, and, if desired, one can distinguish a traumatic weapon from a combat weapon.
Each future owner will definitely have to choose a specific brand and modification of the barrel. At the same time, its technical characteristics will significantly help you make a choice. It is necessary to take into account every significant factor, for which you should clearly understand the need for purchasing weapons.
- The power of the shot, which is actually determined through the value of the muzzle energy, largely depends on the design and caliber of the cartridge. Manufacturers cannot increase this figure indefinitely, since according to Russian laws the maximum energy value is only 91 J. The owners of such injuries, which are designed to use different cartridges, are put in a difficult situation. As a result, it may turn out that the use of some of them will make weapons illegal. In our case, this is impossible, since the Leader “feeds” only on 10x32 mm cartridges.
- We do not undertake to evaluate the dimensions of the pistol, since there are two radically opposing opinions, and each of them has its own rational grain. The length, width and height of the Leader pistol are 196, 30 and 120 mm, respectively. In this case, the barrel length is 116 mm. Even if the pistol is carried in a holster, it will not be possible to hide its presence (if there is no outerwear). It is difficult to imagine how this fact will affect the safety of the owner.
- Amateurs also have mixed feelings about the weight of the trunk. While for some the main thing is the ability to feel the weight of a pistol in their hand, others prefer light and compact models. The Leader's mass is 770 g. These are not record figures, but the pistol can be called weighty.
- The pistol clip can accommodate 8 rounds of ammunition. Here the manufacturer did not have to redo anything, since in the combat TT the magazine is also designed for 8 rounds. Let us remind you that the law allows traumatic weapons with a magazine capacity of no more than 10 rounds.
Tactical and technical characteristics of the Leader TT pistol
From its combat relative, the “Leader TT” inherited both the high-quality material used to make all parts (the body and all parts used for firing are made, like the combat TT, from weapon steel), as well as its weight and dimensions. Which, along with the low price, attracted the attention of weapon lovers. The injury parameters are:
- Weapon weight – 770 g without ammunition;
- Length-height-width – 196x120x30 mm, respectively;
- Magazine capacity – 8 charges of 10×32 caliber;
- The barrel is 116 mm long.
As can be seen from the above data, the “TT Leader” is a fairly large specimen of a traumatic weapon.
And for many buyers, its dimensions and similarity to the combat TT played a decisive role when choosing a defensive weapon. The substantial size and “combat” appearance of the injury already served as a warning against attack. Although it was not possible to carry the pistol concealed on oneself due to its sizeable dimensions. And this was a significant disadvantage.
Gun device
The entire automatic pistol circuit is built on the basis of the bolt recoil process. The chamber is rigidly fixed to the frame and serves as a barrel. The walls of the chamber are thickened, which increases the strength of the structure. Under the barrel there is a return spring hidden by the bolt casing. The pistol can be completely disassembled without the use of special tools.
The geometry of the barrel and its features became the root cause of the low accuracy of the shot. If the manufacturer claims a maximum spread of bullets of 20 cm at a distance of 5 meters, then practice shows that such a spread is observed already from 3 meters. There are no questions about the reliability of the chamber, but the rest of the barrel design is considered ill-conceived. The diameter of the barrel tube is slightly larger than the diameter of the bullet, which significantly reduces the power of the shot. The relative position of the protrusions in the barrel leads to such a large scatter.
The bolt stop was completely inherited from the TT, and its lever is located on the left side of the body. The delay mechanism can also be examined when disassembling the pistol. The sighting device is not adjustable. Both the front sight and the rear sight are rigidly fixed. The trigger-type trigger is positioned as a single-action mechanism, so it must be promptly maintained and cleaned in a timely manner to ensure uninterrupted operation.
Ammo
Cartridges for the Leader traumatic pistol are produced by the weapon manufacturer, that is, . The 10x32 caliber ammunition contains two rubber bullets. Judging by the inscription on the packaging for cartridges, they have high energy when used. The energy value even exceeds the maximum permissible. But the package indicates the total energy for two bullets. That is, the real energy value of one rubber ball does not exceed 50 J. Compared to “classmates” even of that time, this value is excessively low.
Many experts note that the presence of two bullets in a cartridge is an undoubted advantage of this weapon. We can only partially agree with this statement. The accuracy of the Leader pistol leaves much to be desired, so we can only talk about the effectiveness and accuracy of a shot at short distances (up to 3 meters).
Design improvements
The new version of the Leader pistol, which received an additional letter “M” in its name, is chambered for the 11.43x32T cartridge. Leader-M was created as an alternative to the previously existing model and was intended as a truly effective means of self-defense. The new cartridge is based on a 5.45x39 combat cartridge, the cartridge case of which contains only one bullet weighing 1.08 g.
The muzzle energy of the new cartridge was increased to 90 J, and the special shape of the muzzle of the cartridge case made it possible to get rid of jamming when chambering the cartridge. Only by changing the cartridge was it possible to achieve a significant improvement in injury. If reliability has been improved, the same cannot be said about accuracy.
The Leader-M pistol and the 11.43x32T cartridge passed state tests for compliance with legal requirements. The result of passing the test is an issued certificate of conformity. It indicates that Leader-M is classified as OOOP.
If we compare two models - Leader and Leader-M, then a common disadvantage for them is the single-action trigger, during which it is impossible to achieve comfortable shooting. But after improvement, the new model surpassed the old one in such indicators as power, flight range, reliability and service life.
Issues of acquiring injuries Leader and Leader-M
Please note that both models in Russia are certified as firearms of limited destruction, which means that to purchase them you must have a license. Buying a pistol if there is a gun store in your hometown will not be difficult. Even if such a model is not available, you can order it, since it was produced in sufficient quantities and there are no interruptions in supply. It is also noteworthy that you can always get spare parts for repairs.
An order through the online store is accompanied by a preliminary study of the catalog. If the required model is in stock, you can begin placing your order by clicking on the appropriate link. The average price for a Leader pistol is about 20,000 rubles. After transferring funds, you must select a convenient delivery method. The safest way is self-pickup. The GC Spetsvyaz has permission to transport weapons.
The pistol will cost slightly less if you buy it on the secondary market. Sale advertisements can be found on thematic forums or special websites. When organizing a purchase in this way, you should remember that the life of the gun is limited, and you will have to evaluate its performance. Another important point is that the transaction must be formalized through the OLRR of the previous owner of the weapon.
Conclusion
This weapon is not clearly bad or good; rather, it can be classified as “average”. For its price it has good characteristics.
If you decide to purchase such a tool for regular use, you will need to clean it regularly to keep it in working condition. Disassembly is easy and quick. It is necessary to carefully monitor the cleanliness of the weapon’s mechanisms, as well as the bore. This will significantly extend the service life of the TT Leader.
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