Vepr-12 "Hammer" - the pride of Russian gunsmiths

The Vepr-12 “Molot” carbine (VPO-205) is a smooth-bore self-loading carbine that is part of the Vepr carbine family. Like all carbines of the family, Vepr-12 (VPO-205) was developed and produced at the Vyatsko-Polyansky Machine-Building Plant. The design of the carbine is based on the reliable and time-tested design of the Kalashnikov light machine gun. The Vepr-12 carbine (VPO-205) is intended for self-defense, for sports shooting, as a service weapon for security and law enforcement agencies.

History of creation and purpose

The domestic enterprise Molot-Weapon, located in the city of Vyatskie Polyany, managed to create an outstanding first-shot offensive weapon designed for popular 12-gauge rifle cartridges.

Products of the Vyatsko-Polyansky Machine-Building Plant

It should be recalled that the Vyatsko-Polyansky plant for a long time specialized in the production of the well-known Kalashnikov light machine gun (RPK). The production line of the enterprise was fine-tuned to the smallest detail, so when developing a new smoothbore carbine, the design of the proven RPK-74 was taken as a basis. This weapon performed well at shooting ranges and hot spots, so Vepr-12 adopted the best features:

reliability;
durability;
reliability.

The Vepr 12 smoothbore carbine is distinguished by its reliability and reliability.
Today, this weapon is one of the favorites of domestic and foreign intelligence services. Vepr-12 combines mobility, ergonomics, balanced weight and excellent firing accuracy at a target range of up to 100 meters. Most often it is used for combat at short distances: from 3 to 30 meters.

The Vepr-12 “Hammer” smoothbore carbine can be safely considered a defensive weapon. The shotgun has been certified as a service/civilian weapon and is suitable for self-defense. It is curious that in 2012, NATO specialists conducted a series of tests, after which they included the Vepr-12 in the official list of weapons of the bloc countries, which led to the popularization of the domestic carbine.

In September of the same year, a presentation of the shotgun took place, during which Bundeswehr officers actively used it as a support weapon during the assault on fortified objects.

Vepr-12 is used by police and special forces in a number of countries

The killing power of the carbine is more than enough for hunting small and medium game, but hunters rarely give it their preference due to its rather large mass.

Advantages

The Vepr 12 carbine has a number of undoubted advantages for which it is so valued by its owners:

High firepower, which is provided by the high rate of fire of the carbine and the power of the 12-gauge cartridge, allowing you to create a real lead barrage in a few seconds.
The Vepr 12 carbine, like all carbines of the Vepr Family, is created on the basis of the Kalashnikov light machine gun, from which it inherited high reliability and trouble-free operation in almost any climatic conditions.
The heavy weight, self-loading principle of operation and rubber butt pad-shock absorber well dampen the recoil impulse. Thanks to all this, the Vepr carbine has low recoil.
Vepr carbines have a chrome-plated bore and chamber, as well as good quality metal from which the automatic parts are made, thanks to which the carbine has a fairly high resource of 10 thousand shots.
Vepr carbines show good accuracy and shooting accuracy for a self-loading weapon. At a shooting distance of 100 meters, the spread of hits does not exceed 10 cm.
Vepr carbines have a low cost compared to foreign analogues with similar technical characteristics.

Design and operating principle of Vepr-12 “Hammer”

By inserting a plastic box magazine and loading a rifle cartridge into the barrel, you can prepare to fire. For greater convenience, the design of the carbine provides a wide neck: changing the magazine is quick and convenient.

Thanks to the latest quality, Vepr-12 is suitable for training novice shooters. The carbine is widely used for sport shooting in open classes. There is also a separate modification Vepr-12 IPSC.

Sports carbine Hammer Vepr-12 IPSC special Edition
The cartridge is sent from the magazine into the barrel after pressing the trigger release button. The Vepr-12 is classically positioned in the shooter’s hands, and the butt rests comfortably on the shoulder. The 12-gauge smoothbore carbine is characterized by relatively low recoil, making it suitable even for women and teenagers.

Option 2. “Rope”

This is not a joke, but a very old way of firing bursts, close to its traditional understanding. It is generally accepted that turning a semi-automatic into a full automatic using a string was invented during the American Vietnam campaigns, although there is no exact confirmation of this information.

As in the previous case, you will need a semi-automatic carbine that has an external cocking handle, and... that same rope - a piece of thin nylon cord that is not prone to elasticity. One end of the cord, with a loop tied, is draped over the bolt handle, then wrapped around the weapon handle or trigger guard, and wrapped around the trigger.

To fire a burst, the shutter is cocked using a standard movement, but the index finger is not placed on the trigger! The shooter smoothly pulls the rope, which presses the trigger, and holds it in this position (without tightening it further or giving it any slack) throughout the entire burst. The cord is pulled, the first shot is fired, the bolt rolls back, loosening the string and releasing the trigger, and returns back with a new cartridge, again pulling the cord and pressing the trigger. The cycle is then repeated until the store is empty.

A more advanced option involves installing a finger ring, which allows you to more securely hold the “trigger” end of the rope without fear of slipping out of your fingers.

The method cannot be considered a serious tactical technique, because before shooting you need to carefully pull the rope “harness” onto the weapon and carefully hold it. But it's not bad as entertainment.

Design

From its well-known predecessor, the 12-gauge semi-automatic carbine adopted another important feature: strength . It’s not for nothing that the Vepr-12 is considered one of the best shotguns on the planet in terms of this indicator. First of all, the high quality of the receiver and trigger mechanism affects it.

An important design element is the folding stock. Depending on the modification of the carbine, it can be:

metal skeletal type;
telescopic;
wooden awkward.

An important feature is the trigger lock, which is provided in some models of the unified series. VPO-205-00 does not allow firing with the stock folded, but for VPO-205-01 this is not a problem.

The Vepr-12 design allows the use of a wide range of rifle cartridges 12 x 70, 12 x 76, including the following types:

signal;
gas;
with rubber/plastic buckshot;
noise;
special cartridges designed to knock out locks and doors.

Signal cartridges 12 gauge
In general, the semi-automatic shotgun Vepr-12 “Hammer” inherited the mechanical operating principle and layout of the RPK. When developing the design of the carbine, the automation remained unchanged. The bolt group underwent minor modifications, but this was done taking into account the technical/design characteristics of the firearm. The following elements have undergone changes:

bore;
bolt frame rod;
gas chamber.

The design of the carbine with a metal skeleton butt
was chrome-plated, thereby increasing the service life of the product. The company's designers guarantee that the rifle operates reliably in the temperature range of –30… +50 degrees Celsius in conditions of moderate humidity.

Design features of the Vepr-12 shotgun

The Vepr-12 self-loading shotgun is based on the time-tested design of the Kalashnikov RPK light machine gun (also produced at the Molot plant), however, during its creation, the wishes of sports shooters were taken into account, and additional elements were introduced into the design of the shotgun to make handling more convenient, for example, double-sided safety, magazine well, bolt stop.

The Vepr-12 smoothbore rifles inherited the general layout and design of the Kalashnikov assault rifle (light machine gun), with a gas release mechanism and locking by turning the bolt.

Naturally, the bolt group and receiver were redesigned taking into account the use of hunting cartridges, the trigger mechanism lost its self-timer, the gas release mechanism is self-adjusting and allows you to fire cartridges with both 70 mm and 76 mm Magnum sleeves without additional adjustments.

To increase corrosion resistance, the bore and chamber of the barrel, the bolt frame rod and the gas chamber are chrome-plated.

Open sights consist of a sighting bar with a mechanism for introducing lateral corrections, and a front sight adjustable in two directions, installed in the base, combined with a gas chamber.

The receiver cover is not detachable, but tilts up and forward, similar to the AKS-74U assault rifle. Additionally, a Picatinny rail type guide is made on the receiver cover, allowing for quick and convenient installation of various additional sights on the appropriate brackets.

The cartridges are fed from plastic single-row magazines with a capacity of 8 cartridges; a bolt delay has been introduced into the design of the weapon, which locks the bolt in the open position once all the cartridges in the magazine have been used up (to speed up reloading). To make it easier to attach the magazine to the weapon, the carbine is equipped with a receiver.

The stock is metal, skeletal design, folding to the side. The outside of the butt is covered with plastic to improve shooting comfort in cold or hot weather.

On the forend and under the gas chamber there are additional Picatinny rail type guides for installing laser designators, tactical flashlights or other accessories.

Vepr-12 carbines have a high degree of reliability and reliability when working in various operating conditions.

Specifications

It would be incorrect to give the technical characteristics of the Vepr-12 “Hammer” carbine as a whole, since the unified range includes 9 options and modifications. However, to get acquainted, it is worth considering in detail the features of the most outstanding models.

Vepr-12 / VPO-205-00 / VPO-205-00 SP / VPO-205-00 SP used. 02

This modification has an average barrel length of 430 mm. The main distinguishing features include:

removable flame arrester;
trigger locking mechanism;
inability to fire with the stock folded.

Shotgun version VPO-205-00
These features make carrying the rifle as safe as possible. The weapon is quite compact in size and is easy to carry. Models marked SP are a sports version of the linear carbine.

Vepr-12 / VPO-205-03

Perhaps the most interesting model, combining excellent semi-automatic shooting performance with 12-gauge rifle cartridges and carefully thought-out ergonomics. A distinctive feature of this model is the shortened barrel - only 305 mm.

The overall dimensions of this carbine are as follows:

length - 867 mm;
width - 75 mm;
height - 290 mm.

When folded, the length is reduced to 601 mm, but due to the butt pressed to the body, the width increases to 104 mm. The weight of the Vepr-12 semi-automatic shotgun without a magazine is 4.2 kg.

Vepr VPO 205-03 with a shortened barrel

The weight of this carbine should be discussed separately. Four kilograms without ammunition and additional attachments is a serious obstacle for hunting with long treks. However, heavy weapons feel good in the hand and provide more accurate shooting, which, combined with low recoil, is an excellent indicator.

Vepr-12 / VPO-205-04

The barrel length of this model is 483 mm, but this is not the main difference. The carbine is equipped with a non-folding wooden butt, which limits and complicates the carrying of the weapon.

Hammer VPO-205-04 with a non-folding wooden butt

Flaws

Vepr carbines have their disadvantages, which in the eyes of most owners are outweighed by their advantages:

The Vepr-12 Molot / VPO-205 carbine weighs at least about 4 kg. When installing additional body kit elements, the carbine becomes even heavier.
The Vepr-12 Molot / VPO-205 carbine is very poorly suited for hunting. First of all, the carbine is intended for self-defense, sports shooting and use by law enforcement agencies for storming premises.
The Vepr-12 Molot / VPO-205 carbine has a less-than-ideal balance, which makes it especially difficult to shoot accurately at the side. Some carbine owners correct its balance using special weights or suspension elements located in the right places, but all this makes the carbine even heavier.
The Weaver bar, located on the lower part of the forend, makes it inconvenient to hold the carbine with your bare hand, without gloves.
After each use of the rifle, it is necessary to clean the gas chamber and piston from carbon deposits. The gas chamber of the carbine is difficult to disassemble and requires a tool.

Options and packaging

For the convenience of consumers, this carbine is supplied in a heavy-duty case made of special military-grade plastic. The weapon is placed in a prepared cradle and securely held during carrying/transportation. Basic package includes:

optical sight;
plastic box magazine.

Vepr-12 carbine with 8-round magazine

Tuning

There are many opportunities for improving the Vepr-12 smoothbore carbine. One option is to increase the barrel to a longer model and replace the forend. Many owners of this shotgun expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail is located on the forend. This is convenient from the point of view of installing additional equipment, but makes holding the weapon less comfortable without it.

That is why, during tuning, many owners of the Vepr-12 semi-automatic shotgun replace the fore-end with a model with a more convenient, practical surface. It must be taken into account that the permissible weight of barrel devices is 600 g.

For more accurate aimed shooting, the carbine can be equipped with an optical sight with high zoom rates. The equipment is installed on a Picatinny rail located on the receiver cover. If necessary, you can use a collimator sight.

Interesting facts about the Vepr-12 carbine

The first fact worthy of attention is the countries used for the Vepr-12 shotgun. Such states include not only Russia, where it is certified as a weapon for civilian and official use, but also Greece, and is also recommended for use by NATO countries.

In Greece they are used by the special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The model features a telescopic stock, a tactical flashlight and an EOTech red dot sight.

The carbine is highly suitable for individual modification. The scope for tuning is simply unimaginable. With proper dexterity and the availability of financial resources, the following can be replaced: butt, fore-end, handle, magazine, sights.

It is worth noting the need to partially refine the internal mechanisms of the gun.

When purchasing a new product in a store, you may encounter a number of defects. Not critical, but detrimental to the operation of the automation.

In general, Vepr-12 turned out to be successful. It is popular among hunters and athletes, and the Vyatsko-Polyansky Molot plant regularly receives orders not only from the law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation, but also from the authorities of the countries of the Western coalition. In particular, purchases are being made to equip American police special forces.

Using additional equipment

Owners of the Vepr-12 “Hammer” cannot but be pleased with the variety of additional devices that are freely available. One of the most popular “body kits” is the Ilyin GK-01 muzzle brake-compensator, which makes single shooting more comfortable and enjoyable.

No less popular are:

folding telescopic bipod;
sports ergonomic handles;
Weaver strips;
box stores of increased volume;
welded steel or cast duralumin magazine receiver shaft;
tactical flashlights;
diode infrared and laser illuminators.

Vepr-12 with telescopic bipod
The standard stock can be replaced with a telescopic one if desired. Some models are equipped with an additional compartment for storing spare batteries for flashlights and laser designators.

Solving the overcharging problem

Many shooters are unhappy that the standard box magazine capacity is limited to only 4 rounds. This problem can be solved by purchasing an additional 10-round magazine.

It is not recommended to buy rotary (drum) magazines. Most often, pseudo-capacious models go on sale, since Russian law prohibits magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds of 12-gauge cartridges, including 12 x 76 Magnum.

You can increase the speed of changing a magazine by installing a special receiver shaft. This will make handling the weapon easier and more convenient, which is very important for sports shooting.

Receiver with wide mouth for faster reloading

Another problem is the short barrel. After a shot, the remaining powder gases are sometimes not enough to reload the carbine. As a result, the bolt does not move completely and does not send the cartridge into the barrel. A fairly stiff return spring can aggravate the situation.

To solve this situation, it is recommended to use Magnum cartridges. This increases recoil, but a stock with a spring shock absorber can be used to compensate for it.

Operating principle

Automatic reloading of the carbine is carried out by using the energy of the powder gases removed from the barrel bore into the gas chamber and the energy of the return springs. The barrel bore is locked by rotating the bolt around its axis by two lugs while moving the bolt frame longitudinally.

The hammer-type trigger mechanism ensures the production of a single shot and setting the safety.

The safety mechanism is generally similar in design to that of Kalashnikov assault rifles, but has additional levers on the right and left, making handling the weapon safer and more convenient. For the basic version with a shortened barrel, produced for the Russian market, an additional safety mechanism was introduced that blocks firing when the butt is folded (in accordance with the requirements of the Law on Weapons of the Russian Federation).

Options and modifications

Other modifications of the smoothbore carbine:

VPO-206 - is equipped with a special chamber designed for cartridges with a length of 70 mm.
VPO-205S - intended for official use, has additional sights and characteristic markings.
Vepr-12 IPSC is a sports model with the following differences: double-sided push-button safety;
magazine reset button;
left-side shutter cocking lever;
lack of standard sighting devices.

Modified service version of VPO-205s

Interesting Facts

The smoothbore carbine has become very popular in private security companies. Its small dimensions make the Vepr-12 an indispensable weapon for special forces soldiers.

The increased weight of a semi-automatic shotgun imposes a number of restrictions on the shooter. He must be physically well developed enough to be able to hold a heavy carbine in weight.

The twelfth gauge has a powerful stopping effect, which is why it has earned the trust of special forces soldiers. Such weapons are actively used by security forces of foreign structures, including police officers.

Vepr 12 for special forces

Option 3. Bump Fire

The essence of the technique is very simple, and it does not require any additional accessories or modification of the weapon. You just need to work out special retention tactics.

A semi-automatic carbine is used for this. You cock the bolt and keep the weapon suspended without resting the butt on your shoulder. The right hand lightly grips the pistol grip, the index finger lies motionless on the trigger. With your left hand you pull the weapon forward by the fore-end, continuing to forcefully pull it in the direction of the shot. What happens? By pushing the weapon forward, the trigger hits your stationary finger and the first shot occurs and reloads after it.

You don't stop pulling the forend forward, but the recoil jerk is stronger, and the carbine jerks back. The trigger is released and pressed again by touching the stationary finger of the left hand. A second shot occurs. The cycle is then repeated until the magazine is empty at a very high rate, comparable to normal automatic firing.

Such skills are not at all punishable by law, indirectly and for the reason that, due to the peculiarities of holding a weapon during Bump Fire, the accuracy of fire is catastrophically reduced and getting anywhere is very difficult...

Advantages and disadvantages of Vepr 12 “Hammer”

The main disadvantages of this rifle are its heavy weight and reloading problems. However, for 90% of owners of the Vepr-12 smoothbore carbine, this is not a big problem.

As for the advantages, it is worth highlighting:

excellent rate of fire for 12 gauge weapons;
high initial bullet speed;
a lot of possibilities for tuning;
high firing efficiency at an aiming distance of 100 m;
excellent ergonomics of all parts of the carbine;
comfortable and practical form.

Tuned smoothbore carbines Vepr-12

Last but not least is the aggressive and modern design of the Vepr-12 carbine, in keeping with modern trends. Blackened steel combined with military-grade plastic make this weapon strikingly beautiful.

MAKSIMOV.SU

Probably, almost all of our hunters are already familiar with weapons produced by the Vyatsko-Polyansky Machine-Building Plant.

These are various versions of the three-line and the unchanged OP-SKS, self-loading rifles of the Bekas family, rifled and smooth-bore conversion semi-automatic machines “Vepr”, created on the basis of the RPK machine gun.

The “Hammer” weapon is very popular both among us and foreign hunters, deserving our closest attention for detailed consideration. Let's start with one of the firstborns of the Hammer - the Vepr-308 carbine.

In 2010, this plant celebrates its 70th anniversary. Located in the interior of the country, Molot was created during the war to launch the production of PPSh. Then the plant produced purely civilian products - from skates to gramophones and washing machines. At the same time, the plant produced small arms. In particular, a Kalashnikov machine gun.

In the early 1990s, in order to survive in the conditions of the systematic destruction of the USSR industry in general and the defense industry in particular, conversion production of hunting weapons began at Molot, which made it possible to preserve technology and personnel.

Surely many of the readers have heard about how huge, sometimes city-forming, devoid of government orders and prospects, instead of producing modern technology in the 1990s. switched to producing pots and pans. Moreover, the workers received their salaries using the same utensils.

Arms factories found themselves in a slightly better position - their partial repurposing gave domestic hunters mass-produced rifled hunting weapons (unfortunately, the situation today is not very rosy).

As a result, our hunters, accustomed to traditional Tula and Izhevsk weapons, unexpectedly learned about the appearance of carbines from Vyatskiye Polyany. In 1994, the Vepr chambered for 7.62x39 appeared, then a carbine chambered for .308 Win. Then the plant significantly expanded the “Veprey” line, producing them in various designs and for various cartridges.

Vepr-308

The first carbines of the Vepr family were maximally unified with the Kalashnikov light machine gun. The changes were insignificant and concerned mainly the design of the trigger and retention elements. The self-timer has been removed from the trigger design, and the outlines of the trigger and sear have also been changed. The butt on the Vepr is orthopedic, the fore-end is long, without a machine-gun top pad.

The longest version of Vepr-308

Barrels for "Vepra" are made by cold forging and have a chrome-plated bore. When developing “Veprey” for the NATO cartridge 7.62x51, the locking unit was strengthened and the gas outlet unit was modified.

A heavy and long (520 or 590 mm) barrel, a powerful receiver made of 1.5 mm sheet steel, reliable locking and a full-fledged rifle cartridge brought the Vepr-308 very close to its main competitor - the Izhevsk Tiger chambered for the Russian three-line cartridge.

The NATO combat rifle cartridge is noticeably inferior to our combat cartridge, both in terms of ballistic indicators and energy efficiency. But the hunting versions of both cartridges, especially those produced domestically, have almost identical characteristics).

Comparison of Vepr-308 with a three-line Tiger

Vepr-308 as a hunting carbine

Hunting lovers

Vepr-308 carbines are very often used for wild boar, in various designs. Once I was present at a hunt, the participants of which were all armed with “Boars” in the standard version and “Boars-super”, all carbines were chambered in .308 Win. At the same time, brigades with a predominance of “Tigers” are more common.

Here the choice depends not so much on the characteristics of the rifle, but on the “fashion” in the long-established team: I bought one in the “Tiger” brigade - and everyone, having seen the effect of its use, acquired Izhevsk carbines.

It’s the same with “Boars”. However, this is a delicate matter: there are countless myths floating around among hunters, and not everyone reads the specialized press, and some have not heard of the Internet (and they don’t want to hear about it). And they do the right thing - this does not negatively affect the results of their hunts. So “beer in the morning is not only harmful, but also beneficial.”

For running hunting, of course, the Vepr is a bit heavy and long. But its usual use is from an ambush or from a private location, during a driven hunt (by the way, with the terminology of collective hunts in different places it is different, in our country the classic “gait” hunting for wild boar is called “driven”.

Just like a rutting male domestic or wild pig, whose meat stinks of urine, we call it a “boar,” while a castrated male is simply called a “boar.” And in other regions it’s often the other way around). In such a hunt, the weight of the weapon and its length are usually not of fundamental importance, and the rifle cartridge will do its job (which does not negate accurate shooting in place, of course).

The accuracy of Molotov carbines is usually fine, so at distances up to 300 meters, experienced hunters shoot effectively with open sights.

To shoot at longer distances, you already need another weapon (although there are exceptions), so there is no point in making a rifle from a machine gun for target shooting (by the way, there is a “Vepr-Super” in the “Sport” version, a rather compact machine).

For driven hunts in such a forest, the Vepr-308 is
an excellent weapon

The Vepr (like almost all models of domestic conversion weapons) is reliable, easy to operate and maintain. A detachable box magazine for 7 or 10 rounds makes the carbine attractive both for commercial shooting of animals and for hunting in the forest.

The weight of the carbine, according to the passport, is about 4.1 kg (the short “Tiger” in plastic weighs about 250 grams less). Length – 1200 mm (“Tiger” – 10 cm shorter), initial bullet speed – 830 m/sec. Standard accuracy at 100 m, when using Russian-made cartridges - groups of no more than 5-7 cm.

Reindeer hunting,
Norilsk

conclusions

First, let's touch on the shortcomings of the Vepr. The most sensitive problem is the large mass of the carbine and its considerable length. The 308th “Vepr” is always compared with the “Tiger”, to which the carbine from Vyatskie Polyany loses in weight and, subjectively, in balance. The accuracy may be the same, but the strength of the chrome coating on the Tigers is often inferior to that of the Veprs.

The trigger characteristics of the Tiger are definitely better, which is not surprising - this carbine, by and large, is a sniper rifle with the appropriate performance characteristics. And the “Vepr” was still a machine gun – technologically advanced, crude and relatively inexpensive (which is not so bad).

Hunters, especially those who do not own “Vepr”, call the latter nothing more than “dryn”, which, however, with a rather successful but equally biased definition, does not offend its owners at all.

The Vepr-308 also comes with a short barrel. This modification is made to order. It turned out to be a very versatile and turning carbine. Chambered for a full-fledged rifle cartridge

Another drawback of the “Vepr” is the incomparably less rigid fixation of the side rail for the optics. Frankly speaking, the “Tiger”, with its rail milled directly on the wall of the receiver, has no competition here: the riveted “Boar” rail, designed for an automatic cartridge, sometimes cannot withstand the recoil of the relatively powerful 308 cartridge, which negatively affects the accuracy of fire. To be fair, the bar on the Vepr is the exception rather than the rule.

Considering the significant recoil of the carbine, it is advisable to use milled steel brackets for an optical sight, rather than light alloy products.

At the moment, as I already wrote, I have not come across anything better than the brackets produced by the company, which carry a universal bar for mounting all types of night and day optical sights.

The Picatinny rail, made along the entire length of the receiver cover, allows the use of arbitrarily long optical sights. Perhaps this practice will be unnecessary for ordinary hunting, but a good cartridge and a reliable Vepr-308 sight allows you to confidently shoot at distances of up to 500 m.

A “Boar” with a front sight at the end of the barrel can cause inconvenience - branches and grass often get stuck in it, although only when pushing through really serious thickets. A long sighting line allows for high shooting accuracy with open sights. A machine gun sight with a mechanism for introducing lateral corrections is a rudiment inherited from the RPK (not installed on all Vepris).

For hunting weapons, this device is good only for quick zeroing, nothing more. Therefore, already in Vepre-Super, the design of the sighting devices was changed for the better and, despite the significant shortening of the aiming line, it does not cause any significant complaints.

The standard “Kalashnikov” safety catch of the “Vepr” is not very convenient from an ergonomic standpoint and clicks loudly (although it can be bent a little and generally made silent). This drawback was eliminated in the Vepre-Super, which acquired a much less noisy and much more convenient push-button fuse.

However, all the shortcomings of the Vepr are covered by its main advantages - the relatively low price and the traditionally high quality of workmanship for the Hammer. “Vepr” is 2 times cheaper than “Tiger”, which is more than significant. Of course, when choosing a “Tiger” by our hunter, in addition to the charisma of the legendary SVD, the factor of availability and low cost (read “freebie”) of a three-line cartridge very often plays a role.

But the .308 cartridge is also produced by domestic factories, its price is quite comparable to the cost of our cartridge, so if a hunter uses hunting cartridges, the difference in the price of ammunition is insignificant.

And since the appearance of the “Vepr” chambered for a three-line cartridge, the choice between the Izhevsk and Molotov carbine (in addition to the price factor) lies more in the area of personal preferences in the field of design features.

The article was published in the magazine “Hunting” in 2010