"Vepr"-12 "Hammer": Russian carbine in the service of American special forces

History of creation

The modern economy is based on a dynamic market and everything that happens in it is dictated by consumer demand. This situation does not bypass arms manufacturers either.

Therefore, the management of the Vyatsko-Polyansky plant, seeing the growing popularity of IZHMash products (Saiga carbine) on the domestic firearms market, in the field of hunting smoothbore rifles, came to the decision to create its own products. The development of VPO-205 or “Vepr”-12 “Hammer” has begun.

The design was based on the RPK-74, produced there, the design of which has proven itself in numerous conflicts and difficult operating conditions.

Another reason for choosing the Kalashnikov machine gun as a basis was the specifics of the Vyatsko-Polyansky plant. The machine gun was produced there in large quantities, the technology was perfected. For mass production of VPO-205, minimal modifications to the conveyor line were required.

The designers of the Vepr initially designed it to perform certain tasks. In particular, use in practical shooting competitions, for self-defense and the needs of various law enforcement units.

Because of such priorities, another area of ​​application of a gun - hunting - suffered a little. The product turned out to be heavy, which is inconvenient for long walks.

Technical characteristics of Vepr-12 carbines

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

• Caliber: 12/76
• Weapon length: 977 mm
• Barrel length: 430 mm
• Weapon width: 75 mm
• Weapon height: 290 mm
• Weight without cartridges: 4.3 kg
• Magazine capacity: 8 rounds

Vepr-12 / VPO-205-03

• Caliber: 12/76
• Weapon length: 867 mm
• Barrel length: 305 mm
• Weapon width: 75 mm
• Weapon height: 290 mm
• Weight without cartridges: 4.2 kg
• Magazine capacity: 8 rounds

Design

The Vepr-12 “Molot” shotgun is a smooth-bore shotgun that completely inherits the mechanical operating principle and layout of the Kalashnikov light machine gun. Automation, or rather the principle of its operation, remained unchanged. Only the mass and design characteristics of the bolt group were changed.

For 12 gauge, the barrel has been changed, the receiver and bolt group have been modified, and the possibility of automatic firing has been removed from the trigger.

In order to increase the trouble-free operation of the shotgun, the barrel bore and piston with rod are chrome-plated.

To improve the overall reliability of the entire device, a magazine receiver neck is installed. Its main function is to protect the magazine from mechanical damage when falling from a height. In addition, this device has significantly improved the ergonomics of the weapon; in contrast to the receiving window of AK-based weapons, it is easier to insert a new magazine into such a neck.

The front sight is located at the end of the gas outlet tube. It is possible to adjust the rear sight on the gas chamber block. The distance between the rear sight and the front sight is relatively small (short sighting line), which is a negative factor and reduces the accuracy of fire.

The pistol grip is made of matte black plastic and fits comfortably in the hand. The stock is skeletal type, made of metal, except for the classic version, with a wooden stock, and folding on all models.

There is also an adjustable cheekpiece on the butt, which ensures ease of aiming, regardless of what type of sight is used.

The forend and gas tube cover are made of black plastic. Weaver rails are located on the side and bottom for installing additional accessories on the weapon: a tactical handle, bipod or flashlight.

The Weaver interface is also mounted on the receiver cover. Used for attaching brackets for various sighting systems: optics, collimator. This solved the problem of AK-like weapons with a side-mounted bracket.

When installing the sight, it was impossible to fold the stock; in addition, this method of fastening greatly upset the balance of the weapon.

Carbine Vepr-12 Hammer VPO-205-04-04 12/76 L=483

Carbine Vepr-12 Hammer VPO-205-04-04 12/76 L=483. The smoothbore self-loading carbine Vepr 12 Molot VPO-205-04-04 is created on the basis of the Kalashnikov light machine gun, is produced under the 12×76 cartridge and has a high degree of reliability and reliability when operating in various operating conditions. It is a hunting weapon and is perfect for hunting ducks, hares and other small game, as well as larger and more serious animals - wild boar or elk. The carbine can also be used for sports competitions, self-defense and as a service weapon. Automatic reloading of the Vepr Molot VPO 205 04 04 is carried out by using the energy of powder gases removed from the barrel bore into the gas chamber and the energy of 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 lever is double-sided with two levers located on the right side of the receiver and one lever on the left side. To make it easier to attach the magazine to the weapon, the carbine is equipped with a receiver. 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 carbine has an automatic slide stop. Peculiarities:

• Russian production.
• Possibility of installing muzzle attachments.
• Weaver rail for mounting optics and other accessories.
• Similarity with the Kalashnikov light machine gun.

How to buy a smoothbore carbine Vepr 12 Molot VPO-205-04-04?

We warn you! Licensed products are not available for purchase through the online store. You can purchase licensed goods in our Air-Gun.ru store only through self-pickup. Qualified personnel will give full advice on the product, its care and answer all your questions. Please note that to purchase firearms and ammunition you must provide a license! You can familiarize yourself with the rules and procedure for obtaining it in the License section.

Specifications. Advantages and disadvantages

• caliber – 12;
• effective sighting range, m – 100;
• type of ammunition – Box-shaped sector magazine for 10, 8, 4 rounds;
• fire mode - single;
• ammunition used – 12/70, 12/76 “Magnum”;
• barrel length, mm – 430.

Vepr-12 “Molot” / VPO-205 is poorly suited for hunting. The enormous rate of fire and impressive mass are not the best parameters for this type of activity. Therefore, the gun is most often used for sport shooting or in police operations. The weapon demonstrates its advantages when storming premises.

The fast discharge rate of the magazine, coupled with powerful 12-gauge ammunition, creates a lead barrage in a separate area, literally in a few seconds.

The second positive quality of the carbine is reliability and survivability. The light machine gun was the basis for its creation. But kinship also has a negative side. In particular, the large dimensions and weight of the product. 4.3 kg is not a small weight, but thanks to this, the weapon behaves stably during recoil, since it is partially damped by mass.

Negative features include the Weaver rails on the lower part of the forend. They make the gun uncomfortable to hold, especially with bare hands.

Options and modifications

• VPO-205-00 is a model with a barrel length of 430 mm, has a removable flash suppressor and a trigger locking mechanism, eliminating the possibility of firing with the butt folded.
• VPO-205-01 (L-520) - a model with a barrel length of 520 mm, has a non-removable flash suppressor, and the ability to fire with a folded butt.
• VPO-205-01 (L-570) - a model with a barrel length of 570 mm, has a removable flash suppressor, and the ability to fire with a folded butt.
• VPO-205-02 is a model with a barrel length of 680 mm, it has the ability to install internal muzzle bushings in the muzzle of the barrel, unified with guns of the Bekas and Bekas-Auto series, and it is also possible to fire with a folded butt.
• VPO-205-03 is a model with a barrel length of 305 mm, has a removable flash suppressor and a trigger locking mechanism, eliminating the possibility of firing with the butt folded.
• VPO-205-04 is a model with a barrel length of 483 mm and has a wooden folding stock.
• VPO-206 is a modification of VPO-205-00 chambered for 12/70 cartridge.
• “Vepr-12 IPSC” is a sports modification, modified in accordance with the requirements of the Practical Shooting Federation and taking into account the wishes of sports shooters. Additional elements have been introduced into the design to make handling the carbine more convenient (double-sided push-button safety, magazine release button, left-sided bolt cocking lever, no standard sights, etc.).
• VPO-205S - a service modification chambered for .12/76 mm, developed in 2005-2006, intended for private security companies

Accessories and additional equipment have been developed and produced for Vepr-12 smoothbore carbines:

• muzzle brake-compensator (“Ilyin compensator GK-01”);
• various types of chokes (poluchok, “paradox” on the barrel (nozzles and barrel extensions);
• telescopic folding bipod
• magazine receiver shaft (available in two modifications: welded steel and cast duralumin);
• several different options for the forend (smooth or with a Weaver rail - for installing a front handle, tactical flashlight, laser target designator);
• sports ergonomic handles for comfortable holding of weapons (including adjustable ones).
• receiver cover with Weaver rail for mounting sights;
• box magazines for 4, 8 and 10 rounds;
• drum (rotary) magazines with a capacity of 10 or more rounds (often pseudo-capacious, since Russian legislation prohibits magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds);
• various stock options, including folding and telescopic;
• tactical flashlights;
• laser and diode infrared illuminators to improve the performance of night sights;
• telescopic stock, installed through a special adapter instead of the standard one, which gives an additional degree of freedom for shooting with different shooters and in different conditions (for example, in winter clothes). Some types of telescopic stocks have compartments for storing spare parts and/or spare batteries for sights, flashlights or laser designators.

Modifications

The Vepr-12 carbine regularly undergoes various upgrades to meet the needs of consumers. There are options with extended barrels and special products for shooting sports.

• VPO-205-04. Vepr 12 “Hammer”, classic design in wood;
• VPO-206. Modification 205-00 with a chamber designed for a sleeve length of 70 mm;
• "Vepr-12 IPSC". Practical Shooting Federation approved weapon. The difference from the base model is a double-sided safety and an improved magazine latch. In addition, the sight has been changed;
• VPO-205-00-SP. Sports version of the Vepr-12 linear carbine;
• VPO-205S. The model is for use as a service model and features sights and special markings.

Carbine Vepr 205-04 – video reviews from owners

If you are an avid hunter, you probably already have a great rifle, or maybe even several. And you are probably well versed in hunting weapons and know a lot about it. We want to provide information for those who are just beginning to master the hunting craft. Namely, we want to help you decide on the choice of your first rifle.

This article will also be of interest to professional hunters. This article will focus on the Vepr 205-04 carbine; this, of course, does not mean that you need to start with this particular option. But this is a very good option.

So, let’s look at what the Vepr-12 MOLOT hunting carbine is, namely the VPO-205-04 model. This smoothbore self-loading shotgun with a gas-operated reloading system has a standard barrel length of 483 mm, 12 gauge, chamber length of 76 mm and a magazine capacity of 8 rounds.

The overall length of the carbine is 1070mm. This is a standard version, if you wish, you can change the configuration - choose a barrel of a different length, order it with a different stock, and you can also add a sight to your unit - a regular optical or collimator.

It is also possible to attach almost any attachment to it, be it a DTK (muzzle brake-compensator) or a muzzle constriction such as “Poluchok” and “Full Choke”. It is also worth noting that the carbine is made on the basis of the Kalashnikov light machine gun.

Content

Carbine Vepr Molot 12 (VPO-205-04) with telescopic butt (ATI)

Based on reviews from happy owners of the Vepr VPO-205-04 carbine, we can conclude that this beauty is what you need. It is perfect for hunting ducks, hares and other small game, as well as larger and more serious animals - wild boar or elk. The carbine can also be used for sports competitions, self-defense and as a service weapon.

The main difference from the predecessor models VPO-205-04 is the presence of a telescopic butt, with its help you can change the overall length of the carbine. It also differs in the design of the receiver; for example, the 205-04 has a bevel in the rear, like rifled models. Which carbine is better to buy for hunting - an overview of options and tips for choosing

Of course, the previous Vepr models are also good, in theory they are not much different, but it is worth noting that the 205-04 is a little lighter in weight and you can choose a buttstock - a telescope or wood. We have also collected a selection of videos about the “Vepr Carbine” on our website; you can watch all the videos online. After all, as they say, it’s better to see once...

Alexander

Hello, I'm Alexander, the mastermind behind the blog. In terms of career and free time, I connected my life with the forest. How could it be otherwise when you live in Karelia! In this blog, I am responsible for sections dedicated to hunting, hiking and equipment. Welcome to my world!

Interesting Facts

The first fact worthy of attention is the countries that exploit the Vepr-12 rifle. 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 butt, a tactical flashlight and an EOTech red dot sight are installed on it.

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.

In addition, 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 plant “Molot” 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.