- November 8, 2018
- Weapons and ammunition
- Michael
Any person interested in weapons has heard of, or even held in his hands, a small-caliber rifle, popularly known as a “small rifle.” Some people treat them quite dismissively, especially knowing what caliber the small ones are. But this is quite a serious weapon, capable of becoming a very good fishing tool in experienced hands. Therefore, you should find out more about it.
What kind of rifle is this
First of all, let’s figure out what a small thing is. This is what we call small-caliber rifled smooth-bore rifles in our country, most often using a .22LR caliber cartridge.
They are produced in our country in a fairly large assortment. There are models of different sizes and weights. Some can only hold one round at a time, while others are magazine-fed, allowing you to fire a series of 8-10 shots without reloading.
The weapon is even more popular abroad due to its light weight and almost imperceptible recoil - this is worth talking about in more detail.
What is it for?
Despite the fact that some people do not consider the small gun to be a serious weapon, its scope of application is truly enormous. First of all, it is worth noting hunting. Of course, such a weapon is not suitable for a medium-sized animal or even a large bird - a bullet will only wound them and either make them angry or allow them to escape from the hunter’s sight and die. But still, in the right hands, a simple small .22 LR caliber will become a reliable fishing tool, allowing you to always return home with rich trophies - we’ll talk about the advantages that provide this a little later.
But she gained much more popularity in sports. Take ordinary biathlon, for example. Here athletes use small ones. Of course, each rifle here is created individually, according to the physiology of the owners, and the quality of the cartridges differs from those sold in stores. But still, the small thing “lit up” in Olympic sports.
It will surprise some, but it also finds some application in military affairs. In Soviet times, many cases of its use by special forces were recorded. Yes, the small thing is clearly not up to the task of a serious combat weapon. But for eliminating sentries, it will be an excellent tool, allowing you to operate for a long time, clearing the perimeter of the camp and without causing unnecessary panic.
However, much more important is the fact that small things are an ideal tool for instilling a weapons culture in children, adolescents and women. It has virtually no recoil and no noise. This means that it can be used by a child as early as 4-5 years old, of course, after the father talks in detail about the seriousness and danger of handling weapons. Many experts agree that it is with such weapons that one should start getting acquainted with them, so that in the future they can gradually move on to more serious models - both rifled and smooth-bore.
Caliber history: Bloom cartridge 5.6x39 mm
We tell the story of the creation of the Soviet cartridge, known abroad as the .220 Russian, highly valued by American shooters
For fans of the history of Soviet small arms, the name of Mikhail Nikolaevich Blum is usually associated with the training “machine gun” he invented. The attachment to the easel "Maxim" chambered for the cheap small-caliber .22LR cartridge was produced in large quantities in the 30s. As in the case of rifles, training with “small guns” was also made easier by reducing the requirements for the shooting range, both in terms of distance and safety measures. Moreover, there was talk about training outside the army. The OSOAVIAKHIM brochure published shortly before the start of the war said the following: “It is difficult to overestimate the importance of small-caliber machine guns.”
In addition to reducing the cost of training machine gunners, these machine guns enable OSOAVIAKHIM to widely develop mass machine gun sport.
There is no need to talk much about the importance of such a sport. In fact, the experience of training in groups of rifle shooters shows that shooting sports was, is and will be of great importance for the mobilization readiness of the country. Shooting sport is one of the effective forms of improving the civilian population in the art of marksmanship. However, both training and improving riflemen is an easier task than training and improving machine gunners. The more important machine gun sport becomes. Before the creation of small-caliber machine guns, the high cost of combat machine guns , their depreciation, the complexity of storage and the need to have special shooting ranges limited the development of machine gun sports.
Now there is every opportunity for the widespread development of this sport. And these opportunities must be fully exploited.”
Blum machine gun
Perhaps, in a few more years, these plans could become a reality - after all, modern Olympic biathlon once grew out of a completely military “ski patrol race”. But OSOAVIAKHIM “didn’t work out” with machine gun sports, and M.N. Blum by this time was busy with something more important for the country - working on anti-tank rifles. Here he was less fortunate - neither the samples created before the war, nor the PTRB, which was already created under his leadership at OKB-16 during the Great Patriotic War, never made it into series for a number of reasons. But the experience gained in creating ammunition with a high initial velocity based on existing cartridges was useful to Mikhail Nikolaevich in the future when creating a new line of domestic hunting cartridges. And if during the war Blum cut shell casings from aircraft and anti-aircraft guns, trying to accelerate a 14.5 mm armor-piercing bullet to the coveted 1500 m/s, now he had a different task.
First demonstrated in 1955, the 5.6x39 mm cartridge was intended primarily for shooting small and partly medium game. Considering that at that time, domestic hunters were, to put it mildly, not spoiled by the variety of cartridges and weapons, the new ammunition, as well as the barrels created for it - primarily the Bars carbines - were sold out very well.
Standard army automatic cartridges 5.56x45 NATO with M855 and M855A1 bullets in comparison with: .220 Russian (the basis for the development of some modern cartridges), 6.5 Grendel, 6.5x47 Lapua, 6.8 mm SPC and .30 Remington AR
Typically, the characteristics of the cartridge indicate a speed of “up to 1200 m/s” and the volume of the cartridge case actually allows it to be achieved. But in this case, the use of a cartridge, especially with a semi-jacketed bullet at short distances against small game or birds, becomes a very questionable matter. The bullet hits the target very well, but very, very little remains of the target. In the case of a bird, as a rule, it is the paws and head, but in fur-bearing animals there is no need to talk about the integrity of the skin.
Nevertheless, the potential of Mikhail Nikolaevich’s brainchild was quickly appreciated... and not only in the USSR. At first the Finns became interested in him. By 1965, the Blum cartridge under the “imported” name .220 Russian appeared in the Lapua catalog. And he was carefully read not only in his native Scandinavia, but all over the world, especially overseas. American shooters were very interested in the new “Russian” ammunition. In particular, the short and thick case with its capabilities for creating “hot” cartridges with high operating pressures. Thanks to the work of precision shooting enthusiasts, primarily Louis Palmisano and Ferris Pindell, a new line of “champion” PPC cartridges (Palmisano & Pindel Cartridge) very soon became available to American shooters. If you look at the competition data in recent years, you can easily see how widespread the descendants of the “Russian” cartridge have become. Although factory-made PPC cases are now available for sale, many shooters still prefer to make their own from .220 Russian cases.
And another very famous descendant of the Blum cartridge was the 6.5 mm Grendel cartridge, but this story deserves a separate story.
Of course, the capabilities of the Blum cartridge for shooting sports were also appreciated in the USSR, and before the Americans. Back in the 50s, the design bureau of Evgeniy Dragunov began the development of rifles for the “running deer” discipline. After going through several options, Izhevsk designers paid attention to the 5.6x39 mm with its excellent flat ballistics, a relatively small recoil impulse, and a short sleeve, which made it possible to reduce the bolt stroke and increase the rate of fire. The result of the work was the appearance of a series of MBO rifles in the arsenal of Soviet athletes. The Blum cartridge for them was also modified, receiving a lighter bullet mass - 2.7 g, but the initial speed reached 1045 m/s.
MBO series rifle
And in conclusion, let's give the floor to the American shooters:
"Without the Lapua .220 Russian case, short-range benchrest group shooting would never have evolved to where it is today."
What caliber does it have?
Many hunters are interested in what caliber the small fish is. The answer here is pretty clear. This classification includes all rifles chambered for the .22 LR cartridge, that is, 5.6 millimeters according to the usual table of rifled weapons.
However, in some cases you can hear about the small caliber of 4.5 millimeters. Rumors about them are quite common, but no one has ever seen such a rifle. Not surprising - in most cases, rumors are generated by simple ignorance of shooting. After all, the 4.5 mm caliber is typical for air rifles. And they definitely do not fall under the concept of small-caliber rifles.
Well, the standard 22LR can be purchased at any store of the appropriate format, where cartridges are presented in a fairly wide range. They may differ in the material of manufacture of the cartridge case and bullet, the shape of the bullet, the powder charge and a number of other equally important factors. So, knowing what caliber a small gun has, choosing exactly the ammunition that interests a particular shooter is not at all difficult.
It is worth noting that not only rifles, but also pistols were developed for this cartridge. One of the most famous samples was “Margolin” (pictured above) - an excellent option for developing accuracy at first. Low recoil, low noise level and good accuracy made it very popular.
Caliber and cartridges
The “small” caliber gave it its name due to its small size. It is 5.6 mm, which is much smaller than its predecessor, the Mosin rifle. For weapons of this caliber, cartridges with a length of 24.77 mm or, as they are designated abroad, .22LR (.22 Long Rifle) are used. Cartridges of this caliber hold the record for the number of issued and consumed.
This is a rimfire cartridge, that is, its initiating substance is located along the bottom of the cartridge case. It uses smokeless powder as a propellant charge. It is with these cartridges that fur-bearing animals are hunted in Russia and they are also used as training ammunition.
REFERENCE: Such cartridges are one of the few remaining in production today that operate on the principle of rimfire. In the history of weapons production, many samples of long-barreled weapons chambered for these cartridges were produced, including single-shot “small guns”.
How to buy small things
But with the purchase of a small-caliber rifle, very serious problems can arise. Despite the fact that not all hunters and shooters take it seriously, the small gun remains a rifled weapon. To become its rightful owner, you will have to work hard.
First, you need to purchase a smooth-bore weapon, register everything according to the law, and become a member of the hunting union. Only after five years of impeccable ownership (without any fines or other problems) will it be possible to obtain the long-awaited license to purchase a rifle. After this, you can become the owner of a small-caliber rifle.
Some people are trying to be cunning, looking for an opportunity to purchase a small 5.6 caliber rifle without documents. This is a very reckless and short-sighted step. Yes, this is not a Makarov pistol, a Kalashnikov assault rifle or an SVD. But for the law, it’s still a rifled weapon. Therefore, you will have to answer before the court very seriously - it is quite possible to get a real sentence. So it’s better to give up even the thought of such a purchase.
In recent years, weapons organizations, including Izhmash, have been trying to promote a law that would make it possible not to classify small-caliber rifles as rifled weapons, highlighting them in a separate category that can be purchased without five years of experience, primarily for training children. Alas, such a campaign has not yet achieved the slightest success.
Legal information
Small-caliber rifles belong to the category of civilian weapons and are mainly intended for sporting activities. The owners of such weapons can be athletes or people engaged in hunting who have reached 18 years of age.
Passport
A weapon passport is required by its owner when registering. It also indicates the brand, manufacturer, production date and some technical characteristics of the rifle.
Permission
A permit to purchase, possess and carry is required for firearms with a rifled barrel. A permit is not required for smooth-bore and small-bore rifles.
License
Also, to use small-caliber weapons, a license is required, which is a requirement of Federal Law No. 150 “On Weapons”. The same applies to sporting weapons. The license is issued by a special department of the territorial division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
User manual
Instructions must be attached to any type of weapon that is purchased as a civilian weapon. It specifies the design and configuration, as well as a step-by-step algorithm for assembling, disassembling, cleaning and repairing the weapon.
Small-caliber rifles of various modifications are considered practical weapons among shooters. Their advantage is ease of use and simplicity of design. Subject to safety rules, the rifle owner will be able to independently clean and repair the weapon. Durability is considered a distinctive property of rifles. It can be used by both beginners and experienced shooters.
Main advantages
One of the main advantages that the small thing can boast of is noiselessness. Of course, a shot cannot be called completely silent. But if you compare it with shooting even from a 410 caliber gun or any rifle, then compared to them, a small-caliber rifle really seems completely silent. This is an important factor for any user. The low noise level allows the hunter not to scare off the prey in order to make a second shot if the first one was unsuccessful. A mentor teaching young people how to shoot will not have to look for headphones so that students are not afraid of being shot. Finally, for the military, before the advent of silent machine guns and rifles such as “Val” and VSS, this allowed them to destroy sentries without making too much noise.
An advantage is the extremely low recoil. However, this is not surprising: knowing what caliber the small gun is, it is difficult to assume that the recoil will be strong. This is also very important for different users. Especially for beginners. They often do not know how to shoot and make serious mistakes. A powerful blow from recoil may well discourage you from continuing to shoot. And it will be easier for the hunter to make a second shot - at the same target or at a different one, if the first bullet landed well.
It’s nice that the small gun’s combat range is significantly greater than that of any smooth-bore weapon. A good shooter will confidently place a bullet at 150-200 meters - for 12 gauge this distance is prohibitive. With an optical sight, hitting a target at a long distance becomes even easier.
The small thing weighs very little, which allows even a teenager to walk with it through the forest for a long time without feeling tired.
Finally, the cost of a cartridge ranges from 8 to 20 rubles - several times cheaper than for smooth-bore weapons. And this is a very important factor for our time.
Existing disadvantages
Alas, any weapon that has advantages is not without its disadvantages. Well, the main drawback of the small thing is its destructive power. More precisely, its almost complete absence.
However, one cannot expect anything else. A small caliber, a tiny amount of gunpowder, a small bullet weight - all this leads to the fact that it becomes simply impossible to hit large prey. Even a person who is significantly inferior to a bear, wild boar or wolf, after a mortal wound, can remain mobile for a long time and pose a danger to the shooter.
However, this is where the shortcomings end.
What kind of production is it suitable for?
The list of birds and animals that can be killed with a small-caliber rifle is quite extensive. These are duck, black grouse, hare, squirrel, sable, beaver, marmot and many others. But here it is very important to make an accurate shot. Shooting at a moving target is almost always useless - only a sniper can cope with such a task. And the bullet should immediately kill the prey. With a normal wound, she will be able to run or fly long enough to get lost and die in vain. Therefore, it is advisable to shoot only at a stationary target, preferably with an optical sight, in order to be able to choose the place where the bullet will hit - the heart, lungs.
Who to hunt
These guns have been used by hunting enthusiasts for several decades. Such weapons are distinguished by a quiet shot, low recoil and a relatively low price. But it is better to choose a rifle based on the purpose of the hunt.
Feathered
When hunting ducks, geese or wood grouse, you can achieve good results using small-caliber weapons. But shooting birds in flight is quite difficult. Therefore, you can purchase small-caliber cartridges that use shot instead of bullets. This will make it possible to use the small thing as a shotgun
Furry animal
Small-caliber weapons are most often used when hunting small fur-bearing animals. With small fish you can hunt squirrel, marten, ermine, weasel and other fur-bearing animals.
Medium sized beast
Small-caliber rifles can also be used when hunting medium-sized animals, for example the following:
- roe deer;
- fox;
- beavers;
- rabbits.
ATTENTION! These rifles are not suitable for hunting larger animals, as it leaves behind a lot of wounded animals, and sometimes the animals can suffer for a long time due to unsuccessful shots by the hunter.
A few words about TOZ-8
Of course, the most famous small-caliber rifle in our country was and remains the TOZ-8. The standard caliber of the small TOZ-8 is .22 LR. And it was developed back in 1932, specifically for training young people in DOSAAF clubs. It has also found some application in hunting. And during the war it was widely used by partisans to destroy enemies and sentries.
Weighing 3.1 kilograms, the rifle had a range of up to 250 meters. The only drawback was the single charge. And yet, in the USSR, about a million units were produced over several years.
All Russian-made models and their characteristics
Small-caliber weapons are considered the easiest to master the skills of wielding a weapon, handling a rifle and ammunition, as well as honing your shooting skills. The small ones are smooth-bore and rifled. The first type of small gun is allowed by law for those who are just learning to use a weapon, and the second can only be used after 5 years of shooting experience. Below are the most popular models of domestically produced small-caliber weapons.
This video provides a comparative overview of TOZ-78 and SKS:
TOZ-8
This small model was developed about 90 years ago by engineer D. Kochetov. And it was precisely these rifles that were used by Soviet partisans during the Great Patriotic War. The TOZ-8 uses 5.6x16 mm cartridges. The rifle is equipped with a percussion-type trigger mechanism, and its barrel has a cylindrical shape. The rifle itself has a simple design and consists of the following parts:
- cylindrical barrel;
- boxes with shutter;
- trigger mechanism;
- a pistol-type stock made of birch wood.
ATTENTION! The modification of the TOZ-9 rifle differs in that it has a 5-round magazine, unlike other single-shot models.
The target firing range is about 250 m, and the maximum bullet path is 1200-1600 m. The rifle's front sight has a cylindrical shape, and its tongue is elongated at the base. The front of the rifle is equipped with a clutch, there is no safety. Also, this weapon can be equipped with an optical sight. The barrel length is 600-640 mm, and the total length of the rifle is 1110 mm. The weight of the rifle is 3-4 kg. Currently, small-caliber TOZ-8 rifles or carbines are most often used for hunting game.
Why is MP-161 interesting?
A much more interesting option is the MP-161 carbine, also chambered for the .22LR cartridge. The short barrel significantly reduced the firing range, but in terms of other characteristics, the small 5.6 caliber turned out to be very successful.
The magazine allows you to load up to 9 rounds at once, which means you don’t have to waste extra time reloading. The design of the rifle is excellent - ergonomic, even futuristic.
The length of the stock is easily adjustable, as is the height of the rest, which makes it possible to adjust the weapon to a specific shooter, increasing the level of comfort.
There is a place for mounting an optical sight.
It’s nice that the carbine weighs only 2.6 kilograms, which is very important for owners.
So this development can be called very successful - you definitely won’t regret such an acquisition.
