Silence!

This is coolbert:

Thanks to the Russian web site WorldGuns.

Here is a collection of silenced firearms - - the like of which would be carried and employed by ranger/commando/special operations units that perform direct action missions.

Direct action missions requiring stealth, surreptitious entry of a facility, the elimination of guards and sentries in a silent manner, etc.

Perhaps the word MUFFLED is more appropriate when speaking of "silenced" firearms? The report [the sound a firearm makes is called the "report"] is not totally eliminated with most silenced weapons [?], but is rather markedly reduced? This is more correct?

Silencers do have drawbacks that preclude widespread battlefield use! To include:

* Reduced effective range and "stopping power" of the firearm! ["stopping power" is especially critical with a handgun, ALL handguns being marginal stoppers to begin with!]

* A silencer, according to what I read, is effective for only about ten to twenty rounds max, and then loses all ability to "muffle" the report!

Here with a smattering of silenced military firearms, past and present:

* PB silenced pistol [Soviet/Russian].

Each and every Soviet/Russian spetsnaz soldier carries one of these pistols, strapped to his leg. Allow for the parachutist to defend himself immediately upon landing, his AK having been secured in a case prior to exiting the aircraft. A pistol that can be used in either the silenced or non-silenced mode!

"The PB (Pistolet Besshumnyj - Silenced Pistol), also known for Soviet/Russian army as 6P9, has been developed by 1967 for Spetsnaz elements of the Soviet army . . . The pistol is based on significantly modified Makarov PM pistol, and features an unique integral two-part silencer. The rear part of the silencer is fixed around the barrel, which is drilled to decrease the muzzle velocity below the speed of sound."





* Welrod silenced pistol [British].

"British World War Two [WW2] era silenced pistol. A bolt-action pistol [!!], originally of .32 caliber, used by special operations units even up until the 1990's!"



"[the]Welrod pistol was developed in UK by Special Operations Executive (S.O.E.), a government organisation which was tasked with intelligence, diversions and other special operations . . . 9mm Welrod Mk.I commenced in 1944, on request of the British Special operations forces. The latter model survived for a quite long time, and some 9mm Welrod Mk.I pistols were apparently still in operational use by British Special Operations forces as late as in 1991, during the operation Desert Storm.

* VSS silenced sniper rifle [Soviet/Russian].

Currently IN USE by Russian airborne and special operations [Spetsnaz] units. Effective range with integral silencer is about 200 meters.



"VSS (Vinovka Snaiperskaja Spetsialnaya = Special Sniper Rifle) was designed for special operations . . . [this weapon uses ] a new subsonic cartridge, based on the 7.62x39 case, necked out for 9mm bullet. The bullets used in new cartridges are long and heavy (about 16 gram), and of ball (SP-5) and AP (SP-6) type. The latter bullet features a hardened steel penetrator as the core, and can defeat most military issue body armors at ranges up to 300-400 meters." [this rifle is accurate out to about 200 meters]



The above photo taken this year, 2008. That young-looking Russian troop [either airborne or spetsnaz!] guarding those captured Georgian soldiers is carrying the VSS silenced sniper rifle.

* Sten - - Mk.II(S) [British].

A silenced version of the famous Sten gun. WW2 era sub-machine gun produced for a cost of about $8! THIS WEAPONS WAS CARRIED AND USED BY THE JAYWICK RAIDERS DURING THE ABORTIVE OPERATION RIMAU!



"Some Mk.II STEN guns were manufactured with integral silencers for undercover operations and were marked as These guns had shortened barrels enclosed into integral silencer. The silencer was rather effective so most audible sound when firing Mk.IIS was the clattering of the bolt moving back and forth in the receiver."

* De Lisle Carbine (De Lisle Silenced Carbine) [British].

This was an interesting prototype [?] weapon that may have been used by the troops of the Long Range Desert Group [LRDG]! A modified British SMLE rifle with integral silencer, firing the .45 caliber ACP pistol round!



"the De Lisle carbine was invented by William De Lisle. The weapon is a combination of the modified SMLE bolt, receiver, and stock mated to a shortened Thompson submachine barrel. The magazine housing and the bolt’s face has been adapted to accept the 7 round magazine for the Colt M1911a1 pistol . . . An integral sound suppressor is fitted to the carbine and ran the full length of the barrel and then several inches beyond."

"The .45 ACP round was selected because it is a subsonic round . . . The 45 ACP was ideal because it retains close to its full lethality even with a suppressor."

[and the LRDG too carried as a standard [?] weapon the Thompson .45 ACP sub-machine gun! You would have a commonality of ammunition here. An important consideration for special operations units?]

"A primary use for the carbine was to kill radio operators, high value targets (leaders) and sentries when conducting raids or planting explosives on airfields or other important targets."

Exactly! As I have said: "direct action missions requiring stealth, surreptitious entry [penetration] of a facility [airbase]"!

coolbert.