AS Val and VSS Vintorez

The AS Val "Shaft" (Russian: АС «Вал»; Автома́т Специа́льный, romanized: Avtomát Spetsiálny "Val", lit. 'Special Automatic') and VSS Vintorez "Thread Cutter" (Russian: ВСС «Винторе́з» Винто́вка Сна́йперская Специа́льная, romanized: Vintóvka Snáyperskaya Spetsiálnaya "Vintorez", lit. 'Special "Sniper" Rifle'), 6P30 and 6P29 (GRAU designation) respectively, are Soviet-designed assault rifles featuring an integral suppressor based on the prototype RG-036 completed in 1981 by TsNIITochMash. The two rifles hereafter are referred to as the Vintorez and Val. The Vintorez (beginning in 1983) and Val (beginning in 1985) were developed by TsNIITochMash to replace modified general-purpose firearms, such as the AKS-74UB, BS-1, APB, and PB, for clandestine operations, much like the PSS Vul. Manufacturing began at the Tula Arms Plant after its adoption by the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union in 1987.

The ASM (6P30M) and VSSM (6P29M) are modernized variants of the AS and VSS respectively The VSSM is equipped with an aluminium buttstock with an adjustable cheek and butt pad and a new 30-round magazine was introduced to be intended for use with the ASM. Both rifles are also outfitted with a Picatinny rail on the top of the dust cover and on the sides and bottom of the suppressor, forward of the handguard. The mounts which shroud the suppressor can be removed. Deliveries began in 2018.

Development

The AS Val can trace its origins back to the 1960 U-2 incident, where the Soviets captured US Air Force pilot Gary Powers alongside his equipment, including a suppressed pistol, which impressed them enough to issue a requirement for similar Soviet weapon. The captured pistol was examined by the TsNIITochMash at Klimovsk by a team of designers that included G. Petropavlov, Yu Krulov, V. Sabelinikov, A. Neougodev, A. Deryagin, A. Khinikadze, I. Kas'yanov, P. Serdyukov, V. Petrov, and V. Levchenko. They pioneered the development of suppressed weapons and specialized ammunition in Russia.Template:Sfn

With increasing tensions between the West and the Soviet Union during the late 1970s and 1980s, and both the United States and the USSR locked in a war between proxies, the KGB and GRU ordered the development of small arms suitable for covert operations around the world and in 1981, weapon designers P. I. Serdyukov and V. F. Krasnikov of TsNIITochMash began working on a combination of a new suppressed rifle and subsonic cartridge.Template:Sfn

Development of the VSS Vintorez was carried out in parallel with the AS Val, to provide a suppressed sniper rifle for Spetsnaz undercover or clandestine units and capable of defeating NATO body armour at ranges up to Template:Convert with little noise as possible.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Design

File:VSSM Vintorez 6P29M - 4thTankDivisionOpenDay17p2-22.jpg

A VSSM with a 20-round magazine

The AS Val uses a modified Kalashnikov action - a gas-operated rotating bolt combined with an integral suppressor and chambered for the 9×39mm SP-6 cartridge firing a heavy 250 grain bullet at subsonic speed.Template:Sfn The suppressor makes use of the dual-chamber principle: the propellant gases are vented through specially designed perforations along the barrel into the first chamber, where the hot gases cool down and lose pressure before passing through the second chamber via a series of mesh screens which break the gas stream even further before leaving the barrel.Template:SfnTemplate:Sf The resulting sound signature is significantly lower than an unsuppressed rifle, and even from a short distance it cannot be recognized as the discharge of a rifle.Template:Sfn The VSS Vintorez suppressor and operating systems are exactly the same as the AS Val, but optimised to fire the 9×39mm SP-5 subsonic cartridge with a hardened steel or tungsten tip to defeat body armour.Template:Sfn

The AS Val uses a 20-round detachable box magazine, while the VSS Vintorez uses a 10-round, though they are interchangeable.Template:Sfn They can also accept the SR-3 Vikhr magazines and vice versa.Template:Sfn The magazines have a series of horizontal indentations to provide tactile identification and prevent confusion with Kalashnikov-pattern magazines.Template:Sfn The indentations also provide rigidity to the magazine walls.Template:Sfn

The VSS Vintorez can be broken down for transport in a special aluminum briefcase for clandestine operations. A PSO-1-1 (1P43) telescopic sight, a NPSU-3 night sight with a 3.46X magnification, and two magazines are included in the briefcase.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The AS Val can mount the PSO-1 telescopic sight of the SVD rifle, or the 1PN52-1 night sight. Iron sights are also provided to both rifles.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn According to Janes, the VSS telescopic sight has a length of Template:Convert and weights Template:Convert, while the night sight has a length of Template:Convert and weights Template:Convert.Template:Sfn

Both guns are selective fire designs. While the Vintorez is normally used in single-fire mode wih 10-round magazines, it is capable of firing short bursts of automatic fire and use the 20-round magazine from the Val in cases of emergency.Template:Sfn The full auto fire option of the Vintorez can also be used for ambushes or attacks against soft-skinned vehicles such as trucks.Template:Sfn

Operational history

Both the AS Val and VSS Vintorez were issued to Soviet troops since the late 1980s. They were used during the First Chechen War in 1994 and the Second Chechen War in 1999, though they remained relatively obscure amongst Western intelligence agencies and similar organizations until the Russians deployed troops to South Ossetia during the Russo-Georgian War in 2008.Template:Sfn During the conflict, both Russian and Georgian forces used the VSS Vintorez.Template:Sfn They were also seen in use by Russian Spetsnaz during the Russo-Ukrainian War.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

File:UA International Legion of TDF 02.jpg

International Legion of Territorial Defence Forces of Ukraine soldier showing a captured Russian AS Val

The VSS Vintorez was used in small numbers by the Security Service of Ukraine's Alpha Group, which was protecting the Ukrainian embassy in Iraq in the 2000s. By 2014, it was no longer in use by any security forces in Ukraine.Template:Sfn According to Militarnyi, the VSS was retired from service due to the lack of ammo. However, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, significant numbers of AS Val and VSS Vintorez rifles were captured from Russian forces.

Users

File:2018 Moscow Victory Day Parade 43.jpg

National Guard of Russia troops carrying the AS Val in the 2018 Moscow Victory Day Parade

Current

• Template:Country data Armenia: A small number of weapons were received from Russia among other arms before 2014.
• Template:Country data Belarus: Used by various special forces
• Template:Country data Cuba: Used by the Mobile Brigade of Special Troops
• Template:Country data Georgia: Used by army and police special forces, some configured with Aimpoint and Kobra red dot sights
• : Used by MARCOS
• Template:Country data Russia: Used by Special forces, Federal Security Service (FSB) and OMONTemplate:Sfn

Former

• Template:Country data Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
• Template:Country data Soviet Union

Gallery

• An ASM with a 30-round magazine
  An ASM with a 30-round magazine
• The instruction sheet of the AS Val which includes a field stripped model of the rifle
  The instruction sheet of the AS Val which includes a field stripped model of the rifle
• PSO-1M2-1 scope mounted on a VSS Vintorez
  PSO-1M2-1 scope mounted on a VSS Vintorez

See also

• AMB-17
• OTs-14 Groza

Bibliography

• Template:Cite report