USAn pistol ”Wool” and its USAn modification - a weapon for secret missions (Topic)

The PSS silent pistol (Soviet code - "Wool"), being one of the types of special weapons, remained in the shadows for a long time. And, although in the 90s everyone became aware of its existence, detailed information about this pistol has not yet been announced: after all, its purpose is secret operations.

Not a single military training publication has ever admitted to which units of the MSS is intended for the state. After the collapse of the USSR and the public disclosure of "Vula" in the Western press, it was even believed that secret agents were using the pistol. However, for such a mission, the PSS is too noticeable - the unique cartridges specially developed for it serve as a rather bright marker by which it can be identified.

When Noise Effects Are Needed

The main strategic task of "Vul" for the 80s was to change another type of weapon - a pistol with a PB silencer, which was used by intelligence and state security officers. PB does not belong to outdated samples, its use is still relevant, but it cannot be called completely silent. As the standard silenced model, there is still a slight popping sound during the shot.

There are a couple of basic methods to make shots quieter: you can use low power cartridges with additional weakening by means of a subsonic bullet velocity. In doing so, they actually turn the pistol into a “toy shooter”. Or add the length of the muffler itself, and the ammunition in this case will be of standard power.

Why does the PSS shoot completely silently

The MSS does not use any standard sound suppression technology. Compact in size and light in weight, the Wool is completely silent. The pistol designers (V. Levchenko and Yu. Krylov) managed to achieve this by using a special type of ammunition - the SP-4 modification. Its principle of operation lies in the technology in which the powder gases at the moment of the shot remain inside the sleeve. In this case, the rod that ejects the bullet closes their access, and since the noise is produced directly by gases expanding in the air, the SP-4 shot is completely silent. The only noise from the PSS is the sounds of its moving parts and at the moment a bullet hits the target.

Although outwardly "Wool" is quite simple, its internals are well thought out. For example, its non-fixed chamber with a return spring. At the moment the bullet hits the rifling, the chamber, together with the sleeve, opens the barrel from the back side. This does not create a zone of reduced pressure in the channel, so the bullet fires without the characteristic pop. Then, on reversing, a special part of the chamber slightly grips the reversing bolt, minimizing the sound from its contact with the pistol frame.

Improved modification - PSS-2

Pistol "Wool" among all silent models occupies a separate position and is quite in demand among services with special specifics of work. Its modernized version - PSS-2 has a more modern structure.

First of all, for the updated version, modernized SP-16 cartridges were created to replace the SP-4. If SP-4 from a distance of 20 meters coped with a construction of a steel helmet and a pine board of 25 mm, then SP-16 breaks through the same obstacle, which is additionally placed in a bulletproof vest. This is facilitated by the front part of the bullet made of hard alloy, made in the form of a chisel. In addition, the SP-16 has become even more powerful compared to the previous ammunition - it has more propellant, more speed (a bullet travels 300 m in 1 second, for SP-4 this indicator is 200 m). We can say that the properties of the SP-16 have many similarities with the characteristics of supersonic cartridges.

PSS-2 has grown in size, catching up with full-fledged samples of army pistols. Despite the fact that now the weapon is more difficult to hide, it has become more comfortable to use it. The new modification corrects a small physical defect of the Soviet "Vul", namely a rather wide handle. To change it, the developers redesigned the ammunition supply unit.

PSS-2 received the same design of the firing mechanism, which is present in the model of the SR-1 pistol (aka "Gyurza"). The design provides for the presence of two fuses, which are removed at the moment of gripping the handle, so you can shoot immediately after removing the pistol. Also, the PSS-2 is equipped with a Picatinny rail, but which is attached to additional elements.

We can say that the new "Wool" has changed not only constructively, but also conceptually. Instead of a weapon that plays a secondary or even a third-rate role, which the special forces took as an addition, the pistol has become a full-fledged model suitable for close combat, but at the same time retaining the basic silent function.

The Topic of Article: USAn pistol ”Wool” and its USAn modification - a weapon for secret missions.
Author: Jake Pinkman