Oh-oh-oh, no bang-bang!
De Lisle Commando Carbin, UK
William Godfrey De Lisle from the age of 16 was fond of weapons, and by the beginning of World War II he worked in the Ministry of Aviation. Youthful imagination and practical experience gave an excellent result. The sound of the shot of his brainchild was not heard even in the middle of the night, the firing range at the same time reached 250 meters. According to eyewitnesses, the loudest sound source was the impact of the striker on the cartridge primer.
In order not to give out his location, the shooter had to ensure the defeat of the target from the first shot. In almost all comparative characteristics, “De Lisle” was better than others: the degree of suppression of the sound of a shot, accuracy, shooting accuracy … It is not surprising that a job was found for him in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Soon after the war, most of the “De Lisle” was destroyed: the authorities feared that they would lose control and the weapons could fall into the hands of criminals.
9-mm silent pistol “Welrod Mk1” (Welrod Mk1), UK
The superiority of the enemy in 1940 forced Great Britain to change the tactics of fighting Germany. Direct clashes between regular units did not bode well, at the same time, special weapons were required to successfully carry out sabotage operations behind enemy lines.
In 1942, in a laboratory located in London, one of the most effective pistols of the Second World War was created – the 9-mm silent pistol Velrod Mk1. An integrated silencer eliminated mechanical sounds at the time of the shot and after it. Luminous dots on the sight and front sight helped to aim at night.
The pistol was designed to be fired by an experienced shooter at a distance of up to 45 meters during the day and up to 18 meters at night; at a greater distance, the shooting was considered ineffective. The weapon was used during secret operations in Laos, Cambodia and North Vietnam.
Self-loading pistol PSS (“Vul”), USSR
In the USSR, the creation of special-purpose weapons was carried out in complete secrecy. In practice, such a weapon was not urgently needed. Nevertheless, the work of the designers A. Levchenko and Yu. Krylov was highly appreciated. In 1983, a “special self-loading pistol”, aka “Wool”, was adopted for service.
The sound level of the PSS shot is in the interval between the shot of the 4.5 mm air rifle and the clap of the palms. Considering the purpose of the weapon – the silent destruction of the enemy at short distances – the pistol was quite compact and easily fit in a coat pocket.
The production of the PSS was entrusted to the notorious Tula Arms Plant. The cartridges were made of solid carbide, with a brass guide band in the front and a small recess in the back. A heavy bullet from a distance of 20 meters pierced a steel helmet, and from 30 meters – a steel sheet 5 mm thick.
Pistol Mark 3 Model 0, USA
In the late 1960s, the United States set similar tasks for the development of “silent” pistols using powerful cartridges. In 1972, a similar device was patented, and soon it was put into service under the name MKZ Model 0.
The key goal of the project was to create a universal waterproof silencer that a combat swimmer could use not only under water, but also immediately after going ashore. If the pistol and silencer were transported separately by the swimmer, the muzzle of the barrel was sealed with a rubber cap. The muffler successfully fulfilled its purpose, but was subject to rapid wear, its service life was only 30 rounds.
MP-5SD submachine gun, Germany
Firm “Heckler und Koch” created the 9-mm submachine gun MP5, which gained fame and commercial success. Within the model range, “silent” models with the SD index were developed, equipped with an integrated silencer.
In the 1960s, the company quickly became popular in the domestic market: the police, the German border guard and the GSG-9 counter-terrorist group. Soon, MP5 began to be purchased by other countries. In 1981, during a special operation to free the Iranian embassy in London, a German pistol was used. Now its modifications are used by special forces in more than 30 countries of the world, and an unlicensed copy of Norinco NR08 is being produced in China.
Silent pistol CZ91S “Scorpion”, Czechoslovakia
In the 1990s, the usefulness of silent weapons was also realized at the arms company Ceska Zbroevka from the town of Uherski Brod. It was there that the self-loading silent pistol chambered for the 9×19 “Parabellum” cartridge was created.
The pistol was conceived to defeat the enemy in the cramped conditions of close combat, in local conflicts in urban areas.
In 1994, a Scorpion was discovered at the site of the contract murder of Russian businessman Sergei Mazharov in Paris.
Today, the CZ91S is in service in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, as well as in the personal collection of world leaders: former US President George W. Bush, King of Jordan and King of Bahrain.
Related materials:
- Test: name the parts of the Kalashnikov assault rifle correctly
- What is it like to shoot from a PPSh, a Mauser, a revolver, a Mosin rifle and nine other types of firearms
- 23 funniest pictures of the week and the Kansas prisoner
- How to get a weapon permit: simple and clear video instructions
- A sticky grenade and other ridiculous weapons for which the military had to blush
