Shooting knife: the principle of work

Do you know that there are knives that can shoot pistol bullets? Surprisingly, they really are. Moreover, they are produced in Russia, at the Tula Arms Factory. In this article we will get acquainted with the most popular and technological of them - the knife of NRS-2. This abbreviation stands for "scouting knife shooting". Such a specific type of weapon is intended for self-defense of intelligence fighters and some structures of the armed forces. The blade allows in the event of the loss of the main weapon to hit the opponent both in the near (blow or throw) and distant (shot) combat. By the word "far" is meant a fight at a distance of not more than 25 meters. Aiming at more significant distances is impossible, since the product sits in the hand of an arrow much worse than a firearm.

Now we learn how the NRS-2 shooting knife was created and which model was its prototype.

First development

As can be understood from the title, the subject of our conversation was not the first example of a shooting cold weapon created in Russia, or rather, even in the USSR. In the 1970s, the Ministry of Defense, together with the KGB of the Soviet Union, initiated the creation of a knife that could fire pistol cartridges. So the project of LDCs appeared. Its leader was the creator of the silent SMG pistol, Raphael Hlynin.

The knife was designed specially for the cartridge of SP-3 with a caliber of 7.62 mm. This noiseless cartridge, developed back in the 60's, was completed with a bullet from an automatic 7.62-millimeter round cartridge in the distant 1943 model and a telescoping piston-pusher, located inside the shell, between the powder charge and the bullet. When shot, the pusher-pusher, giving energy to the bullet, stopped at the bevels of the cartridge case, thereby cutting off the powder gases, as a result of which no flame or sound appeared.

New complex

In 1983, a new silent weapons complex including a PSS pistol with a caliber of 7.62 mm and a cartridge SM-4 entered service with the units of the Ministry of Defense and the KGB of the USSR. The PSS pistol replaced other quiet models operating on the SP-2 and SP-3 missiles. When there was a special cartridge SP-4, the question arose that under it it is necessary to create a new shooting knife. The task was very difficult, because the SP-4 significantly exceeded all previous versions of noiseless cartridges in terms of their energy characteristics. The best engineers of the TOZ carried out works on the modernization of the LDCs: GA Savishchev, IF Shedlo and V. Ya. Ovchinnikov.

The shooting device located in the handle was adjusted to the new cartridge. Fly began to be made of metal and was able to adjust for height. On the handle of the cutters, mounted in the sheath, there were holes for crimping the detonator capsule. Simultaneously with the development of the LDC-2 on the instructions of the customer, a conventional (non-shooting) version of the knife, called HP-2, was developed. In 1986, both models were adopted for service.

The shooting knife of the scout NRS-1 differed from the new model mainly by such parameters:

1. Use of the cartridge SP-3.
2. Blade in shape is similar to a bayonet knife from AKM.
3. At the end of the handle is a plastic protrusion-fly.
4. Sheath does not have a screwdriver.

How is the knife of NRS-2

This product is a knife, in the handle of which is mounted a single-shot shooting device. It consists of practically the same elements as the pistol, namely: a three-dimensional barrel, a locking device, a box, a USB stick, a cocking lever, a flag-type fuse and a trigger hook.

Handle

In the back of the handle is the trunk. The muzzle is located at the end of the handle and is covered by a split curtain made of rubber. On the crosshair-limiter (guard) is a slot that performs the function of the whole. Accordingly, there is also a fly, which is located at the end of the handle. It can be adjusted in height. On the other hand, a petal with a hole is located on the crosshair, which is needed to extract the spent cartridge case from the chamber. The handle is made of green or brown (less common) color and has a large mesh corrugation.

Blade

The blade is made of steel 25Х17Н2БШ and covered with black chrome. The blade has a smooth bevel at the point, called in the people "pike". It allows piercing tight clothing and punching a 1 mm thick steel sheet. On the knife edge is located a saw, which is capable of sawing a metal rod with a diameter of 1 cm.

Sheath

The sheath performs not only the basic function - the insulation of the blade during transportation - but also a number of auxiliary ones. On their lateral part are installed nippers, which are able to bite a two-wire steel wire with a diameter of 2.5 mm, which is under voltage 380 volts, or a 5-millimeter telephone cable.

On the end part there is a short flat screwdriver, allowing to unscrew the screws with a diameter of more than 6 mm. To make the blade more densely fixed in the sheath, they have a wide leaf spring.

Knife configuration

A shooting knife comes with a number of accessories. The kit includes:

1. Accessories pencil case.
2. Liner for the handle. Replaces the shooting device in the handle. Allows you to work out the techniques of throwing a knife, without worrying about the risk of deformation mechanisms.
3. 2 pendants for carrying. One belt, and the other - loincloth.
4. Obturator. It serves to prevent the breakthrough of powder gases through the gap between the barrel channel and the projectile girdle, at the beginning of the shot.
5. Bag for cartridges.
6. Spring.
7. Sheath.

Preparing for a shot

To charge the LRS (scouting knife shooting), you need to move the locking device and, having turned the trunk, take it out of the handle. Then a cartridge is inserted into the chamber. After that, holding the barrel chamber up, you need to insert it back into the handle in such a way that the protrusions on the barrel enter the grooves carved on the box of the shooting device. Then you need to turn the barrel and return the locking device to its place. It remains only to cast USM. To do this, turn the cocking lever all the way up and release it. The fuse should be put in the "fire" position.

Shot

To aim, you need to take a shooting knife with a blade to yourself so that the index finger of the right hand is on the trigger lever. The blade is clamped between two palms, and the crosshair (guard) rests against the thumbs. At the same time, the palm of the left hand is placed over the palm of the right hand. In no event should you put your fingers on the muzzle, for obvious reasons. The aiming is done by means of a cut on the guard and a fly at the end of the handle. Now you can shoot a smooth descent of the hook.

The shot has a kickback, but its strength is not greater than that of the PSS pistol. In this case, the scout knife firing produces a quieter shot, since it has no moving parts, and the firing sleeve does not crash.

Recharge

After carrying out the shot, it is necessary to remove the barrel from the knife's handle and pull out the used sleeve with the help of hooks on the guard. During the shot, the cartridge is heated and pressed against the walls of the chamber. Then everything goes the same as described above. An experienced user of a shooting knife can recharge it in 20 seconds.

SP-4 cartridge

The cartridge was created specifically for silent fire from PSS pistols and other types of special weapons, including knives. It is considered to be an enclosed type of ammunition, since the powder gas is locked in the liner after the shot thanks to a special piston pushing the bullet. Complete gas shut-off and subsonic initial velocity of the bullet ensure a noiselessness. A bullet of a cylindrical shape is installed in the cartridge, which weighs exactly 10 grams and has a brass lead band. Its hardness ranges from 53 to 58 units on the Rockwell scale, which provides a high penetration ability. The cartridge itself has a length of 42 millimeters, of which 41 mm is occupied by the extracted sleeve.

Western analogues

In the western special units, such knives are also widely used. And there are quite a few manufacturers who produce them, starting from the simplest products of the company "EK" and ending with high-tech products of the companies "Ka-Bar", "Puma" and "Cold Steel". Knives are characterized by the highest quality and quite solid value. At the same time, they are presented in a large number of implementations, from stiletto versions, in which the cutting properties are practically reduced to zero, to hunting blades that are of little use as firearms, but are convenient in domestic needs.

To date, there is a tendency to simplify shooting knives and give them more unified functions. The blade becomes longer and wider, and the guard gradually disappears as a separate part and is increasingly replaced by the blade protrusions or the handle extensions. The rear pommel also becomes obsolete, yielding to the practicality of the shank protrusion.

Knife, shooting with a blade

In addition to the firearm, there is also a knife, shooting blades. This type is more simple to manufacture and operate, but less suitable in combat conditions. He shoots with his own blade, after which only the pen remains in the hands of the fighter. How to make a shooting knife of this type? Very simple. A spring is placed in the hollow handle, on which the blade is placed. Then the blade is fixed with a piece resembling a grenade check and the knife is ready. If necessary, the check is pulled out, and the blade flies.

The use of the knife HPC-2

Before we talk about the practicality of this type of product, we give a full range of its combat and operational characteristics. Knife shooting NRS-2 has the following parameters:

1. Weight of the product with scabbard, without suspensions - 570 g.
2. Weight of knife without sheath - 360 g.
3. The dimensions of the product in sheath are 330/64 / 32.5 mm.
4. Dimensions without sheath - 285 / 52,5 / 32,5 mm.
5. Blade length - 160 mm
6. The width of the blade is 28 mm.
7. Thickness of the butt - 3,4 mm.
8. The effort to remove the knife from the scabbard is 4-15 kg.
9. The length of the aiming line is 10.5 cm.
10. The aiming range of fire is 25 m.
11. The speed of the bullet is 200 m / s.
12. Rate of fire - 2 rounds per minute.

Thus, the LRS-2 (second-generation scouting knife) fully justifies its name. It is really suitable for reconnaissance operations due to its small size and wide functionality. With this knife you can:

1. Cut or plan a tree.
2. Saw steel bars with a diameter of up to 1 cm.
3. Cut the wire.
4. Cut live electrical wires.
5. Unscrew and tighten the screws.
6. Crimping the capsule-detonators.
7. Effectively strike blows in a knife fight.
8. Shoot close targets with a powerful patron.

Conclusion

The shooting knives, the photos of which are given above, are quite a specific kind of weapon that is constantly evolving. They are interesting, but absolutely impractical in conditions of a real conflict of arms. Considering that the knife of NRS-2, which became the main subject of today's conversation, can fire at best twice per minute, it is designed for an accurate shot and does not give the right to make a mistake. Preparation for the shot and the shot itself takes too long to conduct active fire resistance. The use of such knives as a firearm is possible only in emergency cases, when a fighter lost the ability to fire from a pistol or in partisan operations, when there is a need for conspiracy.