The Val family of arms has several types of small arms. Most of them are basically unique designs that are not used anywhere else in the world. Machine guns and rifles "Val" have a number of features that distinguish them from the rest of the military weapons.
History of creation. Echo of the cold war
During the time of the intensified confrontation between the USSR and the United States, when the geography of active wars and armed conflicts was already quite extensive, and could even expand at any time, the development of new weapons was more relevant than ever. Everything was significant: from nuclear submarines to small arms for close combat. Rifle "Vintorez" was developed in the 1970s and already in the late 1980s adopted. The KGB officers, intelligence units, and parts of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were the first to appreciate its advantages. A new weapon was intended to destroy targets in special conditions with sniper fire. The rifle allowed for silent shooting due to the possibility of using a silencer. This weapon was used to destroy enemy manpower and damage to unarmored vehicles.
New development
Vintorez, which proved to be excellent in battle, formed the basis for the next development of TsNIITOCHMASH. It was decided to create a fundamentally new weapon based on it, combining the advantages of a sniper rifle and an assault rifle. The novelty was originally conceived as an assault precision weapon.
So there was a “Val” - a special-purpose machine, which scouts, attack aircraft and snipers could use with equal success. Machine guns and rifles "Val" are almost identical, the differences relate only to the shape of the butts and the number of rounds in a regular store. Over time, the name “Val” itself stuck to both types of weapons, displacing the familiar name “Vintorez”.
Silent shooting
Rifles "Shaft" can be equipped with silencers. Sound attenuation occurs due to the integrating principle. A bullet passes by several holes in the barrel, powder gases sequentially seep through them into the silencer chamber. The temperature of the gases decreases, their volume and pressure on the exhaust are reduced. In addition, a single sound is split into components. The final sound waves are reflected from the oblique partitions of the separator, overlapping and mutually absorbed.
Hidden wear
In addition to silent shooting, the “Shaft” rifle can also be carried over covertly. To do this, remove the scope, silencer and butt. The disassembled rifle will fit into a regular suitcase or sports bag, the dimensions of which are at least 37: 27: 4.5 cm.
Structure
The design is extremely simple. A feature of the rifle is the trigger mechanism, consisting of a drummer and a pair of whispers. One of them is intended for automatic fire, the second - for a single. The very principle of automation and locking is similar to the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Vintorez sniper rifles and Shaft submachine gun consist of a barrel with a receiver, a stock, a silencer, sights, a bolt frame with a piston, the bolt itself, an impact, return and trigger mechanisms, a gas pipe, forearm, receiver cover and a regular the store. The automation is based on the principle of the removal of powder gases from the barrel channel into the gas chamber, and this channel is locked by turning the shutter with six protrusions. A gas piston is rigidly connected to the bolt frame. Inside it is hollow, a reciprocating spring enters into it with the front end. The fuse box is located on the right, it closes the groove for the reload handle, protecting the box from dust and dirt. The fire transition mechanism is located in the trigger guard, behind the trigger. If you bring it to a horizontal position, you can conduct a single fire, when moving to the left - automatic shooting. The reload handle is located to the right of the receiver. Sights include an open sector sight mounted on the silencer body, and front sight flies. The plastic box magazine has a capacity of 10 rounds.
A folding metal hollow butt is a feature of the “Val” assault rifle , while the sniper rifle has a wooden butt with a rubber back, similar in shape to the SVD butt. Speaking about the features of the weapons of the "Val" family, one cannot fail to mention the unique structure of the barrel. Its front part is closed by a muffler, it has 6 rows of through holes. When a shot occurs and the bullet passes through the bore, powder gases exit through these openings, subsequently falling into the muffler cylinder, where they are scattered sequentially, go into expansion chambers and a separator, breaking into mutually extinguishing flows. Their cooling takes place in a radiator grid. The separator has several partitions located at different angles relative to the axis of the bore. This design, along with the use of the SP-5 cartridge, can significantly reduce the level of unmasking sounds and flashes.
Cartridges
The “Val” assault rifle, unlike most sniper rifles, can conduct both single fire and burst fire. Cartridges SP-5 and SP-6 are suitable for this weapon. The bullet of the SP-6 cartridge has a powder charge and a steel core, which makes it 20% more powerful than the SP-5. Such a bullet can penetrate a six-millimeter steel sheet from a distance of 200 meters. When firing at a distance of half a kilometer, such a bullet is able to flash 2 mm steel and hit live targets behind it. But experts do not recommend using the “sixes” without the need, as they wear out weapons faster. For training firing and hitting unarmored targets, the SP-5 cartridge is used.
The ballistics of these two rounds are different along the trajectory, so the rifle must be shot separately with each of the ammunition.
Features of firing
When testing the rifle, it was found that at a distance of half a kilometer you can quite successfully shoot from it accurately. Of course, in this “Val” is inferior to counterparts specializing exclusively in sniper shooting. For example, the legendary SVD doubles this figure. However, the specifics of the assault rifle is somewhat different. When firing at the body, you can successfully hit targets from four hundred meters. In order to get into the head of the enemy, you need to get close to him at 200 meters.
To facilitate the operation of the shooter, the “Shaft” rifles can be equipped with the PSO-1 optical sight and the NSPU-3 night sight. It is possible to install a collimator or other optics.
Combat use
Each type of weapon is designed to perform its tasks. The behavior of a fighter depends on the chosen type, because in a battle the shooter and his weapon become one. Here it is impossible not to mention that neither the Vintorez, nor even the Val, are exclusively sniper weapons. They are intended rather for assault and reconnaissance and sabotage operations. Therefore, the choice in favor of these weapons should be made even during the development of the operation, and not immediately before it, and even more so not during it. Any review of the "Shaft" rifle tells in detail that this weapon can perfectly show itself where the shooter cannot be "lit." The possibility of hidden wearing, small dimensions, relatively light weight, an advanced silencer, an excellent fire extinguishing system - all these are undoubted advantages that allow the fighter to disguise himself as much as possible. You can work with these weapons quietly and accurately, while not losing mobility and the ability to quietly disappear.
However, these advantages have a flip side, eliminating the possibility of frequent and prolonged use. This weapon is unable to withstand a prolonged battle - after shooting three full stores, the accuracy of targeted shooting is significantly reduced. In addition, the mechanisms begin to work with a delay. This can be felt especially sharply in wet weather, when the powder deposit begins to "swell". Clean the rifle as often as possible.
Unlike what the AS Val can do, the Vintorez rifle and bursts can shoot short enough. Even if it’s not about precision shooting, problems remain. The reason for this is both small backlash and the abundance of plastic used to reduce weight. Therefore, where it is necessary to fire in bursts, professionals prefer it. It has a greater impact compared to a rifle, but not so significant that this could become a serious problem.
Non-military use
Love for weapons often happens not only among professional defenders of law and order and territorial integrity. Often it beckons and civilians. And demand, as you know, creates supply. Therefore, manufacturers of weapons for airsoft, paintball and laser tag took great interest in developing non-combat analogues of Vintorez and Val. Their appearance is almost identical, only the store is designed for special ammunition. Rifle "Shaft" airsoft shoots with special balls. In appearance, she looks like a battle, like a twin sister. For the laser tag, the Shaft air rifle is used, equipped with a laser device.
Those who engage in battles without leaving home can also use these weapons. Manufacturers of shooting games also did not disregard the Val family of weapons. For example, in the legendary GTA series, there is the possibility of choosing both an assault rifle and a rifle.
Prospects
What is the future of the brainchild of the Tula plant? Will it repeat the fate of the legendary "Kalash", over the years of its existence, breaking all records in popularity? The question remains open, even if you consider that the Val rifle, whose price is lower than that of exemplary analogues from the Kalashnikov family, is more affordable (pneumatics cost from 20,000 rubles). It is difficult to predict the future, but we can confidently say that the start of the project was quite successful. Over the years of its existence, the Val rifle has not acquired a single serious competitor in its class. They perform their tasks perfectly. Those who happened to use this weapon in battle speak with one voice about one thing: with it, you can defeat the commander and part of the group even before the enemy realizes that something is happening.
Like any other weapon that has proven itself, this rifle also fell into the view of the mafia. Lightweight "Vintorez" and AS "Val" the bigwigs of the underworld can hide in a case or bag, deceiving the gape of law enforcement officers. The ability to silently neutralize a competitor is no less important for him than compact dimensions.
This rifle was used not only by special forces, but also by front-line soldiers during conflicts in Chechnya, Yugoslavia and other hot spots. Today you can meet Vintorez and Val not only in Russia, but also in the countries of the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, where they have been successfully exported for a long time. Surprisingly, among the countries wishing to acquire these weapons, there is even the United States. “Silent death” - this is the name of this rifle cool NATO fighters, often preferring it to the leading developments of their militarized homeland.