What prevents Russian companies to establish mass production of high-precision weapons
For twenty years, Russian companies managed to develop and start production of precision rifles, capable of showing unique results. However, the scale of production is often accompanied by a decrease in the quality of products, but of Russian hands prefer to use weapons to foreign brands.
The conversion Vice versa
Standard requirements for the sniper rifle assume that released the bullet at a distance of 100 meters should be in a circle with a diameter not more than an inch or no more than one arc minute (1 MOA corresponds to one hundred metres circle with a diameter of 2.9 cm). From this we can say that until the end of the last century army sniper rifles in our country are not produced. Military doctrine of the USSR second half of the twentieth century assumed large-scale hostilities with the use of weapons of mass destruction. High level arrows-singles, leading the hunt for the enemy soldiers and officers, this concept of space was not. However, since the early 1960s, small offices manned by snipers, but they should have been called “good arrows”. The task of these soldiers — not the individual hunting, but increase the effective range of fire of small branches to 400, a maximum of 600-700 meters. For what it is suited semi-automatic SVD — strong, reliable and fairly accurate, but still not pulling on a sniper rifle.
After disintegration of the USSR it became clear that the third world, as it saw the Soviet generals will not, but there were numerous local conflicts and counterterrorist operations. The military had to reconsider the relation to small arms in General, and precision in particular. It turned out that in a full sniper weapon needs not only the army but also the police, the Federal security service, FSB, etc. Domestic “defense industry” has chosen the path of militarization of the already existing sporting rifles caliber 7,62x54r mm. By the way, as the Americans are one of the most famous and popular “viscotek” Remington 700 was the basis for military sniper M24 and police rifles Model 700P.
The shooter with a rifle T-5000
Photo: Vitaly Kuzmin
We have the same in 1997, Central design and research Bureau of sporting and hunting weapons (TsKIB COO) in Tula has presented a sniper rifle MP-116M — it sports prototype, MC-116 arrows-athletes was successfully used at the international shooting competition at 100 and 300 meters. A year later Izhmash (now Kalashnikov concern) made SV-98 on the basis of sporting rifle “Record-CISM”, is designed to exercise the program of the International shooting sport Federation (ISSF) and for competitions in speed shooting by the army of the Union (CISM). “Some copies of the rifle SV-98 shows a unique patterning, and serial military sniper ammunition, — said “the Tape.<url>” editor of the magazine “Kalashnikov” Mikhail Degtyarev. — A group of four shots at 100 meters is one hole with a diameter slightly larger caliber bullets. I watched this fire and I am absolutely confident in the outcome.”
Now both rifles are produced in limited edition for the Russian security forces, as well as departmental teams are used to compete in precision shooting. A common disadvantage of the SV-98 and MC-116M is considered a plywood bed that is already at the time of creation of the weapon was anachronistic. At exhibitions of arms Tula and yizhivtsi show samples with composite and metal boxes, but serial production no information.
The case of four
In the middle zero “vysokotochnye” engaged in private manufacturers, mostly small workshops, created arrows-athletes. The pioneer was made by the company “Tsar cannon” based shooter and designer Vladislav Lobaeva. According to the businessman, in his youth, he was involved in sporting pistol shooting, then became interested in the rifle. In the late 90’s, during a trip in USA Lobaev was trained at the police detachment of special purpose, and practiced in the workshops of famous American gunsmith — Thomas “speedy” Gonzalez (Thomas “Speedy” Gonzales) and Glue Spencer (Clay Spencer).
Left Vladislav Lobaev
Photo: page Lobaev Arms in Facebook
With fame in the small community, as well as in the defense Ministry, interior forces and even the security service of the President, Lobaeva managed to obtain a license of the Ministry of industry and trade for private arms production. At first, the “Tsar cannon” was engaged in the Assembly of rifles from imported components, and by the end zero has mastered the full cycle. In 2010, the company has suspended work in Russia — the Ministry refused to license renewal, the “Tsar cannon” has concluded the contract with the concern TADS (UAE) and the team at full strength moved to the United Arab Emirates. In 2013, Lobaev resumed production in Russia, founding the Corporation LOBAEV (brand LOBAEV Arms). Development and production of rifles leads a division of Design office, integrated systems (CBIS).
To date, the production or Assembly of precision small arms in Russia engaged for four private companies: “Promtekhnologiya” (trademark “Orsis”), KBIS (LOBAEV Arms), scat, and “Moscow weapons company”. The last two should have been called gun shops because they produce single-piece products and are actively using finished components. “We make weapons for a particular client, — says the founder of SKAT Gennady Kozhayev. — To me the customer comes and says: I would like to have a rifle for such purposes, and we sit together with him constructed, I suggest that another, the third, the tenth, so there is an individual rifle. The price of weapons varies from 200 thousand to 500 thousand rubles, the volume of production “wysokosc”, according to Kozhayeva, depending on the number of orders can range from one to two or three dozen rifles a year.
Gennady Kozhayev with high precision rifle
Photo: Gennady Kozhayeva page in Facebook
The first production
Out of the four serial production while only mastered “Promtekhnologiya”. Its range includes five high-precision rifles of its own design in the price range from 60 thousand rubles (ORSIS 120) to 380 thousand rubles (ORSIS T-5000M). The caliber range from “easy” 223 Rem (5,56х45 mm) to “heavy” 338 Lapua Magnum (8,6х70 mm).
“Promtekhnologiya” carries out the full technological cycle of manufacture of barrels, bolt carrier groups, trigger, lodges, Assembly, etc. According to the company, “the machinery for the manufacture of guns of this class in Europe is not used anywhere else”.
Rifle Orsis SE Varmint M
Photo: Orsis
The “face” of the brand “Orsis” is a rifle T-5000, brought to the market in 2011. The weapon is positioned as a versatile rifle for sport and hunting, but done in an aggressive tactical design — T-5000 was done with an eye to the Russian security forces, the original version was made in the popular sniper caliber 338 Lapua Magnum and had an effective range of 1.5 kilometers (which were the commercial version in four calibers). The rifle is really interested in the security services and repeatedly used in international competitions with the participation of law enforcement agencies. In 2012 a team of management “And” tssn FSB with the T-5000 won the international competition of police and army snipers. And in may of this year, a pair of sniper (shooter and spotter) of the security Service of the President of FSO with RF rifles “Orsis” won the European championship on sniping in the Czech Republic.
Rifle T-5000
Photo: ORSIS page in Facebook
However, the T-5000 is not armed with any one of the security forces. Although experts claim that already have experience “regarding the massive use of” this rifle abroad. Besides, “in the interests of one of the security agencies” on the basis of the T-5000 sniper is developed a complex of rifle and optics set (day, night and thermal imaging sights) from the Russian company “Dedal-NV”.
“Twilight”, “Scalpel”, “Stalingrad”
Technically ready to release serial products, the company Vladislav Lobaeva — production capacity, he said, can produce up to thousands of rifles a year. However, the actual volumes depend on demand. “Now act according to the scheme recruited a number of pre-orders, say, five to ten for a specific model, and it runs in a series — explains the Lobaev. But this year, we begin to build the warehouse and work with dealers”.
LOBAEV Arms specializiruetsya on long-range and sverdlovskyi rifles cost from 270 thousand to 1.25 million rubles. In 2014-15, CBIS has developed seven models viscotek”, mainly under the powerful calibers 300 Win Mag (7,62х67), 338 Lapua Magnum, and even the 408 Cheyenne Tactical (10,3х77) — special sniper ammunition for shooting at 3500 meters. Rifles have very high declared characteristics — accuracy 0.3 to 0.5 MOA, tactical design and saying the name: “Twilight”, “Retribution”, “Stalingrad”, “Saboteur”, “the Scalpel.” All loevskoe weapon is certified as a civil, but the designer admits that relies on power structures. “Sooner or later they all get into the army,” says about their rifles Lobaev, explaining that he expects to arouse interest among not only Russian security forces, but also their foreign colleagues. According to the company, to date, “vysokotochnye” Lobaeva used by the presidential security Service and offices of the Federal penitentiary service.
Sverdlovskaya rifle sverhdalnoboynaya svlk-14S Twilight (“Twilight”)
Photo: Lobaev Arms
Special pride gunsmith — Sverdlovskaya rifle sverhdalnoboynaya svlk-14 “Dusk” in the caliber 408 Cheyenne Tactical. In 2015 the “custom” option sverhdalnoboynaya svlk-14 was made on a record-range shot at 3400 meters (the target was the shield meter on). At the time of preparing this publication, Vladislav Lobaev prepared for the new record long-distance shot over four kilometres.
Economies of scale
It is interesting that, despite the high declared characteristics of the products of Russian arms and the success of our rifles at the international Championships in Russian small community to domestic goods are treated with caution. As told “Lente.<url>” the President of the Federation of precision shooting Federation Sergey Sumarokov, “about 90 percent of shooters, constantly participating in competitions and traveling abroad, use the imported rifle.” Top hands prefer the weapons of the British Accuracy International, Finnish rifle Sako TRG, Swiss Brugger&Thomet APR or German Blaser. As the most massive weapon because of its good ratio quality/price steel rifle, Remington 700 (US) and Tikka T3 (Finland).
The “Orsis”, Lobaeva, LOBAEV Arms, and Kozhayeva “scat” is a great rifle, but they make “custom-made”, — says Sergey Sumarokov. — As soon as the series is, for some reason there are some problems. From Blaser or Sako, the share of articles that do not meet the stated parameters do not exceed 2-3 percent of our producers may be 20-50 percent.” Moreover, importantly, in the market there are lots of accessories and components for tuning “cars” — the record in this sense is considered to be the Remington 700.
Sverdlovskaya sniper rifle DXL-4 “Sevastopol”
Photo: Lobaev Arms
Experts acknowledge that domestic manufacturers of high precision rifles (both public and private) able to produce samples with unique characteristics, but attempts to scale production almost always lead to lower product quality. On the other hand, the high cost and the narrowness of the market do not allow to develop production of high-quality serial production. Assessment Sumarokov in Russia are addicted to precision shooting from a thousand to two thousand people, based on departmental shooters, and constantly train and go to competitions, from 500 to a thousand people. Of course, owners of “viscotek” in Russia anymore, but the figures allow us to judge the extent of the market.
As for law enforcement agencies, then an additional deterrent for them is the fact that all Russian traders produce weapons exclusively for cartridges of foreign production, as a rule, American.
Sergey Sumarokov believes that the sanctions, the devaluation of the ruble and, as a consequence, a serious rise in prices of imported weapons give Russian producers a chance seriously to press cars in the civilian market. According to Vladislav Lobaeva, the development of production “vysokotochnye” in Russia stimulated the abolition or at least reduction of the five-year limit on the purchase of rifles. You can also allow the military departments to procure for himself a weapon without taking it on Board.
