SR-3 "Whirlwind": technical characteristics and photos

This article is about the machine; about the SR3 electric train, see Electric section S.

SR-3 "Whirlwind"

- a compact Russian assault rifle, developed on the basis of the silent AS Val assault rifle.

History[ | ]

The development of a compact 9-mm assault rifle based on the AS Val design began in 1989 by TsNIITOCHMASH designer A.D. Borisov. In 1991, the first prototype of the weapon was manufactured (named RG051)[2].

In 1994, with the participation of designer V.N. Levchenko, the second prototype of the assault rifle was created - SR-3 “Whirlwind”, which at the end of 1994 successfully completed state tests [2]. Brought to release by designer A.I. Tashlykov.

In 1995, the SR-3 Vikhr assault rifles entered trial operation in special forces, and in mid-1996 they were officially accepted for supply[2].

Later, a modernized version of the SR-3M was developed, which was supposed to combine the advantages of the SR-3, VSS and.

Design

SR-3

The SR-3 is unified with the AS Val in its main parts, which has a positive effect on the production and operation of weapons.

The SR-3 device is generally similar to the AS “Val”: a gas-operated machine gun and locking the barrel with a bolt with 6 lugs. SR-3 has the ability to use a silencer. The striker-type trigger is also similar to the “Val” and allows you to fire in single and continuous bursts. The safety and the fire selector are separated: a push-button type fire selector is located behind the trigger, and a double-sided safety is located on the receiver. Instead of a bolt handle, there are two sliders above the forend, which are pulled back with your fingers. The up-and-forward folding stock is made of stamped steel, and the pistol grip and fore-end are made of impact-resistant plastic.

When using special SP-6 armor-piercing cartridges, the machine theoretically allows you to successfully hit opponents wearing body armor of the 5th protection class (ceramic plate) at a distance of up to 25 m, 2nd class of protection (steel) up to 100 m. The small size of the SR-3 facilitates covert wearing.

SR-3M

The SR-3M is distinguished by the ability to use a silencer, metal magazines for 30 rounds, installation of optical and night sights, a frame stock that folds to the left (borrowed from the AS “Val”), an SVD-type safety catch, and a new forend with a folding additional handle.

Construction[ | ]

SR-3[ | ]

The SR-3 is unified with the AS Val in its main parts, which has a positive effect on the production and operation of weapons.

The SR-3 device is generally similar to the AS “Val”: a gas-operated machine gun and locking the barrel with a bolt with 6 lugs. SR-3 has the ability to use a silencer. The striker-type trigger is also similar to the “Val” and allows you to fire in single and continuous bursts. The safety and the fire selector are separated: a push-button type fire selector is located behind the trigger, and a double-sided safety is located on the receiver. Instead of a bolt handle, there are two sliders above the forend, which are pulled back with your fingers. The up-and-forward folding stock is made of stamped steel, and the pistol grip and fore-end are made of impact-resistant plastic.

When using special SP-6 armor-piercing cartridges, the machine theoretically allows you to successfully hit opponents wearing body armor of the 5th protection class (ceramic plate) at a distance of up to 25 m, 2nd class of protection (steel) up to 100 m. The small size of the SR-3 facilitates covert wearing.

SR-3M[ | ]

The SR-3M is distinguished by the ability to use a silencer, metal magazines for 30 rounds, installation of optical and night sights, a frame stock that folds to the left (borrowed from the AS “Val”), an SVD-type safety catch, and a new forend with a folding additional handle.

Small-sized assault rifle SR-3 "Whirlwind"

In shortened (small-sized) machine guns, the SP5 and SPb 9×39 cartridges with heavy bullets with a subsonic initial velocity and a low recoil impulse turned out to be very useful. This makes it possible to create weapons comparable in weight and size characteristics to submachine guns, but noticeably superior to them in firepower. The reduced sound pressure level when fired compared to a conventional machine gun cartridge and the lower tendency of low-velocity bullets to ricochet facilitate the use of weapons in tight spaces. The use of special armor-piercing cartridges in St. Petersburg allows you to fight the enemy wearing personal protective equipment (body armor) up to the 3rd class of protection at ranges of up to 200 m.

The first small-sized assault rifle chambered for 9×39 cartridges. presented in the 1990s, was an automatic machine created in 1994 at TsNIITOCHMASH by A. D. Borisov, E. Sh. Levchenko and A. T. Shlykov on the basis of the “silent” automatic machine AS “Val”. The new machine gun received the designation MA “Whirlwind”, and later the index SRZ (the abbreviation “SR” stands for “special development”).

Automatic weapons - with a gas engine and a long stroke of the gas piston, rigidly connected to the bolt frame; the barrel bore is locked by turning the bolt with 6 lugs. The barrel of the SRZ assault rifle, unlike the base model, does not have holes for venting powder gases into the muffler and does not have an integrated muffler itself. The barrel rifling is made with variable steepness. which should increase bullet stability and shooting accuracy. The barrel is equipped with a flame arrester compensator. The trigger mechanism is of the striker type, as in the AC, and ensures firing in single shots or bursts, but a number of changes have been made to its design. The safety lever is double-sided and is designed to be operated by the fingers of the hand holding the pistol grip control. The fire type translator is made in the form of a transverse button, located behind the trigger.

SRZ assault rifle in incomplete disassembly: 1 — barrel with receiver, pistol grip, butt, cover; 2 - return mechanism; 3 — bolt frame with gas piston; 4 — impact mechanism; 5 - gas tube; 6 - shutter; 7 - store.

The machine gun was equipped with a plastic pistol grip and a plastic fore-end with thickenings that prevented the hand from moving forward towards the muzzle of the barrel. The metal butt with a folding shoulder rest folded forward and upward so as not to increase the width of the weapon. For the same purpose, instead of a reloading handle, notched grips (movers) on the sides, above the forend, were used.

The open sighting device includes a front sight in the front of the weapon and a reversible two-position rear sight on the receiver cover.

Box-shaped plastic sector-shaped detachable magazines are borrowed from their “silent” predecessors - the VSS rifle and the AC assault rifle.

Further development of the machine gun in accordance with the requirements of law enforcement agencies led to the creation of the SRZM8 modification, which is characterized by greater versatility - it can be used as a small-sized machine gun or machine gun with a reduced shot sound level, with day or night sights.

A reloading handle appeared on the bolt frame of the machine gun. The coupling on the muzzle of the barrel allows you to attach a removable muffler.

The SRZM assault rifle received a frame stock folding to the left, a new forend, and a folding front holding handle on the forend.

The machine can be used both with the previous magazines of 10 and 20 rounds, and with a magazine with a capacity increased to 30 rounds.

SR.3 "Whirlwind" assault rifle with folded butt

All machines in Russia

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MACHINES

In popular culture[ | ]

In computer games:

• Alpha: Anti-Terror
• Alpha: Anti-terror. Men's work
• Alien Shooter 2
• Cross Fire [MMOFPS]
• Contract Wars
• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction
• Survarium
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (Xbox 360 Multiplayer Version)
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands

In TV series:

• FBI (FBI) series season 1, episode 8, 6th minute

Literature and sources

• Victor Korablin. Unknown “Whirlwind” // magazine “Master Gun”, No. 1 (41), 2000. pp. 24-28
• Korablin V.
  Unknown “Whirlwind” (Russian) // Weapons: magazine. - 2004. - March (No. 03). - pp. 10-15. — ISSN [www.sigla.ru/table.jsp?f=8&t=3&v0=1728-9203&f=1003&t=1&v1=&f=4&t=2&v2=&f=21&t=3&v3=&f=1016&t=3&v4=&f=1016&t=3&v5 =&bf=4&b=&d=0&ys=&ye=&lng=&ft=&mt=&dt=&vol=&pt=&iss=&ps=&pe=&tr=&tro=&cc=UNION&i=1&v=tagged&s=0&ss=0&st=0&i18n=ru&rlf=&psz =20&bs=20&ce=hJfuypee8JzzufeGmImYYIpZKRJeeOeeWGJIZRrRRrdmtdeee88NJJJJpeeefTJ3peKJJ3UWWPtzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbzzvzzpy5zzjzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzztzzzzzzzbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzyeyTjkDnyHzTuueKZePz9decyzzLzzzL*.c8.NzrGJJvufeeeeeJheeyzjeeeeJh*peeeeKJJJJJJJJJmjHvOJJJJJJJJfe eeieeeeSJJJJSJJJ3TeIJJJJ3..E.UEAcyhxD.eeeeeeuzzzLJJJJ5.e8JJJheeeeeeeeeeeeyeyeK3JJJJJJJJ*s7defeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeSJJJJJJJZIJJzzz1..6LJJJJJJtJJZ4….EK*&deb ug=false 1728-9203].

Excerpt characterizing SR-3

One day he took the countess to a Catholic church, where she knelt before the altar to which she was led. A middle-aged, charming Frenchman put his hands on her head, and, as she herself later said, she felt something like a breath of fresh wind that descended into her soul. They explained to her that it was la grace [grace]. Then the abbot was brought to her a robe longue [in a long dress], he confessed her and absolved her of her sins. The next day they brought her a box containing the sacrament and left it at home for her to use. After a few days, Helen, to her satisfaction, learned that she had now joined the true Catholic Church and that one of these days the pope himself would find out about her and send her some kind of paper. Everything that was done during this time around her and with her, all this attention paid to her by so many smart people and expressed in such pleasant, sophisticated forms, and the dovelike purity in which she was now (she wore white dresses with white ribbons) - all this gave her pleasure; but because of this pleasure she did not miss her goal for a minute. And as it always happens that in the matter of cunning a stupid person deceives smarter ones, she, realizing that the purpose of all these words and troubles was mainly to convert her to Catholicism, to take money from her in favor of Jesuit institutions {what does she mean? made hints), Helen, before giving money, insisted that those various operations be performed on her that would free her from her husband. In her concepts, the meaning of any religion consisted only in observing certain decency while satisfying human desires. And for this purpose, in one of her conversations with her confessor, she urgently demanded from him an answer to the question of the extent to which her marriage binds her. They were sitting in the living room by the window. It was twilight. The smell of flowers came from the window. Helen was wearing a white dress that was see-through on her shoulders and chest. The abbot, well-fed, and with a plump, smoothly shaved beard, a pleasant strong mouth and white hands folded meekly on his knees, sat close to Helen and with a thin smile on his lips, peacefully - with a gaze admiring her beauty, he occasionally looked at her face and expressed his gaze to the question that was on their mind. Helen smiled restlessly, looked at his curly hair, smoothly shaved, blackening full cheeks, and every minute waited for a new turn in the conversation. But the abbot, although apparently enjoying the beauty and intimacy of his interlocutor, was carried away by the skill of his craft. The line of reasoning of the leader of conscience was as follows. In ignorance of the significance of what you were doing, you took a vow of marital fidelity to a man who, on his part, by entering into marriage and not believing in the religious significance of marriage, committed blasphemy. This marriage did not have the double meaning that it should have. But despite this, your vow bound you. You stepped away from him. What did you accomplish with this? Peche veniel or peche mortel? [A venial sin or a mortal sin?] Peche veniel, because you committed the act without bad intent. If you now, with the goal of having children, entered into a new marriage, then your sin could be forgiven. But the question again splits into two: first... “But I think,” said the suddenly bored Helen with her charming smile, “that I, having entered the true religion, cannot be bound by what the false religion has imposed on me.” The Directeur de conscience [Guardian of Conscience] was amazed at this Columbus egg placed before him with such simplicity. He was delighted with the unexpected speed of his student’s success, but could not abandon the edifice of arguments he had built with mental labor. “Entendons nous, comtesse, [Let’s look into the matter, Countess," he said with a smile and began to refute the reasoning of his spiritual daughter. Helen understood that the matter was very simple and easy from a spiritual point of view, but that her leaders made difficulties only because they feared how the secular authorities would look at this matter.

Gallery

SR-3

:

• SR-3 (539-02).jpg
• SR-3 (539-03).jpg
• SR-3 (539-04).jpg
• SR-3 (539-05).jpg
• SR-3 (539-06).jpg
• SR-3 (539-07).jpg
• SR-3 (539-08).jpg
• SR-3 (539-09).jpg
• SR-3 (539-10).jpg

SR-3M

:

• SR-3 (540-01).jpg
• SR-3 (540-02).jpg
• SR-3 (540-03).jpg
• SR-3 (540-04).jpg
• SR-3 (540-05).jpg
• SR-3 (540-06).jpg
• SR-3 (540-07).jpg
• SR-3 (540-08).jpg
• SR-3 (540-09).jpg

Modification

The main variation of the SR-3 Vikhr assault rifle is the SR-3M model.
The assault rifle differs from the base model by the presence of a bolt cocking handle located on the right side of the bolt frame. The safety element is also located on the right side of the housing. The SR-3M stock features a lightweight, skeletal design. It conveniently folds to the side for covert transportation of weapons. The forend contains an additional built-in handle, which allows you to securely hold the weapon in your hands while firing in long bursts.

The left side of the receiver contains fastenings for mounting a specialized bracket, which opens up the possibility of equipping the weapon with night vision devices and sighting optics. On the muzzle there is a coupling where a quick-release muffler is attached.

The SR-3M model can be used with metal magazines with a capacity of 30 rounds and 10 or 20-round chambers made of plastic.

Design Features

The location of the machine's controls is considered by many to be successful, although there is also the exact opposite opinion. The two safety levers are on opposite sides. The switches are quite large, so they can be operated even when wearing thick gloves. The button under the safety switch lever regulates the fire modes. Despite its small size, its location is quite ergonomic, although it does not stand out at first glance.

Replacing the standard bolt handle with a pair of forward-facing sliders raises a lot of controversy regarding ease of use. With their help, the shutter is retracted, but the whole process becomes longer and still less convenient. Although this design solution had a positive effect on the ease of carrying and reducing the final size of the machine.

Purpose

SR-3 "Whirlwind" is a weapon designed for firing in extremely confined spaces.
This explains the implementation of an extremely compact design. The sample is indispensable for users who need to secretly transport automatic weapons under clothing. Therefore, its use is often resorted to by members of paramilitary special forces units, security officers, and representatives of organizations fighting terrorism and organized crime.

Use as a means of self-defense is also a very common use of the SR-3 Vikhr assault rifle. Airsoft is an area where development is used as a converted, non-combat weapon.

Trunk

Compared to the base model, the SR-3 Vikhr assault rifle does not contain holes in the barrel to remove exhaust gases during long bursts of fire.
The developers also do not provide for the possibility of equipping the machine with a silencer. However, the barrel is equipped with a compensatory flash suppressor, which protects the weapon from overheating the barrel during burst fire. The barrel rifling is implemented with variable steepness. This solution made it possible to significantly improve the accuracy of fire and stabilize the stability of the flight trajectory of cartridges.