SPP-1 Underwater Pistol
Encyclopedia
The SPP-1 Underwater Pistol was made in the USSR for use underwater by Soviet frogmen
as an underwater firearm
. It was developed in the late 1960s and accepted for use in 1971. Underwater, ordinary-shaped bullets are inaccurate and very short-range. As a result, this pistol fires a round-based 4.5 millimetre (0.177165354330709 in) caliber steel dart about 115 millimetres (4.5 in) long, weighing 12.8 gram (0.451506714945433 oz), which has longer range and more penetrating power than speargun
spears. The complete cartridge is 145 millimetres (5.7 in) long and weighs 17.5 gram (0.617294336839459 oz).
The SPP-1 has four barrels, each containing one cartridge. Its ammunition comes as a clip of four cartridges which is inserted into the pistol's breech.
Its barrel is not rifled
; the fired projectile is kept in line by hydrodynamic effects. As a result, it is somewhat inaccurate when fired out of water.
Depth reduces range because the higher pressure closes the cavity sooner. Once the projectile is no longer supercavitating
, hydrodynamic drag increases greatly, and the projectile becomes unstable.
Lethal range is defined as the range from which it can easily penetrate a padded underwater suit or a 5 millimetre (0.196850393700787 in) thick glass faceplate.
A double-action firing mechanism fires one cartridge sequentially for each pull of the trigger. When all four cartridges are spent, the gun can be reloaded above or below water.
The SPP-1M pistol is essentially the same as the SPP-1, with the following differences:
The weapon was designed by Vladimir Simonov
, the cartridge by Pyotr Sazonov and Oleg Kravchenko. Simonov also designed the APS amphibious rifle.
It is manufactured by TOZ (Tulsky Oruzheiny Zavod/ Тульский Оружейный Завод) Tula Arms Plant, and exported by Rosoboronexport, the state agency for Russia's export/import of defense-related products.
Frogman
A frogman is someone who is trained to scuba diving or swim underwater in a military capacity which can include combat. Such personnel are also known by the more formal names of combat diver or combatant diver or combat swimmer....
as an underwater firearm
Underwater firearm
An underwater firearm is a firearm specially designed for use underwater by frogmen.Underwater firearms were first conceived during the Cold War during the 1960s and 1970s as a way to arm frogmen, and remain in arms inventories today.-Design:...
. It was developed in the late 1960s and accepted for use in 1971. Underwater, ordinary-shaped bullets are inaccurate and very short-range. As a result, this pistol fires a round-based 4.5 millimetre (0.177165354330709 in) caliber steel dart about 115 millimetres (4.5 in) long, weighing 12.8 gram (0.451506714945433 oz), which has longer range and more penetrating power than speargun
Speargun
A speargun is an underwater fishing implement designed to fire a spear at fish.The basic components of a speargun are:A spear, a stock/barrel, and a handle/grip containing a trigger mechanism...
spears. The complete cartridge is 145 millimetres (5.7 in) long and weighs 17.5 gram (0.617294336839459 oz).
The SPP-1 has four barrels, each containing one cartridge. Its ammunition comes as a clip of four cartridges which is inserted into the pistol's breech.
Its barrel is not rifled
Rifling
Rifling is the process of making helical grooves in the barrel of a gun or firearm, which imparts a spin to a projectile around its long axis...
; the fired projectile is kept in line by hydrodynamic effects. As a result, it is somewhat inaccurate when fired out of water.
Depth reduces range because the higher pressure closes the cavity sooner. Once the projectile is no longer supercavitating
Supercavitation
Supercavitation is the use of cavitation effects to create a bubble of gas inside a liquid large enough to encompass an object traveling through the liquid, greatly reducing the skin friction drag on the object and enabling achievement of very high speeds...
, hydrodynamic drag increases greatly, and the projectile becomes unstable.
Lethal range is defined as the range from which it can easily penetrate a padded underwater suit or a 5 millimetre (0.196850393700787 in) thick glass faceplate.
A double-action firing mechanism fires one cartridge sequentially for each pull of the trigger. When all four cartridges are spent, the gun can be reloaded above or below water.
The SPP-1M pistol is essentially the same as the SPP-1, with the following differences:
- It has an extra spring above the searSear (firearm)In a firearm, the sear is the part of the trigger mechanism which holds the hammer or striker back until the correct amount of pressure has been applied to the trigger; at which point the hammer or striker is released to discharge the weapon...
to improve the trigger pull. - Its trigger guard is larger to accommodate diving gloves.
The weapon was designed by Vladimir Simonov
Vladimir Simonov
-Biography:Vladimir Simonov was born in 1935 in Kovrov in the Vladimir Oblast.In 1955 he graduated from the Podolia Industrial Technical Secondary School with specialty in mining equipment....
, the cartridge by Pyotr Sazonov and Oleg Kravchenko. Simonov also designed the APS amphibious rifle.
It is manufactured by TOZ (Tulsky Oruzheiny Zavod/ Тульский Оружейный Завод) Tula Arms Plant, and exported by Rosoboronexport, the state agency for Russia's export/import of defense-related products.