CODE – 01-125-972

NAME – MSP

NAME (NATIVE) – 6P24, MSP Groza [Thunderstorm], Malogabaritnyj Spetsialnyj Pistolet [Small Special Pistol]

TYPE – Suppressed double-barreled derringer

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – USSR

DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1972

CALIBER – 7.62x35mm SP-3

OVERALL LENGTH – 11.5 cm (4.53 in)

BARREL LENGTH – 6.6 cm (2.60 in)

RIFLING (TYPE & TWIST) – 6-grooves, right-hand twist, 1 turn in 17 cm (1 turn in 6.7 in)

BULLET DIAMETER – 7.85 mm (0.309 in)

BULLET WEIGHT – 7.97 g (123 grains)

MUZZLE VELOCITY – 145 m/s (475 fps)

MUZZLE ENERGY – 84 j (62 ft/lb)

WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 0.55 kg (1 lb 3.4 oz)

WEIGHT (LOADED) – 0.58 kg (1 lb 4.5 oz)

SIGHTS – Fixed, open iron

EFFECTIVE RANGE – 25 m (16.4 yards)

OPERATION – Manual

TYPE OF FIRE – Manual, single action, manual cocking

RATE OF FIRE – 6 rpm

FEED DEVICE – 2-round clip, 1 round per barrel

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 0.004 kg (2-round clip only)

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (LOADED) – 0.034 kg (1.20 oz) (2 rounds SP-3 & Clip)

BASIC AMMUNITION LOAD – 3 clips (6 rounds)

LOAD WEIGHT – 0.102 kg (3.60 oz)

MANUFACTURER – Tula Arsenal

STATUS – Obsolescent

SERVICE – Special Operation Forces of the Soviet Ministry of Defense and the Soviet State Security Committee.

     This is one of the very few truly “silent” pistols that exists outside of films and entertainment. The weapon has no suppressor to reduce the sound signature of firing. Instead, the ammunition itself is suppressed, being of the “captured piston” type. There is only 1.4 cm (0.55 in) of barrel in front of the chamber of the weapon. There is rifling, but it engraves the projectile with very shallow markings so has little effect on accuracy. The slight engraving of the rifling, along with the projectile being that of a normal 7.62x39mm M43 round, makes the recovered bullet somewhat appear to have been fired from an AK-47.