Evil Monkey
member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2006
- Messages
- 1,486
The SMG had become a niche weapon since the intro of the assault rifle. While it served well for law enforcement, it also gets used by SOFs. SOF's use the SMG because it is easy to silence and therefore, quite effective for stealthy missions. This is where the SMG split into 2 different weapons, the PDW and what I like to call the "sentry" rifle.
We will not discuss the fact that PDW's were built for second line troops, rather they are ALSO being used for special missions that require a weapon that can easily be silenced and can penetrate body armor. The P90 is said to be used by Singapore as a Special Forces weapon. It's silenced and meant to take out any sentries like guards or dogs for example. The Germans have the MP7 and is capable of being silenced, although personally, I do not know whether the KSK uses it or not for any Special missions. The Chinese have also produced a silenced bullpup SMG/PDW and a pistol that uses a 5.8x21mm new Chinese pistol cartridge in the same class as the 5.7fn and 4.6hk. The Russians also have a shrunken 5.45mm cartridge, however, only a pistol is chambered for it. It seems like the Russians went a different route when creating a weapon that can be silenced and also be able to penetrate body armor at acceptable ranges. This weapon maybe called an assault rifle, or maybe even an SMG. More correctly, it's a sniper/marksman rifle, but due to it's unusual characteristics and purpose, I call it the "Sentry Rifle" to separate it from the common marksman rifles.
Examples of these types of rifles are the Russian VSS Vintorez and VSK-94 sentry rifles. Both shoot a very unusual 9x39mm round, which is designed to be easily silenced by having a slower velocity and lethality made up by having more mass. The weapons themselves have very short barrels with long silencers. The Vintorez has an integral silencer. Finally, both are to be used with sniping scopes, usually a PSO of sorts. I'm not sure what the entire purpose of these weapons are, but they seem to be concept wise, highly advanced versions of the silenced SMG/PDW. They have to be able to penetrate body armor at a realistic range of about 200 meters. They appear to be used to eliminate sentries to a building or compound to prepare for a dynamic entry by SOF's. The difference is that there is lesser man power involved because of a couple of soldiers and their highly specialized Sentry Rifles, while everybody else most likely has compact assault rifles or standard SMG/PDWs.
In the West, specifically talking about the US, I have never seen such concepts in warfare. I have never seen SEALs or other SOF's use such weapons like P90 or a "sentry" rifle. Although the civilian market does have cartridges like the .300 Whisper to serve in that role.
I do have questions that haven't been answered through research.
1) If the goal is a general purpose silenced firearm, wouldn't the assault rifle be a good candidate? Wouldn't some thing like a silenced 7.62 Krinkov surely be more versatile than a silenced MP7 or P90?
2) If the goal is to have a marksman-type silenced firearm that can penetrate armor at a range of at most 300 meters, wouldn't a silenced carbine or bullpup assault rifle in 5.45mm, 5.56mm, or even 7.62 soviet also be a better choice than a round like the 9x39mm?
Versatility is key, in my opinion. I don't think it's appropriate for ultra-specialized weapons to be used by organic teams whether they be SOF or SWAT. At the same time, you don't want weapons that are the "Jack of all Trades, Master of None", but you want to have a good balance of weapon attributes and have a specific firearm slightly specialized towards a certain role. Therefore, creating the "Jack of all Trades, Master of Some."
I'm very interested in what the US uses as equivalents, if anybody knows.
And what are your thoughts on these weapons?
(Deja vu? Yes, I like to post on multi forums )
We will not discuss the fact that PDW's were built for second line troops, rather they are ALSO being used for special missions that require a weapon that can easily be silenced and can penetrate body armor. The P90 is said to be used by Singapore as a Special Forces weapon. It's silenced and meant to take out any sentries like guards or dogs for example. The Germans have the MP7 and is capable of being silenced, although personally, I do not know whether the KSK uses it or not for any Special missions. The Chinese have also produced a silenced bullpup SMG/PDW and a pistol that uses a 5.8x21mm new Chinese pistol cartridge in the same class as the 5.7fn and 4.6hk. The Russians also have a shrunken 5.45mm cartridge, however, only a pistol is chambered for it. It seems like the Russians went a different route when creating a weapon that can be silenced and also be able to penetrate body armor at acceptable ranges. This weapon maybe called an assault rifle, or maybe even an SMG. More correctly, it's a sniper/marksman rifle, but due to it's unusual characteristics and purpose, I call it the "Sentry Rifle" to separate it from the common marksman rifles.
Examples of these types of rifles are the Russian VSS Vintorez and VSK-94 sentry rifles. Both shoot a very unusual 9x39mm round, which is designed to be easily silenced by having a slower velocity and lethality made up by having more mass. The weapons themselves have very short barrels with long silencers. The Vintorez has an integral silencer. Finally, both are to be used with sniping scopes, usually a PSO of sorts. I'm not sure what the entire purpose of these weapons are, but they seem to be concept wise, highly advanced versions of the silenced SMG/PDW. They have to be able to penetrate body armor at a realistic range of about 200 meters. They appear to be used to eliminate sentries to a building or compound to prepare for a dynamic entry by SOF's. The difference is that there is lesser man power involved because of a couple of soldiers and their highly specialized Sentry Rifles, while everybody else most likely has compact assault rifles or standard SMG/PDWs.
In the West, specifically talking about the US, I have never seen such concepts in warfare. I have never seen SEALs or other SOF's use such weapons like P90 or a "sentry" rifle. Although the civilian market does have cartridges like the .300 Whisper to serve in that role.
I do have questions that haven't been answered through research.
1) If the goal is a general purpose silenced firearm, wouldn't the assault rifle be a good candidate? Wouldn't some thing like a silenced 7.62 Krinkov surely be more versatile than a silenced MP7 or P90?
2) If the goal is to have a marksman-type silenced firearm that can penetrate armor at a range of at most 300 meters, wouldn't a silenced carbine or bullpup assault rifle in 5.45mm, 5.56mm, or even 7.62 soviet also be a better choice than a round like the 9x39mm?
Versatility is key, in my opinion. I don't think it's appropriate for ultra-specialized weapons to be used by organic teams whether they be SOF or SWAT. At the same time, you don't want weapons that are the "Jack of all Trades, Master of None", but you want to have a good balance of weapon attributes and have a specific firearm slightly specialized towards a certain role. Therefore, creating the "Jack of all Trades, Master of Some."
I'm very interested in what the US uses as equivalents, if anybody knows.
And what are your thoughts on these weapons?
(Deja vu? Yes, I like to post on multi forums )