S4M
The S4M (Russian: С4М) was a Soviet special service pistol. It was a simple break-open, two-shot derringer, but the unique features came from its specialized ammunition, designed around a cut-down version of the 7.62×39mm rounds used in the Soviet AK-47. The casings of the round contained a piston-like plunger between the bullet and the powder that would move forward inside the casing when fired. The piston would push the round down the barrel and plug the end of the casing, completely sealing off any explosive gases in the casing. This, combined with the inherently low-velocity round resulted in a truly silent pistol. The nature of the gun and ammunition led to it being wildly inaccurate outside of point-blank range. To add further confusion and throw possible suspicion away from the assassin, the barrel rifling was designed to affect the bullet in such a way that ballistics experts would not only conclude that the round was fired from an AK-47, but that the round was fired from several hundred feet away.
| S4M | |
|---|---|
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| Type | Two-shot pistol |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Soviet Union |
| Wars | Cold War |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Tula KBP [1] |
| Produced | 1965–present |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 147 mm (5.8 in) [2] |
| Barrel length | 80mm [1] |
| Height | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Cartridge | 7.62×63mm PZ / PZA / PZAM |
| Barrels | 2 |
| Action | Single-action, manually operated |
| Effective firing range | near-point blank |
| Feed system | Manual, break open |
| Sights | Fixed front blade, adjustable rear notch |
Due to the politically devastating nature inherent in this design, the S4M was kept highly secret. Information on the pistol was not known by western governments until well after the end of the Cold War.
The S4M was succeeded by a less powerful, but otherwise fairly similar, MSP using the newer SP-3 ammunition in 7.62×39mm, which also used in the NRS knife.[3]
References
- Gander, Terry J. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2002–2003. Jane's Information Group. 2002
- Popenker, Maxim (May 29, 2013). "Pistols Firing Internally Silenced Ammunition". Forgotten Weapons. Archived from the original on August 22, 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
- Maxim Popenker (2008), Special purpose small arms ammunition of USSR and Russia Archived 2012-10-09 at the Wayback Machine; updated version of an article first appeared in the March 2005 issue of The Cartridge Researcher, the Journal of ECRA (the European Cartridge Research Association)