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TFB’s IDEX 2015 coverage is courtesy of Giorgio, who traveled to Abu Dhabi for the show, and provided all photos and information.
Kalashnikov Concern, whose products are now forbidden fruit in the USA, was also present at IDEX, exhibiting a mix of old products and new. Interestingly, the Tula Arms Factory, as well as military technology research group TsNIITochMash also exhibited weapons there.
Kalashnikov Concern’s new slogan.
Unfortunately, all of the weapons pictured are almost totally unattainable in the United States.
While Kalashnikov Concern was exhibiting an AN-94, reportedly the rifle was just to show what Kalashnikov is capable of – there are no plans to resume production.
The Nikonov “blowback shifted pulse” rifle at IDEX 2015. This photo was the subject of a recent Picture of The Day article.
The Concern’s newest product: A balanced action Saiga based on the AK-107 with several upgrades, this one apparently lacking a safety lever. The company sought to export these to the USA before sanctions eliminated that possibility.
KC is getting into the factory IPSC gun game, starting with practical shooting ready semiautomatic Saiga shotguns.
At a booth combining KBP, Tula TOZ, and NPO High Precision Weapons JSC, there were exhibited numerous prototype and special purpose Russian weapons that have become very popular in Western media, but have remained physically very absent from Western markets.
The 9x21mm family, including silenced SR-1M pistol and SR-2M submachine gun, and their louder counterparts. The Russian 9x21mm round is a round designed to penetrate armor, and is different from the Israeli 9x21mm round. The SR-1M is short-recoil operated, with a locking block similar to a Beretta 92 or Walther P38.
The business end of a Kord .50 caliber man-portable machine gun, and the RGS-50M riot control weapon/grenade launcher in special 50mm caliber.
Very tactical looking KSO-9M 9mm “hunting carbine” mass mockups, with the equally non-functional MMG-PP1 mass mockup, and an air pistol lookalike.
The Big 9: SR-3M 9x39mm silent assault rifle, next to its pistol-caliber cousin.
More conventionally laid out SR-3M rifles. The bottom weapon has been decked out with huge… Tracts of rails.
KBP’s partition had a second helping of obscure Russian small arms, including a very interesting display of the ADS underwater rifle… Underwater:
Just taking a refreshing swim.
Lifting the lid raises the rifle for inspection. One of the most creative displays I’ve seen in some time.
The radical Pecheneg machine gun, combining the full-caliber PKM action with a fixed ram-air cooled barrel.
The OTs-38 silent revolver. It uses the 7.62mm SP-4 cartridge, which contains the pressure of firing inside itself using a piston assembly. Due to this, the rounds are sill under pressure after firing and can rupture with a violent “pop”.
The OTs-38 features a very interesting swing-out cylinder that opens around an axis orthogonal to its rotation.
Tula was displaying a wide variety of AS Val silent assault rifles and VSS Vintorez silent sniper rifles. In the upper right corner is also an AKS-74U, and in the lower left is an SR-3 Vikhr personal defense weapon. For such a specialized weapon, the VSS Vintorez has spawned an extensive family of weapons. The pistol in the lower right is a 7.62mm PSS silent selfloading pistol, firing the same ammunition as the OTs-38 revolver.
The VSS Vintorez and AS Val both come in a wide variety of color schemes.
A closeup of the PSS 7.62mm silent autoloading pistol.
Clockwise from top left: GSh-18 high-pressure capable 9x19mm rotating barrel handgun, OTs-38 7.62mm silent revolver, PP-2000 compact 9x19mm submachine gun, PP-90 9x18mm folding submachine gun.
Finally, specialized sniper weapons. Bottom to top, the OVS-96 12.7x108mm sniper rifle, the VKS 12.7mm silent sniper rifle, the MTs-116M multi-caliber sniper rifle, chambered in .308 Winchester, 7.62x54R, .300 Win Mag, or .338 Lapua Magnum, and the OTs-93 bullpup SVD marksman’s rifle, in 7.62x54R.
The VKS is the original platform for the Russian 12.7x55mm round, for which was recently produced the RSh-12 revolver that lays claim to the title of “most powerful production revolver in the world”. According to the representatives present, the RSh-12 is not just a one-off product, but is actually being produced and trialed by Russian special forces. It apparently uses a less powerful variety of 12.7x55mm, which does throw in doubt its claims about being the most powerful production revolver in the world. One can only speculate that the intended purpose is to breach doors or perhaps just for show. Interestingly, it can reportedly use a special barrel liner and cylinder to fire 9x19mm.
Thanks to Giorgio for the pictures and information.
