The account Roy Karat on Twitter published an interesting video a few days ago.

The video demonstrated the use of the NRS-2 (“Scout Firing Knife”), which is a survival knife.

Apart from the obvious usage as a military type of knife, it also has a built-in, single-shot shooting mechanism.

Below: Aiming the NRS-2 does look like you’re ready to commit suicide by knife.

The cartridge is a 7.62 x 42 mm SP-4 (СП-4) cartridge. This cartridge is used in the PSS silent pistol as well. The intended range is up to 25 meters, and I am assuming that there are some challenges in aiming with this knife.

Video – How to shoot the NRS-2

The NRS-2 ("Scout Firing Knife") (GRAU index 6P25U) is a survival knife with a built-in single-shot shooting mechanism designed to fire a 7.62×42mm SP-4 (СП-4) cartridge, the same cartridge designed for the PSS silent pistol. #russian_military_tourhttps://t.co/4ASXA0xYTR pic.twitter.com/AihKNSHdo3

— Roy Karat (@RoyKarat) July 13, 2018

The bullet is a “steel unjacketed cylinder” with a bullet weight of 9,3 gram. According to Modern Firearms the muzzle velocity is around 270 meters / second, but this is most likely from another weapon than the NRS-2 which only has a 60 mm barrel length (about 2,3 inches).

They also mention the interesting fact that the cartridge comes without any kind of headstamps – I wonder why!

According to Wikipedia the pistol-knife was manufactured by the Tula Arms Plant, to be used by for Soviet Spetsnaz troops in the late 1980s. It is still used as “a personal weapon for modern Spetsnaz troops and special law enforcement groups”.

The official GRAU index for the pistol-knife is 6P25U.

Shooting mechanism

You can see the shooting mechanism in the video below.

To initiate, the you press the opening lever, and rotate the barrel out of the knife’s handle.

Insert the cartridge into the firing chamber and rotate back the barrel.

On the right side of the NRS-2 there is a flip-up lever to cock the hammer. There is a safety besides the barrel (fire/safe) and a trigger above the safety.

It’s not possible pic.twitter.com/WY4qio2iSx

— Roy Karat (@RoyKarat) July 15, 2018

There is a good photo of the NRS-2 knife from Wikimedia taken by Vitaly V. Kuzmi of Vitalykuzmin.net, you can see it below. It was taken on the Conscript day in Moscow 2011.

Below: NRS-2 knife – Conscript day in Moscow 2011

Knife-pistols are by no means a new invention. For instance TFB has mentioned the Norwegian 1846-1854 Postførerverge Knife-Pistol, made by Kongsberg Armory. You can check it our here.

There a few more videos of the pistol-knife here:

If you’re interested in a trip to a Russian Spetsnaz Military base it seems Roy Karat is your guy. Check out: https://www.rusmilcamp.com/ for more information.

Trainings in Russian military camp summer 2018
See you guys! pic.twitter.com/Un29FYTmg9

— Roy Karat (@RoyKarat) July 3, 2018