In a recent news release, the National Police of Ukraine published some photos of a weapons cache seized in the city of Rivne located in western Ukraine. The discovered cache consisted of quite a diverse selection of firearm including 16 pistols, 5 revolvers, 4 SMGs, one SVD rifle, 8 AKs, 5 other rifles, 70 grenades, 10,000 cartridges of different calibers, suppressors, different explosive compounds, and even an anti-tank mine and a bunch of grenade launchers. Let’s take a look at the pictures published by the Ukrainian police and see if we can find any interesting or unusual weapons.

The officer is holding an SVD rifle. You can also spot a couple of bolt-action rifles, a single-shot shotgun (likely an Izh/MP 18) and several AKs in different configurations. Note also the scoped and camouflaged Mosin-Nagant rifle on top of the photo.

On the left, I think we see a Beretta Model 71 or one of its siblings with a threaded barrel. Note also what looks like a Russian Margolin pistol under the Glock. The Makarov pistol is ubiquitous in post-Soviet countries.

The hand grenades are likely Soviet/Russian F-1 and RGD-5 and the anti-tank grenade launchers should be RPG-22 and RPG-26.

Looks like one of the TM-62 series of anti-tank mines and more F-1 grenades.

A variety of pistols and revolvers. You can also spot a couple of Vz.61 Skorpion SMGs. Interestingly, there is a large amount of suppressors most of which are probably made in some sort of home workshop.

You have probably noticed that the cased Model 1895 Nagant revolver in the middle of the top image is photographed along with a suppressor which is possibly made for that revolver because the design of these revolvers allows efficiently suppressing them. The cylinders of 1895 Nagant revolvers slightly move forward after rotating and aligning the next chamber with the barrel thus pushing the very top portion of the telescoped cartridge’s case into the barrel which expands and seals the action upon firing. So thanks to the sealed action and no gas leakage from the cylinder gap, Nagant revolvers can be suppressed. But to me, the most interesting firearm seen in this set of photos is another Nagant revolver, this one:

I think what they did is made a detachable unit consisting of the barrel and suppressor that can be threaded to the frame. I am not sure if it is an integral silencer system or a reflex suppressor, but the idea itself is quite interesting. The advantage of such a design will be the extremely compact package when the barrel/suppressor assembly is detached allowing to conceal the gun much easier. The disadvantage is obviously that you can’t shoot it without attaching the suppressor/barrel assembly. Well, technically you can, but there won’t be a barrel and the bullets launched from the cylinder alone will have a terminal performance that leaves a lot to be desired.

What have you noticed or identified in these pictures? Sound off in the comments below.

Sources:

“У Рівному поліцейські вилучили понад 10 тисяч одиниць зброї та боєприпасів ”. (2019, December 17). National Police of Ukraine. Retrieved from: https://www.npu.gov.ua/news/zbroya/u-rivnomu-policzejski-viluchili-ponad-10-tisyach-odinicz-zbroji-ta-bojepripasiv/

Images from www.npu.gov.ua