#Vss

Recently a very burnt VSS 9x39mm marksman’s rifle turn up on a Ukrainian auction site. The remains of the rifle are described as a trophy and photographs show most of the major metal components of the weapon including its bolt, main spring, receiver and suppressor shroud. The weapon’s stock, plastic forend and top cover aren’t present, however, the cover is probably lost and the stock/pistol grip and forend are probably destroyed by fire. The remains of the metal tab for the sling are still attached to the sling loop.

Slagga Manufacturing, a company that has been working on creating a US-made replica of the Soviet VSS Vintorez rifle, has announced about a significant progress in this project: they’ve built a working prototype of Viska, the American Vintorez.

On display at the recent Russian Army 2017 expo was Kalashnikov’s new AM-17 and AMB-17 compact assault rifles. The AM-17 is a 5.45x39mm caliber improved version of the MA assault rifle introduced last year, designed to fill the same role as the AKS-74U compact assault rifle/personal defense weapon. The AMB-17 is an integrally suppressed variant of the same, firing the 9x39mm dedicated subsonic round first introduced with the AS Val and VSS Vintorez in the 1980s. Pictures of the new rifles have been posted on various social media outlets, such as TFB contributor and small arms expert Max Popenker’s blog.

A little over eight years ago I published a map of the world showing countries which had adopted the AR-15 either as a primary service rifle, or as a niche special forces weapon. Back then about half the world was using the AR-15.