9x39mm
Encyclopedia
The 9x39 mm is a Soviet / Russian rifle cartridge. It is based on the Russian 7.62x39 mm round, but with an enlarged neck to accommodate a 9 mm bullet. The cartridge was designed by N. Zabelin, L. Dvoryaninova and Y. Frolov of the TsNIITochMash
in the 1980s. The intent was to create a subsonic cartridge for suppressed firearms for special forces units that had more power, range and penetration than handgun cartridges. The 5.45x39 mm cartridge introduced in 1974 for AK-74
lacks bullet weight for acceptable energy at subsonic velocities. The bullet of the 9x39 mm is approximately 16 g (1.440014400144E-06 gr), double that of the 7.62x39 mm, and is subsonic. This low velocity does not produce a sonic boom
, but does limit the effective range of a weapon when compared to non-suppressed assault rifles. The round has an effective lethal range of 300 to 400 meters and a maximum penetration of up to 10 mm of steel. Like the 5.45x39mm cartridge, 9x39mm SP-5 features an airpocket in the tip, which vastly improves its capability to yaw; with such a long projectile, yawing can be quite violent.
SP-5 (7N8) - The SP-5 (СП-5) was developed by Nikolai Zabelin. It is a conventional lead core FMJ bullet, but developed for accuracy.
SP-5UZ - The SP-5UZ (СП5-УЗ) is an SP-5 variant with an increased charge intended for a factory-specific strength testing of the weapons.
SP-6 (7N9) - The SP-6 (СП-6) was developed by Yuri Frolov. It has a hardened metal armor piercing core. It can penetrate 2 mm (0.078740157480315 in) of steel at 500 meters or 6 mm (0.236220472440945 in)of steel, 2.8 mm (0.110236220472441 in) of titanium or 30 layers of Kevlar at 200 meters. At 100 meters it penetrates 8 mm (0.31496062992126 in) of steel, while retaining enough power to neutralize a soft target
behind it.
SP-6UCh - The SP-6UCh (СП-6УЧ) is an SP-6 variant intended for training.
PAB-9 (7N12) - The SP-6's bullet is expensive, so an attempt was made to make a lower-cost version of the cartridge, the PAB-9 (ПАБ-9), but it sacrificed too much performance to be usable. , its usage is prohibited.
SPP - The SPP (СПП) is a sniper round with an increased penetration.
BP - The BP (БП) is an armor-piercing round.
Bullets
TsNIITochMash
TsNIITochMash is an initialism for the Central Research Institute for Precision Machine Building , a Russian industrial design bureau...
in the 1980s. The intent was to create a subsonic cartridge for suppressed firearms for special forces units that had more power, range and penetration than handgun cartridges. The 5.45x39 mm cartridge introduced in 1974 for AK-74
AK-74
The AK-74 is an assault rifle developed in the early 1970s in the Soviet Union as the replacement for the earlier AKM...
lacks bullet weight for acceptable energy at subsonic velocities. The bullet of the 9x39 mm is approximately 16 g (1.440014400144E-06 gr), double that of the 7.62x39 mm, and is subsonic. This low velocity does not produce a sonic boom
Sonic boom
A sonic boom is the sound associated with the shock waves created by an object traveling through the air faster than the speed of sound. Sonic booms generate enormous amounts of sound energy, sounding much like an explosion...
, but does limit the effective range of a weapon when compared to non-suppressed assault rifles. The round has an effective lethal range of 300 to 400 meters and a maximum penetration of up to 10 mm of steel. Like the 5.45x39mm cartridge, 9x39mm SP-5 features an airpocket in the tip, which vastly improves its capability to yaw; with such a long projectile, yawing can be quite violent.
Variants
| Cartridge | SP-5 | SP-5UZ | SP-6 | SP-6UCh | PAB-9 | SPP | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | sniper | test (increased charge) | armor piercing | training | armor piercing | sniper (increased penetration) | armor piercing |
| Bullet weight | up to 16.8 grams | about 16 grams | up to 17.3 grams | ||||
| Muzzle velocity | 280–320 m/s | 280–320 m/s | 280–320 m/s | ||||
| Muzzle Energy | 658.5-860.1 J | 678.1-885.7 J | |||||
| Maximum penetration | up to 10 mm of steel | up to 10 mm of steel |
SP-5 (7N8) - The SP-5 (СП-5) was developed by Nikolai Zabelin. It is a conventional lead core FMJ bullet, but developed for accuracy.
SP-5UZ - The SP-5UZ (СП5-УЗ) is an SP-5 variant with an increased charge intended for a factory-specific strength testing of the weapons.
SP-6 (7N9) - The SP-6 (СП-6) was developed by Yuri Frolov. It has a hardened metal armor piercing core. It can penetrate 2 mm (0.078740157480315 in) of steel at 500 meters or 6 mm (0.236220472440945 in)of steel, 2.8 mm (0.110236220472441 in) of titanium or 30 layers of Kevlar at 200 meters. At 100 meters it penetrates 8 mm (0.31496062992126 in) of steel, while retaining enough power to neutralize a soft target
Soft target
Soft target is a military term referring to unarmored/undefended targets needing to be destroyed. For example, a soft target would be an automobile, a house, or assembly of people while a hard target could be a main battle tank or a well defended installation...
behind it.
SP-6UCh - The SP-6UCh (СП-6УЧ) is an SP-6 variant intended for training.
PAB-9 (7N12) - The SP-6's bullet is expensive, so an attempt was made to make a lower-cost version of the cartridge, the PAB-9 (ПАБ-9), but it sacrificed too much performance to be usable. , its usage is prohibited.
SPP - The SPP (СПП) is a sniper round with an increased penetration.
BP - The BP (БП) is an armor-piercing round.
Weapons
- 9A-919A-91The 9A-91 is a carbine assault rifle currently in use with Russian police forces.The 9A91 is a gas operated, rotating bolt weapon, which utilizes a long stroke gas piston, located above the barrel, and a rotating bolt with 4 lugs. The receiver is made from steel stampings; the forend and pistol...
- AK-9AK-9AK-9 is a proposed Russian fully automatic assault rifle chambered for the 9 x 39 mm subsonic cartridge. It is one of the latest models of the popular Kalashnikov rifle series...
- AS "Val"AS ValThe AS "Val" is a Soviet designed assault rifle featuring an integrated suppressor....
- OTs-12 "Tiss"
- OTs-14-4A "Groza"
- SR-3, SR-3M "Vihr"SR-3 VikhrThe SR-3 Vikhr is a Russian compact fully automatic assault rifle chambered for the 9x39mm subsonic round. It was developed by CNIITochMash in the early 1990s...
- VSK-94VSK-94The VSK-94 is a 9 mm silenced sniper rifle developed by the Russia KBP Instrument Design Bureau as a low-cost alternative to the VSS rifle. The rifle is based on the 9A-91 assault rifle. The VSK-94 was designed to accurately engage unarmored point targets at ranges up to 400 m.The VSK-94 retains...
- VSS "Vintorez"VSS VintorezThe VSS , also called the Vintorez , is a silent sniper rifle developed in the late 1980s by TsNIITochMash and manufactured by the Tula Arsenal...
External links
Cartridges- left to right : SP-5, SP-6, PAB-9, BP, SPP
- left to right : SP-5, SP-6, PAB-9, SPP, BP
- left to right : SP-6, BP (2006), PAB-9, BP (2008)
Bullets
