AS Val
Encyclopedia
The AS "Val" is a Soviet designed assault rifle
featuring an integrated suppressor
.
It was developed during the late 1980s by TsNIITochMash
(Central Institute for Precision Machine Building) and is used by Russian Spetsnaz
special forces and the MVD, FSB
and select units of the Russian Army
. Since 1987, it was added to the arsenal of the Soviet Army and the KGB.
Its effective range is approximately 300 m, as it uses heavy subsonic 9x39mm
SP-6 (high performance armor piercing) ammunition, as well as the SP-5 ball round used by the VSS Vintorez
. It can also use the same 10 or 20-round magazines as the VSS. Controls are similar to all AK-type rifles with cocking handle on the right side, tangent rear sight, magazine release button behind magazine well and safety lever above the trigger guard. The fire selector is however located within the trigger guard, behind the trigger. The "Val" has two modes of fire, single shot and automatic fire at a cyclic rate of 900 RPM. According to its users, the "Val" is reliable, accurate and well liked.
It has an AK-type side mount for various optical sights, including the 4x PSO-1
scope and night sights calibrated for use with the 9x39mm round. The standard open sights are graduated up to 400 m in 25 m increments.
The "Val" has a 70% piece commonality with its sister-gun, the VSS Vintorez. Differences are furniture made of high impact polymer and a skeletonized steel stock which folds to the left for storage and transportation (gun can operate with stock folded).
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
featuring an integrated suppressor
Suppressor
A suppressor, sound suppressor, sound moderator, or silencer, is a device attached to or part of the barrel of a firearm which reduces the amount of noise and flash generated by firing the weapon....
.
It was developed during the late 1980s by TsNIITochMash
TsNIITochMash
TsNIITochMash is an initialism for the Central Research Institute for Precision Machine Building , a Russian industrial design bureau...
(Central Institute for Precision Machine Building) and is used by Russian Spetsnaz
Spetsnaz
Spetsnaz, Specnaz tr: Voyska specialnogo naznacheniya; ) is an umbrella term for any special forces in Russian, literally "force of special purpose"...
special forces and the MVD, FSB
FSB (Russia)
The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation is the main domestic security agency of the Russian Federation and the main successor agency of the Soviet Committee of State Security . Its main responsibilities are counter-intelligence, internal and border security, counter-terrorism, and...
and select units of the Russian Army
Russian Ground Forces
The Russian Ground Forces are the land forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, formed from parts of the collapsing Soviet Army in 1992. The formation of these forces posed economic challenges after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and required reforms to professionalize the force...
. Since 1987, it was added to the arsenal of the Soviet Army and the KGB.
Its effective range is approximately 300 m, as it uses heavy subsonic 9x39mm
9x39mm
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...
SP-6 (high performance armor piercing) ammunition, as well as the SP-5 ball round used by the VSS Vintorez
VSS Vintorez
The VSS , also called the Vintorez , is a silent sniper rifle developed in the late 1980s by TsNIITochMash and manufactured by the Tula Arsenal...
. It can also use the same 10 or 20-round magazines as the VSS. Controls are similar to all AK-type rifles with cocking handle on the right side, tangent rear sight, magazine release button behind magazine well and safety lever above the trigger guard. The fire selector is however located within the trigger guard, behind the trigger. The "Val" has two modes of fire, single shot and automatic fire at a cyclic rate of 900 RPM. According to its users, the "Val" is reliable, accurate and well liked.
It has an AK-type side mount for various optical sights, including the 4x PSO-1
PSO-1
The Soviet PSO-1 telescopic sight was at the time of its introduction , the most technically advanced telescopic sight ever designed for a mass-production designated marksman or sniper rifle...
scope and night sights calibrated for use with the 9x39mm round. The standard open sights are graduated up to 400 m in 25 m increments.
The "Val" has a 70% piece commonality with its sister-gun, the VSS Vintorez. Differences are furniture made of high impact polymer and a skeletonized steel stock which folds to the left for storage and transportation (gun can operate with stock folded).