The SR-2 Veresk, a submachine gun crafted by Russia’s TsNIITochMash weapon design bureau, was specifically engineered to fulfill the demands of the country’s Federal Security Service. This firearm utilizes the 9x21mm Gyurza pistol cartridge.
Introduction
TsNIITochMash, a leading designer and manufacturer of small arms for the Russian military and law enforcement, began development in the mid-1990s. This included the creation of the Gyurza pistol and new ammunition. The weapon was first showcased in 1998. An upgraded version, the SR-2M, was adopted in the early 2000s. Since its introduction, the SR-2M has been widely utilized by the Federal Security Service and specialized units within law enforcement.
Design
The SR-2 Veresk is chambered for the powerful, yet uncommon 9×21 mm ammunition. This cartridge was developed in Russia during the early 1990s and is used exclusively by the SR-1 Vektor (also known as the Gyurza and SPS) pistol and the SR-2 Veresk. Both weapons are utilized by the Federal Security Service (FSB). The SP-10 is a basic armor-piercing round with a steel core bullet, designed to penetrate body armor and soft-skinned vehicles. At a range of around 140 meters, the Veresk can penetrate 30 layers of Kevlar, as well as up to 2.8 mm of titanium plate.
Additionally, it can also penetrate a 4 mm steel plate at a distance of 70 meters. Other rounds available include the SP-11 standard ball round, the SP-12 round with a low-ricochet expanding bullet, and the SP-13 armor-piercing tracer round. The 9×21 mm ammunition is more powerful than the 9×19 mm Parabellum and 7.62×25 mm Tokarev rounds, however, it is also more expensive than the standard 9×19 mm ammunition.
This submachine gun features an unusual operation for its class, utilizing a gas-operated rotating bolt mechanism, typically found in assault rifles, as opposed to the more common blowback-operated principle in submachine guns. This design choice was made to accommodate the powerful round, as a heavy slide would have made the weapon too heavy. The design is partially borrowed from the SR-3 Vikhr compact assault rifle.
The SR-2 Veresk has two levers located on each side of the receiver, one of which serves as a safety switch and the other as a fire mode selector. This layout is somewhat unusual and may take some time to get used to. The weapon is capable of semi-automatic and full-automatic firing, and when the safety is engaged, the lever blocks the trigger and charging handle, preventing the weapon from being loaded.
The SR-2 Veresk is fed from 20- and 30-round capacity magazines, which are housed within the pistol grip, a feature previously seen in the popular Uzi submachine gun. The weapon also features a collapsible stock that folds upwards and over the weapon. Simple iron sights, adjustable for ranges of 100 and 200 meters, come standard with the weapon, and it also has a mount for optical sights, which is distinct from the contemporary AK-style side rail. The weapon is often paired with a Russian SR-2 red dot sight, specially designed for the SR-2 Veresk, and has an effective range of fire of up to 200 meters.
Variants
SR-2M
SR-2M, the improved version of the SR-2 Veresk features a vertical grip that can be folded into the foregrip when not in use. The foregrip also has a protrusion similar to that of the HK MP5K, which serves to protect the shooter’s hand. The iron sights on this version of the weapon have only one range setting.
SR-2MP
SR-2MP can be fitted with various accessories. It has s a side-mounted accessory rails for tactical flashlight, or laser pointer. This weapon can be fitted with add-on wire stock, which is more comfortable to fire the weapon, than the standard stock. Also the weapon can be fitted with a sound suppressor.
Technical specifications
| Country of origin: | Russia |
| Manufacturer: | TsNIITochMash |
| Entered service: | 1996 |
| Caliber: | 9×39 mm |
| Weight: | 2 kg |
| Length: | 640 mm |
| Length (with folded stock): | 395 mm |
| Barrel length: | 156 mm |
| Muzzle velocity: | 270 m/s |
| Cyclic rate of fire: | 900 rpm |
| Practical rate of fire: | 40 – 60 rpm |
| Magazine capacity: | 20 rounds |
| Sighting range: | 200 m |
| Range of effective fire: | up to 200 m |
