The MSP Groza silent pistol () is an over and under, double-barrel,

derringer A derringer or deringer is a small handgun that is neither a revolver, semi-automatic pistol, nor machine pistol. It is not to be confused with mini-revolvers or pocket pistols, although some later derringers were manufactured with the pepp ...

-type firearm designed in the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

in 1972.

History

The weapon was used operationally in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

and in

Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...

during the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

. An FMLN supplied MSP is believed to have been the weapon used to assassinate

Contras In the history of Nicaragua, the Contras (Spanish: ''La contrarrevolución'', the counter-revolution) were the right-wing militias who waged anti-communist guerilla warfare (1979–1990) against the Marxist governments of the Sandinista Na ...

leader

Enrique Bermúdez Enrique Bermúdez Varela (December 11, 1932 – February 16, 1991), known as Comandante 380, was a Nicaraguan soldier and rebel who founded and commanded the Nicaraguan Contras. In this capacity, he became a central global figure in one of the m ...

. It is no longer in production, having been superseded by more modern designs.

Design

The Groza uses a specialised cartridge. When fired, an internal piston within the cartridge launches the bullet forward and retains all the gases within the case, thus making a near silent weapon with almost no flash. To load the weapon the user would depress a button, allowing the barrels to tilt forward and exposing the breech for manual loading either by individual cartridge or with the use of a disposable 2-round clip. The firearm is chambered for the silent 7.62×38 SP-3 cartridge which can be loaded via a two-round clip. The weapon was designed at the request of the

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

special services.

Users

Former

References

External links

MSP silent pistol (USSR / Russia)
* Юрий Пономарёв
МСП. Русский «Дерринджер» или «карманный бокфлинт»?
, ''КАЛАШНИКОВ. ОРУЖИЕ, БОЕПРИПАСЫ, СНАРЯЖЕНИЕ'', 2006/3
Video of MSP
* http://www.forgottenweapons.com/russian-silent-ammunition/ 7.62 mm firearms Pistols of the Soviet Union Multiple-barrel firearms Military equipment introduced in the 1970s {{pistol-stub