The SPP-1 underwater pistol was made in the Soviet Union for use by Soviet frogmen as an underwater firearm.Popenker, Max R. "SPP-1 underwater pistol ", world.guns.ru, Retrieved 2010-04-05 It was developed in the late 1960s and accepted for use in 1975. Under water, standard bullets are inaccurate and have very short range. This pistol instead fires a round-based caliber steel dart about long, weighing , which has longer range and more penetrating power than a speargun. The complete cartridge is long and weighs ." 4.5-mm SPS underwater fire cartridge ", Tsniitochmash, Retrieved 2010-04-05
Design The SPP-1 has four barrels, each containing one cartridge. Its ammunition comes as a magazine of four cartridges which is inserted into the pistol's breech.
Its barrel is not rifled; the fired projectile is kept in line by hydrodynamic effects. As a result, it is somewhat inaccurate when fired out of water."Firearms Technical Trivia ", cruffler.com, November 2001, Retrieved 2010-04-05
A double-action firing mechanism fires one cartridge sequentially for each pull of the trigger. When all four cartridges are spent, the gun can be reloaded above or below water.
The SPP-1M pistol is essentially the same as the SPP-1, with the following differences:" SPP-1 and SPP-1M underwater pistol 4.5mm ", www.securityarms.com, Retrieved 2010-04-05 It has an extra spring above the sear to improve the trigger pull. Its trigger guard is larger to accommodate diving gloves.
The weapon was designed by Vladimir Simonov, the cartridge by Pyotr Sazonov and Oleg Kravchenko. Simonov also designed the APS amphibious rifle.Popenker, Max R. "APS underwater assault rifle (5.6x39 mm MPS) ", world.guns.ru, Retrieved 2010-04-05
Performance Depth reduces range because the higher pressure closes the cavity sooner. Once the projectile is no longer supercavitating, hydrodynamic drag increases greatly, and the projectile becomes unstable.
Lethal range is defined as the range from which it can easily penetrate a padded underwater suit or a thick glass faceplate."4.5-mm SPP-1M Underwater Pistol ", TsNIITochMash, Retrieved 2010-04-05
It is manufactured by TOZ (Tulsky Oruzheiny Zavod/ Тульский Оружейный Завод) Tula Arms Plant,"Special Submarine Pistol SPP-1M ", Tulsky Oruzheiny Zavod(TOZ), Tula Arms Plant, Retrieved 2010-04-05 and exported by Rosoboronexport, the state agency for Russia's export and import of defense-related products.
Users
- In limited use with special operations forces.
«В ходе учебного боя было проведено практическое метание ручных противодиверсионных гранат, отработаны приемы подводного боя с применением специальных подводных пистолетов СПП-1, подводных автоматов АПС»На Балтийском флоте прошло учение по противодействию подводным диверсантам условного противника // официальный интернет-сайт министерства обороны РФ от 31 марта 2025
Variants The SPP-1M has been copied by Iran.
See also Heckler & Koch P11 List of Russian weaponry
References Citations
General and cited references Cutshaw, Charlie (1998). The New World of Russian Small Arms & Ammo. Boulder, Colorado: Paladin Press. .
External links
Picture and information Technical specification Description, image of firearm and darts, and specifications Image of firearm, breech opened, and specifications