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by Max R. Popenker
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OTs-38 silent revolver (Russia)

OTs-38 revolver, right side. Hammer is lowered and safety is off.

OTs-38 revolver, top view with cylinder opened for reloading. Note the most unusual way of cylinder opening.

SP-4 silent ammunition loaded into 5-round OTs-38 flat clip
Image: KBP

The OTs-38 (ОЦ-38) revolver is one of most unusual revolvers ever made. It was developed by the TSKIB SOO (Central Bureau for Sporting and Hunting Arms, a division of famous KBP organization, located in Tula, Russia) on request from Russian FSB (Federal Security Service). Because of its specific nature, OTs-38 is a limited production item, and it is being used by various Special Purpose law enforcement units. The OTs-38 is an integrally silenced weapon, which produces almost no sound and absolutely no flash upon firing. It is built as alternative to PSS silent pistol, and uses same special, integrally silenced ammunition known as SP-4. The OTs-38 is one of the last designs by the late I. Ya. Stechkin, a famous Russian gun designer.

OTs-38 resembles a traditional double-action revolver but it has many uncommon features. For the start, it has a more or less common exposed hammer with double-action trigger, but the action fitted with ambidextrous manual safety which allows for safe "cocked & locked" carry, for fast and accurate first shot. Next, the OTs-38 fires from the bottom chamber of the cylinder, as opposed to most revolvers that fire from upper chamber. Therefore, the barrel axis of OTs-38 is relatively low and muzzle jump is minimal. The large cylindrical housing, located above the barrel of OTs-38, contains an integral laser pointer / sight. The cylinder fixture is also of most unusual nature. The cylinder axis is hinged to the frame at the front, so once cylinder release (at the left side of the frame) is pushed forward, the cylinder can be swung open to the right and forward (while on most modern revolvers cylinders are swung down and to the left). Upon the opening of the cylinder, an automatic ejector partially withdraws the clip with rounds (or empty cases) from cylinder. This unusual cylinder mounting is essential to provide minimum play between the firing chamber in cylinder and barrel throat, since the SP-4 bullets are of pure cylinder shape, and thus cannot self-align itself with the barrel upon firing, unlike most conventional bullets that have conical or ogive nose shape. Since SP-4 ammunition is rimless, it is loaded into OTs-38 using special flat clips that hold 5 rounds together.
As said above, OTs-4 is fitted with integral laser sight. It is also fitted with traditional fixed iron sights, that have contrast white inserts.

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