- Osa (handgun)
-
Osa 
PB-4MType Non-lethal handgun Place of origin 
RussiaProduction history Designed 2000s Variants PB-4-1 Specifications Weight 0.4 kg Length 1.77" (45 mm) Cartridge 15.5 mm rubber Action double action Feed system 4 chambers Osa (Russian for "wasp") is a family of Russian non-lethal pistols that can be also used as flare launcher or flashbang gun. The system consists of the gun (2-4 cartridges, laser target pointer, electronic ignition capsule), and various ammunition types.
The pistol is available on the civil market. It was designed and is manufactured by state owned organizations Federal center for research and manufacturing and The Institute for science and research in the applied chemistry. The last one is one of the most important military contractors in Russia, first developer of the gun.
Contents
Cartridges
A set of «OSA» consists of four types of cartridges, intended for self-defense (and traumatic light-and-sound), the filing signals[disambiguation needed
] and coverage areas. Traumatic cartridge 18 × 45T equipped rubber bullet, 18 × light-and-sound 45SZ - special charge, providing an extremely loud and bright shot, a signal light 18h45S and 18 × 45O - special flashes of various colors and form. The pistol launcher itself is generating an electric pulse to trigger gunpowder charge.The traumatic cartridge contains a (11.6 g) 15.3 mm bullet, made of rubber and having a metal reinforcing core. This a bullet has an initial speed of about 120 m / s and a muzzle energy of about 85 J. According to the developers, the bullet causes a shock when it hits the target.
Design details
The PB-4 is a four-barreled break-action gun of original design. It has two horizontal "8"-shaped chambers in its aluminum chambers block, each housing two rounds. There is no need for separated chamber for each round, because gas pressure is contained within thick cylindrical aluminum case (external case diameter is 18mm while bullet caliber is 15.3mm), thus chamber support is not needed. Would the round be unlawfully redesigned to increase its power, this will prevent normal use of the gun. The case also performs the function of the barrel, with the bullet positioned deep inside and accelerating within the case. The front end of the case is in level with front end of the chamber block when in firing position. There is a four-fingered extractor in the central channel of the chamber block. Cases are rimless and have an extractor groove. Extractor keeps cases from falling forward outside of chamber block. When action is opened, cases are extracted backwards for manual reloading. The trigger and trigger guard are fixed to lower side of the chambers block.
Chamber block is locked to the handle block with locking surface, firing button (pushed by trigger when chamber block is locked), pistol grip, battery and electronics. Primers are ignited electically, so there are four circular contact plates on the locking surface (contacting with case bottom) and four contact pins in the center of each plate (contacting with primer). On the trigger pull an impulse is generated. Electronic firing mechanism is able to send firing impulses in sequence to the chambers from 1 to 4 and to skip chambers with malfunctioning rounds to avoid misfires. Weapon is only capable of single-shot firing mode. There are different modifications of PB-4, on some firing mechanism is fed by a battery, on others - by a sort of muscular generator similar with kitchen spark device (a spring is compressed during the trigger pull and electrical impulse is generated by its release).
There is a simple sight assembly atop the chamber block - a semi-cylindrical groove along it and white forward post at the front end of the groove. Some variants of PB-4 have built-in laser sight with laser window in the center of the "locking surface" and the beam following central extractor channel of the chamber block. Laser switch on the left side of the handle block is operated by the thumb. Laser is fed by a battery inside the pistol grip. There are no safety switches - locked and loaded weapon is always ready to fire (for some modifications battery should be live, though)[1]
Legal status
The use of non-lethal weapons in Russia is permitted to civil population, and it is also used by law control forces or private security.
Sources
See also
External links
Categories:- Pistols
- Multiple barrel firearms
- Specialized firearms
- Non-lethal firearms
- Weapons of Russia
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
