Vityaz
PP-19-01
Overview
Vityaz
Left side view of regular Vityaz sub machine gun with polymer front grips, smooth dust cover and metal triangular folding stock.
Source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin -
© GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Production index
Vityaz
Russian for "knight"
Description
Introduction
The Vityaz is a modern sub machine gun of Russian origin. The actual designation is PP-19-01 Vityaz, but the production code is often dropped. The design is based on the earlier and unsuccesful Bizon. The Vityaz is one of the few recent Russian pistol caliber sub machine guns that seems to be adopted in reasonable quantity.
Design
The Vityaz looks like a scaled down version of the AK-74M assault rifle. Although various parts are exchangeable, the Vityaz uses a different operating mechanism. It is a blowback operated weapon that fires from a closed bolt position. The dust cover features a Picatinny rail for mounting optics. The polymer handguard is often replaced by quad accessory rails.
Firepower
The Vityaz fires the 9x19mm Parabellum round, including recent Russian high pressure variants such as 7N21 and 7N31. It is a select-fire weapon with a cyclic rate of fire of 700 to 750 rpm. The Vityaz uses 30 round plastic magazines. Often two such magazines are clamped together. The maximum effective range is 200 meters. Its practical range is about 100 meters.
Users
The Vityaz has been adopted by various Russian military and law enforcement units. It is available for export. The Vityaz seems to be one of the more widely used sub machine guns in Russian service, despite being a much younger design.
Variants
Vityaz-SN
Left side view of Vityaz-SN with EOTech Holosight on display in 2013.
Source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin -
© GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Variants of the Vityaz
The Vityaz is produced in two main variants. The baseline model features a smooth dust cover. The left side of the receiver features a mount for use with Soviet side mounting optics.
The Vityaz-SN features a dust cover with integrated Picatinny rail. This allows Western optics to be easily fitted. The side mount is still present, but the Picatinny rail interferes with some types of Soviet optics.
Various aftermarket upgrades have been produced for the Vityaz by various companies such as Zenitco. These include accessory rail mounts, vertical grips and adjustable stocks.
Details
Media
Vityaz
Right side view of Vityaz sub machine gun modified with various Zenitco aftermarket accessories, including forward rails, vertical grip, sight rail and adjustable stock.
Source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Vityaz
Right side view of Vityaz sub machine gun with stock in folded position.
Source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Vityaz
Left side view of modified Vityaz sub machine gun as used by the Russian OSN special unit.
Source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Vityaz-SN
Forward view of operator with Vityaz-SN in 2013.
Source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Vityaz-SN
Vityaz-SN sub machine gun on display in 2014. Note the desert camouflage, Zenitco accessory rails, M4 stock adapter and suppressor.
Source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Related articles
SR-2 Veresk
The SR-2M Veresk is another modern pistol caliber sub machine gun of Russian origin. Both Vityaz and SR-2 Veresk are aimed at the law enforcement market.