RSh-12 Assault Revolver: Real-Life Prototype for the Snub Pistol?

[Jetrock]

While perusing another forum I stumbled across mention of the RSh-12 Assault Revolver, a 12.7x55mm pistol that kind of screams for a Traveller equivalent--although perhaps there already is one.

The RSh-12 assault revolver (Револьвер Штурмовой РШ-12) is a very unusual weapon, developed upon request from Elite Russian counter-terrorist units. It is an ultimate CQB/Room-cleaning man-stopper, which can be used single-handedly, for example by point-men of entry teams, who carry a ballistic shield in their “other” hand. It is designed to fire an extremely powerful 12.7x55mm ammunition, originally designed for the ASh-12 assault rifle. In terms of power and muzzle energy, this formidable cartridge is roughly equal to .500 SW Magnum. 12.7x55mm ammunition is rimless and is available with heavy subsonic projectiles (PD-12 with 32 gram / 494 grain bullet), supersonic AP projectiles with hardened steel core (PS-12B with 16,2 g / 250 grain bullet) and supersonic short-range projectiles with lightweight aluminum core (PS-12A with 7 g / 108 grain bullet). Same system is also available chambered for the noticeably less powerful, but still highly effective 9x39mm subsonic ammunition, originally used in the AS suppressed assault rifle and the VSS suppressed sniper rifle. The 9x39m version is called RSh-9 revolver. It is somewhat lighter than the basic 12.7mm version and has cylinder capacity of six 9mm rounds, as opposed to cylinder capacity of five 12.7mm rounds in the RSH-12 revolver.

The bit that struck me was mention of the short-range projectile with lightweight aluminum core--it reminded me of the Traveller snub pistol, often described as a large-caliber revolver that fires low-velocity, large-caliber rounds that depend on blunt trauma or payload (gas, tranq or explosive) to disable their target while reducing chances of overpenetration in close quarters and hull-decompressing events. However, at least from how it is described, the RSh-12 doesn't strike me as a low-recoil weapon. There's also a submachinegun version, the ASh-12, that sounded very much like the snub SMG, except of course as mentioned above, it also comes in heavy-payload and relatively high velocity versions.

So, is it a snub pistol? A pocket LAG? The latest thing to tell your players they can't have, but they want because it does look quite boss? And is there a gauss equivalent?

 

[aramis]

Heavy revolver.

 

[Condottiere]

Low recoil, low velocity bullet.

I would think the bullet would have added ballast at some sweet point between weight and propulsion.

 

[infojunky]

Just a quick comment the Snub Pistol muzzle velocity is akin to a Paint Marker gun...

 

[kilemall]

I would expect assault round penetration with SMG like ranging, short of a carbine.

 

[whartung]

Low recoil, low velocity bullet.

Mean low power, unless the recoil is grav compensated and the round particularly massive.

Of course there's also this:

2500 ft/lbs of energy. Holy smokes! S&W .460 with compensator.

Um, no, this is not low recoil. It's "lesser" recoil. "Down to" .44 Magnum levels of recoil.

 

[Deldarius]

MPHC -Man Portable - Hand Cannon. In like a pie plate, out like a 20" truck rim.


Look at the size of that thing! That's not a sidearm, that's field artillery.

"Hey buddy, over compensating for something?"

 

[Spinward Flow]