— Mikhail, tell us about how the SVO changed the activities of Hexagon. What new products have appeared in your line?
— The company has existed since 2017. At first, we developed silencers, brackets and handguards for small arms for the FSB special forces. The market for low-noise shooting devices at that time was virtually empty, at least there were almost no Russian manufacturers on it. I explain this state of affairs by the negative trail of the 1990s, when the topic of silencers in our society mistakenly began to be associated exclusively with criminal showdowns. But this rather played into our hands.
SVO has radically changed its attitude towards suppressors, or “cans”, as the fighters say. The demand for these products is now very high, there are a large number of organizations on the market and there is quite fierce competition. Under these conditions, Hexagon continues to operate successfully, increase production and create new mufflers.
Thermal tests of DTKP "Grad"
Last year, we conducted a series of tests of the promising muzzle brake-compensator and flash suppressor (DTKP) "Grad". In the fall, the muffler was tested for thermal resistance. Within 2.5 minutes I fired 360 rounds through this “can.” The barrel, of course, got hot, but the product worked flawlessly.
In December, the Grad successfully passed tests, during which the noise of the shot was measured. Shooting was carried out from AK-200, AK-74, AK-12 with standard low-pulse 5.45 × 39 mm cartridges, sound measurements were made according to the generally accepted standard in the shooting industry - MIL-STD-1474D, when the microphone is located 1 m to the left of the muzzle and at a height of 1.6 m from the ground.
The average noise level was 140 dB. This is a good indicator. For example, the quietest weapon in Russia remains the Vintorez VSS, which is produced with a silencer. The noise of a shot from this rifle is 130 dB. And you need to take into account that Vintorez fires a subsonic bullet. For comparison: without a silencer, the noise of a shot from an AK with supersonic cartridges is about 170 dB.
Also, Grad tests showed a significant reduction in the reverse flow of powder gases into the receiver. In practice, this means reducing soot after intense shooting. Good results were also obtained in reducing the flash of a shot - it became many times smaller than on earlier Hexagon silencers.
To date, the Grad DTKP has already been fully tested and put into mass production. We plan to supply some of the new devices to air defense soldiers and special forces from other regions who will contact us with an order.
— What are the design features of the Grad and why did you choose such a name for the muffler?
— The main difference between the Grad and previous models is the updated design of the separator - a device for breaking the flow of powder gases into many small jets and their subsequent extinguishing inside the device.
The separator holes uniformly create gas jets inside the DTCP housing. In addition, the walls of the separator are located at a distance that helps to extinguish the jet of powder gases. The already broken gas flow reaches the next separator.
The number and diameter of the Grad holes through which the remaining powder gases escape are optimized to ensure that the forward flow effect is avoided, which sometimes nullifies all the work to reduce sound and flash.
The length of the "Grad" is 180 mm, diameter - 48.5 mm. I consider the significant reduction in the weight of the muffler to be a great achievement of the Hexagon team. If the previous model weighed 670 g, then the Grad weighed 575 g.
DTKP "Grad"
© Hexagon company
The characteristics I have listed refer to the basic AK version of the Grad. After completion of all tests, Hexagon will produce modifications of the DTKP for various sniper rifles and machine guns. In fact, they will differ only in diameter and minor modifications that do not critically change the design.
The name of the new muffler was given in honor of my friends from the special purpose service “Grad” of the Russian FSB Directorate for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region. This is a legendary special forces unit with which we have been cooperating since the founding of the company.
— It turns out that you managed to reduce the weight of the Grad by almost 100 g. However, you must agree that this is still a fairly weighty muffler.
— The weight of the muffler is not always a disadvantage. Of course, the device makes the weapon heavier, but at the same time, the additional weight stabilizes the barrel, reducing its vibration and the dispersion of bullets when firing in bursts. Thus, in fact, the accuracy of the fire increases.
By the way, athletes have long known the “secret” of an additional weight on the tip of the barrel - to practice more accurate shooting, they sometimes hang a small weight under it. It is clear that the muffler still should not be too heavy and bulky, but a weight of about 600-700 g and a length of about 180-220 mm are considered quite acceptable.
— What material is best to make a muffler so that it retains all the necessary properties and is resistant to mechanical damage?
— “Hexagon” manufactures mufflers from chromium-alloyed steel. It provides all the necessary properties of low-noise shooting devices. Some companies produce mufflers from composites. This is normal for urban – “greenhouse”, if you like – conditions when there are no high reliability requirements for the device. However, in my opinion, the army and special forces need steel “cans”.
Silencers can also be made from heat-resistant alloys, as the Americans do - from titanium or cermets. These are, one might say, ideal materials, but the prices for devices made from them will be sky-high, sometimes tens of times higher than for devices made from alloy steel. To be specific, the average price of a Western muffler exceeds $1 thousand.
Muffler from Hexagon
© Hexagon company
"Hexagon" does without scarce and expensive materials. At the same time, due to the design quality, we obtain approximately the same parameters in terms of weight, total resource, ability to withstand extreme temperatures during intense shooting, sound suppression and shot flash. With comparable characteristics, the cost of our muffler is 5-10 times less than its Western counterparts.
— Is it possible to create a truly silent muffler?
— “Grad”, like other silencers, does not provide absolutely silent shooting. The myth that a silencer certainly makes a shot silent appeared in our country after the release of numerous Western films about hired killers and gangsters who used pistols with silencers.
Probably everyone remembers these cinematic sounds of gunfire. In reality, the noise from a shot even from a pistol with a silencer is quite noticeable, although it should be noted that our designers have achieved great results by creating low-noise weapons for special forces. Among the best examples in this class, I would name the OTs-38 revolver by Igor Yakovlevich Stechkin and the PSS “Vul”, which uses a circuit that cuts off powder gases in the cartridge case.
But, of course, you can’t fool physics. Almost always shooting is carried out with supersonic bullets. At this speed, the ammunition creates a ballistic wave. Powder gases come out of the weapon, and we hear a characteristic bang. The purpose of a silencer is to distribute gas flows in the most optimal way and extinguish the flame from a shot.
To achieve greater noise reduction, you can use subsonic cartridges, but then we get a rather modest initial bullet velocity and a short destruction distance, as, for example, with Vintorez and some pistols for special forces.
If we need to fire supersonic bullets, then it is better to follow the path of constructive improvement of silencers. I know some businesses are experimenting with the length of the cans. However, it is important to remember that shortening the device a priori worsens the flash extinction performance.
Based on my design experience, I came to the conclusion that it is inadmissible to violate the ballistic properties of ammunition for the sake of reducing noise and achieving other indicators. Moreover, I am sure that it is unlikely that it will be possible to radically reduce the sound of a shot. Yes, and this does not make much practical sense.
The most important thing that a low-noise firing device provides in a combat zone is sound dispersion and flash suppression. The location of a fighter who uses a silencer is very difficult to detect in both urban and field conditions. And if he is constantly changing firing positions, then it is almost impossible to do this.
Muffler, handguard, bracket from Hexagon company on AK
© Hexagon company
The muffler is extremely easy to use. Perhaps the only thing you should not forget about is the need to clean carbon deposits after 1 thousand shots. You also need to ensure that the device does not become heavily clogged with dirt and sand, that is, in fact, these are standard rules for operating an AK.
The key requirements for a modern silencer are that it is not too heavy, ergonomic, reliable, and has a lifespan of 10 thousand shots, which approximately corresponds to the service life of a weapon barrel. The muffler must be made of quality materials. Unfortunately, there are now many cheap handicrafts and fakes on the Russian market, including Hexagon devices.
— In what situations is a silencer
critically necessary for military personnel? Do you have information about how these devices are used in the SVO?
— In my opinion, in modern armed conflicts a silencer is not needed only in those situations where it is important for the shooter to prevent the weapon from increasing in length. For example, behind the ribbon, this approach is relevant during the clearing of strongholds.
Therefore, there should be a lot of silencers in the army. I was on eight business trips in the Northern Military District zone, during which I presented about a thousand devices to the soldiers. Frankly, I don’t remember a single unit on the front line that would not strive to install “cans” on all types of small arms.
The silencer has become a necessary means of survival and effective combat work both day and night. In the Northern Military District it is widely used not only by snipers, but also by infantrymen, including machine gunners.
In addition, on the LBC (line of combat contact. -
RT
), the enemy widely uses Western acoustic reconnaissance means, which make it possible to quite accurately determine the coordinates of the area from which fire is being carried out without a silencer. It is not difficult to guess that the enemy then tries to direct artillery there.
Many people ask: is it possible to install silencers on Soviet-made SVDs, machine guns and Kalashnikov assault rifles? There are no serious restrictions, including for 12.7 mm machine guns and the Kord ASVK made in a similar caliber with a factory-made flash suppressor. If suddenly the muffler does not fit, then so-called adapters are used.
At the beginning of January, Hexagon received “compliments” from our ill-wishers from Poland. Journalists from Defense24, citing Ukrainian sources, mentioned the silencers of our company. According to them, the Hexagon DTKP is used by machine gunners of Russian DRGs (sabotage and reconnaissance groups -
RT
), who are a nightmare for Ukrainian formations in the border areas.
As far as I know, fighters at the LBS install our silencers on all types of their small arms. Hexagon products can be found among military personnel of the 56th Airborne Assault Regiment of the Airborne Forces, admins of the famous Telegram channel “Archangel Spetsnaz”, marines of the Pacific Fleet, soldiers of reconnaissance and combined arms units of the Russian army.