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Soviet WW2 Bramit Silencer for the M91/30 (ad-free)
🕑 Added 2022-08-29 12:00:06 +0000 UTCThe Soviet Union began to take an interest in military suppressors in the early 1930s, and experimented with things like suppressors for the DP light machine gun. Through the 1930s a variety of different designs were tested, but none were found really suitable. Everything they tested was deemed too heavy, too loud, or detrimental to accuracy. The Bramit (“Brothers Mitin”) design we are looking at today was first tested by the NKVD in June 1940, and that organization adopted it in December of 1940. Production began in Leningrad in September 1941, and expanded to three additional factories shortly thereafter.
The Bramit is specifically made for the Mosin Nagant M91/30, locking around the front sight. It is a wipe-based suppressor, with two large rubber wipes or baffles with an open chamber between them. It was designed for use specifically with subsonic ammunition, and the body of the suppressor was engraved with a conversion table to show proper rear sight settings for different ranges with that low-velocity subsonic ammunition.
Because the design used wipes, it had an expected lifespan of only about 60 rounds before the wipes were completely shot out and required replacement. However, in winter use the rubber because more brittle, and lasted only 15-20 rounds. This led to a development of a different winter composition in 1942, and eventually a better all-season type of wipe in 1943 using Lead-Lease supplies of rubber. The Bramits were used by snipers, some partisans, and both Army and NKVD scouts. Production ended in early 1944, with enough made to fully equip everyone who needed them. The total production is unclear, but 1942 alone saw 60,000 made.
Comments
Bruce Brodnax
I miss Pete! [P.T. Kekkonnen] Hard to believe it's been 20 years since he passed... Where does the time go? Wish I'd been in a financial position to contribute more to his site and actually get over there to meet him when he was still alive. I too grabbed one of the 452 Lux models when they hit the U.S. market [ever so briefly!] I already had an M44US Mossberg w/ a 22?, 24? inch barrel that was a treat to shoot subsonic loads thru, airgun quiet so the 452 w/ the extra long tube was a complete no-brainer to jump on when the opportunity arose...
Guido Schriewer
useful. in that environment. less sound less muzzleflash. or be jap and just have a 6,5mil at hand.
Robert Rowe
Related to the WWII use of subsonic on the Eastern front by Soviets, partizans, Germans, Finns stuck in the middle? This old guy collected quite some information, 3 part article of interest to shooters, history and implementation on subsonic/improvised loads for the Mosin Nagant: http://guns.connect.fi/gow/arcane1.html "Kissan aivastus", id est: "The Cat's Sneeze" loads Some years back, I found an odd CZ452 rifle at a gunshow: 22 rimfire with a 28" barrel?! I had read this article, so I snatched that rifle up. I don't NEED a .22 suppressor and I buy mostly "standard velocity" ammunition (cheap, accurate, subsonic and stupid quiet from that rifle).
zspikez
I'm curious why the NKVD had sniper units at all. I suspect there are no pleasant answers to that question.
Bruce Brodnax
Gromit, we're out of cheese! [Sorry, couldn't resist; I know it sez bramit, but it still looks a lot like "Gromit" to me...]
Very interesting, as always.....thanks!
