I had the chance to take a .32ACP Welrod MkII out to the range for a bit of shooting. These use a combination of baffles and rubber wipes, and the suppressor’s effectiveness quickly drops from “fantastic” to merely “very good” after a few shots put a hole in the front wipe. This example already had 2 or 3 rounds through it when I started shooting, and the sound changed from a muffled thump to a more gunshot-like crack over the course of the 8 or so rounds I fired. In practice, this was really not a problem – the Welrod was an assassination tool and not something intended for use in any sort of real gunfight.
Revolver
Engraved Tranter 577-Caliber Hand Cannon
This is lot #1347 in the upcoming RIA Premier Auction. It was scheduled for April, but has been postponed – check their web site for upcoming Online Only auctions every month, though! William Tranter’s Model […]
Ammunition
Ammunition Documents III
Continuing through the trove of ammunition documents we recently got from Robert, we have three more manuals for you today. These are getting a bit more specific in their topics as we move through the […]
Bolt Action Rifles
SA80 History: L98A1 Cadet Manually-Operated Rifle
Armament Research Services (ARES) is a specialist technical intelligence consultancy, offering expertise and analysis to a range of government and non-government entities in the arms and munitions field. For detailed photos of the guns in […]
Everyone take note — Mr. M forgetting himself and shooting a pistol right-handed! Of course it would be a special historical pistol.
Somewhere there is a website about the Danish anti-Nazi resistance, which includes a sound file of a Welrod being shot, and a catalogue of the not greatly successful uses of the Welrod by the Danish resistance. Don’t know if there’s anything similar for the French, Dutch, or Norwegians.
It’s http://www.timelapse.dk, nice site.
Is this an original WW2 Welrod?
If yes, the rubber wipes in the silencer have definitely deteriorated, and one should not draw conclusions from the rapidly decreasing efficiency of the suppression system.
I am fairly sure Ian said the wipes were new made in the last, recent, Welrod video.
I am fairly sure Ian said you can get new made Welrod wipes in his last Welrod video.
Sorry to repeat myself. I had forgotten just how clunky this site was.
I saw one Danish demonstration vid. But they were using a tin garbage can as a target so the actual sound couldn’t be evaluated.
Did SOE adopt an existing .32 magazine? It would seem crazy to try to develop one JUST for the Welrod.
According to https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a21255/forgotten-weapons-the-welrod/
The Welrod was equipped with a magazine—one modified from a Colt 1903 pistol which would hold 8 rounds (although in the Welrod, it was recommended to load no more than 5 rounds to prevent malfunctions when cycling).
Got me thinking how would you do this to keep it as quiet as possible (Given the increased noise as the rubber wipes become less effective “Starting from no holes at all in the wipes, to this videos 1st shot.” onwards.) You would perhaps need a revolving chamber, that you chamber rounds into from it’s mag as per; each chamber having it’s own wipe infront “A single wipe which gets 6 seperate holes, as the chambers align with the barrel.” A wipe along with metal baffles/exansion chambers running along the barrel length. With a last rotating wipe only chamber (alu etc at the muzzle – Rotates aligned with the actual chamber) infront of the barrel/baffles. Which would increase the diameter of the tube, everything is contained inside to maybe twice that of now… To keep the barrel central; depends if it worked, in regards being worth it.
In between I went blanks, in-conjuction with Soviet type silenced piston type rounds as a special long chamber cylinder you unscrew to pop projectiles in the front of, unscrew it eh to reload. Then thought why not just use the rounds; countered with who has said rounds.
Possibly of interest, I deviated to break action shotguns; has anyone tried the Soviet suppressed round design in such a configaration, even as a insert/12 to 20g I.e. 20g blanks, 12g insert via rim/normal chamber length – with extended barrel insert… A drop in “Into this” 20g self contained piston design, seats via a 20g rim… Then infront, so load prior to dropping the piston in basically a sawn off 20g cartridge – Maybe a hard wad, but normal sabot/crimp, this seats at the mouth of said “Cartridge” it being 20g the insert 12g see, so holding it thus.
Again… Point; depends if it is quiet’er, in regards being worth it – Quietness being the aim. Ok you can get silenced shotguns, but in comparison – If quieter, might be worth it.
Would the Soviet piston thing work with sabots of shot; don’t know, in theory it should with a slug – I assume the sabot would expand 20g to 12g, slug would be undersized. Anyway, all good.
“(…)Soviet piston thing work with sabots of shot(…)”
There is no reason to prevent that working, but it seems to be counter-productive, as sabots are used to get very high velocity, whilst captive piston is used with sub-sonic bullets.
Or no mag, and six rounds… He he I.e. a Revolver… Or two rotating wipe “Revolving chambers… Anyway, the rotating wipes… Hee. I went to blank 9mm cartridges, internal built in Soviet supressed extended chamber cylinder rounds you pop infront, then back; explains that maybe or not, deviating to shotgun does. Er… No, that would be a revolver. Bugger. Unless! The pistons could be spring loaded, and eject the blanks load/reload from mag… No projectiles. Hmmm. Be a way… Depends how quiet/nobody has Soviet rounds.
Tube mag… 12 mag blanks, 12 projectiles in tube – 6 chambers, no wipes involved that might add up… Funny that, I was on about seperating projectiles from cartridges again. Actually given increased diameter of tube overall, offset tube mag feeds via 2nd revolving cyinder above, bottom aligns with barrel – Off set mag feeds into 5 rotates to six at bottom. Ok I will leave that, but if that was totally silent; and nobody has Soviet rounds. Might work.
Aye… So self ejecting, silent piston pistol revolver cylinder design needed, he he. See, thats all it needs… Hee! Not blackpowder at least; fouling.
Was reading about Spanish Kings last night, Wiki flip through… And one got a gun Miquet lock break action, with the cartridge as “Breech” basically with the frizzen thing attached, so a “Cartridge” 1715 not revolutionary so to speak, but it did get me thinking again about seperate projectiles to charge. Thought wheellock. The pistons could, impact on return onto an/seperate ejector as per chamber. See ways.
Piston, would need to retract to allow cylinder to rotate… BANG!!! WACK!! SHUUUSH! POP… Bullet length only a 1cm, so if piston popped out just that the retracted… Ha ha! See ways.
“(…)Piston, would need to retract to allow cylinder to rotate(…)”
Why do you claim so, whilst OTs-38 http://modernfirearms.net/en/handguns/double-action-revolvers/russia-double-action-revolvers/oc-38-besshumnyj-eng/ is known to exists and work without need to do so?
“(…)seperating projectiles from cartridges(…)”
Observe that would be devolution.
Not, if there is a reason! Brass cartridges solved gas seal, and self contained rounds. 21st now… Pro’s vs Con’s be room for manoeuvre, as with drones… We should not get stuck in past, any possible benefit however arrived at. Grasp it, to get one over ones foe.
Cheaper… Blanks, if not bin. No harm in suggesting it.
“(…)Revolver(…)”
If you need weapon which uses suppressed ammunition and is revolver at same time then use https://guns.fandom.com/wiki/Gurevich_silent_revolver
He he, that was before the piston thing was it? All good. But if the piston thing
is better. Can be mounted on drones, land/air, sea. Must be silent as possible.
“(…)before the piston(…)”
Piston (called plug in Ammunition chapter) is present in this system, difference is that it does push against liquid, which in turn does push bullet.
“(…)Can be mounted on drones, land/air, sea.(…)”
A mixture of 60% alcohol and 40% glycerol was used as the liquid propellant; this mixture allows the cartridges to remain operational up to -75°C.
So unless you aim for extreme altitude then it should work.
“(…)get silenced shotguns(…)”
According to https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45639 there existed TELECARTRIDGE designed to be could be fired and ejected from standard military 12 gauge shotguns.
Groovy, if there is any noise… Incoroparare chamber ring delay even with niti, seal is what we want… But not to prevent ejection. Purpose; less bang without proprietary rounds. Pop, pop. Is… Good. Pop… If not ultra quiet bin.