“Bramit” sound suppressor

Facts about development and production of Bramit sound supressor for Mosin rifle

First efforts to create sound suppressor in USSR were made at the beginning of 1930’s. In 1931 was tested sound suppressor for DP machine-gun. In 1932-1938 were tested suppressors created by Gulevskiy (1932), Schahnovsky (1934), 3 variations created by NIPSVO* (1938), Kondrashov (1938) and Kriger (1938).

All efforts were not successful, and all tested suppressors were heavy, rifles with them show worse grouping, and they did not decrease sound level to necessary. One of the main reason of unsuccessful efforts was use of supersonic ammunition.

In June, 1940 was tested suppressor, created by brothers Mitin. BraMit mean “brothers Mitin” (Братья Митины). It was attached to Mosin barrel same way as bayonet. Lengt was 147 mm, diameter – 32 mm. In December, 1940, after succesful tests Bramit was accepted to service. Serial production was started in the second half of 1941.

Bramit have 2 cameras. Those cameras have rubber plugs (25*15mm) at the end. Rubber plug have small hole for bullet

Special cartridge was created for a suppressor. Maximal speed of the bullet was 260 meters per second (subsonic speed). In this cartridge was used light bullet. Firing with regular bullets was prohibited. Early cartridges had bullet and bottom of the case painted by green varnish, 1942 cartridges with steel case were all painted with green varnish, later cartridges with steel case were all painted with black varnish, or have a bullet painted in black.

In 1940-1941 cartridges were produced at Ulianovsk ammunition factory #3, later – at factory #543, Kazan

At first one rubber plug was added to 60 cartridges. But first winter showed that because of extremely cold weather plug was ruined after 15-20 shoots. After this was designed winter type of plug, and old type was used for warmer weather. In 1943 2 types of plugs were replaced with one type, that was made from Lend Lease aviation rubber, and can be used in winter or summer.

Plugs

Plug, uined because of cold weather 

When there was no special cartridges, it was allowed to use modified regular cartridge with light bullet. Bullet was removed from case, and only 1\3 of powder was left inside the case. Than bullet was installed  at their place. Use of regular bullets can’t injure the shooter, but can destroy rubber plug. Grouping with Bramit suppressor was the same as without it. Maximal distance of use was 300 m . When Bramit was installed, sight settings at the rifle must be changed – 7 for 100m, 8,5 for 150m, 9,5 for 200m, 11 for 250 m, 12 for 300.

Currently there is no published information about early period of Bramit production in 1941. Since 1942 Bramit suppressors were produced at 2 factories – #536 NKV (NKV- Peoples Commissariat of Armament)  in Tula and #621 NKLP (NKLP – Peoples Commissariat of Light Industry) in Kockchetav. Plant #536 was created at the place of evacuated to Mednogorsk plant #314. In February, 1942 factory start production of regular and sniper Mosin rifles. Production of Bramit suppressors was started in May, 1942 and ended at December, 1942. Totally factory #536 produced 58940 Bramit’s.

Another factory that must produced Bramit’s was Podolsk plant #460. But by unclear reasons this factory did not started production of Bramit’s. Later instead of factory #460 in documents is mentioned plant #621 NKLP in Kokchetav. It produced Bramit’s since 1942 to 1 quarter of 1944.

Quantity of produced Bramit’s (not for all period) you can see in table below

Year	Quarter	Planned quantity		Produced quantity
		Plant	Quantity	Plant	Quantity
1942	2	#536	no data	May	1400
				June	8500
		#621		no data
	3	#536	17000	July	7872
				August	8700
				September	9000
		#621	10000	no data
	4	#536	25000	October	9568
				November	9000
				December	5350
		#621	7000	no data
1943	1	#621	9000
	2	#621	1500
	3	#621	1500
	4	#621	1500
1944	1	#621	1500

Tula quality control (OTK) stamp

Rubber plugs were produced at first at Yaroslavl sole-regeneration plant (established production plans were 4500000 pieces for 4 quarter of 1942, and 150000 for 1 quarter of 1943). Since 2 quarter of 1943 plugs were produced only at plant #766 NKRP (NKRP – Peoples Commissariat of Rubber Industry) in quantity 10000 pieces per month

Bramit supressors were actively used by partisans, scouts, NKVD units. Many Bramits in relic condition are founded in Belarus, were partisan movement was very active

Relic Bramit from Belarus

One more relic Bramit

Captured examples were used by Germans and Finns

Finnish description

German description 

 

Germans even created their own version, that was very similar in construction to Soviet Bramit

German suppressor, pictures were taken here

 

 

* – NIPSVO – Research proving ground of Red Army

Sources:

All information about production, development of Bramit was taken from articles of :

1. Y.Ponomarev , Kalashnikov magazine, #8, 2010, article “History of PBS”, pages 26-30

2. R.Chumak, Kalashnikov magazine, #11, 2011, article “How many, where, and when”, page 74

3. R.Chumak, Kalashnikov magazine, #10, 2007, article “For special operations”, page 76

KM main

Pictures were taken from

1. http://kalashnikov.ru/

2. http://forum.guns.ru

3. http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums

4. http://ww2.ru/forum