Retired Russian TP-82 Survival PistolThe fact that Russian cosmonauts are packing heat is suddenly big news. It's nothing new.
It's part of their survival kit. Soviet/Russian spacecraft parachute down to land, and their accuracy isn't terribly great. They've apparently replaced a specialized survival weapon with a standard pistol due to expired ammunition for the specialty gun, but I don't see any reason to get all uptight about it. A few years back I was wondering if they were still carrying them up to the International Space Station. I wouldn't expect them not to.
This is much ado about nothing.
Good discussion in the comments at Say Uncle.
UPDATE: Image and link via Armed and Gregarious.
UPDATE 2: More on the TP-82, including some good pictures, at Steve Johnson's Firearm Blog.
Includes this tidbit:
The removable stock can be used as a machete.
4 Comments
Steve said:
They have always carried a gun into space, I don't see why they shouldn't. I can't see it developing into an arms race, if NASA has not sent up M4s after all these years they are not going to start now!
A while back I wrote about the original survival gun:
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2007/10/13/tp-82-russian-space-pistol-shotgun-carbine-flare-gun-no-longer-being-carried-into-space/
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/
said:
As you said, they have always carried a gun into space, I don't see why they should stop. I can't see it developing into an arms race. If NASA has not sent up M4s or M1 carbines after all these years they are not going to start now!
Its also comforting to know that if a cosmonaut went insane their commander would be able to prevent them destroying the international space station which, from a scientific point of view, would be a disaster for humanity.
A while back I wrote about the original survival gun:
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2007/10/13/tp-82-russian-space-pistol-shotgun-carbine-flare-gun-no-longer-being-carried-into-space/
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/
said:
I actually got an email this week from Lt Colonel who thought he had the machete stock. I hope to get some photos from him and will post them.
Murdoc
said:
Definitely let me know if you get them so I can link.
The fact that they had a three-way survival pistol for cosmonauts with a handle that doubled as a machete basically encapsulates the reason that the Rooskies can be scarier than crap when cornered.