Introduction: The guys at RussianCombatGear sent over one of their PBS-1 Silencer Replica (by Red Dawn Custom). Strangely as I went to write this review their own product page for the product is missing. Real history: The real PBS Silencer is a Russian-manufactured "Silent Fire Device" for the Kalashnikov line of rifles. PBS stands for Pribor Besshumnoi Strelby.
It is a pretty standard design of silencer made for the 7.62x39mm Kalashnikov and used by specialist troops such as the SPETsNAZ with special subsonic rounds. At the front of the silencer is a rubber "bullet wipe". These replaceable discs are pierced by the first round and help deaden the overall sound; normally replaced after excessive wear or heat reduces the part's effectiveness. The real PBS is reportedly pretty rare even in Russia. The later -2 and -3 designation were designed for the small calibre russian rifles such as the AKSU assault rifles. Out the box: This is a darn heavy piece of kit! The PBS came wrapped in the local newspaper in Canada. Initially I had no idea what was in the box. When I first saw it I thought it was a MagLite, but when it was fully unwrapped I realised what it was. The knurling and machined finish is top quality, very similar to that of the real thing. At the real of the silencer there is the standard TM 14x1 LH (CCW) thread, which allows fitment to a standard TM AK AEG once the end cap covering the barrel tip has been removed. The entire piece is made from aluminum with a hard anodised black finish and comes in at near enough 440g.
Unlike the real silencer this piece is marketed as a barrel extension and provides no sound suppression. Running through the interior is a single seam ~10mm metal barrel, which is permanently fixed to the inside. The reason for this is simple - as the replica is sold from Canada it has to conform to ATF export regulations. Quite honestly this shouldn't be a major problem for most people - as lets face it, you'll be buying this for looks, not effect and the worth of any silencing effect produced from a functional silencer on a standard AEG is questionable. Differences: Specifically compared to the real silencer, the differences are:
Because of the nature of the extension the PBS will easily allow you to hide a barrel extension inside (10mm is more than enough for a 6mm barrel to slide through). So if you have an AK Spetz with a short barrel and IF kit and are looking for a more authentic way to hide a new inner barrel you're in luck. Generally speaking the AK is a bit of a weird AEG; more modern accessories just don't tend to look right as a cosmetic addition. Personally speaking I've yet to come up with a design for an AK that I like.. and then I have to get around to building it. This isn't the AK's fault, I've just run out of time of late. However this new piece from RussianCombatGear looks spot on when fitted to this AK (as shown) and is a rather nice addition. External links
Written by Arnie Last modified: Saturday, December 11, 2004 11:47 PM Copyright ArniesAirsoft |
