Molot VPO-215 "Gornostay"
The Molot VPO2-15 "Gornostay" is a bolt-action "shotgun" created for the Russian civilian sporting market. It is manufactured by Molot Oruzhie and is chambered in the .366 TKM cartridge. Due to featuring a smooth bore, it is actually considered a shotgun under Russian firearm regulations, which are easier for average sportsmen to obtain. It is also prominently featured in the online first person shooter "Escape From Tarkov".
The word "Gornostay" ("горностай" in Russian), means "Ermine", also called "Stoat" - A type of small carnivore in the weasel family, though having shorter tails and smaller bodies than their larger counterparts.
Contents
Specifications
- Action Type: Bolt-action
- Ammunition Type: .366 TKM
- Capacity: 4-round detachable magazine for .366 TKM & 9x39mm (5 rounds for .223)
- Barrel Length: 420mm, 520mm or 600mm (~ 16.5 inches, ~ 20.5 inches or 23.62 inches respectively).
- Overall Length: 912mm (w/ 420mm barrel), 1012mm (w/ 520mm barrel), 1092mm (w/ 600mm barrel)
- Weight: 2.70 kg (w/ 420mm barrel), 2.82 kg (w/ 520mm barrel), 2.92 kg (w/ 600mm barrel) - 5.95 lbs, 6.22 lbs and 6.44 lbs respectively.
Variants
According to this page at the "Firearm Central" Fandom site, the VPO-215 is available with several different barrel length options:
- VPO-215-00 - 420mm barrel (16.54 inches).
- VPO-215-01 - 520mm barrel (20.47 inches).
- VPO-215-02 - 600mm barrel (23.62 inches).
Other Versions in Family
- VPO-183: A tactical-style variant, chambered in the Russian 9x39mm cartridge.
- VPO-193: Essentially the same as the VPO-215, but chambered in .223 Remington and has a 5-round magazine - one extra round. Also appears to feature the same variations in barrel length (420mm, 520mm and 600mm lengths) according to this site.
In Pop Culture
Escape From Tarkov
![Molot VPO-215 "Gornostay" in Escape From Tarkov.](/images/thumb/9/94/Molot-VPO-215-Gornostay-366-TKM-Escape-From-Tarkov-Bolt-Action-Firearmwiki-Firearm-Wiki-1.jpg/600px-Molot-VPO-215-Gornostay-366-TKM-Escape-From-Tarkov-Bolt-Action-Firearmwiki-Firearm-Wiki-1.jpg)
The Molot VPO-215 is featured prominently in the online first person shooter video game "Escape From Tarkov". Early in a player's progress (or even later on with more advanced ammo), the VPO-215 can act as a solid and budget-friendly sniper rifle. Because of other features like built-on picatinny rail, mounting a scope is a fairly straightforward task and won't require as much setup or cost as some other options in the game.
Most rounds will be sufficient for headshots at decent ranges. Also, early ammo like solid zinc "EKO" bullets will allow fairly reliable penetration of Level 3 armor, meaning a typical 2-hit kill to the thorax if a player isn't confident in their ability to land headshots. Further, the option for high-level special .366 TKM ammo like Mechanic's custom loads featuring armor-piercing 9x39mm projectiles can allow for a one-hit-kill to the thorax, as well as the head even when confronting better-geared players with level 4 armor. However, it should be noted that this particular ammo suffers in accuracy due to using an improper caliber bullet for the cartridge and also suffers from increased recoil.