Molot VPO-215 "Gornostay"
The Molot VPO2-15 "Gornostay" is a bolt-action "shotgun" created for the Russian civilian market. It is made by Molot Oruzhie and is chambered in the .366 TKM cartridge. Due to featuring a smooth bore 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.
Variants
It appears the VPO-215 is available in several different barrel langths:
- VPO-215-00 - 420mm barrel (16.54 inches).
- VPO-215-01 - 520mm barrel (20.47 inches).
- VPO-215-02 - 600mm barrel (23.62 inches).
In Pop Culture
Escape From Tarkov
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 "EKO" zinc 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 special ammo suffers in accuracy due to using an improper caliber bullet for the cartridge and also has increased recoil.
