SR-1M: Exploring Russia’s Secret Service pistol, with firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson

OK - we caved. For as long as we've been doing this series we've given our followers the chance to guess the weapon on social media before our video goes live. Without fail, there is always at least one person who guesses it's a hyper realistic cake (you know who you are). So, in what will be her last episode with us, WitW Team Member Emily kindly baked us up an SR-1M in an attempt to appease the serial cakers out there.
Join Jonathan as he slices into the history of this chunky, hard-hitting Russian pistol used by security and secret services alike. Also (if anyone reads this far into a description) we'd like to thank Emily for all her immense hard work in making What is this Weapon the series it is today.
She reads all of your comments so do please join us in the comments bidding her a fond farewell.
While this cake, much like the actual SR-1M, was inedible - we don't like food waste and so we have donated to a local food bank.
0:00 Intro
0:20 What is this Edible Weapon?
1:45 SR-1M Pistol
4:05 Calibre
5:34 Firearm Details
10:29 The Logo (is a Hoot)
11:00 Slide Open Demonstration
12:25 Firearm Disassembly
15:16 How the Magazine Works
19:02 Firearm History
23:33 Armour Piercing Capability
24:17 Outro
25:14 Post Credits
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Image of 'Members during the Gulonov March' by Krassotkin. Courtesy of Wikipedia, Public Domain CC0.
Image of 'Two SOBR operators with MultiCam fatigues' by Troncospetsnaz. Courtesy of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED.
Image of 'FSB special forces members during a special operation in Makhachkala... in 2010' by RIA Novosti archive. Courtesy of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED.

[@Mario_bland]

Remember, don’t point your cake at anyone you don’t plan to feed

[@RoyalArmouries]

We maintain strict cake discipline at all times

[@manandsofa5265]

@@RoyalArmouriesyou say that but, the cake disappears…edit* really should watch to the end before commenting,was not expecting that. Plz sell gun cake in the restaurant. I would very much like to try.

[@grahampalmer9337]

😅

[@geodkyt]

😂😂😂

[@krockpotbroccoli65]

C'mon... Cake isn't food.

[@Zilch616]

Brings a whole new meaning to Bakelite grips

[@jonathanferguson1211]

Bravo!

[@BSideWasTaken]

You could say the level of detail is... the icing on the cake! Okay I'll see myself out

[@RoyalArmouries]

Take our like and get outta here

[@benwilson6145]

Could be the baking of a new series

[@tomwinterfishing9065]

Taxi!😝

[@Bunnywithagun]

Goodbye Emily, thank you for your work on the series and nice job on the cake!

[@RoyalArmouries]

Thank you!

[@Interference22]

"Presenting the Royal Armouries new cooking series, What Is This Cake?"

[@RoyalArmouries]

We're into it

[@derekp2674]

@@RoyalArmouries ...and I'm sure the recipe book will be in your shop soon :)

[@thecoolestdaniel4554]

Episode one is just plastic explosive ​c4 lol @@RoyalArmouries

[@DAN_0000_]

A cake of russian armor piercing high capacity pistol from late 90's chambered in 9x21mm gyurza in which are unobtanium cartridge give me quite the chuckle

[@Eluderatnight]

If no one eats it, is it a failure to feed?

[@heroinmom153]

Take my like and never do this again

[@mrfinch6664]

Yes Probably because of some weird jam.

[@Stevarooni]

That'll be on Forgotten Pastries soon. 🤘🤘

[@jean-lucpicard5510]

Bread Jesus!

[@MurrayC]

That cake was excellent, Emily should be on Bake Off

[@jonathanferguson1211]

She is very happy to hear that :)

[@laziboi5285]

Shouldve done a video even if it was just the stages 3-4 sec pan left to right as its being made and the ingrediants being used itd probably be a nice little 5ish min video or something

[@MrHws5mp]

As long as she doesn't suffer from cook off she'll be fine...

[@TheLobstersoup]

She'd open with: "Hello, I'm Emily! I'm gonna bake an AK-47 for you today."

[@RoyalArmouries]

Considering I thought I was going to get slated, I am absolutely buzzing with this review. Thanks Murray! Emily.

[@UnosRecens]

I though Jonathan microwaved the gun xd

[@brabhamfreaman166]

Seems like that would do it for most of the ‘plastic fantastic’ range of handguns (to steal Carl from inRange’s terminology - not saying he coined it, just that’s where I first heard the phrase in such context). Maybe the clue about Russia would be its saving grace, with their reputation for rugged firearms.

[@samholdsworth420]

​@@brabhamfreaman166lots of plastics are microwave safe though 😅

[@jordanhicks5131]

​@brabhamfreaman166 God I hate that man, Carl kinda screwed the pooch throwing a fit and pissing off pretty much everyone a few years ago

[@Klovaneer]

@@brabhamfreaman166 Firstly he's Karl :P Secondly russian "bakelite" is tough af, apparently early compounds were bright orange (AK-74 mags) because black dye at that time made it fall out of requirements.

[@brabhamfreaman166]

@@Klovaneer Dude, I wasn’t being sarcastic about Russian manufacturing. From firearms to aeroplanes, they’ve built a reputation for simple but long-lasting design and manufacture. No rational person would reasonably argue otherwise. As for Carl/Karl, 🤷 mea culpa, I made a mistake. Thank you.

[@englanda6887]

I'm getting a creeping feeling that on April the 1st I might get all the way to the end of a firearms video only to turn out it was cake all along

[@AntonAdelson]

I legit checked the date as the video was going on!

[@RoyalArmouries]

This is just the warm up.

[@Monoryable]

As a native speaker, your pronunciation of most of Russian words was like 95% there, much better than most people!

[@jonathanferguson1211]

That's kind of you to say. My usual method is to put the word/phrase/name into Google Translate and have the nice AI lady play it back repeatedly until I'm happy that I won't totally embarrass myself :)

[@PURPLECATDUDE7734]

I would love a series of Jonathan trying to determine whether or not firearms are cake from a distance

[@RoyalArmouries]

Oh believe me, I've been trying to make this happen. Emily.

[@Gizur01]

Take care Emily and thank you for for working on this series. Best of luck with whatever you are doing next!

[@RoyalArmouries]

Thank you ❤Will miss trying to catch you all out with obscure silhouettes on socials. Emily.

[@antonbelyaev8295]

1:35 There was actually no editing used here, Jonathan can just summon any gun in the Royal Armouries collection in his hands like that.

[@Klovaneer]

One-upping Gun Jesus that just lifts a gun from below the table like a plebeian, are we?

[@TheSundayShooter]

Seen him hold a Desert Eagle dozens of times by now, but it's the SR-1M that has me suddenly paying attention to Jonathan's hands in particular

[@thatdudeinasuit5422]

I need that to be in an action movie just so the main character can say "EAT THIS"

[@Tinderchaff]

So what you're saying is.....the cake is a lie. As a gamer, I hope Jonathan gets this. Either way, that is a lovely looking cake thank you Emily!

[@fordprefect294]

Nope, the gun is a lie, the cake is real

[@RoyalArmouries]

Thank YOU for always watching. Emily.

[@HQ_Default]

Please note, no matter how delicious the gun cake may look, never tell your therapist "I want to eat a gun."

[@LinkRBA]

9x21 also used in SR-2M "Veresk" SMG

[@Nakker42]

Johnathon able to accurately describe a cake to me, is there anything this man cant do? :D

[@awmperry]

Of *course* Nak's here. 😀

[@DrUmbreon]

The Dessert Eagle

[@jonathanferguson1211]

Kicking myself for not thinking of this one!

[@Sunnfjordingen]

The russian 9mm MP-443 Grach / MP-446 Viking pistol also has this feature of releasing the slide automatically when installing a loaded magazine.

[@couchbear6108]

The cake is a lie

[@jonathanferguson1211]

Quite annoyed I didn't make that reference myself.

[@ENIGMAXII2112]

Drinking a warm cup of tea as of now... It would be good to have some cake as well. Be a good Chap, and and some down would you please..!

[@PosranaRegistrace]

Be careful, that cake is designed for high muzzle velocity... better be prepared it may want to exit you in an instant. ;)

[@72polara]

Mauser 1914 and 1934 pistols drop the slide when a magazine is inserted, chambering a round.

[@malrikstidham75]

I myself, also being a gun nerd, love this channel because i learn small little details about weapons that i did not know about!

[@mungo75]

Love the video, good luck Emily! 👍

[@tomlopez9385]

Good luck on your next ventures Emily you deserve great success and many thanks for the great work you did. And a wonderful job of cake object too.

[@misterhysterisk]

Such a cool design, and if not for the manual of arms of most pistols being standarised already, a very usable one aswell

[@thedemes1364]

I love this! I use the SR-1MP in escape from tarkov so seeing its brother is cool!

[@tokul76]

We are not eating this cake of dubious origin. Now, who took my black pudding?

[@TheBluealan2000]

Surely Jonathan could have found a more spectacular knife to cut the cake 😅

[@RoyalArmouries]

It's a lot of paperwork to get the cake off a 600 year old sword

[@bensayeed953]

Great video again there Jon. 👍

[@johnsweeney2906]

Can't wait for the series on 9x39mm firearms!

[@TMFShooting]

Another Great Video Jonathan 💯💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

[@ZeroFoxtrotGolf]

Some pistols do come with a designed automatic slide engagement system. The Mauser 1910/1914 pistol series are designed so that slide automatically engages upon proper seating of the magazine. In fact the pistol does not possess a manual slide release which means the only way to get the slide to engage is to insert the magazine. Some may consider that a design flaw, but one must bear in mind, the Mauser 1910/1914s are among the first generation of European semi automatic pistols and the manual of arms were still being developed.

[@danirizary6926]

Great video!

[@tinkertalksguns7289]

The Mauser 1910 .25 ACP, the Mauser 1914 .32 ACP and the Mauser HSC all lock back on an empty magazine and can only drop the slide by inserting a magazine (loaded or not.)

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

The owl logo has a decidedly "Hello Kitty" vibe. I like it!

[@clifbradley]

The russian word for 'brownie' is pirozhnoe or kartoshka is a potato pastry that is made with potato flour, starch and other elements like vodka made from potatoes, is then shaped into a cake meant to look like a potato. So it is rather fitting

[@mombasatimmy9211]

Farewell and keep baking Emily 🎉

[@TechNinja.1701]

So this is the Royal Armouries' spin on the old Eddie Izzard bit "Cake or Death" - except Jonathan's answer is "Both". Also, why is that cake being smashed up in the end instead of being delicately eaten with tea?

[@jonathanferguson1211]

It contains non-edible ingredients :)

[@Ogaitnas900]

ha, the owl is quite cute

[@Cats-TM]

4:30 According to Backyard Ballistic you now are able to own military calibres, every calibre smaller than 50. BMG is allowed in Italy. Video I am referencing: "Italian Gun Laws: Better Than You Think".

[@Stevarooni]

Several European countries have somewhat-reasonable gun laws. The "no military calibers" seems to be a Central/South American thing anymore.

[@user-kr7yh8vw9m]

Thank you for the interesting explanation Jonathan, and i bet that cake must be delicious, i imagine a scene where an action movie hero baking this cake and shoving it in a villain's mouth saying "EAT THIS!"🤣

[@user-vd3xl9kf5v]

The Mauser 1914 also has a slide that is dropped by the insertion of the magazine. In fact, it is the only way to drop the slide and makes the gun a bit of a pain to cycle manually when working on it.

[@F1ghteR41]

Thank you for the video, it's very well done! 0:18 So, I was kinda right: it's indeed a craft-produced version of the SR1M of sorts. 😊 5:18 It actually utilizes the same principle of exposed hardened core as the US 5.56 mm AP rounds. 5:43 It's actually a surprisingly good attempt, Jonathan, congratulations! 5:52 'Ch' in TochMash is pronounced like in the word 'cheese'. 6:03 Which means: Central Scientific Research Institute for Precision Machinery. 8:06 I think this is the inverse of the half-cock safety on semi-auto pistols we've discussed a while ago. 18:58 The official interest was there, as there was a program for replacing the Makarov pistol in the Soviet military (which later went on for the Russian army), but the Sedyukov design lost the competition (only to re-emerge decades later to be finally adopted by the army in a new form). 21:18 And this one, it is claimed, is indeed heavily based upon the FSB spec ops units' requirements. 23:18 It's likely for the submachineguns chambered for the round.

[@wayne1559]

only the British would make a cake firearm.....well done!

[@jonathanferguson1211]

Emily is an Aussie :)

[@RoyalArmouries]

@@jonathanferguson1211 Oi, oi, oi! Emily.

[@jonr6680]

Next week, a gun made of cheese...

[@RoyalArmouries]

*takes notes*

[@darranhirose8153]

Should have ejected the cake mag!

[@MrX-pj1dy]

It's a cake, I thought it was badly damaged in the photo

[@RoyalArmouries]

Gotcha.

[@steveallen7400]

Early Mauser pistols (10, 14, and 34) all had the same mechanical magazine activated slide release. While interesting, this was also a real hazard if the sear became worn to the point of not catching... don't ask how I know, or why I now have spares. Absolutely great video though, as always.

[@s0dfish110]

Video got quieter after the cake so I upped the volume on my speakers. Beshat myself when I watched another video . Not complaining, it was pretty funny. 😂

[@sae1095hc]

The Mauser HSc and its close clone, the H&K4 have magazine activated slide releases as well.

[@user-mi1ny9nh7n]

Люблю смотреть как иностранцы рассказывают мне об оружии, спроектированном в России)

[@jeremywells5241]

Mauser 1914/1934 also closes with magazine replacement (loaded or unloaded).

[@majornikita1464]

this pistol is getting a resurgence lately, the "udav" (python) is more or less the same pistol with a more modern polymer lower frame. as far as i know it going to replace all the other previous generations. also fun fact the intial project version was also made to fire 7.62x25 tokarev, the project didnt go anywhere until the ministry of internal affairs go intrested and that gave birth to the "Vector" project

[@patriciocarrizo5065]

Nice, My Guess was the SR-1, not a baked one but a SR-1 anyway

[@oldesertguy9616]

Mauser HSc also drops the slide when you insert a magazine.

[@charlesflint9048]

Reminds of my nephew making an electric guitar cake for me years ago.

[@philhawley1219]

Over 50 years ago I had a birthday cake in the shape of an Alfa Romeo Montreal, a seven year old boy's dream car. Sadly I have never even seen one , never mind drive one.

[@wolfje8862]

Let there be cake

[@TraTranc]

A note to Jonathan: the law that forced us in Italy to develop 9x21 IMI was repealed in 2011 for pistol-caliber carbines and in 2021 for handguns.

[@AntonAdelson]

Man,took me a while to realise it's not Israeli Military Industries

[@jonathanferguson1211]

It is, though. It was designed by them FOR the Italian market.@@AntonAdelson

[@garrick3727]

My mate Dan found himself sent up to Whitemoor for a long stint. Luckily they keep the inmates busy with hobbies and work. He asks if Emily could put up her cake recipe because he's taken a sudden interest in baking.

[@boychowskibrothers]

You still need a firearms license to own that cake

[@robertlinke2666]

in the netherlands that might genuinly be true. the firearms law prohibit all weapons but also prohibits owning any object that could plausibly be seen as a weapon and as such could be used to threaten someone. this means that all airsoft replica's are also part of the dutch firearms law that cake, under the right lighting and camera, could genuinly look enough like a gun that it would apply

[@jonathanferguson1211]

For the avoidance of doubt, no, you do not :D

[@survivaloptions4999]

@@robertlinke2666 That's more terrifying than any gun.

[@causewaykayak]

In new fangled Britain you'd probably be lifted for having an imitation that wasn't bright red/orange.

[@jonathanferguson1211]

The Realistic Imitation Firearm regulations are (whatever one thinks of them) about import, manufacturing and sale. Possessing one isn't an offence. Possessing any imitation firearm in a public place without "good reason" is, however.@@causewaykayak

[@erichhonecker6689]

Die Walther P99 hat auch so eine Magazin Action

[@garethfergusson9538]

Woop I got the SR1 part right 🎉🎉

[@vladimirmakarov261]

i love this channel

[@sanderyolobuzeta4917]

There's another two ammo variants for the 9x21. One is a subsonic ammo and the other is a AP ammo designated as 7N42 that has a different penetrator core made of a tungsten carbide alloy.

[@johndilday1846]

Fascinating demonstration. Thanks for showing us this rare pistol. How many cartridges did the magazine hold? You may have said, but I didn’t hear it mentioned. Greetings from Texas in the United States.

[@extragoogleaccount6061]

18

[@Lichlord]

I’ve watched your videos for a little while and this is among the best. As an IPSC shooter in the US I have the privilege of easy familiarity with many pistols. In this video in particular you had a very interesting item and story to tell and did an excellent job contextualizing it with references to more common pistols. I feel like you’ve found a good balance here of detail without pedantry. 👍 eta: editing was great too. Thanks for the highlight of that recess in the side. I would have missed it without the pause and lighting help.

[@jonathanferguson1211]

Thank you very much! That balance can be hard to strike.

[@stuartsamuel1879]

Further to this: Thank you for including silence! I was struck by the moments when you let the visual do the talking, for a duration that is unfortunately unusual, rather than aiming for constant sensory overload. :)

[@swissbianco]

italian law did change a while back, 9x19 is ok there now

[@Dalec-bq1ns]

Sweet pistol !

[@Nathan_Coley]

Cake is always the answer 😍🥰

[@F1ghteR41]

Even if it is a lie? 😁

[@Nathan_Coley]

@@F1ghteR41 ESPECIALLY if it's a lie! 😁😆

[@dbmail545]

Those tabs on the magazine follower are very familiar to Makarov users.

[@ryanpeck3377]

So is the pistol normal Single action/double action? When you decock it does it go half/cock or does it go fully uncocked? When its uncocked does the hammer rest on the firing pin making it unsafe (trigger wouldnt work but blow to hammer would hit firing pin) or is there some sort of firing pin block/transfer bar etc.

[@RiderOftheNorth1968]

Didn´t some variation of the Walther p38 have the self closing slide function? I have some memories of reading about that somewhere....

[@janpieter4219]

The HK4 pistol also slams the slide shut when inserting a magazine

[@Totemparadox]

If I'm not mistaken, the Cobalt Kinetics competition AR-15's have an automatic bolt drop on a fresh mag.

[@redsnappa7837]

"Is it effective? Dunno. Ask the FSB..."

[@_Twink]

The honest trusting reliable FSB..... 🤣😂

[@robertlinke2666]

tarkov has the SR1-MP, they also have the SR2M. the SMG variant of this weapon, which is even more wacky

[@1248dl]

My friend commented, Makarov meets High Point. For those outside of the US, High Point is one of our gun manufacturers. It looks as though they copied the Iver Johnson logo.

[@Stevarooni]

Good description!

[@boltmonkey6869]

Owl Logo! This must be a "lost" Iver Johnson design!

[@causewaykayak]

A great way to introduce schoolchildren to firearms through their domestic science classes( if they still have them !?).

[@SentimentalBadger]

They made the tarkov gun real!!

[@DevilbyMoonlight]

have a look at the FK BRNO or PSD pistols they are crazy high velocity for a pistol that is actually manageable, I think you will be surprised how effective it is against body armour out to 100m from a pistol!

[@ZGryphon]

The Mauser HSc (parallel-universe Walther PP) does that "magazine insertion closes the slide" thing on purpose, too. They're pretty odd little guns.

[@survivaloptions4999]

At first I thought Bill Ruger might have borrowed the aesthetics for the early P series pistols from this pistol, but the P series came first by almost 10 years. Interesting.

[@zoiders]

I suppose they look similar insofar that they both shoot bullets. Apart from that I don't get how you are seeing the P85/P89 in this. Both of which are pretty much just IMM Sigs.

[@sashamakeev7547]

10:35 just like Hooters

[@gnome3027]

the legendary shrimp

[@eriklinkogel6399]

That thing looks quiet high quality for a 1980s soviet weapon. Almost HK or Glock esque

[@phileas007]

Seems like double feed mags, which is sorta nice.

[@supervortex8363]

yeh yeh ive had one of those too

[@alanfhall6450]

Go Emily! 🤠

[@m.j.mahoney8905]

Didn't the Webley self-loader also have that loaded mag/slide drop arrangement or did I misremember?

[@zoiders]

No. The Webley had a two position magazine catch to act as cut off. Allowing the single loading of rounds for the dispatching of horses.

[@m.j.mahoney8905]

@@zoiders I wasn't referring to that. I had to go back and check, but I was thinking of the way that the last round hold-open is activated not by the magazine follower, but by the lack of rounds in the magazine. Just a weird quirk of the system I half-remembered.

[@joearnold6881]

The second one looks more like cake than the first one

[@InfamousMax]

FYI: Ian McCollum explained the difference between russian 9mm and american 9mm. It's basically that the russians measure the inner diameter and the americans the outer once. So russian 9mm is more like .380 ACP and the american is more like 0.355 (from one of his Makarov videos).

[@mrfrosty3]

Red velvet? I'll take it.

[@tonyjmcd]

Like the closing, is it effective, ask the FSB

[@AKlover]

Looks like A reworked Makarov, my guess is no longer straight blowback. I probably would have just gone forA “slicked” Stetchkin.