VSV (VSK-94)

"An accurate and powerful assault rifle good for medium-range combat. Its somewhat low muzzle velocity translates into lower noise and faster bullet drop."

- Last Light in-game description

The VSV, also known as VSK-94 (Войсковой Снайперский Комплекс or Military Sniper Complex), was a sniper rifle that saw limited use with several law enforcement organizations in Russia before the nuclear war that drove humanity underground.

Overview
VSK-94 was developed on the base of the 9A-91 Carbine. It was originally designed to fire 9x39mm SP5, SP6 and PAB-9 subsonic cartridges, but versions chambered for 7.62x39mm, 5.56x45mm NATO, and 5.45x39mm were eventually crafted.

VSV is one of the weapons in the Metro that predates the war and it's highly prized by many survivors. Since the VSK-94 is a primary weapon it can use both dirty and MGR 5.45x39mm cartridges.

The very first VSV in the game is available for purchase in the Armory in both scoped and unscoped variants. Three unscoped versions can be found at the Black Station for free, one of which is provided by Ulman at the start of the level.

The VSV makes a return in Metro: Last Light with a few negligible changes to its model and animation.

Metro 2033
VSK-94 with PKAV scope Its low rate of fire and high damage make it perfect for conserving ammunition. As with all primary weapons, the VSK-94 loaded with MGRs is capable of killing almost anything with a single shot on higher difficulties. Though rapid fire is a viable use for the VSV, it is advised to fire in bursts during close quarter combat, as its 20 round magazine means frequent, albeit quick reloads, and a tendency to rapidly consume through ammo without good trigger discipline. The VSV is a useful weapon while playing Ranger difficulties, all variants of the VSV have a laser sight attached, thus problem of the lack of crosshair can be solved to some extent. The VSV is arguably the second best firearm in Metro 2033. Unlike the AK-74M, however, it is intended for stealth and thus performs poorly in all out firefights. The VSV is also not recommended for engaging groups of mutants at close range.

Fortunately for the player there is only one human opponent in the game armed with this weapon, found in Black Station.

Metro: Last Light
VSK-94 variants in Metro 2033 Like most returning weapons, the VSK-94 has become one of the most versatile weapons in the player's arsenal in the sequel thanks to the new attachment system. This weapon is somewhat rare like its 2033 counterpart, and you cannot buy them in shop until the very end of the game.

A suppressor is an essential attachment, since the basic version of the weapon comes with an extended barrel, and its small magazine size and relatively low rate of fire might put you in a disadvantage in an all out firefight. It is possible to use the VSK-94 without a suppressor in Metro: Last Light, but its not recommended since this gun is built for stealth, not for frontline combat. If you need firepower more than stealth, RPK-74 or the Kalash 2012 are better choices.

The VSK-94 works well against enemies at medium range, however, due to its smaller magazine and large cone of fire while firing on full-auto, burst fire is recommended. At close, full-auto is sufficient but always be ready to reload, while a 20 round magazine doesn't sound bad, it can be emptied rapidly due to the high rate of fire of the VSK-94. Also, full-auto will create a lot of recoil, making the VSK-94 difficult to control.

For a sniper rifle, this gun is under-powered and lacks accuracy at long range compared to the Valve, Preved, or Clapper, but its rate of fire, extra customization, and relatively cheap ammunition allow its user for quick follow-up shots. The VSK-94 is also more accurate than assault rifles in game. Except for long range sniping, the VSK-94 should serve the player well.

It can accept reflex, IRNV, and 2x optical sights, making it useful for both close and long range combat. Using optical sights and the laser sight is recommended for VSK-94, especially for Ranger difficulty players. The lack of the higher magnification optic means the VSK-94 is not suitable for long range combat, but there is almost no situation in game that requires such attachment, 2x magnification scope should be good enough. Adding the laser sight not only helps someone playing on Ranger difficulty, it will improve hip-fire performance and increase effectiveness while combined with lighter ammo.

As with all primary weapons, a VSK-94 loaded with MGRs is capable of killing almost anything with a single shot on higher difficulties.

Redux version
In Metro: Last Light Redux, the VSK-94 stays the same as the one in the original version. In Metro 2033 Redux, only one enemy uses it, so Artyom has to purchase it from weapon vendors. The attachment system is the same as Last Light, meaning that there are more than two variants. Laser sight no longer comes as standard equipment, so the player needs 22 MGR to improve hip-fire accuracy; this is especially useful in Ranger difficulties. The silencer can be removed but this is not advised (even in 2033, unsuppressed VSK-94 is inferior to AK-74M/AK-12 in many ways). The PK-AV optic is no longer available, but Artyom can select lower-magnification optic that works wonders with night vision.

Variants and Customization
VSV has five attachments in three attachment slots available to it. Its list of attachments is identical to that of the Kalash 2012.

Obtainment
In Metro 2033/Metro 2033 Redux:

In Metro: Last Light/Metro: Last Light Redux: In Metro 2033 Redux:
 * Can be found on the ice under the bridge in "The Crossing" chapter (no attachments).
 * Two can be found on the "Bridge" chapter. The first one is found under the bridge where you can find a passage, the VSV will have a silencer. While the second one can be found near a dead body (no attachments).
 * Can be seen on some soldiers during the Depot level.
 * Can be picked from the store in the D6 level.
 * This weapon can now be used without a silencer, but this is not recommended. Other recommended attachments are the 2x scope as well as the laser sight.
 * In Black Station, just after you meet Ulman, when you get to the forked hallway (with the left path leading to the generator), go down the right path and down the stairs onto the train platform and do a u-turn left at the bottom of the stairs to drop under the platform. In the back corner of this area there is a corpse and next to it is a VSV with no attachments.

Trivia

 * It's implied that the VSK-94 is seeing limited production at Armory and Polis along with the AK-74M.
 * When this weapon is swapped with another one, all of the ammo stays in the gun. It can be retrieved, but the ammo pickup is much smaller than the size of the magazine; especially on higher difficulties. A lot of ammo can be lost because of this.
 * The VSV in game has a slower rate of fire than its real-life counterpart.
 * In real life, using full power supersonic ammunition as is the case with the common and military grade 5.45mm cartridges found in the Metro would make the suppressed VSK-94 audible to enemies.
 * If left idle, Artyom will check the gun's barrel and fittings, genuinely impressed by its fine craftsmanship. The animation is the same for both variants in Metro 2033.
 * Although the standard VSV uses a laser sight as of Ranger Pack DLC, it lacks an actual attachment. The Scoped VSV model correctly shows one attached to the silencer. The Laser sight attached VSV in Last Light followed this layout.
 * In the Ranger ending, Artyom will have an unscoped VSV as opposed to Enlightened one where he has a Kalash 2012.
 * By comparing all the other weapons purchase prices against their sale prices, it can be calculated that if the VSV was available for purchase it would cost 150 MGR. This is appropriate regarding the weapons high performance as well as scarcity compared to other such weapons.
 * In Metro 2033, the world model of VSV has the magazine loaded in MGRs. While in first-person view, the players can see what ammunition type they are using by looking the magazine.
 * In Metro 2033, the VSV is exclusive to the Rangers and the Nazis. In Metro: Last Light, however, it's still favored by the Rangers, but instead of the Nazis, the Red Line elite troops are seen using the VSV.
 * In real life, the VSK-94 can be confused with the VSS "Vintorez" and the AS Val, in fact all of them are built for similar purpose and chambered in subsonic 9x39mm cartridge.
 * On a side note, this may also explain why the AS Val is absent in the metro despite the formers popularity compared to the VSK-94 as it's a far more complicated design despite both weapon families sharing AK lineage.