Setup: Any sight, Vikhr suppressor, Folding grip, Extended stock, Extended magazine.
History
The SR-3 Vikhr (СР-3 Вихрь, Russian for "whirlwind") is a Russian compact assault rifle. This small-size assault rifle can engage the enemy manpower wearing bulletproof jackets as well as the non-armored vehicles at a distance of 200 m. The SR-3 is widely used by various FSO (the Russian government guard service) and FSB (Federal Security Service) operatives, elite Russian counter-terrorism teams and other specialized users in the MVD and Russian police.
This Carbine's dimensions are the same as a submachine gun but has the firing range and hitting effect of an assault rifle. It has a metal folding buttstock which reduces the overall dimensions and allows the operator to deliver aimed fire with the stock folded or non-folded. It uses a detachable double-column sector magazine with the cartridges located in a chess-board order and is interchangeable with magazines of the AS Val and VSS Vintorez.[1]
An improved version, which is the SR-3M, the version in-game, has improvements over the original gun such as a detachable suppressor, a redesigned handguard, and a collapsible grip. The iron sights were also relocated and a larger 30 round magazine was developed, which is featured in-game as the Extended Magazine attachment.
In-Game
General Information
The SR-3M, like the AS VAL, is a high-powered weapon. It sports a three-shot kill (3SK) up close, and a 5SK at the end of its damage drop-off, at around medium range, which is quite good for a carbine. Its rate of fire (RoF) is also very good, at 850 RPM, the second-highest RoF in its category, just behind the M4 and the X95R.
However, the SR-3M has a very small magazine capacity, at 20+1 rounds, the lowest in-class. Its recoil is also relatively high, particularly without attachments. The first-shot recoil is manageable but has high muzzle climb and poorer recoil recovery speed than other carbines. It also possesses a lower than average muzzle velocity at 2000 studs per second.
Unlike the AS VAL, the SR-3M is able to equip barrel attachments.
Usage & Tactics
The SR-3M overall is a fairly versatile carbine. Its high RoF combined with its high damage means it has a quick time to kill (TTK) at most distances, particularly at close to medium-range. However, given the smaller magazine size, users will tend to run dry more often, prompting the need to reload. The weapon requires good trigger discipline to maintain its effectiveness, given how easy it is to waste ammunition—often too common to empty an entire magazine into one enemy. Although reloads are fairly quick, it is recommended to find suitable cover to reload. Due to this, it is better to use the extended magazine, increasing its magazine size from 20 to 30 rounds with only a minor penalty.
The SR-3M works well with flanking strategies. Unsuspecting enemies are easier to kill, thus mitigating the downsides of the weapon, with the user more likely to kill more than one enemy before needing to reload.
Given the higher recoil, muzzle devices are good choices. The Compensator makes the weapon's recoil effectively vertical. If the user is able to control the recoil comfortably, a Flash Hider might be appropriate. Grips such as the Angled Grip or Stubby Grip will also help reduce the recoil of the weapon, working well when combined with the previously mentioned barrel attachments. The Vertical Grip is better for users who want to focus on increasing its viability up close via enhancing the weapon's hipfire. Lasers are useful too, bettering hipfire accuracy and thus increasing its effectiveness in close-quarters-combat (CQC). While suppressors can work, a user is better off using the AS VAL if they require a high-power, fast-firing stealth weapon.
Optics are quite useful, as the iron sights are obstructive for most situations. Combined with the muzzle flash and high recoil, an optical attachment is highly preferable to the iron sights. Optics such as the Reflex, Coyote or Kobra sight work well, giving the user a better view on target. High magnification optics such as the M145 don’t work as well, as they exacerbate the visual recoil.
Conclusion
Overall, the SR-3M is a very powerful carbine, able to quickly down targets at most distances. Its high damage and high RoF make it a very formidable weapon in many situations. However, its effectiveness is limited by its small magazine capacity, higher recoil and slow muzzle velocity. Ultimately, it is a weapon that works well in most scenarios but requires good trigger discipline to maintain its effectiveness.