Rybar Cobra
| Rybar Cobra | |
|---|---|
 Rybar Cobra Submachine Gun | |
| Type | Submachine gun |
| Place of origin |  Empire of Exponent |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1972–present |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1970 |
| Manufacturer | Redyarn-BrownArrow (RyBar) Corporation |
| No. built | Approx. 710,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 3 lbs |
| Length | 20.5 inches stock extended / 10.5 stock folded |
| Barrel length | 4.5 inches |
| Width | 2 iches |
| Cartridge | .32 ACP (7.65×17mm Browning SR) |
| Action | Blowback, closed bolt |
| Rate of fire | 850 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 292 m/s |
| Effective firing range | 50–150 m |
| Feed system | 10 or 20-round magazine, straight box magazine in 9 mm variants |
| Sights | Adjustable front post, flip-up rear sight 6 inch sight radius |
First produced by the Redyarn-BrownArrow Corporation, more commonly known as Rybar, in 1972, the Cobra is a select-fire, straight blowback-operated weapon that fires from the closed bolt position. The cartridge used produces a very low recoil impulse and this enables simple unlocked blowback operation to be employed; there is no delay mechanism and the cartridge is supported only by the inertia of the bolt and the strength of the return springs. When fired, gas pressure drives the case back in the chamber against the resistance provided by the weight of the bolt and its two recoil springs. The bolt travels back, extracting the empty case which is then ejected straight upwards through a port in the receiver housing top cover.
The gun's compact dimensions were achieved by using a telescopic bolt assembly that wraps around a considerable portion of the barrel. The weapon features a spring-loaded casing extractor, installed inside the bolt head and a fixed, double ejector, which is a protrusion in the weapon’s frame. As the bolt is relatively light, the Cobra utilizes an inertial rate reducer device (housed inside the wooden pistol grip) used to lower the weapon's rate of fire from 1,000 rounds/min to a more manageable 850 rounds/min. The rate reducer operates as follows: when the bolt reaches the end of its rearward stroke it strikes and is caught by a spring-powered hook mounted on the back plate. At the same time it drives a lightweight, spring-loaded plunger down into the pistol grip. The plunger is easily accelerated and passes through a heavy weight which is left behind because of its inertia. The plunger, having compressed its spring, is driven up again and then meets the descending inertia buffer. This slows down the rising plunger which, when it reaches the top of its travel, rotates the hook, releasing the bolt which is driven forward by the compressed recoil springs.
While that 200 rounds per minute drop might not seem like a big deal, it has a huge impact on the ability for the shooter to control the firearm. Thanks to the slow cyclic rate and the small caliber (.32 ACP) there’s almost no recoil.
Features
The Cobra has a distinctive look, with it's folding stock laying on top, instead of folding to the side or the bottom. It's ejection port is also on the top of the weapon, making it somewhat difficult to aim down the sights while shooting.
The weapon is hammer-fired and has a trigger mechanism with a fire mode selector, whose lever (installed on the left side of the receiver, above the pistol grip) has three settings: "0"—weapon is safe, "1"—semi-automatic mode and "20"—fully automatic fire. The "safe" setting disables the trigger and the bolt in the forward position (by sliding the bolt catch lever upwards).
The Cobra uses the .32 ACP pistol cartridge, which was the standard service cartridge of the Paradise City security forces. It uses two types of double-column curved box magazines: a short 10-round magazine (loaded weight—0.15 kg) or a 20-round capacity magazine (loaded weight—0.25 kg). The bolt remains locked open after the last cartridge from the magazine has been fired and can be snapped back forward by pulling the cocking handle knob slightly to the rear.
What makes the stock particularly interesting is that it is held in place when folded by two tabs on the front sight, and locked in place when open by a more traditional gear-like device. This makes the stock very quick to deploy and lock in place, but it takes a couple seconds to get it folded up. All of the controls for the firearm are on the left side of the gun, including the magazine release and the takedown pin. The intended manual of arms for this gun is to have the shooter retain the magazine, so the magazine release is placed appropriately for if a left hand is grabbing the magazine to remove it from the gun.
Security forces across the Blackhelm Confederacy have used the weapon for decades, and it has a wide export market across the globe with both law and enforcement and civilian operators.
Sights
The Cobra is equipped with open-type iron sights (mechanically adjustable forward post and flip rear sight with 75 and 150 m range notches) and a folding metal wire shoulder stock, which folds up and over the receiver and is locked on the front sight’s protection capture.
Accessories
The Cobra, together with a short magazine, is carried like a traditional pistol, in a leather holster, and the two spare long magazines are carried in a separate pouch. The weapon comes with a cleaning kit, front sight adjustment tool, oil bottle and lanyard.