The first submachine gun adopted by the Red Army. Weapon of Victory: Degtyarev submachine gun. The Great Patriotic War

Submachine gun PPD-34 / PPD-34/38 (USSR)

Machine gunner Galya Maksimova with a PPD-34 submachine gun, winter 1942

The design of submachine guns in the USSR began in the mid-1920s. On October 27, 1925, the Red Army Armaments Commission substantiated the need to arm junior and middle command personnel with submachine guns, and on December 28, 1926, the Artillery Committee of the Red Army Artillery Directorate approved the technical conditions for the manufacture of the first submachine guns. On July 7, 1928, the Artillery Committee proposed to adopt the 7.63 × 25 mm Mauser cartridge for pistols and submachine guns, which was used by the German Mauser C-96 self-loading pistol, which was quite popular in the USSR. This cartridge had sufficiently high combat qualities, but in addition, the use of this cartridge made it possible to produce barrels for 7.62-mm submachine guns and rifles on the same equipment, use existing equipment and even defective blanks for rifle "three-line" barrels. The reliability of the supply of cartridges from the magazine to the chamber was increased by the bottle shape of the sleeve.

At the end of 1929, by a decree of the Revolutionary Military Council, the submachine gun will be introduced into the weapon system of the Red Army in the near future. The submachine guns were rated as "powerful close combat automatic weapons". By decision of the Revolutionary Military Council, the main weapon of the infantry was to be a modern self-loading rifle, and a submachine gun as an auxiliary. In the same 1929, an experimental submachine gun designed by Degtyarev under a 7.62 mm cartridge was created. The cartridge itself was the same 7.63 × 25 Mauser cartridge with minor changes and received the designation 7.62 × 25. By design, the Degtyarev submachine gun had a significant resemblance to his own light machine gun - a bolt with divergent lugs and a disk magazine located flat on top. The commission headed by division commander V.F. Grushetsky at the Scientific Testing Weapons Range tested self-loading pistols and experimental submachine guns for new cartridges in June-July 1930. None of the presented samples was adopted, however, these tests helped to finally determine the requirements for a new type of weapon.

The next version of the Degtyarev submachine gun was created in 1931. It had a semi-free shutter, like the previous version, but the slowing down of the shutter retreat was carried out not by the redistribution of energy between its two parts, but by the increased friction that occurred between the cocking handle and the bevel in front of the cutout under it in the receiver. The handle fell into this cutout after the shutter arrived in the extreme forward position. The shutter at this moment turned to the right at a small angle. This option received a round-section receiver, which was distinguished by greater manufacturability. In 1932, Degtyarev created a simplified version with a blowback. In 1932-1933. 14 samples of 7.62-mm submachine guns were developed and passed field tests. Among them were improved Tokarev, Degtyarev and Korovin submachine guns, as well as new Prilutsky and Kolesnikov. The designs of Degtyarev and Tokarev turned out to be the most successful, but the Degtyarev model was somewhat more technologically advanced and had a relatively low rate of fire, more suitable for this type of weapon.

On January 23, 1935, after debugging the sample, in which, in addition to Degtyarev, designers P.E. Ivanov, G.F. Kubynov and G.G. Markov, the submachine gun was approved by the GAU for the production of an experimental batch of 30 copies. On July 9, 1935, the model was adopted by the Red Army under the name "7.62-mm submachine gun of the 1934 model of the Degtyarev system" or PPD-34. In the same year, the production of a submachine gun was started at the Kovrov Plant No. 2. Due to the low manufacturability and lack of development of the sample itself in mass production and the then prevailing notions that the submachine gun was predominantly a "police" weapon, the release was carried out only in small batches , and the Degtyarev submachine gun itself entered service mainly with the command staff of the Red Army as a replacement for revolvers and self-loading pistols. In 1934, Kovrov Plant No. 2 produced 44 copies of PPD-34, in 1935 - 23, in 1936 - 911, in 1937 - 1291, in 1938 - 1115, in 1939 - 1700. That is, in general, a little more than 5000 pieces.

In 1935-1937. the PPD-34 submachine gun was subjected to extended military tests, which revealed a number of shortcomings. As a result, in 1938-1939. PPD-34 has been upgraded. At the attachment point of the magazine, the stock was reinforced by introducing a metal guide neck welded to the bar with its latch, which increased the reliability of its connection. Stores began to be made interchangeable. We also strengthened the mount of the sight. After these improvements, the weapon received the name "submachine gun of the 1934/38 model. Degtyarev's systems. At the same time, given the experience of using submachine guns in such armed conflicts as the Chaco War and the Spanish Civil War, which showed the increased role of submachine guns in modern hostilities, the Artillery Committee indicated that: “... it is necessary to introduce a submachine gun into service certain categories of fighters of the Red Army, the border guard of the NKVD, machine-gun and gun crews, some specialists, airborne troops, car drivers, etc. ”

However, during the increase in the production of PPD, the excessive complexity of its design and manufacturing technology, as well as its high cost, was revealed. At the same time, it was supposed to carry out: "... the development of a new type of automatic weapon for a pistol cartridge should be continued for a possible replacement of the outdated PPD design." By order of the Art Administration on February 10, 1939, the PPD was removed from the 1939 production program. The copies available in the Red Army were concentrated in warehouses for better preservation in the event of a military conflict, and the samples in storage were instructed to "provide the appropriate amount of ammunition" and "keep in order." Some of these weapons were used to arm the border and escort troops. The Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940 (Winter War) became a new stage in the development of submachine guns in the USSR. The Finns were armed in relatively small quantities with a very successful Suomi M / 31 submachine gun designed by A. Lahti.

But despite the lack of numbers, the enemy very skillfully used these weapons in the difficult conditions of fighting on the Mannerheim Line, which made a great impression on the rank and file and command personnel of the Red Army. It was during the war with Finland in the USSR that the mass production of submachine guns was launched and work was intensified on the creation of new models of it. The Degtyarev submachine guns, stored in warehouses and in service with the border guards, were urgently transferred to the units fighting in Finland. A month after the start of the war, at the end of December 1939, at the direction of the Main Military Council, the production of PPD was launched again, and on January 6, 1940, by a decision of the Defense Committee, the improved PPD was again adopted by the Red Army. But in mass production, one PPD with a set of spare parts and accessories cost 900 rubles in 1939 prices, despite the fact that a DP light machine gun with spare parts cost 1,150 rubles. As a result, during the deployment of mass production, some changes were made to the design of these weapons, aimed at technological simplification, reduction in cost and acceleration of production. The designation "arr. 1934/38" retained, however, the modernized sample was already a different weapon, since its design was thoroughly redesigned, and the sample itself was even different in appearance.

The changes made to the design include the shape of the ventilation holes in the barrel casing and their number - 15 long instead of 55 short, a striker fixed in the bolt cup instead of a separate drummer on the axis, a receiver made of a tubular blank instead of a milled one in early models, simplified, made up of stamped parts, a simplified fuse, a simplified ejector with a leaf spring, a trigger guard instead of a milled one-piece blank, a simplified bed. However, practical use has shown that a simplified version of the bolt with a fixed striker is unreliable and allows delays in firing, as a result of which a separate striker was reintroduced from April 1, 1940. In addition to the 25-round sector magazine, a 73-round disk magazine was introduced.

The disk store was very similar in design to the Finnish Suomi store, but with one important difference - the Soviet submachine gun has a long solid wooden box that houses the store neck, while the Suomi box only reached the store, which was inserted directly into the gate box connector. As a result, the Degtyarev submachine gun store has a protruding neck at the top for the possibility of adjoining a receiver designed for a box magazine. A special flexible pusher served to supply the last 6 rounds from the magazine to the process. This design sometimes allowed jamming when feeding cartridges, which was eliminated only when the magazine was removed from the weapon. But in the conditions of hostilities, even in this form, the modernized weapon was adopted as a temporary measure. A more capacious store made it possible to use the weapon in combined arms combat to repel an enemy attack at close range, creating a high density of fire on it. The above shortcomings were eliminated by Degtyarev together with a number of other designers in February 1940. The new weapon was designated PPD-40.

Automation PPD works according to the scheme with a free shutter. The trigger mechanism allows firing bursts and single shots from an open bolt. Switching between fire modes was carried out using the rotary flag of the fire mode translator, located in front of the trigger guard on the right. The barrel is closed with a round steel casing, a wooden stock. On samples of 1934 and 1934/38. the stock is one-piece, for the 1940 model it is split. Cartridges are fed from box-shaped curved magazines with a double-row arrangement of cartridges or drum magazines with a capacity of 71 cartridges. Drum magazines for PPD-34 and PPD-34/38 had a protruding neck, with which the magazines were inserted into the receiver. Degtyarev submachine guns had a sector sight, which allowed them to fire at a distance of up to 500 meters. There was a manual safety on the cocking handle that blocked the bolt in the forward or rear position.

Specifications PPD-34/38

Caliber: 7.62×25

Weapon length: 777 mm

Barrel length: 273 mm

Weight without cartridges: 3.75 kg.

Rate of fire: 800 rds / min

Magazine capacity: 25 or 71

Submachine guns

January 2, 1880 Soviet designer of small arms was born Vasily Alekseevich Degtyarev. We have prepared a review dedicated to his world-famous weapon models.

DP light machine gun

The light machine gun developed by V. A. Dyagterev has been in service since 1928. The 7.62 mm weapon has an effective range of about 1500 meters and a rate of fire of up to 500-600 rounds per minute. There are several modifications with increased power and reliability for firing in special conditions.

Submachine gun Degtyarev

PPD was in service with the Soviet army in 1934-1942. He had an aiming range of up to 300 m and a rate of fire of about 1000 rounds / min. Initially, submachine guns were exclusively police weapons and were used by the army quite rarely, but in the mid-30s they became the main type of weapon for some types of troops.

DK machine gun

The Dyagterev heavy machine gun, based on the design of the German Dreyse machine gun, was put into service in 1931. It was installed mainly on armored vehicles and ships. The machine gun fired 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges at a speed of up to 450 rounds per minute.

Degtyarev anti-tank rifle

The ATGM, used from 1941 to 1945, was capable of knocking out medium tanks, emplacements and aircraft at distances up to 500 m. The single-shot gun used a 14.5 mm cartridge.

Degtyarev light machine gun

The light machine gun of the Dyagterev system was in service with the Soviet army in 1944-1959. He fired 7.62 mm cartridges with a rate of fire up to 750 rounds / min. The weapon was equipped with a tape magazine for 100 rounds. The maximum effective range was 800 m.

DS-39

The machine gun Dyagterev replaced the outdated by that time legendary "Maxim". The DS-39 was in service from 1939 to 1945. He used the classic 7.62mm cartridge. The maximum effective range of fire reached three kilometers. However, the weapon was not very reliable and was later replaced by a Goryunov machine gun.

DT

The Dyagterev tank machine gun, which was in service in 1929-1959, was one of the modifications of the 1927 DP machine gun. It was installed on many tanks, among which were the T-26 and T-34. He used all the same 7.62 mm cartridges and had a range of up to 800 meters. In 1944, an improved DTM model was developed.

PPD-40 is a Soviet-made submachine gun developed by Vasily Degtyarev in the 40s of the last century chambered for 7.62 caliber. Being put into service in 1940, the weapon was used in the Soviet-Finnish war and the first battles of the Second World War. Later, he was replaced by a lighter and more technologically advanced Shpagin submachine gun. Today we will consider the history of the creation of PPD-40 and its main characteristics.

background

Before considering the characteristics of the PPD-40, the photo of which is familiar to all weapon lovers, let's get acquainted with the prerequisites for creating such weapons. Submachine guns (PP) appeared during the First World War. Weapons of this type were designed to greatly increase the firepower of the infantry and provide an opportunity to get out of the "positional impasse" of the trench battle. At that time, machine guns have established themselves as a fairly effective defensive weapon, which can stop almost any enemy attack. However, during offensive operations, their effectiveness dropped sharply.

The machine guns of those times had a solid weight and for the most part were easel. For example, the Maxim machine gun, which gained wide popularity without a machine tool, weighed more than 20 kg. With the machine, its weight was completely unbearable 65 kg. The calculation of such machine guns consisted of 2-6 people. It is not at all surprising that soon the military leadership thought about the prospect of creating a light, rapid-fire weapon that could be used and carried by one soldier. Thus, three fundamentally new types of weapons appeared at once: an automatic rifle, a light machine gun and a submachine gun firing pistol cartridges.

The first sample of a submachine gun was created in 1915 in Italy. Later, other countries participating in the conflict also took up the development of such weapons. Submachine guns did not have a significant impact on the course of WWI, however, the developments of designers created during this period became the basis for a number of successful examples of such weapons.

In the Soviet Union, work on the creation of software began in the mid-1920s. It was originally planned that they would go into service with junior and middle officers, replacing revolvers and pistols. But the Soviet military leadership was very dismissive of such weapons. Due to the insufficiently high tactical and technical parameters, submachine guns gained the fame of a “police” weapon, the pistol cartridge of which can only be effective in close range combat.

In 1926, the Artillery leadership of the Red Army approved the requirements for submachine guns. The ammunition for the new weapon was not immediately chosen. Initially, it was supposed to use the Nagant cartridge (7.62 * 38 mm), but later the choice fell on the Mauser cartridge (7.63 * 25 mm), which is actively used in the weapon system of the Red Army.

In 1930, tests began on the first samples of Soviet submachine guns. Three famous weapons designers demonstrated their samples: Tokarev, Degtyarev and Korovin. As a result, all three samples were rejected due to unsatisfactory performance characteristics. The fact is that due to the low weight of the samples and their high rate of fire, the accuracy of fire was insufficient.

Recognition of PPD

Over the next few years, more than ten new models of submachine guns were tested. Almost all well-known weapons designers have joined the development of this direction. As a result, the Degtyarev submachine gun was recognized as the best. The weapon received a relatively low rate of fire, which had a positive effect on its accuracy and accuracy. In addition, PPD was much more technologically advanced and cheaper than its main competitors. A large number of cylindrical parts (barrel shroud, receiver and butt plate) could be made on a simple lathe.

Production

On June 9, 1935, after a series of improvements, the Degtyarev submachine gun was adopted under the name PPD-34. It was planned to equip them first of all with the junior command of the RKKR. Serial production of PPD was established at the Kovrov Plant No. 2.

The next few years, the release of the submachine gun moved, to put it mildly, slowly. For the whole of 1935, only 23 weapons left the assembly line, and for 1936 - 911 copies. By 1940, a little over 5,000 units of the Degtyarev submachine gun were produced. For comparison: only for 1937-1938. more than three million magazine rifles rolled off the assembly line. Thus, for several years, the PPD remained for the Soviet military a kind of curiosity on which it was possible to work out technological and tactical aspects.

First modernization

Based on the experience gained when using PPD in the troops, a minor modernization took place in 1938. She touched on the design of the magazine mount and the sight mount. The experience of several military conflicts (mainly the Spanish Civil War) forced the Soviet military leadership to change its attitude towards such weapons. Gradually, the opinion was formed that the volume of production of PPD for the Red Army should be significantly increased, and as soon as possible. However, it turned out to be not so easy to bring this to life: the Degtyarev submachine gun was quite expensive and difficult for large-scale production. As a result, in 1939, the artillery department ordered the removal of the PPD from the production program to eliminate deficiencies and simplify the design. It turns out that the leadership of the Red Army recognized the effectiveness of submachine guns in general, but was not ready to produce the proposed model.

A little less than a year before the start of the Winter War, all PPDs were removed from service and sent to storage. They never found a replacement. Many military historians believe that this decision was completely wrong, however, the number of submachine guns that were manufactured at that time would hardly have been able to significantly strengthen the Red Army in a large-scale conflict. There is also an opinion that the stoppage of PPD production was due to the fact that the SVT-38 automatic rifle entered service.

Second modernization

The experience gained during the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940 made it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of PP in a new way. The Finns were armed with Suomi submachine guns, which in many ways resembled the Degtyarev model. This weapon managed to make a huge impression on the command and officers of the Red Army, especially during the battles for Then everyone realized that the complete rejection of the PP was a mistake. Letters were sent from the front, with a request to arm at least one squad from each company with such weapons.

The conclusions followed immediately, and the PPD, which were in storage, were again taken into service and sent to the front line. A month after the start of the war, the serial production of weapons was restored. Soon, another modernization of the submachine gun was proposed, for the mass production of which the plant in Kovrov even switched to a three-shift work schedule. She received the name PPD-40. The revision was aimed at simplifying the design of the submachine gun and reducing the cost of its production. As a result, the PPD turned out to be even cheaper than a hand gun.

The main differences between PPD-40 and its predecessor:

1. The bottom of the casing was made separately, after which it was pressed into the tube.
2. The receiver was made in the form of a tube, with a separate sight block.
3. The shutter received a new design: the striker was fixed motionless, with the help of a hairpin.
4. The PPD-40 submachine gun received a new ejector equipped with a leaf spring.
5. The stock began to be made from stamped plywood.
6. The trigger guard was made by stamping, not milling.
7. PP Degtyarev received a new drum magazine with a capacity of 71 rounds. The design is reminiscent of the store PP "Suomi".

Thus, the differences between PPD-34 and PPD-40 were very significant. Serial production of weapons was launched in the spring of 1940. During the first year, 81 thousand copies were produced. Due to the massive armament of Russian soldiers with submachine guns at the end of the Winter War, a legend arose that the PPD was copied from the Suomi. Thanks to its excellent combat performance and easy disassembly, the PPD-40 quickly gained recognition among the soldiers.

The Great Patriotic War

The PPD-40 submachine gun was also used in the initial stages of the Second World War. Later, it was replaced by a cheaper and more technologically advanced PPSh, the production of which could be easily arranged at the facilities of any industrial enterprise. Until 1942, the PPD-40 was produced in the besieged Leningrad and supplied to the armament of the soldiers of the Leningrad Front. Among the German military also had a good reputation. In numerous photographs of Nazi soldiers, you can see how they hold captured PPD-40 submachine guns, the characteristics of which we will consider below.

Design

From the point of view of design and principle of operation, the popular weapon in the computer game "Heroes and Generals" PPD-40 is a typical representative of the 1st generation submachine guns, created mainly on the model of the German versions MP18, MP19 and MP28. The action of automation is based on the use of energy received from the recoil of the free shutter. The main parts of the software, like all analogues of those times, were carried out on metal-cutting machines. The latter fact determined the low manufacturability and high cost of their production.

Barrel and receiver

The barrel of the PPD-40, the description of which we are considering today, is rifled, with four grooves that curl from left to right. The distance between opposite edges of the rifling (caliber) is 7.62 mm. In the breech, the inner bore of the barrel is equipped with a smooth-walled chamber. It contains an annular protrusion and a thread for attaching the receiver, as well as a recess for the ejector tooth. Outside, the trunk has a smooth, slightly tapered surface.

The receiver serves as a kind of connecting element for different parts of the weapon. The barrel casing is attached to it in front. It is necessary so that when firing, the shooter does not burn his hands on the heated barrel. In addition, the casing protects the barrel itself from damage during falls and impacts.

Gate

The shutter consists of the following elements: a frame, a handle, a drummer with an axis, a striker, an ejector with a spring and a fuse combined with a handle. The shutter frame has a shape close to cylindrical. On the front, at the bottom, it has cutouts for the passage of the magazine jaws. In addition to them, the shutter is equipped with: a cup under the cap of the sleeve; grooves for the ejector and its spring; hole for the exit of the striker; socket for drummer; holes for the axes of the drummer; curly recess for the passage of the store above the receiver; a groove for the passage of the reflector; a groove, the back surface of which plays the role of a combat platoon; a bevel on the back wall, necessary to facilitate backward movement; hole for the handle pin; groove under the shutter handle; and finally, guide whisks. The return of the bolt group to the extreme position is provided by a return mechanism. It consists of a reciprocating mainspring and a butt plate equipped with a guide rod. The butt plate is screwed onto the rear section of the receiver.

Trigger and impact mechanisms

The trigger mechanism of the PPD-40 submachine gun (which many mistakenly call an automatic machine) is located in the trigger box, the back of which, during the assembly of the weapon, is put on the ledge of the box and fastened to it with a pin. It allows you to fire bursts or single shots. For switching firing modes, the corresponding translator is responsible, which is a flag located in front of the trigger guard. On the one hand, you can see the designations "1" or "one" on it for firing single shells, and on the other - "71" or "cont.", for firing in automatic mode.

On the main number of submachine guns produced, the cartridge primer was broken by a percussion mechanism, which was separately installed in the bolt. The drummer worked at the moment when the shutter came to the extreme forward position. The fuse in the Degtyarev submachine gun (PPD-40) is located on the cocking handle and is a sliding chip. By changing its position, you can lock the bolt in the rear (cocked) or forward position. Despite the fact that the reliability of such a fuse left much to be desired, especially in worn-out weapons, it was also used on later PPSh. In addition, a similar design solution was used on some copies of the German MP-40.

Shop

Ammunition for the first samples of PPD was made from a removable sector magazine that could hold only 25 rounds. When shooting, it could be used as a handle. Samples of 1934-1938 years of release received a drum magazine with a capacity of 73 rounds. Well, the PPD-40, the review of which became the topic of today's conversation, was equipped with a similar magazine, but for 71 rounds.

Aiming fixture

When firing from this weapon, aiming was carried out using a sector sight and a front sight. Theoretically, these devices were designed for shooting from a distance of 50-500 meters. In reality, the last figure was frankly overestimated, which was a common occurrence in the PP of those times. Thanks to the use of a relatively powerful cartridge and the successful ballistic parameters of a small-caliber bullet, an experienced shooter could hit an enemy located at a distance of 300 meters with a single fire from the PPD-40. In automatic mode, this indicator decreased by another 100 m.

Affiliation

Each Degtyarev submachine gun was supplied with accessories. It consisted of: a ramrod with a handle and a pair of links with a wipe, a drift, a screwdriver, a brush and an oiler, divided into two compartments - for oil and alkaline composition.

Combat efficiency

Unlike the game "Heroes and Generals", improvements to the PPD-40 in real life were not possible. Therefore, the soldiers were content with what they had. PPD-40 fire was recognized as effective at a distance of 100-300 meters, depending on the firing mode. If the enemy was at a distance of more than 300 meters, then a reliable defeat could only be ensured by concentrated fire from several PPs at once. The lethal force of the bullets fired from this weapon was maintained even at a distance of 800 m.

Thus, the main mode of fire was firing in short bursts. From a distance of less than 100 meters, in critical cases, continuous fire was allowed, but firing more than 4 magazines in a row was prohibited, as this could lead to overheating of the weapon. Today, the photo of the PPD-40 does not look very intimidating, but for the rest of the PPs of those years, created under the Parabellum cartridge, which has the worst ballistic and power parameters, the range of fire of this weapon was unbearable.

Combat use

PPDs were used in such battles:

1. All battles with the participation of the USSR of those times.
2. War in Spain. After the outbreak of hostilities, in 1936, the Soviet Union transferred a certain amount of PPD-34 to the government of the Spanish Republic.
3. Soviet-Finnish war. 173 PPDs issued in 1934-1938 were captured by the Finnish army and directed against the USSR.
4. WWII. Soldiers of the Third Reich and satellites of fascist Germany were armed with trophy PPDs. Versions of 1934-38 were called by the Germans Maschinenpistole 715(r), and PPD-40 - Maschinenpistole 716(r). In addition, during the Second World War, the USSR handed over more than five thousand PPD-40s to the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia.
5. A number of submachine guns were used by military units of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army in its combat operations.
6. Military operations in the east of Ukraine. In 2014, the fighters fighting in the Donetsk region were noted to have a small amount of PPD-40. The assault rifle (mainly the AK-74) is the main weapon for infantry combat today, however, submachine guns are also popular.

PPSh-41 is a Shpagin submachine gun chambered for 7.62 mm, developed and adopted by the Red Army at the end of 1940. Differed in high reliability and rate of fire. The simplicity of the design made it possible to produce it at non-core enterprises. This PP became the most massive automatic weapon during the Great Patriotic War (WWII) in the ranks of the armed forces of the USSR.

Captured PPSh were used in German units, converted. And it was sometimes called drum roll because of the very high volume of the shot.

Reasons and process of creation

Drawing conclusions from the Soviet-Finnish war (1939 - 1940), the leadership of the USSR gave the order to develop a modern and technologically advanced submachine gun (PP). The new weapon was supposed to match the combat characteristics of the PPD-34/40 (PP Degtyarev), but be easier to manufacture.

By the autumn of 1940, G. Shpagin and B. Shpitalny presented their projects to the commissions of the People's Commissariat for Armaments.

At the end of November, the Shpagin design bureau produced 25 products, the Shpitalny Design Bureau - 15 units intended for testing performance characteristics. Together with the submitted samples, PPD-40 also participated in the tests.

The tests were a test for structural strength, accuracy of fire, combat rate of fire and weight-dimensional characteristics.

By the end of the tests, the commission concluded that the Shpagin submachine gun was more suitable for the needs of the Soviet armed forces. Since it has better reliability, its parts are less susceptible to wear, with a mass equal to PPD it is easier to manufacture, it is not much inferior to Shpitalny's PP in accuracy and magazine capacity (but it weighs 1.5 kg more).

As a result, in December 1940, a decree was signed on the adoption of the Shpagin PP and the start of its production. The project presented by Shpitalny was sent for revision, arguing that the automation was low-reliable.

Description and performance characteristics

The principle of operation of the automation of the Shpagin machine gun is based on a freely moving shutter and the use of recoil energy. The mainspring is cocked and activated when the trigger is pressed. After that, it straightens out, which leads to a forward displacement of the bolt and a puncture of the cartridge case.

After the shot, the shutter, due to the powder gases, retreats to its original position.

The cartridge case flies out and a new charge takes its place. Ammunition is fed from a drum and sector type store. Hook type fuse. Around the barrel there is a metal casing with oval holes and a bevel at the end. This innovation of Shpagin protected the fighter's hands from burns and at the same time worked as a recoil compensator.

Considering the large-scale sectional plan of the PPSh submachine gun of the 1941 model, one can note that the details depicted on it are extremely simple and reliable.

Such design features make it possible to assemble it on non-core production lines. For example, in tractor factories. The whole structure is made of steel, the stock is wooden (mainly birch). Details are made by cold stamping and electric welding.

PP Shpagina has the following technical parameters:

• Weight: Without magazine - 3.6 kg. With a drum-type magazine - 5.3. With sector - 4.15 kg;
• Length: the whole product - 84.3 centimeters, the trunk - 26.9 cm;
• Used ammunition: 7.62x25 mm TT, pistol;
• Caliber: 7.62 mm;
• Shooting speed: up to 1000 rpm;
• Muzzle velocity: 500 m/s;
• Shooting mode: automatic, semi-automatic;
• Shooting distance max / effective: 500 m / 200 - 300 meters;
• Type of food: drum (71 patr.) and sector (35 patr.);
• Sights: static, open type at 100 m and equipped with a folding line - 200 m.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like most types of weapons designed before and during the Great Patriotic War, the PPSh was extremely simple and effective. This weapon was appreciated not only by Soviet soldiers, but also by soldiers of the Allied countries and even in the Wehrmacht.

The Shpagin machine gun also had shortcomings, some of them were corrected already in 1942.

Briefly about the benefits

• Ease of production. PPSh was assembled from spare parts made by cold stamping and spot welding. This did not require manual refinement and made it possible to save time on machine tools. PPSh were assembled even by Belarusian partisans from parts made in artisanal conditions, without drawings;
• High rate of fire. The drum magazine fired back in ten seconds, which made it possible to create a high density of fire at a short distance, flooding the enemy with red-hot lead. Basically, PPs were used in dagger combat conditions: clearing trenches during tank landings, urban battles. In particular, for battles in urban areas, the PPSh-41 was used with a sector store, which increased the mobility of a soldier.

Briefly about the shortcomings

• High weight and inconvenience. The simple design of the PPSh revealed a serious drawback - a lot of weight. It was 5.3 kg with a loaded drum magazine. In addition, the fighter carried with him more ammunition and 2 spare clips. The problem was partially solved by introducing a smaller sector store. It had less mass and took up much less space;
• The drums of one PPSh did not fit the other. Cold stamping, although it gave a fast pace of production, made each sample unique. In particular, this concerned the elements of cartridge power. If it was lost, it was extremely difficult to find a replacement, and given that only 3 magazines were produced with each barrel, this created a real problem;
• The high rate of fire led to a quickly ending ammunition load. In fact, the fighter carried 3 equipped drums with him. A total of 223 rounds. With a rate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute, cartridges were used up very quickly. After that, the soldier had to start equipping the clip with new ammunition. In the conditions of the current fire contact, this is very difficult. The situation was aggravated by the problematic equipment of the store with cartridges. It was difficult and if even one cartridge was skewed, I had to start all over again.
• Some design flaws: crossbow when falling, magazine falling out of the mount;
• Simplicity in manufacturing did not mean high wear resistance of parts, this led to a loss in the reliability of the machine. In terms of battles, this was an important factor. The fighting took place in urban areas, on rough terrain, in the trenches. All these places were not clean. Basically, this claim relates to non-core plants.

Why not PPD

The Soviet command never took PP seriously. It was considered a weapon of the police and gendarmes. However, some Soviet designers on their own initiative developed projects for their submachine guns.

One of these people was Degtyarev. His PPD-34 was mass-produced and mostly served in the ranks of the NKVD border service.

After the Winter War with the Finns, who massively used the Suomi software. The leadership of the Red Army urgently instructed Degtyarev to finalize the PPD-34.

And in the winter of 1940, he presented a new modification of his project - PPD-40.

By the beginning of the Second World War, about 90 thousand of its copies were produced.

At the same time, Stalin instructed to involve the best gunsmiths in the creation of a new PP, which would be easier to manufacture, but retain the combat qualities of the PPD-40. I'm complicated myself. To create it, you need high-precision equipment and manual grinding.

History of PPSh during World War II

The Shpagin submachine gun, aka PPSh-41, has become the most common automatic personal weapon of the soldiers of the Red Army (Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army).

It was distributed in various branches of the military: infantry, guards, airborne groups. It was also actively used by partisans operating in the territory occupied by the Germans.

Even the German soldiers willingly used it instead of the MP-38/40.

The ROA (Russian Liberation Army) Vlasov also had its own PCA.

Ease of handling has reduced the training period for recruits. And this is important in the context of hostilities.

Using a high rate of fire, they suppressed enemy soldiers with fire, which left them no chance to survive.

He showed himself well in urban battles. The battle of Stalingrad can be called the baptism of fire of this weapon. A fierce battle for the city took place in conditions of dense buildings and numerous enclosed spaces.

In this kind of battles, the main thing is the rate of fire and the ability to suppress the enemy with continuous fire. The same thing happened in Kharkov, and in the spring of 1945 in Berlin.

Variants and modifications

During its long existence, the PPSh has been modified more than once, and a huge number of types of this machine have spread around the world.

It is impossible to list all of them due to the wide distribution and uncontrolled movement of this PP.

Officially, it was supplied to countries such as China, Vietnam, Poland and Cuba.

1. PPSh-41 mod. 1941 - the first sample. It was equipped only with a drum magazine and a sight designed for firing at a distance of up to 500 m.
2. PPSh-41 mod. 1942 - differs from the 41 model in a chrome-plated barrel bore (Increases wear resistance.), A more reliable clip fastening and the elimination of an involuntary shot when falling. It was equipped with an aiming device for shooting at 100 - 200 meters. Shop sector, made of steel 0.5 mm thick (Later - 1 mm);
3. PPSh-2. In 1943, a competition was announced for the development of a new submachine gun, which was supposed to replace the PPSh. The main requirements were the preservation of combat qualities, reduction in weight and dimensions. The product presented by Shpagin, although it was even more simplified in production, did not meet the requirements. The choice fell on the project of the gunsmith Sudakov.

Handicraft and semi-handicraft models:

1. “Product No. 86” - were made in Kandalaksha on the territory of plant number 310. Before receiving the drawings, 100 products were produced. All of them were made by hand and their parts were not interchangeable. Like serial samples, the machine was equipped with a drum magazine;
2. Many samples of the Shpagin submachine gun were made in the workshops of various partisan detachments operating on the territory of Belarus;
3. Jelen - Croatian semi-handicraft modification, which was actively used in the wars on the Balkan Peninsula.

In the ranks of the Third Reich:

1. MP.41(r) - a captured PPSh-41 converted to the 9x19 “Parabellum” pistol cartridge common among the Germans. The weapon was replaced with a barrel and a receiver for clips from the MP-38/40. In total, about 10,000 pieces were redone.

During the Second World War and after its end, PPSh was produced on the territory of many countries. Among them were China, Yugoslavia, Iran, Croatia, Vietnam, Hungary, North Korea, etc.

Basically it was an ordinary Shpagin submachine gun. Only in rare cases were minor modifications carried out, under the realities of local industrial potential.

conversion options

1. PPS-50 - Manufactured by Pletta. Uses small caliber ammunition - .22 LR;
2. SR-41 Semi-Auto Rifle - Manufactured by Inter-Ordnance of America. There is a modification chambered for 7.62x25 and 9x19 mm. It has an increased barrel length. American gun connoisseurs have always spoken highly of the PPSh-41.
3. SKL-41 - development chambered for 9x19. Start of production 2003
4. PPSH 41 SemiAuto is a self-loading modification using a 7.62x25 cartridge. The key feature is an elongated barrel (up to 16 inches), a casing without specific and recognizable oval holes. Shooting takes place with a closed shutter. Produced by the American company "Allied Armament";
5. VPO-135 - Cartridge 7.62x25. System: self-loading carbine. Development date: 2013. Produced by the Molot plant;
6. PPSh-O - Cartridge 7.62x25. System: self-loading carbine. Development date: 2013. Produced by the Kovrov plant named after Degtyarev;
7. MP-562K "PPSh" - a pneumatic version developed at the Izhevsk plant. Shoots 4.5mm metal balls. Can fire in bursts.

Myths and legends about PPSh

Around each weapon there is a huge number of myths associated with it or the people who created it. The Shpagin assault rifle is no exception.

Here are just a few of those legends:

• PPSh is a copy of the Finnish Suomi assault rifle. This is not true. Although there is an external similarity, but only external. The internal mechanism is different;
• The lack of automatic weapons among Soviet soldiers and, on the contrary, a large number of such weapons among the Germans. The same myth "one rifle for five fighters." The Germans often used captured PPs, just because they lack weapons of this class;
• PPSh-41 - the best submachine gun of the Great Patriotic War. The truth is that he was like that before the release;
• The last country to remove the PPSh-41 from service is Belarus. It happened in 2003.

The Degtyarev submachine gun became the first representative of this type of weapon adopted by the Red Army. And, in general, it cannot be said that the first automatic "pancake" came out lumpy, although at the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War he had to give way to more modern models.

The question of the gradual transition of the Red Army to automatic weapons was raised in 1925, when the last flashes of the Civil War died out and one could calmly think in which direction the army should be reformed.

He was the first

The Artillery Committee responsible for armament was more interested in self-loading automatic rifles - since back in 1913 the first such model was created by Vladimir Fedorov. Fedorov's student, the Tula gunsmith Vasily Degtyarev, eventually set off on an independent voyage, focusing specifically on submachine guns, or, as they were more commonly called, machine guns.

True, at first, work in this direction did not go well with Degtyarev - perhaps because Artkom initially formulated the terms of reference incorrectly, prescribing that machine guns be designed for Naganov cartridges. In any case, according to the test results of 1930, both Tokarev's "light carbine" and the Degtyarev machine gun, designed on the basis of his successful light machine gun, were rejected.

Things went well when they decided to switch to the cartridge of the popular Mauser pistol, the bottle shape of which increased the reliability of feeding from the magazine. In addition, the transition to this caliber gave significant savings, since it was possible to use rejected three-line barrels.

For the next tests of 1932-1933, Degtyarev proposed a new modification with a free shutter designed by Tokarev, Korovin, Prilutsky and Karelin.

However, this model also had to be finalized before it was accepted into service in 1935 as a 7.62-mm submachine gun of the 1934 model of the Degtyarev system (PPD). They decided to produce it at the Kovrov plant No. 2 in the Vladimir region.

However, the pace of production was not impressive: in 1934, only 44 copies were produced, and by 1940, a little more than 5 thousand. Since a fair number of machine guns were sent to the Spanish Republicans, it can be said that the presence of the PPD was not very much noticed in the Red Army. Machine guns were generally treated as "police" weapons, preferring to arm the Red Army with self-loading and automatic rifles.

The brainchild of Degtyarev was issued to "certain categories of soldiers of the Red Army, the border guards of the NKVD, machine-gun and gun crews." In essence, one could talk about tests carried out on an army scale, during which the technological parameters of the weapon were tested, and the tactics of its use were tested.

Degtyar vs Sveta

Designing the PPD, Degtyarev focused on the German samples MP18, MP28 and Rheinmetall MP19.

The action of automation was based on the use of the recoil energy of the free shutter.

The barrel had four rifling going from left to top to right. In front of the receiver, a perforated barrel casing was attached to the thread, protecting the shooter's hands from burns.

The shutter consisted of a handle, a drummer with an axis, a striker and an ejector with a spring, combined with a fuse handle. The return mechanism is made of a return spring and a butt plate with a guide rod. The trigger mechanism was housed in a separate box, secured with a pin, and was designed to fire in bursts and single shots.

The fuse was located on the cocking handle, and its design turned out to be so successful that it later switched to the Shpagin submachine gun (PPSh).

The weight of the weapon without a magazine was 3.36 kg, length - 788 mm, rate of fire - about 1000 rounds per minute.

The sights were designed at distances from 50 to 500 m. With a lethal range of 800 m, firing at the enemy even from a distance of half a kilometer did not make sense. However, it was quite realistic to hit an enemy at a distance of 300 m with a single shot, which was superior to other machine guns of that time.

In 1938-1939, the PPD was modernized, increasing the reliability of the magazine fastening and christening the resulting product as a “submachine gun of the 1934-1938 model of the Degtyarev system”, or “second sample”. True, the biography of this second sample was short.

The main argument against PPD was its high cost. In 1939 prices, one copy cost 900 rubles, while another well-known brainchild of Degtyarev - a light machine gun - cost only 150 rubles more.

However, as such, the PPD was not removed from service. It was simply removed from the production program, and the copies available in the troops (except for the border and escort units) were confiscated and sent to warehouses, where, however, they were ordered to “keep in order”, providing “an appropriate amount of ammunition”.

Almost simultaneously, the Tokarev self-loading rifle - SVT, also known under the affectionate name "Sveta", was adopted for service.

"Blockade", which reached Berlin

However, at the end of the year, the fate of the PPD took a new sharp turn, which was explained by the sad experience gained during the Winter War with Finland.

The Suomi assault rifles used by the Finns made a huge impression on the Red Army, although the scale of their use was not so large (only a few percent of the total number of Finnish small arms).

Requests flew from the combat units to the headquarters: to send more submachine guns in order to equip "at least one squad per company."

The warehouses were again devastated, something was confiscated from the border guards, and most importantly, from January 1940, an urgently improved PPD was put into service, transferring the enterprises producing it to a three-shift mode of operation. The busiest was the Sestro-Retsk Tool Plant closest to the front, which accounted for most of the production. The new model, which retained the 34/38 index, was radically different from the first two samples even in its appearance.

The receiver began to be made from a tubular billet instead of a milled one.

The number of holes on the barrel casing was reduced from 55 short to 15 long. A separate drummer on the axis replaced the striker fixed in the bolt cup.

The ejector with a leaf spring, stock, trigger guard, fuse were simplified, which, accordingly, reduced the cost.

In addition to the sector store designed for 25 rounds, a drum magazine for 73 rounds was introduced, which looked like a Suomi magazine, but differed from it in the design of the mount. The design, however, was not very reliable, but a large capacity became an important factor in the conditions of fleeting close combat.

As soon as the new model went into series, Degtyarev introduced another modification with a more reliable magazine mount, although with a drum capacity of four rounds less.

It was this variant that was re-approved as a regular weapon as a "submachine gun of the 1940 model of the Degtyarev system." It is known that by the end of the year the factories produced more than 80 thousand copies, which made this weapon really massive.

The Great Patriotic War brought down the statistics, because by the end of 1941 the command decided to switch to a more reliable and technologically advanced Shpagin submachine gun. However, the transition took some time. For example, at the Kovrov plant, even switching to PPSh, about five thousand pieces of PPD were manually assembled from the remaining parts.

At the Sestroretsky plant evacuated to Leningrad, they did not break the technology at all, so the circulation of the “blockade issue” amounted to an impressive figure: 42,870 copies. They differed from their counterparts released in “peaceful” conditions by a simplified folding (instead of a sector) sight and a fuse shape.

In general, the PPD turned out to be a good weapon. It is significant that captured machine guns were used in parts of the Wehrmacht and their allies, and more than five thousand copies were supplied by the USSR to Tito's partisans in 1944, and even at the end of the war they were in service with the Yugoslav People's Army.

Yes, and in the Red Army, many walked with this machine gun to Berlin.