Suomi: the Finnish machine gun that changed history. Russian weapons for the Finnish army

Soviet-Finnish war for Soviet Union became a test of weapons and the readiness of troops; it was then that many types of weapons were used for the first time.

Submachine guns

First Soviet submachine gun The Degtyarev PPD system was adopted for service in 1934 with a box magazine for 25 rounds. However, it was released in large quantities, and the weapon itself was clearly underestimated. It was believed that this was to a greater extent police weapons, in addition, adventurous proposals to introduce a submachine gun as the main model were rejected small arms. In the battles of Khasan, Khalkhin Gol, and the Polish Campaign, the use of submachine guns was not noted. However, in Finland, where the fighting took place on rough terrain, rapid fire and powerful weapon showed its power. The Finnish Suomi, used even in small quantities, turned out to be very effective in close combat. The reaction from the Soviet side was immediate. Already during the assault on Vyborg, photographs can be seen of Soviet assault groups armed with the PPD-40 - a Soviet submachine gun with a disc magazine for 71 rounds. A year and a half before the beginning of the Great Patriotic War At least 70 thousand PPD-40 were produced, which were very unevenly distributed among the Red Army troops, and the total production of this submachine gun by 1943 exceeded 350 thousand. units.

Cruiser "Kirov"

The Soviet-Finnish War became the military debut of Soviet light cruisers of the Kirov class. These ships were distinguished high speed and very powerful armament for its class, consisting of nine 180-mm guns in three turrets. According to international agreements (in which the USSR did not participate), the main caliber of light cruisers of the leading world powers could not exceed 155 mm. Only the lead ship of the series of six cruisers, the Kirov, took part in the Finnish war, which on December 1, 1939 entered into a risky artillery duel with a Finnish battery on the island of Russare. In a short-lived battle, the Kirov fired 35,180 mm. shells, damaging the pier and barracks, but without damaging the enemy guns. With return fire, the Finns achieved several close explosions of shells, but again without serious consequences for the Soviet cruiser. Later, four Soviet cruisers of this type (two each in the Black and Baltic Seas) performed well during the Great Patriotic War, and not a single one was sunk.

Mine detectors

If the first samples of a mine detector were created in the USSR back in 1934, then the first mass combat use was noted during the Soviet-Finnish war, when Soviet troops had to overcome well-prepared enemy defenses, rich minefields. Mass production of induction mine detectors was launched in Leningrad. The location of the mine was determined by maximum sound wearing headphones when approaching the metal body of the mine.

On water and on land

The Soviet-Finnish War was marked by the first combat use of Soviet amphibious tanks for their intended purpose. T-37 and T-38 tanks, armed with one 7.62 mm machine gun and with a crew of 2 people, crossed water obstacles, depending on the conditions, on ice, and sometimes by swimming. So, for example, in the battles near the Pensin-Joki River, the T-38 company, having lost two tanks, crossed the river by swimming and with its fire ensured the successful crossing of the infantry. During the battles, the shortcomings inherent in amphibious tanks of the 30s, identified a few months earlier in Mongolia, again emerged - weak armor and insufficient weapons. Later, during the Great Patriotic War, these combat vehicles more often used as ordinary tanks and extremely rarely in their own way special purpose(for example, in the battles near Nevskaya Dubrovka).

Heavy tanks

The Soviet-Finnish war was the first conflict where they found use heavy tanks with anti-ballistic armor. The main disadvantage of most tanks of the second half of the 30s was weak armor, which was penetrated by fire from anti-tank guns and heavy machine guns. During the Soviet-Finnish war, Soviet heavy tanks KV and multi-turret SMK and T-100 were tested at the front. If in tank battles, which were a rare occurrence in the Finnish War; the latest vehicles did not take part, they turned out to be indispensable in breaking through enemy fortifications. The KV-1 withstood hits from almost any anti-tank gun shell and showed good maneuverability. At the same time, based on the experience of the Soviet-Finnish war, it was decided to abandon the creation of heavy multi-turret tanks, which turned out to be expensive and difficult to operate. It is noteworthy that in 1941, the Soviet Union was the only state armed with heavy tanks capable of withstanding the fire of most anti-tank artillery systems.

Field of Mercy

The Finnish War brought significant changes to the Soviet military medicine. In a combat situation, it became clear that the most important task was the rapid evacuation of the wounded to rear hospitals in order to provide specialized surgical care, and the presence of a doctor in the battalion was not necessary, since complex surgical operations in close proximity to the front line were difficult. After the Finnish War, doctors in the battalions were replaced by paramedics, whose actions were often enough to provide emergency care and prepare for the evacuation of the wounded to the rear. At the same time, the importance of medical instructors, whose task included providing first aid and removing the wounded from the battlefield, increased sharply. The losses among medical instructors were also significant. Yes, in the 70th rifle division, which went through the Finnish War from beginning to end, the junior medical staff actually changed three times.

Sniper weapon

In the Soviet-Finnish war, snipers were used en masse for the first time. Fighting in the winter of 1939-1940. took place in very harsh winter, when the temperature dropped to -30, and sometimes - 40 degrees, high snow cover 110 -125 cm, and sometimes more, dense forests - all this forced the fighting mainly along the roads, where the Finns actively used ambush actions. “Cuckoos” - Finnish soldiers armed with Suomi submachine guns - often acted. Having taken a successful and well-camouflaged position, the Finnish rifleman could inflict very serious damage to a Soviet rifle unit at close range. The reaction of the Soviet leadership to the enemy's successful use of automatic weapons in close combat was immediate. Already during the fighting with Finland, PPD-34/38 appeared in the Red Army, and at the final stage, PPD-40. They differed from their prototype PPD-34 by the presence of a disk magazine copied from the Finnish Suomi. Subsequently, the idea of ​​the “cuckoo”, as a Finnish fighter armed with a submachine gun, in our country was very much transformed into a legendary image Finnish sniper, often operating from trees.

Date: 2011-09-13

All collectors are a bit of historians, especially weapons collectors. And the history of weapons is, after all, the history of a country, and often in its most dramatic episodes. Readers will be able to see this from this article. Preliminarily, some historical realities are explained in more detail by the consultant of the magazine "Weapon" V.Ya. MINCHENKOV.

The article mentions the War of Liberation of 1918. This is what the Finns call the civil war, which began shortly after the declaration of state independence of Finland and divided the country into “red” and “white”. At this time, there were also units of the Russian expeditionary force here, which protected the coast of Finland from a possible landing of the German army during the First World War. Captivated by Bolshevik propaganda, the military personnel of this corps actively participated in demonstrations and demonstrations organized by the left forces of Finland in the second half of 1917. The fear of Bolshevization of the country determined the actions of K. G. Mannerheim’s army to defeat the “Reds”, as well as disarmament and ousting Russian troops. Then, after the military defeat of the revolution, in almost every locality Shutskors (“security squads”) were created as a permanent counterweight to left-wing organizations and a guarantor of stability. These paramilitary forces, in addition to professional officers, included hundreds of thousands of non-exempt armed vigilantes and junior commanders. Shyutskors performed police functions, performed security service, and during the war they also took part in hostilities.

In 1921, the women's units of the army fighter "Lotta Svärd" arose, the number of which exceeded 220 thousand. Their members carried out propaganda work among the population, raised funds for military needs and also fought... The activities of the Shutskors, Lott and other paramilitary forces were suspended by the Armistice Agreement between the USSR and Finland in 1944.

Tero HASU

As is known, the composition Russian Empire Finland entered as a result of the Russian-Swedish war of 1808-1809. After this, a number of national movements of various kinds arose, advocating separation from Russia. During Russo-Japanese War(1904-1905), when plans for an armed struggle for liberation were already being seriously developed, Swiss-made Vetterli rifles of 10.4 mm caliber began to arrive illegally in Finland. Here they are better known as "Grafton rifles" - after the ship "John Grafton" on which they were imported. But even in the War of Liberation, this technically outdated rifle was practically not used.

Back in the 1870s, the Berdan rifle appeared in service with Russian infantry units. Russia ordered the first batch - 30 thousand pieces of Berdan I - in 1868 from the Colt plant in the USA. There are only a few examples of them in museums and private collections in Finland. In 1870, Russian arms factories began producing the Berdan II model, which soon became a standard weapon. It differed from the Colt model in its shutter mechanism. Finnish museums and collectors have infantry, dragoon and Cossack models. It also did not receive real combat use, although there is information that in the “Winter War” with the USSR (1939-1940), due to a shortage of weapons, it was temporarily used by small units.

FIRST TROPHIES

In 1891, the Mosin-Nagant infantry rifle was adopted in Russia. It was this that was later equipped with the Defense Forces of independent Finland, where these “three-rulers” were marked with a special stamp SA (Suomen Armeija). At first they were purchased from the Russian expeditionary force or directly in Russia, later they were taken from military trains going from Petrograd to Finland to supply units Russian army, as well as from ships delivering rifles to Finnish ports from the USA for further transportation to Russia. In January 1918, the first cases of disarmament of soldiers of the expeditionary force were noted. At the same time, the Finns purchased about 100 thousand Mosin-Nagant rifles from Germany - from its war trophies. They had a straight sighting bar, and the rear end of the belt was attached not to the butt, but to the front of the magazine box. These original models are widely represented in the collections. There are also samples of rifles from the Westinghouse and Remington factories (USA). There are also models of carbines of the 1907 model - dragoon and Cossack; they were in service with Finnish cavalrymen until the early 30s. Many three-line Winchesters from the 1895 model have survived. Although, as noted, the Mosin-Nagant rifle was adopted in Finland, in the early 20s there was a tough discussion about whether the country's Defense Forces should be equipped with weapons of a different caliber. In the end, the “three-line” remained in the army, but underwent a number of modifications.

“THREE-LINE” IN FINNISH

Shutskor was one of the first (in 1924) to begin its modernization. The funds for this were raised by women from Lotta Svärd, so new model began to be called "Lotta". In general, all Shutskor weapons were marked S.K.Y. Using the funds raised, 7.62 mm caliber barrels with a larger outer diameter than Mosin rifles were ordered from Switzerland. In Finland, wooden parts were made for them from valuable species and, for a nominal fee, they handed over the weapon to Lotte as a sporting weapon. A characteristic feature This rifle of the 1891/24 model had a narrowing of the muzzle of the barrel for a Mosin bayonet.

The positive experience of using the model with a thicker barrel allowed us to continue its modernization. It was recognized that to improve combat qualities the barrel should be shortened to 1190 mm. The weapon has become much more convenient, especially when traveling on skis. The defensive forces were equipped with such rifles of the 1927 model, and the Shutskor - of the 1928 model, which had a minor difference: in the butt of the army model there was no hole for a belt; the latter was attached in the same way as a Tokarev rifle. The model for the Defense Forces was produced until 1941; in total, 60 thousand pieces were produced with serial numbers from 20000 to 81000. The version for the shutskor was produced in 1928-1930, during which time about 33 thousand pieces were made with serial numbers from 1 to 33016. Especially for cavalrymen, 2 thousand carbines were produced in 1933-1934 1120 mm long, with a shortened and downwardly curved bolt handle.

Soon the modernization of the Shyutskor rifle was continued, providing it with a fundamentally new rear sight. In 1933-1941, 40 thousand copies were produced with serial numbers from 33017 to 70000. Until 1937, they were equipped with a butt of the 1891 model made of valuable wood, then they launched the production of composite birch butts - in two parts with a tenon joint in the middle; this made it possible to compensate for the torsional deformations and other loads occurring in the wood, which is especially important when sniper shooting. The gunstock symbol was burned into the butts - the letter S in a frame, and under it - the last two digits of the year of manufacture.

Some of these weapons went on free sale, and anyone who was not a member of the Shutskor could buy them: from 1934 to 1940, 2 thousand rifles with serial numbers from 100001 to 102000 were sold. A small number of rifles of the 1927-28 model were produced in the sniper modification.

The rifles of the described models made in Finland, starting in 1927, received the common nickname “Spitz”, or “standing ears” - based on the shape of the protective parts of the front sight.

SPECIALLY FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP

In 1937, the World Shooting Championships took place in Finland. At that time, according to the conditions of the competition, when shooting from an army rifle, the weapons of the organizing country were used. For the championship, 500 rifles of the 1928-30 model were produced; their serial numbers - s 48791 to 49467. The organizers carefully selected the barrels (440 out of 500); for the butts they used blanks from 1891 from valuable species. The MM (“World Championship”) stamp was stamped on the left wall of the chamber, and a silver plate with the championship emblem was attached to the butt on the right side - three flying swans and the number 1937. Two rifles were sent to each participating country for training. All world records were broken at the championship.

Emblem on the butt of a rifle made for the 1937 World Cup

Bayonets: from top to bottom -
model of the Defense Forces 1927,
Shutskor model 1928-30,
Shutskorovsky 1939

After the competition, rifles were awarded to the most distinguished shooters of the shunkor.

OLD PEKKA'S COMPETITORS

At the beginning " Winter War“since the USSR (November 1939), the Finns experienced a shortage of weapons; however, already in December the trophies received were enough to arm all front-line units. At the same time, to replace the 1927 model, a new modification of the Mosin-Nagant rifle was created in 1939, which had a weighted stock with a pistol grip. Its production began in 1941. In total, more than 60 thousand pieces were produced (serial numbers - from 200,000); however, the first 7 thousand did not yet have a pistol grip. Shutskor received 10,500 of these rifles with serial numbers 500001-510500.

The 1939 model rifle was nicknamed “Old Man Pekka” - after the country’s president Pekka Svinhuvud, who was exiled to Siberia in 1914, and in 1917-1918 led the movement for self-determination of Finland. This modification was used until the 60s, when it was replaced by an automatic rifle. The Defensive Forces rifles of the 1927, 28, 28-30 and 39 models were equipped with a bayonet 415 mm long, and the Shutskor rifles of the 1939 model were equipped with a bayonet 290 mm long. The cheeks of the bayonet handle of rifles of 1928-30 were made of Karelian birch. The "three-line" model of 1891/30, modified in the Soviet Union, was based on the dragoon version of 1891. It had a front sight with a protective ring, so in Finland it was called a “ring sight”. In the "Winter War" and then at the beginning of the war of 1941-1944, the Finns took many of these rifles as trophies. There were fewer carbines and rifles of the 1938 model and, of course, very few carbines of 1944.

A LITTLE ABOUT SOUVENIRS

Shutskor rifles: from top to bottom -
1937 model,
1928-1930 and
1939

Shutskor rifles: left -
1928 model,
in the middle - model 1928-30,
on the right is a model from 1928-30 for free sale

Among the captured weapons there were many rifles with optical sight- model 1930, as well as semi-automatic Tokarev rifles model 1938 and automatic - Simonov 1936. Finns have long been avid hunters and foresters. And when soldiers received weapons with optical sights, few could resist the temptation: they put the optics in a backpack and took a front-line souvenir home on the next vacation. As a result, the Defense Forces received very few sights, but today's collectors are well stocked with them. The same fate befell most of the Tokarev and Simonov rifles themselves, so now collectors also have plenty of them (there are even quite a few samples from the experimental batch of the Simonov rifle - much more than the copies of the Fedorov automatic rifle used in the war of 1939-1940) .

In the harsh winter of 1940, these models turned out to be unreliable and were not used on the front line. But the semi-automatic Tokarev rifles of the 1940 model captured in the summer operation of 1941 were put into service, and a small number of them were used by the Defense Forces until the 50s. Naturally, bayonets for Tokarev and Simonov’s rifles also ended up in private homes. The long, “Tokarevsky” model of 1938 is more common in Finland than the short one of 1941. And the most desired exhibit among collectors is considered to be the Simonov bayonet.

EMMA AND OTHERS

At the beginning of the “Winter War”, more than 3 thousand Degtyarev light machine guns were captured, nicknamed “Emma”: their round magazine resembled a gramophone record, and in Finland at that time a record with the waltz of the same name was popular, which was especially loved at the front... The Finns had They also had their own Lahti-Saloranta light machine gun, but the soldiers considered the Degtyarevs more reliable. They were used by the Defense Forces until the 60s. Shops were made for them that were different from Soviet markings VKT (State Rifle Factory). The most effective weapon war turned out to be a Maxim heavy machine gun. Finland received a large number of them in the form of trophies back in 1918 - mainly the 1905 model on wheels and the 1910 Sokolov model on a circular machine. After this, machine guns were also purchased and modernized in large quantities, especially in the period 1930-1940. And in two recent wars So many Maxims were captured from the USSR that they were the first line weapon throughout all hostilities.

At the beginning of the Second World War, captured heavy machine guns DS-39. They turned out to be insufficiently reliable and did not enter service with combat units. They were sent for modernization, after which they remained in arsenals until the end of the 80s, and then were sold to collectors.

"Colt" 1911 with the inscription "Angloorder"

AND FINALLY - RARITIES

Few Soviet machine guns were captured. These are mainly PPD models of 1934 and 1938, caliber 7.62 mm. Since the Finnish machine gun had a caliber of 9 mm, there was no question about the mutual use of cartridges. These machines, being especially rare, are in great demand among collectors. At the end of the war, captured PPS-41,42 and 43 appeared; They were considered a reliable weapon, but were rarely used - again due to the difference in calibers. Since 1890, the service weapons of Russian officers were mainly Nagan revolvers, as well as Smith-Wesson III ( latest model), but the Smith and Wessons were not used in the 1918 war. The collections contain single copies of them, made in the USA, Germany and Russia; they are very valuable, especially the first, rarest models. The Nagans, produced in Russia in 1918, are also considered very rare. In the “Winter War” the Finns captured many Soviet revolvers, but among them the 1933-35 models are very rare. There are only a few dozen “commander” - shortened ones, as well as .22 caliber revolvers. Occasionally there are models with a groove on the back of the handle for attaching a holster-butt, and with a wooden handle in the shape of a hatchet - there is only one example. The author never had a chance to see Nagants with an extended barrel (300 and 200 mm). Nagants were used little in combat and mostly “went home” as souvenirs. There are many private collections in Finland, where dozens of revolvers are represented; some have examples of each year. A 1933 Tokarev pistol was also used in the Winter War. Finnish collectors have several pistols of this design from the 1930 trial series, called the “Star Pistol” because of the five-pointed star on the grip cheeks. In general, the TT-33 is much less common than the revolver. TT-33 caliber .22 - only one copy. The Tula-Korovin 6.35 mm caliber is also rare. Collectors are very interested in 9-mm Parabellums, manufactured by order of Russia in Germany in only 1000 copies. Their distinctive sign is crossed rifles on the chamber. More common is the American Colt .45 caliber commercial series, supplied to Russia in 1915-1917. On this weapon, the serial number is preceded by the letter C (“commercial”). Particular mention should be made of a batch of 14,700 Colts of this model, which were armed with the Entente troops who arrived in Russia in 1918 to help the “whites”. On the left side of their body is the inscription “Angloorder”. In total, more than 50 thousand Colts with serial numbers from 18,000 to 85,000 were delivered to Russia. Experience in using Russian and Soviet weapons in Finland is huge and certainly positive. They say here that without Soviet “assistance with weapons,” military operations against the USSR would have been extremely difficult and even impossible, especially in the winter of 1918 and in 1939-1940. To this day, this weapon has been well preserved and is in perfect condition. The Soviet Union did not demand the return of military property lost in the wars and did not award compensation for it. According to rumors, after the end of the war, Molotov said: “Why do we need it, we have warehouses full of weapons on the Karelian Isthmus.”

Translation by Victor MINCHENKOV

A submachine gun is an automatic weapon capable of continuous fire and equipped with pistol cartridges. This type of weapon became widespread not so long ago. Back in the middle of the last century, most of the rank and file of the army of any country was armed with rifles and carbines, and the appearance on the horizon of such a powerful, light and convenient means of defense and attack radically changed the rules of combat.

The first submachine gun in the world is considered to be the product of General Thompson, who, in fact, invented the term submachine gun itself. But there was also an arms race on the continent in full swing- The Germans were the most successful in creating similar weapons. Second place went, oddly enough, to the rather peace-loving Finns: forced to constantly take into account the growing aggression of the Soviet Union, they, at some point, threw all their efforts into creating an adequate and modern weapons that meets immediate needs.

The famous Suomi M/31, developed and put into operation by the Finnish gunsmith Aimo Lahti, became such a miracle weapon. This submachine gun was destined, in the near future, to become the progenitor of the famous PPSh and, in general, to initiate the equipping of all armies of the world with weapons of this type. We decided to dwell in a little more detail on this wonderful example of weapons thought.

• Author

  Aimo Johannes Lahti was one of the best gunsmiths of his time. A self-taught man who ran away to a factory from a boring school, he used his first salary to buy himself a Berdan gun - and then he decided to devote his life to the deadly beauty of small arms. Like all purposeful people, he achieved his goal with interest: the position of chief gunsmith Finnish army gave Lahti carte blanche to develop any weapon. Among others, he invented a very successful model Suomi submachine gun, which was destined to become the prototype of our PPSh.




Where did it come from?

Actually, the Suomi specimen itself is not entirely original. Like all other submachine guns, it traces its ancestry to the famous German MP-18: the design of the bolt and some external details repeat it exactly. However, it was the Suomi developers who were not afraid to make several very significant changes to the design, which turned this SMG into a very, very effective weapon of war.




What was it for?

The Finns did not consider the new submachine gun as the soldier's main weapon regular army. But it was precisely the light machine guns that the troops lacked, so Suomi quickly gained popularity: there were three or four SMGs per squad.




Characteristics

Caliber: 9x19mm Luger/Para
Weight: 7kg with loaded 71-round disc
Length: 870 mm
Rate of fire: 900 shots/minute
Magazine capacity: 20, 36, 40, 50 or 71 rounds
Effective range: 200 meters

• 
  

  Peculiarities

  One of the main features of the new Suomi was the interchangeable barrel, previously used only in the production of machine guns. The Lahti product was considered one of the most technologically advanced submachine guns of its time. Many parts were made on metal-cutting machines, and the receiver was solid. For high quality assembly Finnish soldiers had to pay overweight: when equipped, “Suomi” weighed as much as seven kilograms.

  
  

  Efficiency

  Suomi, despite some complaints, has nevertheless become a very effective and reliable weapon - almost the best in its class. It was perfect for use in extreme low temperatures, which was very important for Finland, especially in winter time. Actually, it was precisely the high efficiency of the weapon, which so impressed the soldiers of the Red Army during the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939, that influenced the expansion of production and the desire for mass armament of PP for the entire rank and file of the Red Army.

  
  

  Flaws

  But the miracle weapon also had its drawbacks. Moreover, it was they who did not allow the submachine gun, an overall excellent weapon corresponding to the time, to become widespread. Firstly, Suomi was very expensive to produce. Secondly, the weight of seven kilograms was not suitable for exhausting forced marches and tired the soldiers. Thirdly, the machine was very demanding careful attitude: The vacuum shutter retarder jammed at the slightest hint of contamination or even fogging of the weapon. In addition, the relatively low lethality of the submachine gun did not allow it to be used as a soldier’s main weapon.

During the interwar period, searches were conducted in many countries effective means anti-tank defense. One of the most popular destinations began the development of anti-tank rifles (ATR) with a caliber from 7.92 to 20 mm, intended for arming infantry units. This trend did not bypass Finland, which watched the development with caution. armored vehicles its “big neighbor” – the Soviet Union.

Initially, Finnish experts settled on a caliber of 13.2 mm. However, while the development of PTR of this caliber was underway, the military began to doubt its effectiveness against the armor of new tanks. To be on the safe side, it was decided to create a 20-mm anti-tank gun as well, and then make the final choice by conducting comparative tests. At the beginning of 1939, the development of a 20-mm gun was entrusted to the most famous Finnish gunsmith designer, Aimo Johannes Lahti. By this time, Lahti already had a pistol L-35, and in 1938 he created a very successful 20-mm aircraft cannon. Lahti used the experience gained during its development to create an anti-tank rifle.

Design

The 20x138V Solothurn cartridge was chosen as ammunition for the PTR, which was used not only in anti-tank rifles of the Swiss company of the same name, but also in anti-aircraft guns - the German Flak 30 and Flak 38 and the Italian Breda M/35.

The heavy anti-tank rifle, known as the L-39, is a self-loading weapon whose automation operates on the principle of gas exhaust. The gas outlet is located approximately in the second third of the length of the barrel, immediately behind its perforated casing. The gas outlet tube is located under the barrel and is equipped with a four-position regulator, ensuring normal operation of the automation in various atmospheric conditions and at varying degrees barrel contamination. The barrel is equipped with a box-shaped muzzle brake with five holes on each side. In transport position muzzle brake a tin case is put on. To make it easier to carry the PTR, its barrel is equipped with a perforated wooden casing.

The bolt box has a rectangular shape. On its back side there is a shoulder rest with a rubber shock-absorbing pad, and on the left (at the level of the arrow’s cheek) a wooden pad is screwed on. At the bottom there is a pistol grip with a trigger mechanism. The bolt handle is on the right side of the bolt box, the safety lever is on the left.

The PTR is equipped with a lightweight folding biped, attached to the front of the bolt box. It is complemented by a removable machine with two wide and short runners. Sights – open type(front sight and sector sight with graduation from 100 to 1400 m). They are shifted slightly to the left of the barrel axis, since a detachable box magazine (double-row, 10 rounds) is located on top of the center of the lock box.

One of the features of the Finnish PTR was the original machine
Source: en.wikipedia.org

The PTR crew consisted of two people. In winter conditions, the gun was transported either on a sled or on long runners that had fastenings for two cartridge boxes.

Tests

In the summer of 1939, comparative tests of two models of anti-tank rifles began - 13.2 mm and 20 mm. Their results were mixed - with a much larger mass, the 20-mm PTR was only slightly superior in armor penetration to its competitor. However, they took into account another advantage of the “twenty-millimeter” - a significantly better armor effect. Its shell produced more fragments after penetrating the armor, which means it was more likely to disable the “stuffing” of the tank and its crew. As a result, on August 11, 1939, it was decided to stop fine-tuning the 13.2 mm PTR and further develop the 20 mm model as the one that most fully meets the requirements.

On September 6, 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II, General Eirik Axel Heinrichs, who was responsible for the armament of the Finnish army, signed an order for the immediate adoption of the 20 panssarintorjuntakkivääri L-39 anti-tank rifle (abbreviated as 20 pst.kiv. L-39). The production of anti-tank guns was established at the state arms factory "Valtion Kivaeritedas" in the city of Jyväskylä. Hence another designation for PTR - VKT-L (an abbreviation of the manufacturer and the name of the designer).

PTR L-39 in combat position
Source: en.wikipedia.org

Service and combat use

Light anti-aircraft gun L-39/44 in combat position. Kouvola area, October 1944
Source: SA-kuva, photo No. 167128

In the mid-50s, Finland made an attempt to modernize the L-39/44 by redesigning the gas exhaust mechanism to increase the weapon's rate of fire. In 1956 prototypes 20 ltkiv/39–54L and 20 ltkiv/39–55/ST were tested, but were unsuccessful. On the one hand, the theoretical rate of fire actually increased to 500 rounds/min, on the other hand, the increased load on the automation led to its failure after 250 rounds. In addition, the modified ersatz anti-aircraft guns weighed about 10 kg more than the original sample. At this point, the development of 20-mm light anti-aircraft guns in Finland stopped.

However, 20 pst.kiv. L-39/44 was not the first anti-aircraft weapons, created on the basis of the L-39 PTR. At the beginning of 1940, Aimo Lahti designed an automatic cannon based on it with a theoretical rate of fire of 700 rounds/min and a practical rate of 250 rounds/min. Such guns were used in a paired installation (on a carriage like German Flak 30/38), adopted for service under the designation 20 ltk/40 VKT (the name L-40 “Vekotin” was also used). In the Finnish army, these anti-aircraft guns were used for training purposes until the 70s, and were in the mobilization reserve in the 80s.

The only time the L-39 PTR was used to arm armored vehicles was in December 1940, when it was installed on the Landsverk L-182 armored car instead of the 13.2 mm L-35/36 machine gun.

A total of 2076 L-39 and L-39/44 anti-tank guns were manufactured. The first contract for 410 L-39 rifles was completed by June 1941, and in March of the same year another 496 units were ordered (delivery took place by December). In November 1941, a third order was issued - for 1000 guns at once, 946 of which were delivered in the basic version by May 1944, and the last 54 in the L-39/44 version. Finally, in July 1944, another 170 units were ordered - all of them were produced as “ersatz anti-aircraft guns”. However, the Finnish army did not receive 224 L-39/44 units, but about a hundred more. The fact is that in November 1944 it was ordered that 606 L-39 anti-tank missiles be converted into this version, and only a small part of it was completed before this order was cancelled. They were in service until the 60s. After this, approximately 1,000 anti-tank rifles and 200,000 rounds of ammunition were sold to collectors, mainly in the United States.

The Lahti L-39 PTR, like other 20-mm caliber anti-tank guns (Swiss Solothurn of various modifications, Japanese Type 97), was the result of an attempt to create a kind of “hand cannon” with high ballistic characteristics. The result turned out to be disappointing - by 1940 the armor-piercing characteristics of 20-mm shells ceased to meet the requirements of combating modern tanks, and the PTR itself turned out to be too heavy. Suffice it to say that the Lahti weighed a good half a centner - 2.5–3 times more than anti-tank rifles of 13.97–14.5 mm caliber (English Boys, Soviet PTRD and PTRS). However, due to chronic shortages in the Finnish army anti-tank artillery The L-39 anti-tank rifle remained in demand throughout the war. The good accuracy of the gun made it possible to hit such difficult targets as viewing slits of tanks and loopholes of field fortifications. We should not forget about the specific conditions in which the battles took place on the Soviet-Finnish front. The 20-mm anti-tank gun, which was relatively successfully used in wooded areas, would hardly be useful in open spaces, where armor-piercing positions were detected by the enemy at a distance significantly exceeding the effective firing range of the gun.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the 20 mm anti-tank rifle 20 pst.kiv. L-39

	20 pst.kiv. L-39
Caliber, mm
Weight of anti-tank rifle (with two legs, without magazine), kg
Weight of loaded magazine, kg
Combat weight (with magazine and machine with runners)
Projectile mass, g: armor-piercing armor-piercing tracer
Cartridge weight, g
PTR length, mm
Barrel length, mm
Initial speed projectile, m/s
Rate of fire, rds/min: theoretical practical
Maximum firing range, m
Armor penetration at an encounter angle of 60°, rated (according to tests in 1943): at a distance of 300 m at a distance of 500 m at a distance of 1000 m

List of sources and literature:

1. Ochman M.H. Ciężki karabin przeciwpancerny Lahti L-39 (VKT-L) // Nowa technika wojskowa. – 2003. – No. 8
2. jaegerplatoon.net
3. winterwar.com
4. militaryfactory.com

In 1923, a young Finnish gunsmith, Aimo Johannes Lahti, proposed his own design for a submachine gun.

Submachine guns appeared five years earlier. Attention to a new type of military weapon different countries so far have been cautious and perceived differently - either as kind of lung light machine gun, or as an auxiliary weapon of very limited use.

THE WAY TO SUOMI

The 1926 model, developed by Lahti at the arsenal in Helsinki and chambered for the 7.65 mm Parabellum cartridge (the recently created Finnish army had not yet chosen a standard pistol cartridge), was distinguished by a number of original solutions. However, it was released in Not large quantities. Lahti continued his work, focusing on 9-mm cartridges. At first these were 9-mm Browning Short and 9-mm Mauser. But the option for the 9-mm Parabellum cartridge turned out to be more successful. This option was adopted into service in 1931 under the designation Konepistooli M-31 Suomi (or t/31, Suomi is the old name of the indigenous people and the country itself). Serial production of Suomi was organized at the Tikkakoski plant (Oy Tikkakoski AB) and continued until 1944.

"SUOMI" DEVICE

The weapon's automatic operation was powered by the recoil energy of the free shutter. The “carbine” design with a wooden butt, a tubular receiver and perforated barrel casing, and a shot with the bolt open made the Suomi similar to most submachine guns of that period, but overall it was an original design. The relatively long barrel was freely inserted into the receiver all the way and secured with a perforated casing and a locking pin - this ensured quick replacement of the barrel. A pneumatic fire rate retarder was mounted in the buttplate of the receiver. The reloading handle remained motionless when firing. The trigger mechanism allowed automatic and single fire. The safety switch had the form of a longitudinally moving lever; when it was in the rear position, the bolt was locked in the front or rear position.

The sector sight was notched up to 500 m. The barrel casing ended with an inclined cut, but there were also samples with a muzzle brake-compensator, which also protected the muzzle of the barrel from clogging and damage.

For Suomi, box magazines for 20 and 50 rounds and drum magazines for 40 and 71 rounds were developed. The high-capacity box magazine had a four-row design, patented by designer Karl Pelo. The drum stores were made according to the design of Irjo Koskinen.

VARIED SERVICE

The small Finnish army did not need a large number of such weapons, but the Suomi sold well abroad. His combat debut took place on the other side of the Earth - during the 1932-1935 war between Bolivia and Paraguay for the Chaco-Borsal region. This was the first war in which submachine guns were widely used by both sides, and the Suomi performed well in street fighting. The next test was civil war in Spain 1936-1939, in which the Suomi was used along with the Spanish Labora submachine guns, Si-35 Star, and German EMP Erma. A certain amount of Suomi was smuggled into Palestine to arm underground Jewish groups; later, during the Arab-Israeli War of 1948-1949, the Israelis took Suomi as trophies in battles with Arab troops. Returning to September 1939, that is, to the beginning of World War II, we will see a few “Suomi” in the police forces of Poland. In 1939-1940, about 300 Suomi, along with other submachine guns, were in the French army.

But Suomi gained the greatest fame in the hands of Finnish soldiers. By the beginning of the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940. "Suomi" was not at all mass weapons Finnish infantry - this role, as elsewhere, was played by repeating rifles. Submachine guns were used to arm individual riflemen in units or small units in rifle units. In addition to three magazines, the Suomi kit also included a spare barrel - that is, the submachine gun served as a kind of light machine gun close combat. Moreover, it was comparable in weight to a light machine gun. The Suomi was most successfully used by maneuverable units of rangers, traveling on bicycles in the summer and on skis in the winter.

Sudden fire attacks by small groups of machine gunners at short ranges inflicted heavy losses on Soviet troops. It is not surprising that captured Suomi became popular among the Red Army soldiers, especially after the transition to assault group tactics. This experience significantly stimulated the growth in the production of Soviet submachine guns. The Finnish army also used Suomi during combat operations against the USSR in 1941-1944 in Karelia and the Far North. After the conclusion of a truce with the USSR in 1944, Finnish machine gunners with Suomi already took part in battles with German units in northern Finland (“Lapland War”).

FOREIGN OPTIONS

Good adaptability to Scandinavian conditions and Northern Europe determined the use of “Suomi” by Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. In Sweden it was adopted under the designation t/37 with a magazine for 36 rounds and was produced at the Husqvarna Vapenfabriks A.N. plant. The m/37-39 model had a barrel shortened to 200 mm - this Swedish model was already supplied to Egypt and Indonesia. Licensed production“Suomi” was also organized in Denmark, where a magazine for 25 rounds was adapted to it. The Suomi was also adopted in Switzerland - under the designation MP 43/44, it was produced here at the Hispano-Suiza plant. The MP 43/44 remained in service until the 1960s and was then transferred to territorial units. It is interesting that in Finland itself in 1944, to replace the heavy Suomi, they adopted the T/44 submachine gun - a 9-mm copy of the Soviet PPS, but at the same time retained the ability to use Suomi magazines.