Which plant produced the PPSh? Shpagin system submachine gun: Drum roll of the Red Army

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In films about the Great Patriotic War Our Red Army soldiers, as a rule, are armed with PPSh submachine guns, and German soldiers are always armed with angular MPs. To some extent this corresponded to reality, taking into account the fact that this type automatic weapons, designed to fire pistol cartridges in both single shots and bursts, was one of the most widespread. But it arose not at the end of World War II, but 25 years before it began.

First world war became a test for many European states and a real test of their weapons. In 1914, all armies experienced a shortage of light mechanical weapons, even redesigned heavy machine guns manually, which were individually equipped with infantrymen. The Italian army, whose soldiers had to fight in mountainous conditions, felt an exceptional shortage of this type of weapon.

The very first submachine gun was introduced in 1915 by Italian design engineer Avel Revelli. He retained in his design many of the properties of the usual “machine gun” - paired 9-mm barrels, with the breech resting on the butt plate with two handles, in which a starting device was built in, ensuring firing from the entire barrel in turn or from both together. To operate the automation, Avel Revelli used the recoil of the bolt, the rollback of which was slowed down by the friction of specially designed bolt protrusions in the grooves of the receiver (Revelli grooves).

The production of a new type of weapon was quickly established at the Vilar-Perosa and Fiat factories, and already at the end of 1916, most of the infantrymen and the crews of combat airships were equipped with it. However, it soon became clear that the submachine gun designed by Abel Revelli was complex, massive, had an exorbitant consumption of ammunition, and the firing accuracy was extremely unsatisfactory. As a result, the Italians were forced to stop producing double-barreled automatic monsters.

Germany, of course, did not develop significantly faster than its opponents in time, but it was ahead of them in terms of quality. The MP-18 pistol, patented by designer Hugo Schmeisser in December 1917, was a rather sophisticated design, which was later copied by many European countries. The main automatic device was similar to the Italian one, but without stopping the bolt rollback by friction, which made it possible to simplify the weapon mechanism. Externally, the MP-18 resembled a shortened carbine, with a barrel covered with a metal casing. The receiver was placed in a familiar wooden stock with a traditional forend and example. The drum magazine, borrowed from the Parabellum pistol of the 1917 model, held 32 rounds. The trigger mechanism provided firing only in mechanical mode, therefore the MP-18 turned out to be extremely wasteful. Until the end of hostilities, the Bergman factory produced 17 thousand units of submachine guns, a huge part of which, however, never managed to get into the active army.

In our country, the first submachine gun, or as it was also called, a “light carbine,” was made in 1927 directly by the famous gunsmith Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev, directly chambered for the then widely used revolver system pistol. However, tests showed the unsuitability of such low-power ammunition.

In 1929, Vasily Aleksandrovich Degtyarev made a similar weapon. In fact, it was a slightly reduced sample of his own light machine gun DP - ammunition was placed in a new disk magazine with a capacity of 44 rounds, which was installed on the receiver; the breech was locked by a bolt with sliding working combat cylinders. The model of designer Vasily Degtyarev was rejected, indicating in the commentary to the decision taken on heavy weight and excessively high tempo firing. BEFORE 1932, the designer finished work on a different, completely different submachine gun, which 3 years later was adopted for arming the command staff of the Red Army.

In 1940, our army had at its disposal submachine guns of the Degtyarev system (PPD). The Soviet-Finnish war showed how effective this weapon was. Later, Boris Gavrilovich Shpitalny and Georgy Semenovich Shpagin began developing new models. As a result of field tests of prototypes, it turned out that “Boris Shpitalny’s submachine gun needs to be improved,” and Georgy Shpagin’s submachine gun was recommended as the main weapon for arming the Red Army instead of the PPD.

Taking the PPD as a basis, Georgy Shpagin conceived a weapon whose design was as primitive as possible in terms of technical indicators, which was achieved in the final version. In the experimental version, after a few months there were 87 parts, despite the fact that there were 95 of them in the PPD.

The submachine gun created by Georgy Shpagin worked on the principle of a free bolt, in the front part of which there was an annular piston that covered the rear part of the barrel. The primer of the cartridge, which was fed into the magazine, was struck by a pin attached to the bolt. The trigger mechanism is designed for firing single shots and bursts, but without salvo restrictions. To increase accuracy, Georgy Shpagin cut off the front end of the barrel casing - when firing, the powder gases, hitting it, partly extinguished the recoil force, which tended to throw the weapon back and up. In December 1940, the PPSh was adopted by the Red Army.

TTX PPSh-41

Length: 843 mm.
Magazine capacity: 35 rounds in a sector magazine or 71 rounds in a drum magazine.
Caliber: 7.62x25mm TT.
Weight: 5.45 kg with drum; 4.3 kg with horn; 3.63 kg without magazine.
Effective range: approximately 200 meters in bursts, up to 300 m in single shots.
Rate of fire: 900 rounds per minute.

Advantages:

High reliability, shoots regardless of conditions, even in severe frost. The firing pin reliably breaks the primer in very cold weather, and the wooden butt does not allow your hands to “freeze.”
The firing range is approximately twice that of its main competitor MP 38/40.
The high rate of fire created a high density of fire.

Flaws:

Somewhat bulky and heavy. The drum-type magazine is very inconvenient to carry on your back.
Long loading of a drum-type magazine; as a rule, the magazines were loaded before the battle. "Afraid" fine particles there is much more dust than a rifle; covered with a thick layer of fine dust, it began to misfire.
Possibility of firing an accidental shot when falling from a height onto a hard surface.
A high rate of fire with a lack of ammunition turned into a shortage.
The bottle-shaped cartridge quite often warped as it was fed from the magazine into the chamber.

But even with these seemingly significant shortcomings, the PPSh was many times superior in accuracy, range and reliability to all types of American, German, Austrian, Italian and English-made submachine guns available at that time.

During the war, weapons were repeatedly improved. The first PPSh was equipped with a special sector sight, designed for targeted shooting up to 500 meters, but as practice has shown, the use of weapons was effective only at a distance of up to 200 meters. Taking this into account, the sector sight was completely replaced by an easy-to-manufacture, as well as zeroing, L-shaped revolving rear sight for shooting at 100 meters and over 100 meters. Combat experience has confirmed that such a sight does not reduce the basic qualities of the weapon. In addition to changes to the sight, a number of other minor changes were made.

The PPSh was the most common automatic infantry weapon of the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War. They were armed with tank crews, artillerymen, paratroopers, reconnaissance officers, sappers, and signalmen. Widely used by partisans in the territory occupied by the Nazis.

The PPSh was widely used not only in the Red Army, but also in the German Army. Most often they were armed with SS troops. The Wehrmacht army was armed with both the mass-produced 7.62 mm PPSh and the Parabellum, converted to the 9x19 mm cartridge. Moreover, alteration in the opposite direction was also allowed; it was only necessary to change the magazine adapter and the barrel.

Many have probably heard the expression “weapon of victory.” It is important in history Soviet people. This expression united all types of weapons that helped our country in the victory over the Nazis, and also became real symbols of the Russian soldier. This also includes the T-34 tank, anti-tank rifle, legendary installation volley fire"Katyusha" and, of course, the Shpagin submachine gun, also known as "PPSh 41" - an assault rifle, a device, drawing and description of which are given in this text.

Story

From the experience of the war in 1939-1940 between the USSR and Finland and the Degtyarev submachine gun then in service, a certain fact became clear. It consisted in the fact that the Red Army needed to be equipped with automatic models and, accordingly, organize their mass production. “PPD-40” and “PPD-38” (Degtyarev submachine guns) were not suitable for such purposes, since they were labor-intensive and required a considerable amount of machine equipment for their production. They also had a shortage of materials and high costs. To replace the PPD, it was necessary to develop a new, cheapest and simplest submachine gun. This question was important.

In 1940, a competition was announced for the invention of a new submachine gun. The tests identified two main rivals. They turned out to be B. G. Shpitalny and G. S. Shpagin. Their models were quite promising. Shpagin won. Its version was adopted for service on December 21, 1940. Its full name was: “Submachine gun of the Shpagin system 7.62 mm mod. 1941 (automatic machine “PPSh 41”).” This is a reliable fact.

The “PPSh 41” - an assault rifle, a device whose drawing and description are given in the text below, went into mass production in the autumn of 1941. Namely, during the climax of the war, when the Red Army was in great need of such weapons. Due to the fact that such a device as the PPSh assault rifle had a simple design, did not use alloy steel and complex special tools, its production was launched at many enterprises in the country that had not previously specialized in weapons production.

The bulk of the parts of such weapons as the PPSh assault rifle were manufactured using the cold stamping method using electric and spot welding. The most complex and expensive part was the drum magazine. It was borrowed from PPD, which had a lot of complaints during operation. This slightly delayed the release of such weapons as the “PPSh” - an assault rifle, the drawings of which are presented below for review. After modernization, the drum magazine was replaced with a sector capacity of 35 rounds, and the corresponding sight was replaced with a reversible one, having a firing range of 100 and 200 m. During the war years, about 5.4 million Shpagin submachine guns were produced. U of this weapon Automation works thanks to the recoil of the free shutter. When firing, the barrel bore was locked by the mass of the free bolt, which was pressed by a spring (reciprocating action).

The design of the trigger-type mechanism was such that thanks to it it was possible to fire both single shots and a machine gun burst. The removable drum-type magazine was designed for 71 rounds, as in the Degtyarev submachine gun (“PPD”). Guidance devices open type consisted of a sector sight and front sight. The slide-type safety is located on the bolt handle. This was an important detail. Also in this case there was a slider-type fire mode switch.

"PPSh" machine gun: tactical and technical characteristics

Produced- 1941-1947

Weight- without magazine 3.6 kg, with loaded - 5.3 kg.

Length is 843 mm.

Caliber- 7.62 mm.

Cartridge- 7.62*25 TT.

Maximum range - 400m.

Rate of fire- 1000 shots/min.

Sighting range from 200 to 250m.

Shop: drum - 71 cartridges, sector - 35.

Drawings of the PPSh 41 assault rifle

As already mentioned, they were developed by the Soviet designer G.S. Shpagin. They are shown in the following photo.

Design

It is a "PPSh" automatic firearm hand weapon. It is designed for firing in bursts and single shots. Automation works due to the free recoil of the shutter. This is an important property in this case. In other words, reloading and extraction of the cartridge case occurs after the shot due to the return of the loose bolt. Fire is fired from the rear sear, that is, before the shot, the bolt is in the rear extreme position. Then, after descending, he goes forward, after which he fires the cartridge. The primer is pierced at the moment the last process is completed. The shutter does not lock during firing.

This scheme is often used in the development of devices such as submachine guns. For example, the Israeli-made Uzi works on a similar principle. Although absolutely simple, such a solution requires the use of a massive bolt, which increases the entire mass of the weapon. In addition, a weapon that uses a similar reloading scheme can fire due to strong blow, for example, when falling. If, due to an impact, the bolt rolls from the front extreme (unfixed) position along the guides further than the cartridge feed window from the magazine or from the rear extreme position, then it will break off the stopper.

As in Degtyarev’s weapons, such a device as the PPSh assault rifle has: a receiver, which is fused with the barrel casing, a free massive bolt with a safety lock on the loading handle, and a disk magazine. He also has a wooden stock. But with all this, the PPSh-automatic is more technologically advanced. In this model, only the barrel needs precision mechanical processing, and the bolt was made on a lathe with further rough milling. In weapons such as the PPSh (automatic machine), the production of almost all other metal parts can be done by stamping. Here, the barrel casing has a recoil compensator at its front end. That is, in this case there is a beveled plate with a hole for the bullet to pass through. On the sides of the casing there are through windows. Thanks to the reactive action of powder gases when fired, they significantly reduce the effect of recoil and “lifting” of the barrel upward. The scope of this model has only 2 positions. Namely - 200 and 100 m. Since 1942, "PPSh" began to be equipped not with a disk magazine, but with a sector (box-shaped) magazine for 35 rounds.

This was dictated by certain conditions. Namely, the fact that disk-type stores were complex to produce and less reliable. They also demanded adjustments for a specific instance of the machine gun. That is, this part from another similar “PPSh” might not fit. Judging by military photographs, box-type magazines have been seen in troops only since 1944. Next, we will consider the device of the PPSh machine gun in more detail.

Trunk

Inside this part there is a channel with four grooves. They curl upward from left to right. There is also a chamber with a bullet entrance. It has a certain bevel at the bottom. This is to set the direction of movement of the cartridge into the chamber.

This trunk contains on the outside:

There is a curve in the front part. This is to protect against nicks.
Thickened part. For placement in a receiver box.
A semicircular notch on the thickened part. This is to secure the barrel in the appropriate box.
The protrusion is circular. In order to limit the process of barrel advancement when returning to place. This also reduces the perception of bolt shock.

Receiver

This element is the base. It contains the following details:

Namushnik with a front sight.

Receiver box latch.

Swivel swivel.

The front part of the receiver serves as a casing, and the rear part serves as the bolt box cover.

In general, the receiver consists of:

The base of the front sight for attaching a fly-mount to it.

Swivels for attaching a shoulder belt.

Sight pads.

Inserts for guiding the barrel.

Front inclined plane of the casing. It is a muzzle brake.

Longitudinal cutouts on the casing. This is to improve and facilitate air circulation.

Windows in the muzzle brake area to provide exit for powder gases.

Transverse hole for the connecting axis.

Window for ejection of cartridges.

Latch spring stop.

Bottom ledge. This is to limit the drop in the rear receiver area.

Cutouts for fuse.

Two side ledges (to limit the movement of the latch).

Cutout for the bolt handle.

Receiver latch

This element consists of the following parts:

Cap.

Springs.

Hairpins.

The cap has: a hook with an inclined plane; the upper protrusion is semicircular; 2 side holes for the pin to pass through; bends, thanks to which its movement is directed and its forward movement is limited; notch on the back for ease of opening.

The latch spring is a unique part. She performs specific function. In this case it is a short cylindrical coil spring.

Shutter box

This item has:

Unique lugs for connection to the receiver.

Shop cutout with window.

Vertical groove for magazine latch.

A clip for connecting to the trigger box and the front of the stock.

A window for the disconnector.

A hole for the magazine latch axis.

Window for the trigger-type lever sear.

An oval hole for the protrusion located in the back of the trigger box.

Window (to engage the receiver latch).

Tail with a hole for the corresponding screw.

Window for guide rod.

You should also know that inside the bolt box there is a reflector attached to its front part. It has a certain rigidity.

Gate

This assembled element contains the following parts:

Drummer with wedge.

Ejector with spring.

Lever.

Fuse with spring and tension.

The shutter itself contains the following parts:

A cup for placing the case head.

Vertical groove for ejector.

Combat platoon for contact with the sear.

Longitudinal groove for the ejector spring.

Side notches. They facilitate the movement of the shutter, the collection of dirt and excess lubricant.

Cross-cut rear cut to prevent the receiver latch from hitting the head.

Channel with a rod for a reciprocating spring.

Cartridge rammer.

Groove for the passage of the reflector.

The channel is blind in the cup for the striker.

A transverse groove with a socket and a recess on the handle for placing a fuse with a spring and a bend.

Transverse channel for the striker wedge.

Composition of the return mechanism

These include:

Guide rod with corresponding washer.
Recoil spring.
Shock absorber.

Composition of the trigger mechanism

In this case, the following is required:

Drummer with a wedge.
Recoil spring.
Release lever with axis.
Fire translator.
Springs of the above lever.
Trigger.
Translator bend with corresponding pin.
Trigger hook springs.
Disconnector with axle.
Bend the specified hook.
The grounds of the disconnector.
Compression springs.
Trigger box.

Description of the cartridge feed mechanism

Everything is quite simple here. The supply of cartridges to the chamber is ensured by a rammer located in the bolt and a magazine borrowed from the PPD.

Next is the mechanism that locks the stem canal. In this case there is also nothing complicated. Locking the barrel channel of a weapon such as a PPSh assault rifle is carried out due to the bolt mass and the pressing force of a recoil-type spring.

Composition of the mechanism for eliminating spent cartridges

This includes availability:

Ejector.
Reflector.
Ejector springs.

Safety devices

This includes certain elements. Namely:

Fuse.
Oppression.
Fuse spring.

By 1940, it became obvious that the Red Army needed a submachine gun that was superior in performance and manufacturability to the PPD-34, PPD-34/38 and PPD-40 in service. They were replaced by the Shpagin submachine gun and the Shpitalny infantry machine gun. Ironically, the surnames of both designers began with the letter “Ш”, and the abbreviation of the model adopted by the Red Army would have remained unchanged regardless of the test result. As a result, the Shpagin PPSh-41 won the competition and went into production, while its competitor was forgotten. What is known about the Shpitalny infantry machine gun and in what ways was it inferior to the Shpagin submachine gun?

Description of the Shpitalny infantry machine gun

In fact, the design of the OKB-15, which was led by B. G. Shpitalny, is a submachine gun, but everywhere in the documents it is referred to as a “7.62 caliber infantry machine gun.” The description says that this individual infantry weapon is intended for close combat during attack and defense, and in addition, it can be used with great efficiency as a weapon for aviation, parachute landings, armored units, cavalry and border guards.

7.62 mm Shpitalny infantry machine gun (RGVA)

The basis of automation is the recoil of the free shutter and the removal of powder gases through a side hole in the wall of the fixed barrel channel. Structurally, Shpitalny's machine gun consisted of four main components: the body, the trigger mechanism, the stock and the magazine.

The firing mechanism is striker-type, driven by a reciprocating spring. The design of the trigger mechanism allows for both single and automatic fire. Switching is done with the help of a translator, which simultaneously acts as a fuse.

Trigger infantry machine gun Shpitalny (RGVA)

According to the description, power is provided through a disk magazine with 97 or 100 rounds of 7.62×25 mm (general view and drawing are available only for a magazine with 97 rounds). The supply of cartridges is ensured by a spiral spring assembled inside the magazine. It is also possible to use a PPD magazine with a capacity of 71 rounds.

The barrel is located inside a casing that protects the shooter’s hands from burns. To cool the barrel, windows are cut into the casing. Sector sight. A plate (platform) for an optical sight can be installed on the left side of the machine gun body.

General view magazine for the Shpitalny infantry machine gun (RGVA)

The walnut stock consists of two parts: the main stock and the front forend, connected together by a rib. The buttstock is covered at the back with a metal butt plate with a hinged cover. Opposite the hole in the buttplate, a channel is cut in the butt for placing a folding cleaning rod.

The design description states that the main difference from existing systems are:

a new automation principle that ensures reliable operation in polluted and low temperatures;
the machine gun does not require lubrication and is not afraid temperature fluctuations;
easy to manufacture and easy to use;
thanks to the presence of reactive muzzle brake has good combat stability when automatic shooting and lower returns;
due to its higher initial speed, it has a longer sighting range compared to other models.

Technical data of the Shpitalny infantry machine gun, provided by OKB-15 (data from the Research Test Site small arms(NIPSVO) are somewhat different from them), looked like this:

Caliber – 7.62 mm
Weight – 3.890 kg
Magazine weight with cartridges – 2.897 kg
The weight of the machine gun for the PPD magazine is 3,960 kg
The length of the machine gun from the muzzle brake to the back of the stock is 938 mm
Barrel length – 350 mm
The length of the rifled part of the barrel is 320 mm
Number of rifling in the barrel – 4
Cartridge type – 7.62×25 mm
Rate of fire – 600–800 rounds per minute
Sighting range– 1000 m
Number of parts when completely disassembled – 14
Number of factory parts – 87

Choosing the best submachine gun

Tests took place in the second half of November 1940 at NIPSVO KA in Shchurovo, Moscow region. During the tests, it was necessary to identify the advantages and disadvantages of prototypes of the Shpagin submachine gun and the Shpitalny infantry machine gun in comparison with the gross production PPD-40 submachine gun, and also to choose best submachine gun on combat and constructive qualities and give a conclusion on the advisability of replacing the standard submachine gun.

Two PPD-40 (Nos. ZHYU-88, LF-839), three Shpagin submachine guns (Nos. 13,15 and 34) and three Shpitalny infantry machine guns (No. 16 with experimental magazines for 97 and 100 rounds) were submitted for testing , No. 18 and 22 with gross magazines for 71 rounds). The magazines were filled with 7.62 mm pistol cartridges, batches No. 20, 43 and 213 from factory No. 38. All small arms and cartridges were manufactured in 1940. They were examined and pre-tested by firing, after which all samples were declared safe and allowed for further testing.

Receiver of the Shpitalny infantry machine gun, markings on the body are visible (RGVA)

It was noted that Shpitalny’s infantry machine gun has the following differences from Degtyarev’s standard submachine gun:

According to the action of automation;
The valve with a rod is one whole part in the form of a cylindrical rod with two transverse belts;
A shock-absorbing mechanism is mounted in the buttplate, which, when the bolt is struck, has a rotational and translational motion;
The barrel with its bushing fits into the rear hole of the body casing without rolling and strengthening with a latch, which is mounted in the body of the machine gun;
A muzzle brake is mounted at the front end of the housing casing;
Infantry machine gun No. 16 is distinguished by its power supply and magazine latch.

Magazine for 97 rounds for the Shpitalny infantry machine gun (RGVA)

Comparative characteristics of the samples submitted for testing (1 - Degtyarev PP, 2 - Shpagin PP, 3 - Shpitalny PP with a magazine for 97 and 100 rounds, 4 - Shpitalny PP with a magazine for 71 rounds):

	1	2	3	4
Weight without magazine, g	3433–3434	3429–3526	4186	4205–4253
Weight with magazine, g	4535–4536	4489–4586	5926–6168	5255–5303
Weight with magazine and cartridges, g	5285–5286	5239–5336	6951–7245	6005–6053
Shutter weight (assembled), g	603–604	599–608	622	625–635
Total length, mm	780	840	935	935
Sighting line length, mm	388–389	386–388	475	475
Accessory weight, g	131	151	668	668
Initial speed bullets, m/s	496–500	489–502	512	490–522
Muzzle energy, kGm	69,7–71,1	68,0–71,4	74,6	68,3–77,5
Recoil energy (relative value)	0,048	0,035	0,0233	0,0237
Rate of fire, rds/min.	1153	1132	839	791
Number of factory parts	82	81	94	92

The composition of the weapons was as follows:

PP Degtyarev: ramrod, screwdriver, drift;
PP Shpagina: ramrod, screwdriver, drift, front sight key;
Shpitalny PP: ramrod, screwdriver, drift, metal brush, metal brush (bannik), belt.

Based on the test results, the following preliminary conclusions were made:

PPD has an advantage over Shpagin's PP and Shpitalny PP in total weight and length;
Shpagin's PPD and PP have an advantage over Shpitalny's PP in total weight, length, metal utilization rate, and number of factory parts;
The Shpitalny PP has an advantage over the PPD and Shpagin PP in initial speed, muzzle energy and rate of fire.

Bolt frame of the Shpitalny infantry machine gun (RGVA)

The shutter rollback curve shows that the rollback of the PPD is smoother than that of the Shpagin PP. On the Shpitalny PP, the bolt rolls back with a jerk.
Maximum speed the rollback of the Shpagin PP is less than that of the PPD and Shpitalny PP.
The stroke of the moving system at the Shpagin PP is less than that of the PPD and Shpitalny PP.

Even before the start of tests for accuracy and accuracy of combat, it became clear that the Shpitalny PP had an aiming block curve calculated inaccurately, which did not allow the PP to be brought to normal combat. Nevertheless, the tests took place. It turned out that the Shpagin PP and the Shpitalny PP have less dispersion than the PPD. In terms of combat accuracy at distances of 100 and 150 meters, both new systems turned out to be almost equivalent; at distances of 50 and 200 meters, Shpitalny’s PP had an advantage.

Diagram of the Shpitalny infantry machine gun stock (RGVA)

In terms of practical rate of fire, the Shpagin PP and Shpitalny PP turned out to be equivalent, but the PPD and Shpagin PP had an advantage over the Shpitalny system in terms of spontaneous ignition of the cartridge in the chamber (a spontaneous shot occurred after prolonged firing).

Based on the results of testing for automatic reliability, both new PPDs turned out to be better than the gross PPDs. When firing for survivability (up to 71,650 rounds), a problem emerged with the Shpitalny PP: the magazine became more contaminated.

Butt plate of the Shpitalny infantry machine gun (RGVA)

At the same time, the PPD had three breakdowns, the Shpagin PP had two, and the Shpitalny PP had eight! At the same time, one of the failures of the Shpitalny PP could have dire consequences: “In the Shpitalny PP, after 68,000 rounds, the bottom of the butt plate cover broke... During this break, the bottom of the cover flew off and hit the shooter in the stomach, the buffer with the rod and its spring jumped back in the direction of the shooter and fell two meters from the weapon.”.

After 70,000 rounds, the Shpagin PP barrel showed greater survivability than the Shpitalny PP barrel. In addition, the latter revealed a number of “childish” problems related to the selection of springs and general ergonomics. When identifying the maximum possible number of shots without cleaning, it was noted that the automation of all three systems worked well and produced a small number of delays (less than 0.06% for all systems).

Illustration of disassembling the Shpitalny infantry machine gun (RGVA)

The operational data were determined:

Magazine for 71 rounds for PPD-40 (RGVA)

It took 137 seconds to equip the Shpagin PPD and PP magazines, and 108 seconds to equip the experimental 97-cartridge Shpitalny PP magazine. The main conclusion after this stage of testing was that the Shpagin PP has an advantage over the others in terms of disassembly and assembly; it turned out to be simpler in design competitors.

With regard to shooting from some positions (kneeling, standing and from a tree), the Shpitalny PP turned out to be less convenient (it was heavier) than the other tested systems. In terms of heat flows (mirage) affecting a normal aimed shot, the Shpagin PPD and PP turned out to be equivalent. The Shpitalny PP produced a large outflow of gases through the sleeve window of the receiver, which interfered with observation of the target.

Trigger section of the Shpitalny infantry machine gun (RGVA)

The conclusion of the test site based on the results of all tests, signed on November 30, 1940, was as follows:

The experienced submachine gun of the Shpagin system passed the test in terms of automatic operation and reliability (durability) of parts and can be recommended for service with the Red Army instead of the PPD.
Shpitalny's experienced infantry machine gun, which weighs higher than the gross PPD and which during testing showed insufficient strength of parts, failed the test.
Shpitalny's software needs to be improved in terms of strengthening parts and reducing weight, because The principle of PP automation is interesting and deserves attention. In addition, the PP showed the ability of automatic operation without failure.

Shpagin's submachine gun won in a fair fight, but B. G. Shpitalny did not calm down: correspondence followed between him and the People's Commissariat of Defense, NIPSVO and GAU, in which he threatened the landfill workers with criminal prosecution and demanded additional tests. In this correspondence he does not appear in the most better light. But the reality is this: Shpitalny and his OKB-15 took too long with the production of prototypes of their infantry machine gun, thereby disrupting the timing of military tests. In turn, this had an additional impact on adoption final decision about which of the submachine guns will be adopted by the Red Army.

The article is based on documents from the RGVA

PPSh-41 was the most popular submachine gun of the Second World War. It was in service from 1941 to 1951, and is still in use in some countries.

During the Soviet-Finnish War, it became clear that the role of submachine guns in modern warfare was underestimated in the thirties. The submachine gun turned out to be very effective weapon close combat, and if the defenders have a sufficient number of submachine guns, the attack of the advancing enemy is usually choked.

Therefore, already on January 6, 1940, that is, in the midst of Winter War By a resolution of the Defense Committee, the PPD, the Degtyarev submachine gun, was again adopted into service with the Red Army.

Degtyarev submachine gun.

It was a copy of the Finnish Suomi PP. Created by gunsmith Aimo Lahti.

Suomi submachine gun.

Finnish soldier with Suomi submachine gun.

However, the PPD was labor-intensive to produce - it took 13.7 hours to manufacture, so even the transfer of the PPD production shops to a three-shift operating mode from January 22, 1940 did not make it possible to equip the Red Army soldiers with submachine guns en masse. In addition, the PPD was quite expensive - one submachine gun with a set of spare parts cost 900 rubles, which made it comparable in cost to the DP-27 machine gun, which cost 1,150 rubles. Therefore, the People's Commissariat of Armaments issued a request to gunsmiths to create a submachine gun, parts of which could be manufactured with minimal machining.

Georgy Semenovich Shpagin

Submachine guns from Shpagin and Shpitalny, the author of the famous ShKAS, were presented at the competition. On October 4, 1940, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR adopted a resolution to produce a series of Shpagin and Shpitalny submachine guns for comparative tests.

Submachine gun B.G. Shpitalny

In November 1940, 25 Shpagin submachine guns and 15 Shpitalny submachine guns were manufactured. At the end of November 1940, field tests of submachine guns of the Degtyarev, Shpagin and Shpitalny systems began, which revealed the advantage of the Shpitalny submachine gun in tactical technical specifications. Thus, Shpitalny’s submachine gun had a 3.3% higher initial speed and 23% better accuracy. In addition, Shpitalny's submachine gun had a 97-round magazine. However, from a technological point of view, Shpagin's submachine gun looked preferable. In addition, it turned out to be more reliable - it caused fewer delays, and if any appeared, they were easily eliminated.

But, most importantly, the Shpitalny submachine gun required even more time for its production than the PPD - 25.3 hours. The Shpaginsky submachine gun was manufactured in 5.6 hours. On December 21, 1940, the Defense Committee of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR adopted a resolution on the adoption of the Shpagin submachine gun into service with the Soviet Army. It was given the name “Submachine gun of the Shpagin system, model 1941.”

PPSh of early releases with a disk magazine for 71 rounds and a sector sight with ten divisions for shooting at a distance from 50 to 500 m.

PPSh device

In terms of its design, the Shpagina submachine gun is a type of self-firing automatic weapon that operates on the principle of free-breech recoil. The striker-type striker mechanism operates from a reciprocating mainspring.

The trigger mechanism allows for both single and continuous fire. The safety is mounted on the bolt handle and locks the latter in the rear and forward positions.

1 – receiver with barrel casing. 2 – bolt box, 3 – axis on which the receiver can rotate when tilted during disassembly. 4 – receiver latch. 5 – pin. 6 – hook. 7 – latch spring. 8 – liner. 9 – trunk. 10 – liner hole. 11 – rivet.

The rear of the receiver is essentially the cover of the bolt box, and the front is the casing. The front part of the casing forms a muzzle brake, the front wall of which is welded at an angle. As a result, the muzzle brake not only absorbs part of the recoil energy, but also reduces the upward deviation of the bore axis when firing.

PPSh shutter

The PPSh bolt covers the bore during the shot under the action of the return spring. Due to the large mass, the bolt has time to travel a very small distance before the bullet leaves the barrel, which protects against the occurrence of transverse ruptures of the cartridges and from gas breakthrough when firing. The bolt contains a firing pin, which is held in place by a pin. The firing pin protrudes by 1.1 - 1.3 mm.
For manual reloading, the bolt is equipped with a handle pressed into its hole.
Extraction and reflection of the spent cartridge case is carried out using an ejector mounted on the bolt and a reflector rigidly fixed to the bottom of the bolt box; the sleeve extends upward and forward.

Recoil spring PPSh: 17 – rod. 18 – limiter. 19 – washer. 20 – shock absorber.

The return spring is put on the guide 17 and coils with its rear end onto the limiter 18, and with the front end onto the washer 19. In order to hold the washer and the limiter, the ends of the rod are flared. During assembly, the end of the rod with the washer is inserted into the bolt hole, with the washer resting on the annular ledge inside the hole, and the limiter in the bolt box hole. When the bolt moves backward, the washer slides along the guide rod and compresses the recoil spring, while the front end of the guide rod passes through the bolt hole. The movement of the bolt back is limited by a fiber shock absorber 20, which is put on the recoil spring from the front end during assembly. The shock absorber rests on the bolt box and softens the impact of the bolt on the latter.

A German lieutenant with our PPSh-41 during the Battle of Stalingrad.

German officer with PPSh

The PPSh fuse is a slider that can move along the bolt handle. It can be installed in two positions, secured in the established position by a pressure with a spring, while the pressure falls into the holes of the handle. When the fuse is pressed towards the bolt, its end fits into one of the cutouts on the side wall of the receiver, locking the bolt.

MP41(r) – German conversion of PPSh chambered for Parabellum

When the PPSh is in the stowed position, the safety holds the bolt in the forward position.
When changing a magazine or setting the safety on a loaded submachine gun, the safety is inserted into the rear cutout of the receiver. After removing the safety in the latter case, the bolt will move forward slightly under the action of the return spring and will linger on the sear; the submachine gun will be ready to fire.

PPSh-41 with a sector magazine for 35 rounds, a sight in the form of a rotating rear sight for shooting at 100 and 200 m, a more reliable magazine latch, and a chrome-plated surface of the barrel bore.

Production of PPSh began in the fall of 1941. Thanks to the simplicity of the design, the refusal to use alloy steels and complex special tool their production was launched at large quantities enterprises that had not previously specialized in the production of weapons and, as a result, had neither special equipment, nor measuring instruments, nor a sufficient number of qualified labor force. This allowed short terms establish mass production of PPSh.

Despite high quality The PPSh, its design, underwent a number of changes during the war years, dictated by the accumulated experience of combat operation and the conditions of mass mass production. February 12, 1942 by resolution State Committee For defense purposes, a sector magazine with 35 rounds was adopted for Shpagin submachine guns. However, experience combat use showed that sector stores, despite all their positive properties, have insufficient strength. They are deformed when fighters crawl and when moving in trenches and communication passages, as a result of which submachine guns fail to operate due to failure to deliver the next cartridge. To increase the strength of the magazine, in November 1943, a sector magazine design was developed, made of steel sheet 1 mm thick instead of 0.5 mm.

However, the PPSh did not satisfy all the requirements of the military economy, and in 1943 an even simpler and more technologically advanced PPS-43 submachine gun appeared.. True. He still could not oust the PPSh from the Red Army. Only the Kalashnikov assault rifle managed to do this..

PPSh-41 was withdrawn from service Soviet army in 1951. After being removed from service, Shpagin submachine guns continued to be supplied to pro-Soviet states around the world. It was produced in North Korea under the name Model 49, in China - Type 50, and in Vietnam - K-50.

Foreign versions Soviet PPSh: Yugoslav M49 and Vietnamese K-50

American soldier with captured PPSh

They say it's very good at cleaning rooms.

PPSh in American

PPSh-41 or Shpagin Submachine Gun Model 1941 ordered for the army under the designation GAU 56-A-134. The chief designer of the submachine gun chambered for the 7.62x25 mm TT cartridge is Shpagin Georgy Semyonovich.

In 1940, the People's Commissariat of Armaments gave technical instructions to gunsmiths to create a new submachine gun, which was supposed to surpass the PPD-34/40 in technical characteristics, as well as the ability to produce a new submachine gun in factories that did not have specialized equipment for production firearms. So in the fall of 1940, the commission of the People's Commissariat of Armaments was presented with submachine guns from B.G. Shpitalny and G.S. Shpagin. First PPSh was born in August 1940, and in October 1940 the first pilot batch of 25 pieces was manufactured. After field testing and effectiveness testing, it was recommended to adopt the Shpagin system submachine gun. During testing from one sample PPSh 30,000 shots were fired, after which PPSh continued to show satisfactory accuracy results. The submachine gun was not cleaned for 5000 rounds of dry air without lubrication, and was also subjected to artificial dusting, after which it remained trouble-free and reliable. According to the author of the article, the basis for PPSh The Degtyarev submachine gun was chosen, since the PPD was the first submachine gun (disc magazine from the PPD, barrel casing, wooden stock, fire mode, sector sight). Discs from PPSh and PPD are not interchangeable.

PPSh Model 1941 was put into service on December 21, 1940. By the end of 1941, 90,000 machine guns were produced, and in 1942 the front received another 1.5 million submachine guns.

PPSh-41 had an automatic mechanism operating due to the recoil of the free shutter. Before firing, the fighter cocked the bolt to the rear sear. After release, the bolt, under the force of a compressed spring, rushed forward, picking up the cartridge from the horn or disk and sending it into the chamber with the simultaneous strike of the firing pin on the primer. During the shot, the cartridge case pushes the bolt back so that it completes a new cycle. Since the bullet ejection speed is higher than the shutter recoil speed, the bullet ejection occurs before the cartridge case is extracted. The bolt pulls out the cartridge case and deflects it from the machine gun body. The Shpagin submachine gun has the ability to fire automatic mode burst fire. And also a semi-automatic fire mode - single releases. Safety PPSh-41 provides a safety that is integrated into the bolt lever itself, which allows you to put the bolt on the safety in two positions (cocked and uncocked position).

PPSh has a muzzle brake-compensator that reduces recoil and lifting of the barrel when firing, which increases accuracy when firing in bursts. The muzzle brake-compensator is very well thought out, since it is made by cold stamping the barrel casing and does not touch the barrel.

Disassembly and automatic section of PPSh.

The wooden stock was mainly made from birch. At the end of the butt there was a pencil case containing spare parts for caring for the machine gun. For aiming there was a sector sight. In the first days of the war, a folding sight was used with a division from 50 to 500 meters in increments of 50 meters, which was later replaced by a sight with a position of 100 and 200 meters. The 200-meter limit does not mean it is ineffective; it was the decision of senior Army officials that a greater targeting capability would increase ammunition consumption. This solution involved changing the 500 meter sight to a 200 meter one, since it was often necessary to fire at enemy columns at a distance or fire in the fields. The receiver was integral with the barrel casing and was produced by cold stamping. The barrel casing protected the barrel from various impacts, and also protected the fighter’s hands from burns.

For feeding cartridges PPSh-41 used magazine discs from PPD-40 for 71 index cartridges GRAU 56-M-134D. But in combat conditions they were capricious and inconvenient and expensive to produce. Another important disadvantage of disks was their non-interchangeability. One drive from PPSh could not fit another submachine gun, which during the battle clearly prevented the use of the neighboring fighter’s ammunition. So when sent to the front to PPSh We selected and adjusted 2 disks. This disk compatibility problem was resolved after a year. “Stuffing” cartridges during combat caused problems, since to do this you need to open the disk, cock the spring mechanism and arrange the cartridges in the snail, then close it. At the end of 1942, double-row horns with 35 cartridges began to be supplied to the front - GRAU index 56-M-134Zh. The new horns were more convenient and reliable than disk magazines, although they were inferior in cartridge capacity. With horns it was easier in terms of equipment during battle, and you could borrow a couple of “horns” from a friend. For the convenience of loading the horns, you can use a push-button mechanism, which will save your hands when loading the horns with cartridges.

For production PPSh it required 13.9 kg of metal and 7.3 hours of turner work. PPSh-41 could not be produced by specialized workshops and few qualified employees; the main requirement was in the manufacture of the barrel and bolt.

PPSh-41 provided effective combat up to 200 meters. At longer distances, ammunition consumption increased. PPSh-41 had a cartridge ejection speed of 500 m/s, versus 380 m/s for its German rival, which made it possible to conduct more effective fire while maintaining the lethality of the bullet. The submachine gun had a very high rate of fire in its class - 1000 rounds per minute. For its rate of fire PPSh received the nickname "cartridge eater". A high rate of fire could lead to jamming, but ensured a high density of fire.

When firing, the fighter had to be careful if his comrades were next to him, since when firing at different sides a 1.5-2 meter jet of gas flew out of the muzzle brake, which could rupture the eardrum. PPSh has a good rate of fire, which shows it brother VPO-135, so low accuracy when shooting is a myth.

During the war PPSh-41 they wanted to replace it with PPS-43, but they couldn’t, since production PPSh was established in this production cycle there was no need to interfere.

During the war, more than 6 million submachine guns of the Shpagin system were produced. After the Second World War, it gradually began to be replaced with a Kalashnikov assault rifle. The machine gun was supplied to friendly countries of the USSR: North Korea, Vietnam, African countries, ATS. About 10 countries have established production PPSh or structurally similar submachine guns.

On the territory of the Russian Federation, the remains of mothballs preserved in military warehouses PPSh-41 began to remodel for civilian population. This is how the VPO-135, PPSh-O carbine, as well as the 4.5mm VPO-512 PPSh-M “Papasha” and MP-562K “PPSh” air rifles appeared.

Technical characteristics of the Shpagin PPSh-41 submachine gun

Number of shots	disc - 71 cartridges, horn - 35 cartridges
Barrel diameter	7.62x25mm from TT pistol
Combat rate of fire	120 rounds per minute
Maximum rate of fire	1000 rounds per minute
Sighting range	200 meters
Maximum firing range	1500 meters
Effective shooting	200-300 meters
Initial departure speed	500 m/s
Automation	free stock, queues
Weight	3.6 kg - empty + 0.515 kg horn or + 1.7 kg disc
Dimensions	843 mm