When the PPSh machine entered the active Red Army

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. To replace them, the Shpagin submachine gun and the Shpitalny infantry machine gun were developed and tested. Ironically, the names of both designers began with the letter "Sh", and the abbreviation of the sample adopted by the Red Army would have remained unchanged regardless of the test result. As a result, the Shpaginskiy PPSh-41 won the competition and went into production, and its competitor was forgotten. What is known about the Shpitalny infantry machine gun and in what way 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 an “infantry machine gun of 7.62 caliber”. The description says that this means of individual infantry weapons is intended for close combat in attack and defense, and in addition, it can be used with great efficiency as weapons for aviation, paratroopers, armored units, cavalry and border guards.

7.62 mm Shpitalny infantry machine gun (RGVA)

The basis of automation is the return of a 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: body, trigger, stock and magazine.

The firing mechanism is a striker type, actuated by a reciprocating mainspring. The design of the trigger mechanism allows both single and automatic fire. Switching is carried out with the help of an interpreter, which simultaneously performs the function of a fuse.

The trigger mechanism of the Shpitalny infantry machine gun (RGVA)

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

The barrel is inside a casing that protects the shooter's hands from burns. Windows are cut in the casing to cool the barrel. Sector sight. A plate (platform) for an optical sight can be installed on the left side of the machine gun body.

General form shop for the Shpitalny infantry machine gun (RGVA)

The walnut stock consists of two parts: the main stock and the front forearm, connected together by a bar. The butt is behind covered with a metal butt pad with a hinged lid. Opposite the opening of the butt plate in the butt, there is a channel for placing a folding ramrod.

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

• a new principle of automation that ensures reliable operation in conditions of pollution and low temperatures;
• the machine gun does not require lubrication and is not afraid of temperature fluctuations;
• easy to manufacture and easy to use;
• due to the presence of a reactive muzzle brake, it has good combat stability during automatic firing and less recoil;
• due to the higher initial speed, it has a longer effective range compared to other samples.

The technical data of the Shpitalny infantry machine gun provided by OKB-15 (the data of the Scientific Testing Range for 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 under the PPD store - 3,960 kg
• The length of the machine gun from the muzzle brake to the back of the stock - 938 mm
• Barrel length - 350 mm
• The length of the rifled part of the barrel - 320 mm
• The 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 for complete disassembly - 14
• Number of factory parts - 87

Choosing the best submachine gun

The tests took place in the second half of November 1940 at the 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 PPD-40 gross-production submachine gun, as well as to choose the best submachine gun in terms of combat and design qualities and give a conclusion on the feasibility of replacing the gross submachine gun.

Two PPD-40s (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 71 round magazines). Stores were equipped with 7.62-mm pistol cartridges, batches No. 20, 43 and 213 of plant No. 38. All samples of small arms and cartridges were produced in 1940. They were examined and pre-tested by shooting, after which all the samples were found to be safe and allowed for further testing.

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

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

• By the action of automation;
• The shutter with the stem is one whole piece in the form of a cylindrical rod with two transverse belts;
• A shock-absorbing mechanism is mounted in the butt plate, which, when the bolt is struck, has a rotational and translational movement;
• The barrel with its sleeve enters the rear opening of the casing of the body without pitching and strengthening with a latch, which is mounted in the body of the machine gun;
• A muzzle brake is mounted on the front end of the housing casing;
• The 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 - PP Degtyarev, 2 - PP Shpagin, 3 - PP Shpitalny with a magazine for 97 and 100 rounds, 4 - PP Shpitalny 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
Gate weight (assembled), g	603–604	599–608	622	625–635
Overall length, mm	780	840	935	935
Sighting line length, mm	388–389	386–388	475	475
Accessory weight, g	131	151	668	668
Muzzle velocity, 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, punch;
• PP Shpagina: ramrod, screwdriver, punch, fly key;
• PP Shpitalny: ramrod, screwdriver, punch, metal brush, metal ruff (bannik), belt.

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

• PPD has an advantage over PP Shpagin and PP Shpitalny in total weight and length;
• PPD and PP Shpagin have an advantage over PP Shpitalny in total weight, length, metal utilization rate, number of factory parts;
• PP Shpitalny has an advantage over PPD and PP Shpagin in muzzle velocity, muzzle energy and rate of fire.

Shpitalny infantry machine gun breech frame (RGVA)

• The shutter recoil curve shows that the rollback of the PPD is smoother than that of the Shpagin PP. At the Shpitalny PP, the shutter rolls back jerkily.
• Max Speed the rollback of the Shpagin PP is less than that of the PPD and the Shpitalny PP.
• The course of the mobile system at the Shpagin BCP is less than that of the PPD and the Shpitalny BCP.

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

Scheme of the lodge of the Shpitalny infantry machine gun (RGVA)

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

According to the results of tests for the reliability of automation, both new PPs turned out to be better than gross RPMs. When firing for survivability (up to 71650 rounds), a problem was revealed at the Shpitalny PP: the store was more polluted.

The butt plate of the receiver 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 breakdowns of the Shpitalny PP could have sad consequences: “After 68,000 shots, the bottom of the butt plate cover broke in the Shpitalny PP ... During this breakdown, 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 shots, the barrel of the Shpagin PP showed greater survivability than the barrel of the Shpitalny PP. In addition, the latter revealed a number of "childish" problems associated with 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 gave a small number of delays (less than 0.06% for all systems).

Illustration of the dismantling of the Shpitalny infantry machine gun (RGVA)

Operational data have been determined:

Magazine for 71 cartridges for PPD-40 (RGVA)

It took 137 seconds to equip the Shpagin PPD and PP magazines, and 108 seconds to equip the experimental 97-round magazine of the Shpitalny PP. 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 fluxes (mirage), affecting a normal aimed shot, Shpagin's PPD and PP turned out to be equivalent. PP Shpitalny gave a large outflow of gases through the sleeve window of the receiver up, which interfered with the observation of the target.

Branch of the trigger mechanism 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:

1. An experienced submachine gun of the Shpagin system for the operation of automation and reliability (resistance) of parts passed the test and can be recommended for service with the Red Army instead of PPD.
2. An experienced Shpitalny infantry machine gun, having a weight higher than the gross PPD, and which showed insufficient strength of parts during the test, did not pass the test.
3. PP Shpitalny needs to be improved in terms of strengthening parts and reducing weight, because. the principle of PP automation is of interest and deserves attention. In addition, the PP showed the ability to fail-safe operation of automation.

The Shpagin 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 workers of the training ground with criminal prosecution and demanded additional tests. In this correspondence, he does not appear in the best light. But the reality is this: Shpitalny and his OKB-15 took too long to manufacture prototypes of their infantry machine gun, which disrupted the timing of military trials. In turn, this had an additional impact on the final decision on which of the submachine guns will be adopted by the Red Army.

The article is based on the documents of the RGVA

Among the many types of small arms that were used during the Great Russian War, the Shpagin submachine gun (PPSh-41) is the most famous. This gun can be safely called one of the signs of that war, the same as the T-34 tank or the "forty-five". PPSh-41 appeared on the eve of the Great War, was one of the more mass species small arms of the Red Army, participated in all the huge battles. Together with the Russian fighter, he went through the entire war and ended it in Berlin. Its simplicity and manufacturability allowed in as soon as possible arm millions of fighters, which played the most important role during this conflict.

Creation story

Submachine guns (we sometimes call them submachine guns) appeared during the First World War, together with tanks, chemical weapons and machine guns. The last type of tool, although it was previously known, but its finest hour became specifically the 1st global war. And if the machine gun was an impeccable defensive weapon then, then the submachine gun was developed as a new offensive type of weapon.

The first drawings of a rapid-fire gun chambered for a huge caliber pistol cartridge appeared as early as 1915. According to the plan of the developers, this gun was supposed to help the advancing troops, because it was distinguished by a high rate of fire and maneuverability. The machine guns of those times had impressive dimensions, it was problematic to move them along with the advancing troops.

Drawings of such a weapon were developed in almost all countries: Italy, Germany, the USA and Russia, but submachine guns could not have a special impact on the final conflict. But the period of time between 2 global wars became the true heyday of this small arms gun.

There were two concepts for using automata. According to the first, the submachine gun was a reduced and lightweight analogue of an ordinary machine gun. It was often equipped with bipods, a longish interchangeable barrel, sights that allow you to shoot at several hundred meters. A common example of such use was the Finnish Suomi assault rifle, which was used well by the Finnish army in the war with the USSR.

Another concept was to equip auxiliary units, fighters of the 2nd band, officers with submachine guns, in other words, machine guns were considered as an auxiliary weapon, a probable replacement for a pistol.

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In the USSR, they adhered to the 2nd point of view. The development of submachine guns began in the middle of the 20s. The 7.63 × 25 Mauser was chosen as the cartridge for the future machine gun, with a bottle-shaped sleeve. In 1929, a competition was announced for the development of a new weapon. The best designers of the country began to prepare the drawings, among them was Vasily Alekseevich Degtyarev, whose submachine gun was put into service in 1934.

They began to produce it in relatively small batches, the Russian military administration of that time considered machine guns only an auxiliary, police tool.

This outlook began to change after the unsuccessful Finnish campaign, in which the Finnish troops successfully used submachine guns. The rugged terrain was perfect for the introduction of automatic weapons. The Finnish submachine gun "Suomi" made a great memory for Russian military leaders.

The Russian military administration took into account the experience of the Finnish war and decided to create a new submachine gun chambered for the same Mauser cartridge. The development was entrusted to several designers, among them was Shpagin. They were entrusted with creating a weapon no worse than the Degtyarev assault rifle, but with all this, it is much simpler and cheaper than it. After reviewing the drawings and testing, the Shpagin assault rifle was found to meet all the requirements.

From the first days of the war, it turned out that this gun was very excellent, especially with a high density of artillery and mortar fire, in close combat conditions. But there were very few of this weapon in the warehouses of the People's Commissariat of Defense. A large-scale production of PPSh-41 was launched at once at several factories, only by the end of 1941 more than 90 thousand PPSh-41 units were produced, and during the war years 6 million automatic weapons were produced.

The simplicity of design, the wealth of stamped parts made the PPSh-41 very cheap and common in production. This gun was very effective, had the highest rate of fire, good accuracy of fire and the highest reliability.

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The cartridge of caliber 7.62 mm had highest speed and beautiful punching capabilities. In addition, the PPSh-41 had amazing survivability: more than 30 thousand bullets could be fired from this gun.

But the most important thing in wartime conditions was the simplicity of this weapon. PPSh-41 consisted of 87 parts, it took only 5.6 machine-hours to create the 1st product. Clear processing in PPSh-41 was achieved only by the barrel and partly by the shutter, all other elements were made using stamping.

Description

The Shpagin submachine gun was chambered for 7.62 mm. The automation of the gun works according to the scheme with the introduction of free shutter recoil. At the time of the shot, the bolt is in the last rear position, then it moves forward, sending the cartridge into the chamber, and pricks the primer.

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The percussion mechanism allows you to fire both single shots and bursts. The fuse is on the shutter.

The receiver is connected to the barrel shroud, which has a very interesting design. Appropriate rectangular holes have been made in it, which serve to cool the barrel, in addition, the frontal oblique cut of the casing is covered by a diaphragm, which makes it a muzzle brake-compensator. It prevents bullying of the barrel when fired and reduces recoil.

The receiver contains a powerful bolt and a reciprocating mainspring.

At first, the sights consisted of a sector sight, then it was changed to a crossover sight with 2 values: 100 and 200 meters.

Enough long time PPSh-41 was equipped with a drum magazine with a capacity of 71 rounds. It is 100% similar to the PPD-34 assault rifle store. But this store has proven itself very vile. It was heavy, difficult to manufacture, but most importantly, unreliable. Each drum magazine was adjusted only to a certain machine gun, it often jammed, if water got into it, then in the cold it was frozen tightly. Well, his equipment was a rather complicated matter, especially in combat conditions. Later, it was decided to change it to a carob magazine, with a capacity of 35 rounds.

The stock of the machine gun was made of wood, birch was usually used.

Submachine guns were also developed for a different cartridge, with a caliber of 9 mm (9x19 Parabellum). To do this, in PPSh-41 it was enough to change the barrel and receiver of the store.

Advantages and disadvantages of PPSh-41

Disputes about the pros and cons of this machine last until our time. The PPSh-41 has both indisputable advantages and shortcomings, which the front-line soldiers themselves often spoke about. Let's try to list both.

Advantages:

• Amazing simplicity, manufacturability and low cost of production.
• Reliability and unpretentiousness.
• Amazing efficiency: at its own rate of fire, the PPSh-41 fired up to 15-20 bullets per second (this is more reminiscent of a volley of buckshot). In the conditions of close combat, the PPSh-41 was indeed a deadly weapon; it was not for nothing that the soldiers called it a “trench broom”.
• Highest bullet penetration. The most powerful Mauser can even now penetrate class B1 bulletproof vests.
• The highest bullet speed and effective range among guns of this class.
• Sufficiently the highest accuracy and accuracy (as for this type of gun). This was achieved due to the muzzle brake and the enormous weight of the PPSh-41 itself.

Disadvantages of PPSh-41:

• The highest possibility of a spontaneous shot when the gun falls (a common disease of a blowback gun).
• Weak bullet stopping power.
• Very high rate of fire, leading to a rapid consumption of ammunition.
• Difficulties associated with the drum shop.
• Frequent skew of the cartridge, leading to jamming of the gun. The prerequisite for this was a cartridge with a bottle sleeve. It was precisely because of this form that the cartridge was often skewed, especially in the store.

Legends associated with PPSh

An unlimited number of different legends have formed around this weapon. Let's try to dispel the most common of them:

• PPSh-41 was a complete copy of the Finnish Suomi assault rifle. It is not true. Outwardly, they are really similar, but the internal design is quite different. It can be added that many submachine guns of that time are very reminiscent of each other.
• The Russian troops did not have many machine guns, and the Nazis without exception were all armed with MP-38/40. This is also not true. The main weapon of the Nazi troops was the Mauser K98k carbine. submachine gun by staffing relied on one per platoon, then they began to be issued to squad commanders (5 people per platoon). Massively, the Germans were equipped with machine guns for paratroopers, tankers and auxiliary units.
• PPSh-41 - the best submachine gun of the 2nd World War. This statement is also not true. The best machine of that war, PPS-43 (Sudaev submachine gun) was recognized.

Technical properties

Below are the performance characteristics of the PPSh submachine gun.

1. Almost all modern weapons at that time were either in service with the border units, or stored in warehouses in the border areas.

2. The rapid advance of the Germans forced the abandonment or evacuation of factories that could produce automatic weapons.

And it was the PPSh, which was not supplied to the border troops, that became practically the only submachine gun in the first year of the war. They say that Stalin himself distributed the PPSh, "throwing" several hundred weapons to the most dangerous areas.

In 1942, when the machine-building plant No. 367 in the city of Vyatskiye Polyany began to operate, where Shpagin himself organized production, it became much easier to supply weapons to the troops. Further, the Stalin Automobile Plant (ZIS) and more than a dozen machine-building plants were included in the production of PPSh. The total production of only PPSh during the war amounted to approximately 6 million pieces (935.4 thousand of all types of submachine guns were produced in Germany). Six times less, and yet almost all of Europe worked for the Germans. The machine gun was produced until the very end of the war, despite the fact that in 1943 a more “advanced” Sudayev submachine gun (PPS-43) appeared.

Since 1942, for the needs of the Red Army, PPSh began to be produced in Iran. Iranian weapons are stamped with a crown and are highly prized by collectors.

And yet, despite such a mass production, at the beginning of the war, the PPSh was armed primarily with submachine gunners who were in reserve and sent to difficult sectors of the front. Since 1943, during Battle of Stalingrad, attack sappers appeared, conducting, to put it modern language"cleansing" of urban buildings and even neighborhoods. In offensive operations, the PPSh were armed primarily with a tank assault force, which was the first to break into enemy trenches. At short distances (up to 100 m), the range of rifles and machine guns was no longer needed, and when using submachine guns, the density of fire of each soldier significantly increased, which could only be brought in tanks in a limited number. By the way, the Americans wittily called the Thompson submachine gun a “trench broom”, and the PPSh was also such a “broom”.

In urban combat, tactics changed somewhat: a grenade was thrown into the room from which the shooting was carried out (a shot was fired from a tank or artillery piece), then the stunned opponents were finished off with bursts of submachine guns. The tactics of urban battles have changed very little since then. The rate of fire of the PPSh and the huge capacity of the store even made it possible to “sign” the bullets on the wall, which is impossible to do with modern small arms.

Tactical and technical characteristics of PPSh-41.

Caliber: 7.62x25mm TT.

Weight: 5.45 kg with 71-round drum; 4.3 kg with a horn for 35 rounds; 3.63 kg without magazine.

Length: 843 mm.

Rate of fire: 900 or more rounds per minute.

Magazine capacity: 71 rounds in a drum magazine or 35 rounds in a sector (box) magazine.

Effective range: approximately 200 m in bursts (German MP 38/40 up to 100 m), up to 300 m in single shots.

Advantages:
Reliable, shoots in any conditions, even in very hard frost. The striker in the cold reliably breaks the primer, hands do not “freeze” to the wooden butt, and the large bracket allows you to shoot even in fur gloves.
Approximately twice as long as its main competitor MP 38/40.
The sturdy wooden buttstock is handy to use in hand-to-hand combat.
High, over 900 rounds per minute rate of fire, which created a high density of fire.

Disadvantages:
Quite bulky and heavy. With a drum magazine, it is very inconvenient to carry weapons behind your back.
"Afraid" of fine dust more than a rifle. The thing is that a very short motionless striker, covered with a thick layer of dust, begins to misfire. And in order to clean it, I had to disassemble the entire machine. During crossings along dusty roads, weapons were wrapped in raincoats.
Long loading of the drum magazine, usually magazines were loaded before the battle.
The possibility of an accidental shot when falling on a hard surface. However, this is just a feature of the design of weapons with blowback.
High, over 900 rounds per minute, rate of fire. With a lack of ammunition, this advantage turned into a disadvantage.
The bottle-shaped cartridge often warped when fed from the magazine into the chamber. The German and American cylindrical cartridge was more suitable for automatic weapons.

But even with these shortcomings, in terms of range, accuracy and reliability, the PPSh was incomparably superior to all available types of submachine guns of German, Austrian, Italian, American and English production.

During the war, weapons were continuously improved. At first, the PPSh was equipped with a sector sight, designed for firing up to 500 m, but practice has shown that it is possible to use weapons effectively only at a distance of up to 200 m. Therefore, the sector sight was replaced by an L-shaped cross-over whole sight for firing at 100 m, easy to manufacture and adjust. and over 100 m. The experience of military operations has shown that such a sight does not reduce the combat qualities of weapons. In addition to changing the sight, many other minor changes were made, for example, the magazine latch was changed, which reduced the likelihood of accidentally pressing it and dropping the magazine.

There were also particularly accurate machine guns with additional, most often home-made, muzzle compensators and optical sights for accurate shooting at short distances.

In addition to the weapon itself, the cartridge was also continuously modernized: for example, modern cartridge with a steel core inside (the steel core increases penetration and reduces total weight ammunition) was developed during the war.

Since 1942, the production of more convenient and standardized sector (carob stores) began. However, they began to be widely used in the troops only from 1944.

PPSh was the most massive automatic weapon of the Soviet infantry during the Great Patriotic War. It was in service with tankers, artillerymen, paratroopers, scouts, sappers, signalmen. It was widely used by Soviet partisans in the territory occupied by the Nazis. It consisted of only 5 parts, which ensured its rapid study and development by the Red Army, and was also easy to maintain and repair.

PPSh was widely used not only in the Red Army, but also in the German one too. Most often, they were armed with SS troops. The Wehrmacht was armed with both a conventional 7.62 mm PPSh (MP717® index) and a converted chambered for 9 × 19 mm. "Parabellum" variant (index MP41®). Moreover, the conversion back was also allowed, it was only necessary to change the barrel and the magazine adapter. The letter "r" in brackets denotes Russian and was used in the designation of all trophy samples Soviet weapons(rifle, artillery, tanks, etc.).

The PPSh submachine gun has become so “merged” with the image of the Soviet liberator soldier that all the monuments Soviet soldier in our country and abroad contain this particular weapon as an obligatory element. In the Victory Parade on June 24, 1945 on Red Square in Moscow, most of the participants also carried PPSh in their hands.

The PPSh-41 submachine gun is not just a well-known (at least outwardly) machine gun from the times of the Second World War, habitually complementing the common images of a Belarusian partisan or a Red Army soldier. Let's put it differently - in order for all this to be so, it was necessary to solve a number of very serious tasks in due time.

Each type also forms the tactics of its application. At a time when a submachine gun was being created in the USSR, the main and only weapon of an infantryman was a magazine rifle. From the time of the invention of gunpowder to that time, despite the spread of machine guns and the use automatic rifles(tactically being a lightweight replacement for the same machine guns), despite the perfection of magazine rifles, a weapon continued to remain in the hands of a soldier, leading only a single fire. This is hundreds of years of a single-shot rifle and decades of a repeating rifle. In this system, the idea of ​​​​the device and tactics of using the machine gun in the infantry is to some extent comparable to the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe fourth dimension.

Submachine guns appeared at the end of the First World War. Due to the lack of ideas about the most profitable tactics for using a new type of weapon, the shape of submachine guns gravitated towards magazine rifles - the same clumsy stock and wooden stock, and the weight and dimensions, especially when using high-capacity drum magazines, did not imply that maneuverability, which submachine guns acquired subsequently.

The idea of ​​a submachine gun is to use in individual weapons pistol cartridge for automatic shooting. The low power of the cartridge, in comparison with the rifle, allows you to implement the simplest principle of operation of automation - the return of a massive free shutter. This opens up the possibility of making the weapon exceptionally simple, both structurally and technologically.

By the time the PPSh was created, a number of fairly advanced and reliable models of submachine guns already existed and were distributed. These are the Finnish Suomi submachine gun of the A.I. Lahti system, and the Austrian Steyer-Soloturn C I-100 designed by L. Shtange, and the German Bergman MP-18 / I and MP-28 / II designed by H. Schmeisser, American submachine gun Thompson and our Soviet submachine gun PPD-40 (and its early modifications), produced in small quantities.

With an eye on foreign policy It is clear to the USSR and the international situation that the need to have a modern model of a submachine gun in service, albeit with some delay, is also ripe in the USSR.

But our requirements for weapons have always differed (and will differ) from the requirements for weapons in the armies of other countries. This is the maximum simplicity and manufacturability, high reliability and non-failure operation in the most difficult conditions, and all this while maintaining the highest combat qualities.

The PPSh submachine gun was developed by designer G.S. Shpagin in 1940 and was tested along with other types of submachine guns. According to the test results, the PPSh submachine gun was recognized as the most satisfying of the set requirements and recommended for adoption. Under the name "7.62-mm submachine gun G.S. Shpagin arr. 1941" it was put into service at the end of December 1940. As D.N. Bolotin ("History of Soviet small arms") points out, the survivability of the model designed by Shpagin was tested by 30,000 shots, after which the PP showed satisfactory accuracy of fire and good condition of parts. The reliability of automation was tested by firing at elevation and declination angles of 85 degrees, with an artificially dusty mechanism, with total absence lubrication (all parts were washed with kerosene and wiped dry with rags), shooting 5000 rounds without cleaning the weapon. All this makes it possible to judge the exceptional reliability and non-failure operation of the weapon along with high combat qualities.

At the time of the creation of the PPSh submachine gun, methods and technologies for stamping and cold working of metals were not yet widespread. However, a significant percentage of PPSh parts, including the main parts, were designed for cold forming, and some parts for hot forming. So Shpagin successfully implemented the innovative idea of ​​​​creating a stamp-welded machine. The PPSh-41 submachine gun consisted of 87 factory parts, while the machine had only two threaded places, the thread was a simple fastener. For the processing of parts, it was required with a gross output of 5.6 machine-hours. (The data are given from the table of technological evaluation of submachine guns, placed in the book by D.N. Bolotin "History of Soviet small arms").

The design of the PPSh submachine gun did not contain scarce materials, there were not a large number of parts requiring complex processing, seamless pipes were not used. Its production could be carried out not only at military factories, but also at any enterprises with simple press and stamping equipment. This was the result of that simple principle of operation, which allows the implementation of a submachine gun, on the one hand, and a rational design solution, on the other.

Structurally, the PPSh submachine gun consists of a receiver and bolt boxes connected by a hinge, and in the assembled machine gun they are locked by a latch located in the rear of the receiver, a trigger box located in the stock, under the bolt box, and a wooden stock with a butt.

A barrel is placed in the receiver, the muzzle of which goes into the barrel guide hole in the front of the receiver, and the breech part goes into the liner hole, where it is cottered with the hinge axis. The receiver is also a barrel casing, and is equipped with rectangular cutouts for air circulation, which cools the barrel during firing. In front of the oblique section of the casing is covered with a diaphragm with a hole for the passage of a bullet. Such a device of the front part of the casing serves as a muzzle brake-compensator. Powder gases, acting on the inclined surface of the diaphragm and flowing up and to the sides through the cutouts of the casing, reduce recoil and reduce the upward drift of the barrel.

Shutter box PPSh-41

The barrel of the PPSh submachine gun is removable and can be separated when completely disassembled and replaced with another one. A massive bolt is placed in the bolt box, preloaded with a reciprocating mainspring. In the rear part of the bolt box there is a fiber shock absorber, which softens the blow of the bolt when firing in the rearmost position. A simple safety device is mounted on the bolt handle, which is a slider moving along the handle, which can enter the front or rear receiver cutouts and, accordingly, close the bolt in the forward (stowed) or rear (cocked) position.

The trigger box contains the trigger mechanism and the release mechanism. The button for switching types of fire is displayed in front of the trigger and can occupy the extreme forward position, corresponding to single firing, and the extreme rear position, corresponding to automatic firing. When moving, the button removes the uncoupler lever from the trigger grip, or interacts with it. When the trigger is pressed, the bolt, released from the cocking, moving forward, deflects the uncoupler lever down, and the latter, if engaged with the trigger yoke, depresses it and thereby releases the trigger lever, which returns to its original position.

Initially, a drum magazine with a capacity of 71 cartridges was adopted for the PPSh submachine gun. The magazine consists of a magazine box with a lid, a drum with a spring and a feeder, and a rotating disk with a spiral comb - a snail. On the side of the body of the store there is an eyelet that serves to carry stores on the belt in the absence of bags. Cartridges in the store are placed in two streams, on the outer and inner sides of the spiral ridge of the snail. When feeding cartridges from an external stream, the snail rotates together with the cartridges under the action of a spring-loaded feeder. At the same time, the cartridges are removed by the box fold, located at the receiver, and output to the receiver, to the chambering line. After the cartridges of the outer stream are used up, the rotation of the snail is stopped by the stopper, while the exit of the inner stream is aligned with the receiver window, and the cartridges are squeezed out of the inner stream by the feeder, which, without stopping its movement, now begins to move relative to the stationary snail.

PPSh-41 modification with a night vision device

To fill the drum magazine with cartridges, it was necessary to remove the magazine cover, start the drum with the feeder two turns and fill the snail with cartridges - 32 cartridges in the inner stream and 39 in the outer one. Then release the locked drum and close the magazine with a lid. There was also a simple device for accelerating the equipment of the store. But all the same, as can be seen from the description, the equipment of the magazine, in itself not difficult, was a long and complicated matter in comparison with the equipment of the box magazines that are now widespread. In addition, with a drum magazine, the weapon was quite heavy and bulky. Therefore, during the war, along with the drum, a much simpler and more compact box-shaped sector magazine with a capacity of 35 rounds was adopted for the PPSh submachine gun.

Initially, the PPSh submachine gun was equipped with a sector sight designed for shooting at a distance of up to 500 m, cut into every 50 meters. During the war, the sector sight was replaced by a simpler cross-over whole sight with two slots for firing at 100 and 200 m. The experience of combat operations showed that such a distance is quite sufficient for a submachine gun and such a sight, simpler in design and technologically, does not reduce combat weapon qualities.

PPSh-41, modification with a curved barrel and a box magazine for 35 rounds

In general, during the war, in conditions of mass production, with the release of tens of thousands of PPSh monthly, a number of changes were consistently made to the design of weapons aimed at simplifying the production technology and greater rationality in the design of some components and parts. In addition to changing the sight, the design of the hinge was also improved, where the cotter pin was replaced with a split spring tube, which simplified the mounting and replacement of the barrel. The magazine latch has been changed to reduce the chance of accidentally pressing it and losing the magazine.

The PPSh submachine gun proved itself so well on the battlefields that the Germans, who generally widely practiced the use of captured weapons, from rifles to howitzers, willingly used the Soviet machine gun, and it happened that German soldiers preferred the PPSh to the German MP-40. The PPSh-41 submachine gun, which was used without design changes, had the designation MP717 (r) ("r" in brackets stands for "russ" - "Russian", and was used in relation to all captured samples of Soviet weapons).

Drum magazine for 71 rounds

Drum magazine for 71 rounds disassembled

The PPSh-41 submachine gun, converted to fire 9x19 Parabellum cartridges using standard MP magazines, was designated MP41(r). The conversion of the PPSh, due to the fact that the cartridges 9x19 "Parabellum" and 7.62 x 25 TT (7.63 x 25 Mauser) were created on the basis of one sleeve and the diameters of the bases of the cartridge cases are completely identical, consisted only in replacing the 7.62 mm 9 mm barrel and installation of an adapter for German stores in the receiving window. In this case, both the adapter and the barrel could be removed and the machine could be turned back into a 7.62 mm sample.

The PPSh-41 submachine gun, having become the second consumer of pistol cartridges after the TT pistol, required not only an immeasurably larger production of these cartridges, but also the creation of cartridges with special types of bullets that are not required for a pistol, but are necessary for a submachine gun, and not police, and military sample. Along with the cartridge with an ordinary bullet with a lead core (P), cartridges with armor-piercing incendiary (P-41) and tracer (PT) bullets were developed and put into service, along with the cartridge developed earlier for the TT pistol. In addition, at the end of the war, a cartridge with a bullet with a steel stamped core (Pst) was developed and mastered in production. The use of a steel core, along with the savings in lead, increased the penetration of the bullet.

Due to the acute shortage of non-ferrous metals and bimetal (steel clad with tombac) and the growing needs of the army in cartridges, during the war, cartridges were produced with a bimetallic, and then completely steel, without any additional coating, sleeve. Bullets were produced mainly with a bimetallic jacket, but also with an uncoated steel jacket. The brass sleeve has the designation "hl", bimetallic - "gzh", steel - "gs". (Currently, in relation to submachine gun and rifle-machine-gun cartridges, the abbreviation "gs" denotes a varnished steel sleeve. This is a different type of sleeve.) Full designation of cartridges: "7.62Pgl", "7.62Pgzh", etc.

PPSh-41 with drum magazine for 71 rounds

PPSh-41 with 35-round box magazine

Soviet submachine gun, created in 1940 by designer G.S. Shpagin for 7.62x25 mm TT ammunition and adopted by the Red Army on December 21, 1940. PPSh was the main submachine gun of the Soviet armed forces in the Great Patriotic War.

After the end of the war, by the mid-1960s, the PPSh was withdrawn from service with the Soviet Army and gradually replaced by the Kalashnikov assault rifle, it remained in service with rear and auxiliary units, units for a little longer. internal troops and railway troops, until the very collapse of the USSR in 1991. It is still in service with the paramilitary security units and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of a number of CIS countries.

Also, in the post-war period, PPSh was supplied in significant quantities to countries friendly to the USSR, for a long time was in service with the armies of a number of states, was used by irregular formations, and throughout the 20th century was used in armed conflicts all over the world.

At the moment, it is being sold to civilians as a hunting carbine for amateur shooting with minor modifications (the fire selector is fixed in the position for single shots, a limiter for 10 rounds is installed in the magazine, the muzzle and the bolt cup can be punched in the striker area).

Story

In 1940, the People's Commissariat of Armaments gave the terms of reference to gunsmiths to create a submachine gun that is close or superior in performance characteristics submachine gun PPD-34/40, but more technologically advanced and adapted to mass production (including non-specialized machine-building enterprises).

By the autumn of 1940, the designs of submachine guns by G.S. Shpagin and B.G. Shpitalny were submitted for consideration.

The first PPSh was assembled on August 26, 1940, in October 1940 a test batch was made - 25 pieces.

At the end of November 1940, based on the results of field tests and technological evaluation of the PPSh samples submitted for consideration, it was recommended for adoption.

"The survivability of the sample designed by Shpagin was tested with 30,000 shots, after which the PP showed satisfactory accuracy of fire and good condition of the parts. The reliability of the automation was checked by firing at elevation and declination angles of 85 degrees, with an artificially dusty mechanism, in the complete absence of lubrication (all parts were washed kerosene and wiped dry with a rag), shooting without cleaning the weapon 5000 rounds.All this allows us to judge the exceptional reliability and reliability of the weapon along with high combat qualities.

D.N. Bolotin. "The History of Soviet Small Arms".

December 21, 1940 Shpagin submachine gun arr. 1941 was adopted by the Red Army. Until the end of 1941, more than 90,000 units were produced. In 1942, the front received 1.5 million submachine guns.

Design

PPSh is an automatic manual firearms, designed for firing bursts and single shots.
Automation works according to the scheme of using recoil with a free shutter. Shooting is carried out from the rear sear (the shutter is in the rearmost position before the shot, after the descent it goes forward, sends the cartridge, the primer is pricked at the moment the filling is completed), the shutter is not fixed at the moment of the shot. A similar scheme is often used in the creation of submachine guns. For all its simplicity, such a solution requires the use of a massive shutter, which increases the total mass of the weapon. In addition, a weapon using such a reloading scheme can fire as a result of a strong impact (for example, when falling), if the bolt from the extreme forward (non-fixed) position rolls back along the guides further than the magazine’s cartridge supply window from the impact, or from the extreme rear it breaks off stopper.

The trigger mechanism allows firing bursts and single shots from an open bolt. The drummer is located motionless in the shutter mirror. The translator is located inside the trigger guard, in front of the trigger. The fuse is a slider located on the cocking handle. The fuse in the on state locks the shutter in the forward or rear position.

Like the PPD, the PPSh has a receiver fused with the barrel casing, a bolt with a fuse on the cocking handle, a fire translator in the trigger guard in front of the trigger, a flip sight and a wooden stock. But at the same time, PPSh is much more technologically advanced: only the barrel requires precise machining, the bolt was made on a lathe, followed by rough milling, and almost all other metal parts can be made by stamping.

The muzzle brake-compensator is a part of the barrel casing protruding forward beyond the muzzle (a beveled plate with a hole for the passage of a bullet, on the sides of which there are through windows in the casing). Due to the reactive action of the powder gases when fired, the muzzle brake-compensator significantly reduces recoil and “bullying” of the barrel upwards.

The stock was made of wood, mostly birch. Sights at first consisted of a sector sight (with a range of 50 to 500 m and a step of 50 m) and a fixed front sight. Later, a flip-over L-shaped rear sight was introduced for firing at 100 and 200 meters. PPSh-41 was first equipped with drum magazines from PPD-40 with a capacity of 71 rounds. But since drum magazines in combat conditions proved to be unreliable, unnecessarily heavy and expensive to manufacture, moreover, they required manual individual adjustment for each specific submachine gun, they were replaced by box-shaped curved magazines created in 1942 with a capacity of 35 rounds.

Trigger mechanism (USM)

Typical for mass submachine guns, a simple trigger with a reciprocating mainspring, the drummer is rigidly fixed in the bolt, the cocking is placed on the bolt. There is a translator that allows you to conduct single or automatic fire. The fuse blocks the movement of the shutter.

Characteristic

At effective range 500 m (in the early version), the actual range of fire in bursts is about 200 m, an indicator that is significantly superior middle level weapons of this class. In addition, thanks to the use of 7.62x25 mm TT ammunition, in contrast to the 9x19 mm Parabellum or .45 ACP (operated in foreign PPs), as well as a relatively long barrel, a significantly higher muzzle velocity of the bullet was achieved (500 m / s versus 380 m / s for the MP-40 and 280-290 m / s for the Thompson submachine gun), which gave the best flatness of the trajectory, which allowed single fire to confidently hit the target at distances up to 200-250 m, as well as fire at more, up to 300 and more meters-distance, compensating for the decrease in accuracy with a higher rate of fire or concentrated fire from several shooters. The high rate of fire, on the one hand, led to a high consumption of ammunition (for which the PP received the nickname "watering can"), and the rapid overheating of the barrel, on the other hand, it provided a high density of fire, which gives an advantage in close combat.

The survivability of PPSh, especially with a box magazine, is very high. A clean and oiled PPSh is an extremely reliable weapon. A fixed striker causes delays in firing when the bolt cup is contaminated with soot or dust gets on thickened grease: according to the memoirs of veterans of the Great Patriotic War, when moving in open cars or on armor on dirty roads, they almost always tried to hide PPSh under a cape. The disadvantages are relatively big sizes and the mass, the difficulty of replacing and equipping the drum magazine, a not very reliable fuse, as well as the possibility of a spontaneous shot when falling on a hard surface, which often led to accidents; a fiber shock absorber had a low survivability, softening the impact of the bolt on the receiver in the rear position; after the shock absorber was worn out, the bolt could break the back of the box.

The advantages of the PPSh include the large capacity of the drum magazine (71 rounds) compared to the MP-40 (32 rounds), but on the other hand, a larger amount of ammunition significantly increased the weight and dimensions of the weapon, and the reliability of the drum magazine was rather low. The box magazine was lighter and much more reliable, however, loading it with cartridges was more difficult due to the rearrangement of the cartridges at the exit from two rows into one: the next cartridge had to be brought under the jaws in a downward and backward movement. On the other hand, for example, the Schmeisser system store, which was used in German and English submachine guns, also had a rearrangement of cartridges from two rows to one. To facilitate the equipment of PPSh box magazines, there was a special device.

Due to the presence of a muzzle brake-compensator, an adjacent shooter, who is at a distance of up to 2-3 m to the side of the muzzle, may receive barotrauma or rupture eardrum. PPSh-41 is easy to identify by its high rate of fire, similar to the chirping of a sewing machine, and in the dark by three muzzle flames escaping from the top and side openings of the casing.

Modifications

USSR - PPSh model 1941, with a disk magazine for 71 rounds and a sector sight with ten divisions for shooting at a distance from 50 to 500 m. Release of the first batch of 400 pcs. at the plant number 367 started in November 1940, even before the official adoption of the submachine gun into service.

USSR - PPSh model 1942, with a box magazine for 35 rounds, a sight in the form of a rotary rear sight for firing at 100 and 200 m, a more reliable magazine latch, a chrome-plated surface of the barrel bore. The production of sector stores began on February 12, 1942, the first batches were made of sheet steel 0.5 mm thick, but the experience of operation in the army revealed their insufficient mechanical strength and later the stores were made of sheet steel 1 mm thick.

USSR - artisanal and semi-artisanal wartime PPSh variants:

- "product number 86" - submachine guns assembled at factory number 310 in Kandalaksha. The base was PPSh arr. 1941, the first submachine gun was assembled on January 25, 1941, a total of 100 pieces were produced. (due to the lack of drawings, the parts of submachine guns were adjusted manually and were not interchangeable). After receiving the technical documentation, the plant assembled another 5650 serial PPSh.
- in the summer of 1942, one PPSh submachine gun was manually assembled by master P.V. Chigrinov in the weapons workshop of the Razgrom partisan brigade operating in the Minsk region of Belarus;
-another submachine gun was restored from parts PPSh arr. 1941 partisan E. A. Martynyuk in the detachment. S. G. Lazo (as part of the partisan brigade named after V. M. Molotov, operating in the Pinsk region of Belarus) - the barrel, bolt and magazine were taken from a standard serial PPSh mod. 1941, and the barrel casing, receiver, trigger guard and wooden stock were made in a handicraft way;
- in the village of Zaozerye, in the weapons workshop of the Chekist partisan brigade, operating in the Mogilev region of Belarus, engineers L. N. Nikolaev and P. I. Scheslavsky collected ten PCA from March 30 to July 3, 1943, in total until July 1944 122 PPSh were manufactured here. In their production, parts of weapons that could not be restored were used (for example, the barrel of the "partisan PPSh" was made from part of a rifle barrel), the missing parts were made from structural steel

Third Reich - MP.41(r), a modification of the PPSh chambered for 9x19 mm "Parabellum", in which the barrel and magazine receiver were replaced, to use standard box magazines from the MP 38/40. Alteration started in 1944, about 10 thousand pieces were assembled in total.

Iran - since 1942 it was produced for the USSR at the Tehran Machine Gun Plant (under the name "model 22"), a total of several tens of thousands of units were produced, of which 9586 were actually delivered to the USSR by the end of 1944. Distinctive feature- crown stamp.

Socialist Republic of Romania - produced under the name PM PP S Md. 1952.

Hungarian People's Republic - in 1949-1955 it was produced under the name "7.62mm Geppisztoly 48.Minta".

PRC - after the end of World War II, it was produced under the name "Type 50". Minor changes were made to the design and production technology in connection with the adaptation to the characteristics of the Chinese industry.

North Korea - after the end of World War II, it was produced under the name "model 49".

Yugoslavia - in 1949-1992, the M49 submachine gun was produced, which had some design differences from the PPSh. Also produced versions of this submachine gun - M49 / 56 and M49 / 57.

Vietnam - during Vietnam War In 1964-1973, a modification of the PPSh was assembled - the K-50 submachine gun.

Conversion samples

Self-loading version chambered for small-caliber cartridge .22 LR, manufactured by Pietta.

Self-loading version, produced since 2000 by Inter-Ordnance of America chambered in 7.62x25 mm and 9x19 mm. Features an elongated stem.

-SKL-41

Self-loading version chambered for 9x19 mm. Produced since 2008.

Self-loading version chambered for 7.62x25 mm, with a barrel lengthened to 16 inches (fully closed barrel casing) and design changes (shooting is carried out from a closed bolt). Produced by Allied Armament (USA).

Self-loading carbine chambered for 7.62x25 mm, created in 2013 by Vyatsko-Polyansky arms factory"The hammer".

Self-loading carbine chambered for 7.62x25 mm, created in 2013 by the Kovrovsky plant named after. V. A. Degtyareva.

Self-loading carbine chambered for 9x19 mm Luger, created in 2014 by the Kovrov plant named after A.I. V. A. Degtyareva. The barrel was replaced with a new one chambered for 9x19 mm. It visually differs from PPSh-O and VPO-135 in a slightly longer barrel, which is included in the front cutouts of the casing, forming a compensator.

4.5 mm gas-balloon pneumatic rifle, made with the use of the main parts of PPSh submachine guns (while maintaining all the technical marks). Created in 2007, produced since 2008 by the Vyatka-Polyansky arms factory "Molot"

4.5-mm air-operated gas-balloon rifle with the ability to fire bursts, manufactured by the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant.

Operation and combat use

During the Great Patriotic War

USSR - PPSh was the most massive submachine gun of the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War. It was also supplied to Soviet partisans, allies and entered service with foreign military formations on the territory of the USSR.

Czechoslovakia - 1st separate Czechoslovakian infantry battalion under the command of L. Svoboda received PPSh in October 1942, later they were received by other units of the Czechoslovak Army Corps
-Poland - in 1943, the PPSh received the 1st Polish infantry division named after T. Kosciuszko, and later other Polish units;
-Socialist Republic of Romania - in 1944-1945. a certain amount of PPSh was transferred to service with the 1st Romanian Infantry Division. Tudor Vladimirescu, after the end of the war, an additional amount was received from the USSR for the Romanian army. Used under the name PM Md. 1952.

Yugoslavia - in 1944, the PPSh received units of the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia, after the war, the PPSh remained in service with the Yugoslav People's Army.
-Third Reich - captured PPSh under the name Maschinenpistole 717 (r) entered service with the Wehrmacht, the SS and other paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany and its satellites.

Finland - captured PPSh were operated in Finnish army, there were also "alterations" under 9 mm.
-Bulgaria - in the period after September 9, 1944, the USSR transferred to the Bulgarian army a batch of PPSh, which were used during the hostilities of 1944-1945.

After the Great Patriotic War

After the war, PPSh were supplied in significant quantities abroad, mainly to countries Warsaw Pact and other states friendly to the USSR. A significant amount was shipped to China.

PPSh was operated in all conflicts of the second half of the 20th century, and fights with dignity even at the beginning of the 21st:

A certain amount was transferred to the arsenal of the people's police and the army of the GDR, received the name MPi 41
-In 1950-1953, Soviet, Chinese and North Korean versions of the PPSh were in service with the Korean People's Army and were intensively exploited during the Korean War.
- In the early 1960s, a certain amount of PPSh was received by the Cuban government, in April 1961 they were used to repel the landing of the "2506 brigade" in the Bay of Pigs.
-In the early 1960s, PPSh were in service with the Vietnamese people's army, they were used in initial period Vietnam War. Later, during the war, they were gradually withdrawn from service with regular army units and transferred to service with units of territorial defense forces.

As of November 1966, a number of PPSh were in service with the MPLA partisans in Angola
-As of 1968, a number of PPShs were in service with the Palestinian paramilitaries in Jordan, were used by fighters of local self-defense units in the battle of Karameh.
-Afghanistan signed an agreement with the USSR on the acquisition of a batch of Soviet small arms in August 1956, the first PPSh were received from the USSR in October 1956, later the PPSh was in service with army units at least until 1980, and then, in 1980- years, was operated by units of the people's militia of the DRA. Also, a large number of PPSh were in service with the student "revolution defense units", people's militias and territorial self-defense units that fought against the "dushmans" in 1981 and even in 1986.

In Nicaragua, a number of PPSh were in service with the territorial detachments of the Sandinista People's Militia ("milisianos"), at least until mid-1985.
- At least until the 1980s, PPSh were used by the army and paramilitary units in some African countries.
-As of July 14, 2005, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine had 350,000 units in storage. PPSh; as of August 15, 2011, 300,000 units remained in the storage of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. PPSh
-Applied by all parties to the armed conflict in the South-East of Ukraine in 2014-2015.
-Belarus: withdrawn from service in December 2005
-Croatia: Used Yugoslav version of PPSh Zastava M49

performance characteristics

Weight, kg: 3.6 (without cartridges); 5.3 (with equipped drum magazine); 4.15 (with equipped sector magazine)
- Length, mm: 843
- Barrel length, mm: 269
- Cartridge: 7.62x25 mm TT
- Caliber, mm: 7.62
- Principles of operation: free shutter
-Rate of fire, shots / min: approximately 1000
- Muzzle velocity, m/s: 500
-Sighting range, m: 200-300
-Maximum range, m: 400
- Type of ammunition: store: sector for 35 rounds, drum for 71 rounds
-Sight: unregulated, open, 100 m, with folding stand 200 m