PPSh: in what year it entered service and why it became a WWII legend

Shpagin submachine gun (PPSh-41) was officially adopted by the Red Army December 21, 1940, but mass production and actual entry into the troops began in first quarter of 1941 - six months before the start of the Great Patriotic War. This weapon became a symbol of the Soviet resistance due to its simplicity, reliability and high rate of fire (up to 1000 rounds per minute), which made it ideal for close combat. The order to launch serial production was signed personally by the People's Commissar of Armaments of the USSR Dmitry Ustinov, and by the fall of 1941 the PPSh had become the main machine gun of Soviet soldiers at the front.

Designer Georgy Semenovich Shpagin developed this submachine gun in record time. 45 days, improving the PPD-40 model (Degtyarev submachine gun). The main advantage of the PPSh over its predecessor is low cost of production: The body was made from stamped steel rather than milled, which reduced assembly time from 13.7 to 5.6 hours per unit. By 1945, more than 6 million copies - more than any other submachine guns in the world in history.

Official date of adoption of PPSh into service: documents and orders

Formally order to put PPSh into service was signed December 21, 1940 under number № 0383, but this decision was the result of lengthy trials. Back in November 1940, at the test site in Shchurovo, comparative tests of the PPSh and its competitors - PPD-40, PPS (Sudaev submachine gun) and the Finnish Suomi M-31. Based on the results, the commission noted:

• 🔹 Reliability: PPSh worked without delay at temperatures from -50°C to +50°C, in mud and after falls.
• 🔹 Ease of maintenance: complete disassembly took less than 30 seconds, and the assembly is 1 minute (versus 3–5 minutes for PPD).
• 🔹 Economical: the cost of producing one PPSh was 220 rubles (PPD - 700 rubles).

However, mass production began only in March 1941 at plant No. 367 in Podolsk (later evacuated to Vyatskie Polyany). The first batches entered the troops June 1941, but the units were fully equipped only by the end of the year. It is interesting that in orders of that period the PPSh was often referred to as "7.62 mm submachine gun of the Shpagin system, model 1941", although the official index PPSh-41 consolidated later.

Technical characteristics of PPSh-41: why it surpassed its competitors

The PPSh-41 became a revolutionary weapon due to its balanced tactical and technical characteristics. Its main parameters:

Parameter	Meaning	Comparison with PPD-40
Caliber	7.62×25 mm TT	Same
Length	843 mm (with stock folded - 640 mm)	Shorter by 50 mm
Weight without cartridges	3.63 kg	0.5 kg lighter
Rate of fire	900–1000 shots/min	200 rds/min higher
Magazine capacity	35 or 71 cartridges (drum/sector)	Drum - like PPD, sector - new

The key difference between PPSh and its predecessors is open shutter, which reduced the risk of misfires due to contamination. In addition, Shpagin simplified the design to 87 parts (PPD has 95), which speeded up the assembly. Another innovation - sector magazine for 35 rounds, which was cheaper and lighter than the drum type (71 rounds), but less reliable in battle. Soldiers often used both types, combining them depending on the mission.

⚠️ Attention: PPSh drum magazines required regular cleaning - sand or dirt could block the supply of cartridges. The 1942 operating instructions recommended blowing out the magazine after each battle.

The role of PPSh in the Great Patriotic War: from Moscow to Berlin

By the fall of 1941, the PPSh became the main machine gun of the Soviet troops, replacing rifles Mosin and submachine guns PPD. Its widespread use began during Battles for Moscow, where it showed effectiveness in urban battles and forest ambushes. For example, the report of the commander of the 316th Infantry Division, General Panfilov, noted that units with PPSh attacked the enemy 2–3 times greater losses in close combat than with rifles.

By 1943, the PCA was up to 70% of personal small arms in Soviet units. It was actively used:

• 🪖 Assault groups - to break through defenses (for example, during the storming of Berlin).
• 🚪 Paratroopers — its compactness made it possible to jump with a parachute.
• 🚗 Crews of tanks and armored personnel carriers - as a means of self-defense.
• 👮 Partisans — ease of repair in the field.

German soldiers nicknamed PPSh "Pe-Pe-Sha" (from the sound of a queue) and often used captured specimens. According to trophy commissions, the Wehrmacht captured and remade them for its cartridge. 7.92×33 mm about 10,000 PCA for the needs of their units.

The myth about the “indestructibility” of PPSh

In the documents of the Central Archive of the RF Ministry of Defense there is a record of a case when a PPSh continued to fire after a bullet hit the barrel - the cartridge case jammed the bolt in the rear position, but the weapon did not explode. However, such cases were rare: if the barrel was seriously damaged, shooting became impossible.

Evolution of PPSh: modifications and foreign analogues

During the war years, the PPSh underwent several modifications, the most famous:

1. PPSh-41 (basic model) — with a wooden butt and the possibility of attaching a bayonet from a Mosin rifle.
2. PPSh-42 - a simplified version for partisan detachments (without a bayonet, with a shortened barrel).
3. PPSh with sector magazine — a lightweight version for paratroopers (weight reduced to 3.3 kg).

The USSR supplied PPSh to the allies under Lend-Lease: in total 1943–1945 was transferred about 150,000 units (mainly to Poland, Yugoslavia and China). After the war, on the basis of the PPSh, the following were created:

• 🇰🇵 Type 49 (DPRK) - copy with minimal changes.
• 🇨🇳 Type 50 (China) - modification chambered for 7.62x25 mm Type 51.
• 🇻🇳 K-50M (Vietnam) - version with a plastic butt.

⚠️ Attention: In the post-war years, the PPSh remained in service with the armies of the Warsaw Pact until 1970s, but was gradually replaced by the AK-47. However, in some countries (for example, in the Congo) it was used until 2000s.

How to distinguish original PPSh from replicas and dummies

Today, original PPSh are a rarity, and their price at auctions reaches $15 000–$30 000. To avoid running into a fake, pay attention to:

The most common fakes:

• 🔫 Demilitarized versions - with a welded barrel (sold as “souvenirs”).
• 🎭 Film dummies - often made of aluminum, weigh less than 2 kg.
• 🇨🇳 Chinese replicas - marked "Type 50", but without historical value.

Check your weapon before purchasing Russian National Guard - even demilitarized copies are subject to registration. In Russia, only collectors with a license to store military weapons can legally own PPSh.

Interesting facts about PPSh that you didn’t know

1. Production speed record: In 1942, the plant in Vyatskie Polyany produced up to 3000 PCA per day - this is 1 copy every 28 seconds.

2. The most popular weapon of WWII: In terms of the number of units produced, the PPSh even overtook the Mosin rifle (6 million vs 3.7 million).

3. Use in space: In 1965, the PPSh passed leak tests and was included in the emergency kit of the Voskhod-2 spacecraft (in case of landing in an uninhabited area).

4. PPSh in art: Weapons appear in films"Brest Fortress" (2010), "Only "old men" go into battle"(1973) and even in the game Call of Duty: World at War.

5. World record: In 2018 at auction Rock Island Auction PPSh with documentary evidence of participation in the storming of the Reichstag was sold for $86 250 - an absolute record for Soviet small arms.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about PPSh-41

Could the PPSh fire in bursts and single shots?

No, PPSh only had automatic fire mode. Single shots could be simulated in short bursts (1-2 rounds), but this required skill. The 1942 instructions recommended firing in bursts of 3–5 rounds to save ammunition.

Why did the PPSh have such a high rate of fire (1000 rounds/min)?

The high rate of fire was due to open shutter and a light movable barrel. This allowed the weapon to cool quickly, but reduced accuracy during long bursts. In combat, soldiers often held the bolt with their hand to shorten the burst.

How many rounds of ammunition did a soldier with a PPSh carry?

According to the 1942 regulations, a fighter with PPSh had to have:

• 🔘 6 drum magazines (71 rounds) — 426 rounds.
• 🔘 Or 10 sector magazines (35 rounds) - 350 rounds.

In practice, assault groups issued up to 800 rounds of ammunition per person.

Is it possible to legally shoot from PPSh in Russia today?

No. Even demilitarized PPSh (with a welded barrel) belong to combat hand-held small arms and are subject to registration. For shooting you need:

1. Collecting license.
2. Permission from the Russian National Guard for conversion into a training weapon (with drilling of the barrel).
3. Storage in a safe with alarm.

Violation of storage rules is punishable under Art. 222 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (up to 4 years of imprisonment).

Which countries produced PPSh after the war?

After 1945, PPSh was produced under license or illegally in:

• 🇰🇵 DPRK - how Type 49 (until the 1960s).
• 🇨🇳 China - how Type 50 (until the 1980s).
• 🇻🇳 Vietnam - how K-50M (for partisan detachments).
• 🇮🇩 Indonesia - small parties for the army in the 1950s.

In the USSR, production was stopped in 1946, replacing the PPSh with PPS-43.