Many have probably heard the expression “weapon of victory.” It is important in the history of the 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, an anti-tank rifle, the legendary Katyusha multiple rocket launcher and, of course, the Shpagin submachine gun, aka “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. The automatic operation of this weapon is due 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”). The open-type aiming devices consisted of a sector sight and a 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.
How to make a dummy machine gun from wood
Often, ordinary plywood is an excellent material for creating a dummy. Using one of the methods, you can easily make a machine model with your own hands.
To work you will need the following “basic” tools and accessories:
- Plywood.
It is not necessary to use a whole sheet of material; in most cases, scraps are sufficient. However, it is important that the pieces are of the appropriate size and thickness. Sometimes it is worth choosing thicker plywood, since during use the layout may be subject to significant loads; - Tools.
This list includes both devices for grinding and cutting. To make various recesses and holes on the surface of the dummy, you need to have a carpenter's knife or chisel on hand. While for sanding several sheets of sandpaper of varying degrees of grit are sufficient; - Protective covering.
The future product must first be coated with a special compound that protects it from moisture. And then cover the dummy with wear-resistant paint. Black wood paint is most often used. But you can also use silver. - Glue.
In order for all parts of the machine to be securely fastened, it is necessary to use epoxy resin as glue. If it is not available, then you can get by with PVA glue. And in some cases even superglue;
To create a real dummy, you need to find a sketch of a real machine in advance. It is advisable that all exact dimensions are indicated on the drawing.
When all the components of the future dummy have already been cut out of plywood, you need to glue them together and securely fasten them until they dry completely. Clamps will be very useful in this process. They will securely fix all the parts together.
In order for the “blank” to take the shape of the desired machine, it is necessary to recreate all the holes and recesses. Use a jigsaw for this, first drilling the holes and then shaping them.
The dummy must have a realistic appearance. This means you will need to work hard. If you do not have enough experience working with cutters, it is better to start with simpler parts. Otherwise, you may accidentally damage the product and the work will have to start from scratch. However, the result should please you with its similarity to the original.
Pay special attention to sanding. To give the necessary smoothness, carefully sand the dummy with sandpaper. First, go over the entire surface with coarse sandpaper. For example, marked M - 100. And then use small paper for finishing.
Of course, it is necessary to paint the dummy. Please note that the colors must match the original of this machine model. Choose paints of the desired shades.
Design
It is a “PPSh” automatic firearm. 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 a 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, 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. There are through windows on the sides of the casing. 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, the 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.
How to modify a machine
In order for a wooden weapon to be fully equipped, in addition to the machine gun itself, you will need a bayonet, a knife and a belt to carry. This will be especially true if the toy was made of dense wood.
The belt can be made of canvas tape. And it is attached to the machine with two rings of metal wire, or in pre-cut holes. Also, for more comfortable wearing, you should make a “double loop” from the tape. To do this, you will need a piece of a weapon belt twice the standard length and a ring made of thick wire. First, we attach the belt to the machine gun, so that one of the edges is fixed near the barrel, then we thread the belt into the prepared ring and draw it closer to the base of the barrel. We pass the middle of the tape through the fastening near the butt. If everything is done correctly, there should be a long “tail” of the belt, to the edge of which it is necessary to sew a ring made of durable metal, which remains hanging on the fixed section of the belt.
In the future, it is the elongated part of the belt that is put on the person, and the machine gun remains hanging on it. This option of carrying a wooden weapon will allow the child to play carefree, without having to hold the machine with his hand all the time. However, when calculating the length of the belt, it is worth considering that in a free position, the barrel should not touch the ground.
Now your dream wooden machine has been created and is fully equipped!
Trunk
Inside this part there is a channel with four grooves. They curl up 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:
- The front part is rounded. 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.
Known modifications of PPSh
It should be noted that the version of the submachine gun developed by Shpagin has been modernized several times. Moreover, not only by Soviet gunsmiths, but also by Western designers. It is impossible to list all modifications of this type of weapon. Considering that the machine gun was easy to manufacture, even folk craftsmen made it.
Let's consider the most famous modification options.
Soviet Union
There are three factory models here:
PPSh-41.
This is the first version of the submachine gun, model 1941. The characteristics of this option are given above. In particular, the weapon was equipped with a drum-type magazine and was intended for firing at a distance of up to 500 meters with single shots and bursts.
PPSh-41.
This time, we are talking about a sample of the 42nd year. Unlike the prototype, a chrome-plated barrel bore appeared here, the principle of mounting the magazine changed, and a different type of rear sight was used. In general, the machine gun has become more reliable and safer, and has a sector-type steel magazine.
PPSh-2.
This machine gun could have appeared in 1942. At this time, a new submachine gun was being developed, which was supposed to retain the tactical and technical characteristics of the PPSh, but become more compact and lighter. This time, the sample that Shpagin submitted for consideration did not satisfy the commission, and the choice was made in favor of the PPS, a submachine gun designed by gunsmith Sudakov.
PPSh-2
"Homemade"
PPSh was also produced by artisans. For example, the following variations are known:
- Product No. 86. This modification was assembled in the workshops of plant No. 310, the city of Kandalaksha, Murmansk region. Semi-handicraft production was established in January 1941, a total of 100 copies were produced. This model was not unified: all components and parts were adjusted manually, so the machine was of little use for combat operations. To be fair, we note that after receiving the normal technical specifications, more than 5,000 serial PPSh were made in the workshops of this enterprise.
- Various variations of PPSh were collected by Belarusian partisans. These “homemade products” did not have names, the main thing is that they completely coped with their main task: they helped destroy the enemy.
- Jelen. This is an example of semi-handicraft production, which was quite successfully used during the armed conflict in the Balkans.
Wehrmacht
The fact that enterprising Germans modernized the Soviet PPSh speaks in favor of Shpagin’s design. This modification was called MP-41, and was assembled in the workshops of the Dachau concentration camp. Production was not mass scale, but about 10,000 copies were made. The prototype was the PPSh-41, which the Germans copied almost completely, changing only the magazine receiver and the barrel design.
It should be noted here that the PCA was also assembled in other countries around the world. For example:
- Vietnam - K-50 submachine gun;
- China - Type-50;
- Yugoslavia - M49;
- Iran - model 22;
- Hungary - Géppisztoly 48.Minta;
- Romania - PM PPȘ model 1952.
German PPSh-41
Production by conversion
There are also several interesting options here:
- MP-562K - pneumatic development of the Izhevsk plant, adapted for automatic firing;
- “Daddy” or PPSh-M - gas-cylinder pneumatics, launched into production in 2008;
- PPSh-O is a self-loading carbine made by Kovrov gunsmiths in 2013;
- PPSh-Luger - development of the same company, released a year later;
- PPSH 41 SemiAuto - American self-charging version, still in production;
- SKL-41 - adaptation for 9mm ammunition;
- SR-41 Semi-Auto Rifle - another American version with an increased barrel length;
- PPS-50 is a model from the Italian arms company Pietta, converted for small-caliber cartridges.
Receiver
This element is the base. It contains the following details:
- Namushnik with a front sight.
— 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 flywheel 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.
— Windows for ejecting 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.
"Blockade survivor" who reached Berlin
However, already at the end of the year, the fate of the PPD took a new sharp turn, which was explained by the sad experience gained during the Winter War with Finland.
The Suomi machine guns used by the Finns made a huge impression on the Red Army, although the scale of their use was not so large (only a few percent of the total number of Finnish small arms).
Requests flew from combat units to headquarters: to send more submachine guns in order to arm “at least one squad per company.”
The warehouses were again emptied, something was confiscated from the border guards, and most importantly, from January 1940, an urgently improved PPD was put into service, transferring the enterprises producing it to a three-shift operating mode. The busiest was the Sestroretsky tool plant closest to the front, which accounted for most of the production. The new model, which retained the 34/38 index, was radically different from the first two samples, even in its appearance.
The receiver began to be made from a tubular billet instead of a milled one.
The number of holes on the barrel casing was reduced from 55 short to 15 long. A separate firing pin on the axis replaced the firing pin fixedly fixed in the bolt cup.
The ejector with a leaf spring, the stock, the trigger guard, and the fuse were simplified, which, accordingly, reduced the cost.
In addition to the sector magazine designed for 25 rounds, they introduced a drum magazine with 73 rounds, which looked similar in appearance to the Suomi magazine, but differed from it in the mounting design. The design, however, was not very reliable, but the large capacity became an important factor in conditions of fleeting close combat.
As soon as the new model went into production, Degtyarev presented another modification with a more reliable magazine mount, although with a drum capacity of four rounds less.
It was this option that was re-approved as a standard weapon as a “1940 model submachine gun of the Degtyarev system.” It is known that by the end of the year the factories produced more than 80 thousand copies, which made this weapon truly mass-produced.
The Great Patriotic War brought down the statistics, since by the end of 1941 the command decided to switch to a more reliable and technologically advanced Shpagin submachine gun. However, the transition took some time. For example, at the Kovrov plant, even after switching to PPSh, about five thousand pieces of PPD were manually assembled from the remaining parts.
At the Sestroretsky plant, which was evacuated to Leningrad, they did not break the technology at all, so the circulation of the “siege issue” amounted to an impressive figure: 42,870 copies. They differed from their counterparts released in “peaceful” conditions by a simplified folding (instead of a sector) sight and the shape of the safety catch.
In general, the PPD turned out to be a good weapon. It is significant that captured machine guns were used by units of the Wehrmacht and their allies, and more than five thousand copies were supplied by the USSR to Tito’s partisans in 1944, and even after the end of the war they were in service with the Yugoslav People’s Army.
And in the Red Army, many walked with this machine gun to Berlin.
PPSh-41 is a Shpagin system submachine gun chambered for 7.62 mm, developed and adopted by the Red Army at the end of 1940. It was distinguished by high reliability and rate of fire. The simplicity of the design made it possible to produce it at non-core enterprises. This PP became the most popular automatic weapon during the Great Patriotic War (WWII) in the ranks of the armed forces of the USSR.
Captured PPSh were used in German units, converted. And it was sometimes called drum roll because of the very high volume of the shot.
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. It performs a specific function. In this case it is a short cylindrical coil spring.
Advantages and disadvantages
Let's start with the positive characteristics. There are two key points here:
- Ease of manufacture. Considering that the first months of the war were not the most successful for the USSR, the army was in dire need of automatic weapons. The PPSh fully satisfied this requirement, and was assembled literally “on the knee” with minimal burden on the country’s budget.
- Rate of fire. The high rate of fire ensured dagger and barrage fire. In such situations, it is the density of fire that plays a decisive role, and here the PPSh again rose to the occasion.
Significant disadvantages of the Shpagin design include:
- Weight and dimensions. Considering that the soldiers had to carry spare magazines and other ammunition along with the machine gun, the mobility of the infantry was noticeably reduced.
- Lack of unification. The first models of weapons had magazines included (3 pieces), and simply did not fit with other PPSh. More precisely, the magazine fell into place, but the ammunition often jammed.
- Rate of fire. Yes, the rate of fire of the PPSh was a plus, but this point can be looked at from the other side. Considering that the machine gun could fire up to 1,000 rounds per minute, the 70-round magazine was emptied in about 13 seconds. As a result, an inexperienced fighter could use up all the equipped disks in just a minute, after which he would be forced to reload them.
- Ease of production. The weapon was assembled very quickly, but at the expense of the reliability of the main components and elements.
Shutter box
This item has:
— Peculiar lugs for connection with the receiver.
— A cutout for a store with a window.
— A vertical groove for the magazine latch.
— A clip for connection with the trigger box and the front part of the stock.
- A window for the disconnector.
— A hole for the magazine latch axis.
— A 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).
— A tail with a hole for the corresponding screw.
— Window for the 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.
About shutter operation
The Finnish designer managed to slow down the rate of fire by introducing a vacuum braking system into the PP. It was a special membrane-spring pneumatic device containing five holes of different diameters. A very high-quality and tight fit is provided for the receiver, its cover and bolt. The valve works like a piston inside a cylinder. Thanks to this design feature, it was possible to completely eliminate air leakage. The receiver, namely its butt plate, is equipped with a special valve, the task of which is to allow air to pass exclusively from the inside to the outside. Thus, when the bolt moves forward, the valve closes. Thanks to this design, the weight of the shutter is reduced. In addition, shooting, especially single shots, has become more accurate.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=iQo9yZT_m8w
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 reciprocating spring.
PPD-40.
Traumatic submachine gun scorpion sa vz. 61
0 Based on the combat experience of using the PPD-34/38 submachine gun in Finnish forests during the Soviet-Finnish War, the Red Army asked for several changes to be made to its design, and in 1940 Degtyarev proposed a new model. The design was made with mass production and cost reduction in mind. Having abandoned the disk magazine of his own strange design, Degtyarev copied the Finnish Suomi store. At one time, he developed a disk magazine that was interchangeable with a regular box magazine, but now, since box magazines were abandoned, it became possible to significantly simplify the disc magazine and the neck for it. The new open-top disc magazine fit easily into the neck. But the PPD-40, well made from good materials, still remained a peacetime weapon. After the start of the Nazi invasion, the Russians, realizing what an intense struggle lay ahead of them, needed cheap weapons in huge quantities, and simpler designs replaced the PPD.
"With minimal costs"
Georgy Shpagin became the author of many design solutions, but the PPSh model 1941 brought him the greatest fame.
The prototype of the submachine gun was presented to the Artillery Committee of the Main Artillery Directorate in August 1940. The weapon was tested, and comparative firing was carried out in November 1940. The “rivals” of the PPSh were submachine guns developed by Boris Shpitalny, as well as Degtyarev’s models already adopted for service.
Although the Shpitalny submachine gun showed greater firing efficiency, the PPSh won in the eyes of the army leadership due to its ease of operation, light weight and ease of manufacture.
- Georgy Shpagin
Until that moment, it was the complexity and high cost of production that were the main limiting factors for the spread of submachine guns in the army. The weapon was produced by milling, which seriously slowed down its production.
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Georgy Shpagin was the first Soviet designer to focus on stamping parts. To get acquainted with this technology, he even made a special trip to the automobile plant in Gorky (Nizhny Novgorod). As a result, it turned out that with some technical adjustments the stamping method can also be used in the weapons field. Arc and spot welding were also used in the production of PPSh.
The weapon had almost no threads, which also made it possible to speed up and simplify production. It was possible to set up the production of PPSh at almost any enterprise with pressing equipment. This was very useful during the Great Patriotic War, when entire factories had to be evacuated due to the advance of the Nazis.
Initially, PPShs were equipped with drum magazines for 71 rounds. In 1942, a horn magazine with 35 rounds was also developed for the PPSh.
The 1941 model submachine gun was chambered for TT cartridges of 7.62 x 25 caliber; the loaded PPSh weight was 5.5 kg. The initial bullet speed reached 500 m/s, the target range was 500 m. The rate of fire was about 700-900 rounds per minute, and the combat rate of fire (with the ability to aim) was from 30 to 90 rounds per minute.
- Production of PPSh-41
Moreover, when firing in short bursts, the PPSh can hit a target at a distance of 200 m, and in long bursts - up to 100 m.
As Vasily Zabolotny, deputy director of the Museum of Russian Military History, noted in a conversation with RT, the key difference between PPSh and Soviet and foreign analogues of that time was the maximum manufacturability of production and the replacement of milling with stamping.
“This made it possible to organize the production of large volumes of weapons at minimal cost at the height of the war,” the expert explained.
