Machine guns of the Second World War. Small arms of World War II
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Georgy Shpagin and Alexei Sudayev gave the Soviet soldier a simple and reliable weapon
Throughout Russia and Eastern Europe there are monuments to Soviet soldiers. And if this is a monumental figure of a soldier, then in his hands he almost always has. This weapon, which has become one of the symbols of Victory, is easily recognizable thanks to the disk magazine. And although most experts recognize the PPS designed by Sudaev as the best submachine gun of the Second World War, the Great Patriotic War is associated precisely with the massive, charismatic, very Russian Shpagin assault rifle.
THE THORNY WAY OF AUTOMATION
First World War showed that in the collision of huge masses of armed people, the density of fire is a more important factor than the accuracy of shooting. It required a rapid-fire, compact weapon with a large portable ammunition, convenient both in the offensive and in defense, in the limited space of the trench and the street. Thus, a machine gun and an automatic (self-loading) pistol were combined in one sample. By the end of the war, in some warring countries they even managed to be adopted.
In Russia, in 1916, a submachine gun designed by Vladimir Fedorov chambered for 6.5 mm was adopted, which was soon renamed into an automatic rifle.
Since then, we have called all automatic weapons chambered less than a rifle. The first machines were produced in small quantities and were quite capricious. Until 1925, 3200 of them were produced, and in 1928 they were removed from service. The reason is the need to make a special 6.5 mm cartridge. But most importantly, a 7.62-mm light infantry machine gun of the Degtyarev system of the 1927 model of the year (DP27) appeared.
Directly, submachine guns in the Soviet Union began to be created from the mid-1920s. The command of the Red Army came to the conclusion that the revolver is only suitable for self-defense, and for active combat operations, all junior and middle command personnel should be re-equipped with submachine guns. The first PP of the Tokarev system of the 1927 model of the year was created for a revolver cartridge. But then it was recognized that the cartridge should be the same for an automatic pistol and a submachine gun, that is, a Mauser cartridge of 7.62 mm caliber, which has been loved since the Civil War.
In parallel, the design of a self-loading (automatic) rifle (carbine) for the personnel of the Red Army was going on. In 1936, the Simonov automatic rifle (ABC-36) was adopted. But two years later, it was replaced by the Tokarev self-loading rifle (SVT-38). After the Soviet-Finnish war, its modernized version of the SVT-40 appeared. They wanted to equip the entire Soviet army with it.
SVT-38
Until now, there is an opinion that the SVT turned out to be a bad weapon with a lot of flaws, it did not justify itself and was discontinued with the start of the war. Just as unsuccessful was the attempt to make her sniper rifle. Due to poor accuracy in October 1942, its production was stopped, returning to the good old "mosinka", which he only switched to. optical sight PU designed for SVT.
However, the ballistics of the Tokarev self-loading was quite decent, and famous sniper Lyudmila Pavlyuchenko, who destroyed 309 Nazis, hunted with the SVT-40. The simple and reliable design of the rifle failed only with poor maintenance and improper operation. But for the not very literate peasants, who formed the basis of the personnel of the Red Army, this turned out to be beyond understanding.
Another thing is the Germans, who highly valued this weapon. They even officially adopted the captured SVT under the index 258 (r) - SVT-38 and 259 (r) - SVT-40. They also used the sniper version. They had no complaints about the rifle. Moreover, according to her model, they tried to make their G-43 (W). And the famous designer Hugo Schmeisser borrowed from Tokarev a gas-operated reloading system for his Sturmgever. After the war, the Belgians used the SVT locking system in the design of the FN FAL automatic rifle, which is still in service in a number of countries.
G-43
She used SVT until the end of the war and did not express any complaints. Claims to the reliability of the rifle appeared at the end of 1941, when the quality of all products generally fell, and older soldiers were drafted into the army. In 1941, 1,031,861 copies of the SVT were produced, in 1942 - only 264,148. In October 1942, the sniper SVT was discontinued. But in the usual version they continued to produce, albeit in small quantities. Moreover, an automatic version of the AVT rifle was launched into the series.
AWT
But according to the operating rules, automatic firing from this light rifle could only be carried out in short bursts in rare cases: "with a lack of light machine guns and in exceptional moments of the battle." The soldiers did not follow this rule. Moreover, proper care of the rifle mechanism was not provided. And the troops stopped receiving high-quality lubricant, without which the automation began to fail, stick in the cold, etc. So this very good weapon was compromised.
The history of the SVT has shown that a weapon for our soldier should be extremely simple, durable, unpretentious in operation and extremely reliable.
The production of SVT and AVT continued until 1945, as the need for rapid-fire weapons remained high until the end of the war. Only on January 3, 1945, by a decree of the State Defense Committee of the USSR, SVT and AVT were discontinued. Two weeks later, the production of the Mosin rifle was terminated by the same decree. Immediately after the war, Tokarevsky rifles were withdrawn from the troops and handed over to warehouses. But part of the SVT was then transferred to hunters-traders. Some are still in operation and do not cause any complaints, since hunters treat their weapons responsibly.
In Finland, SVT is highly valued and is considered an excellent weapon with high combat qualities. Local experts simply do not perceive criticism against her and are surprised that in Russia this weapon is so compromised. The Finns, with their cult of weapons, are very sensitive to the rules for handling weapons, so they simply do not know the weaknesses of the SVT.
SVT-40
The main reasons for the decline in the production of SVT during the war were its high cost and complexity of manufacture. All parts were produced on metalworking machines, a large consumption of metal, including alloy steel, was required. To understand this, it is enough to compare the selling price of the SVT in the official price list of 1939 - 2000 rubles with the price of some machine guns: "Maxim" without a machine tool with spare parts - 1760 rubles, a DP machine gun with spare parts - 1150 rubles, aviation machine gun ShKAS wing - 1650 rubles. At the same time, the rifle mod. 1891/30 cost only 166 rubles, and its sniper version with a scope - 245 rubles.
Since the beginning of the war, it was necessary to equip tens of millions of people at the front and in the rear with small arms. Therefore, the production of a cheap and simple Mosin rifle was restored. Its production soon reached 10-12 thousand pieces per day. That is, a whole division was armed daily. Therefore, there was no shortage of weapons. One rifle for three was only in the construction battalion in the initial period of the war.
BIRTH OF PPSh
Shpagina became another reason for abandoning the mass production of SVT. On the vacated production areas, large-scale production of PPSh began.
The submachine gun in the Red Army at first did not find recognition. In 1930, it was noted that it was declared unfit for military operations in Germany and the USA, it is used only by the police and internal security. However, the head of armaments of the Red Army, Ieronim Uborevich, petitioned for a competition and the production of a trial batch of PP. In 1932-1933, 14 different samples of the submachine gun passed state tests. On January 23, 1935, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense, the Degtyarev submachine gun mod. 1934 (PPD).
PPD-34
However, PPD was made almost piece by piece. The "cavalrymen" from the People's Commissariat of Defense considered the PP unnecessary, if not harmful. Even the improvement of the PPD did not help. However, the Artillery Directorate of the Red Army insisted on the widespread introduction of the submachine gun.
PPD-38/40
In 1939, it was noted that it was advisable to introduce a submachine gun into service. certain categories fighters of the Red Army, the border guard of the NKVD, machine-gun and gun crews, airborne troops, drivers, etc. However, in February 1939, the PPD was withdrawn from service, withdrawn from the troops and handed over to warehouses. The persecution of the submachine gun was also facilitated by the repressions against its supporters - Tukhachevsky, Uborevich and others. The people of Voroshilov who came to their place were opponents of the new. PPD has been discontinued.
Meanwhile, the war in Spain proved the need for a submachine gun in the army. The Germans have already tested their MP-38 in battle,
took into account the identified flaws and modernized in the MP-40. And the war with Finland clearly showed that in the conditions of wooded and rough terrain, a submachine gun is a necessary fire weapon for close combat.
The Finns effectively used their Suomi PP, arming them with maneuverable groups of skiers and individual soldiers acting independently. And now the failures in Karelia began to be explained by the absence of ... submachine guns in the troops.
At the end of December 1939, the PPD was again put into service, already in the PPD-40 variant, and production was urgently restored. At the request of Stalin, who really liked the capacious round store "Suomi", the same drum is being developed for the PPD-40. In 1940, they manage to produce 81,118 submachine guns.
The talented self-taught gunsmith Georgy Semenovich Shpagin (1897-1952) at the beginning of 1940 began to develop his own version of a submachine gun. He set the task of maintaining the high tactical and technical data of the PPD, but making his weapon easier to manufacture. He perfectly understood that it was impossible to re-equip a mass army on the basis of labor-intensive machine-tool technologies. This is how the idea of a stamp-welded design was born.
This idea did not meet with the support of colleagues, only doubts. But Shpagin was convinced of the correctness of his thoughts. By that time, new technologies of hot stamping and cold pressing of high precision and purity of processing had already been introduced in mechanical engineering. Electricity appeared. Georgy Shpagin, who graduated from only a three-year school, but was closely familiar with production, proved to be a true innovator. He not only created the design, but also developed the basics of the technology for its mass production. It was a revolutionary approach to the design of small arms.
Already in August 1940, Shpagin personally made the first sample of a submachine gun. It was a blowback system. Relatively speaking, after the shot, the recoil threw the bolt - a steel "blank" weighing about 800 g. The bolt captured and ejected the spent cartridge case. Then a powerful return spring sent it back. Along the way, the bolt captured the cartridge supplied from the disk magazine, drove it into the barrel and pricked the primer with a striker. A shot was fired, and the entire cycle of shutter movements was repeated. If at this time trigger released, the shutter was fixed in the cocked state. If the hook remained pressed, the magazine with a capacity of 71 rounds was completely emptied in about five seconds.
During disassembly, the machine opened into only five parts. It didn't require any tool. A fiber shock absorber, later made of leather, dampened the blows of a massive bolt in the rearmost position, which significantly lengthened the service life of the weapon. The original muzzle brake, which also served as a compensator, improved stability and increased the accuracy of fire by 70% relative to the RPM.
At the end of August 1940, ground tests of the Shpagin submachine gun began. The survivability of the structure was tested by 30 thousand shots. The PCA worked flawlessly. A full check showed that the machine passed the test, no damage was found in the details. Moreover, after such loads, he showed quite satisfactory results in the accuracy of firing bursts. Shooting was carried out with thick lubrication and dustiness and, conversely, after washing all moving parts with kerosene and a dry compound. 5000 shots were fired without cleaning the weapon. Of these, half - single, half - continuous fire. It should be noted, however, that the details for the most part were stamped.
At the end of November, comparative tests of the Degtyarev submachine guns taken from the gross production, Shpagin and Shpitalny took place. In the end, Shpagin won. Here it will be useful to provide some data. Number of parts: PPD and Shpitalny - 95, PPSh - 87. The number of machine hours required for processing parts: PPD - 13.7; Spiral - 25.3; PCA - 5.6 hours. Number of threaded places: PPD - 7; Shpitalny - 11, PPSh - 2. New technology production gave great savings in metal and significantly accelerated production. Alloy steel was not required.
On December 21, 1940, the Defense Committee under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR adopted a resolution on the adoption by the Red Army of the Shpagin submachine gun of the 1941 model. Before the start of the Great Patriotic War only six months left.
Serial production of PPSh began only in September 1941. Prior to that, it was necessary to prepare documentation, develop technical processes, manufacture tooling, simply allocate production facilities and premises. For the whole of 1941, 98,644 submachine guns were manufactured, of which 5,868 were PPDs. In 1942, 16 times more submachine guns were produced - 1,499,269 pieces. Moreover, the production of PPSh could be established at any mechanical enterprise with suitable stamping equipment.
In the autumn of 1941, Stalin personally distributed the new machine guns. By January 1, 1942, the active army had 55,147 submachine guns of all systems. By July 1, 1942 - 298,276; by January 1, 1943 - 678,068; by January 1, 1944 - 1,427,085 pieces. This made it possible to have a platoon of machine gunners in each rifle company, and a company in each battalion. There were also battalions entirely armed with PPSh.
The most expensive and difficult to manufacture part of the PPSh was a disk (drum) magazine. Each machine was equipped with two spare magazines. 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. The cartridges in the store were located in two streams along the outer and inner sides of the spiral ridge of the snail. There were 39 rounds in the outer stream, 32 in the inner stream.
The process of filling the drum with cartridges required some effort. The first step was to remove the drum cover. Then, with a special key, it wound up two turns. After filling the snail with cartridges, the drum mechanism was removed from the stopper, the lid was closed.
Therefore, in 1942, Shpagin developed a box-shaped sector magazine with a capacity of 35 rounds for the PPSh. This dramatically simplified loading, and the machine became less cumbersome. The soldiers usually preferred the sector store.
During the war, about 6.5 million PPSh were manufactured. Since 1942, it was produced even in Iran specifically for the USSR. On these samples there is a special stamp - the image of the crown.
Hundreds of thousands of front-line PPSh consumed a huge amount of pistol cartridges. Especially for them, it was necessary to urgently develop cartridges with new types of bullets, since the submachine gun performs other tasks than just a pistol. This is how armor-piercing incendiary and tracer bullets appeared. At the end of the war, a cartridge with a bullet with a stamped steel core went into production, which increased the penetrating effect and saved lead. At the same time, the production of cartridges in a bimetallic (coated with tombac) and steel sleeve without any coating began.
SUDAEV'S DESIGN
The Shpagin submachine gun, which quite satisfied the infantrymen, turned out to be too bulky for tankmen, scouts, sappers, signalmen and many others. In conditions of mass production, it was also required to reduce the metal consumption of weapons and simplify their production. In 1942, the task was to create a submachine gun that was lighter and easier to manufacture, while being reliable. Its mass should not exceed 3 kg, and the rate of fire should be 400-500 rounds per minute (PPSh - 900 rounds / min.). The bulk of the parts had to be made of sheet steel with a thickness of 2-3 mm without subsequent machining.
Aleksey Ivanovich Sudayev (1912-1946) won the competition among designers. As noted in the conclusion of the competition commission, his teaching staff "has no other equivalent competitors." For the production of one copy, 6.2 kg of metal and 2.7 machine hours were required. The mechanics of the PPS worked, like that of the PPSh, due to the recoil of the free shutter.
The production of a new submachine gun was launched in besieged Leningrad at the Sestroretsk Tool Plant. Voskov under the leadership of Sudayev. The first samples were made in December 1942. Serial production began in 1943. During the year, 46,572 PPS were manufactured for parts of the Leningrad Front. After the elimination of individual identified deficiencies and their elimination new machine was put into service under the name "Sudayev submachine gun arr. 1943".
In the troops of the teaching staff, he immediately received a high rating. It was in no way inferior to PPD and PPSh, it was lighter and more compact. However, its production was transferred to enterprises not adapted for the mass production of weapons. It was decided not to touch the established production of PPSh. It is for this reason that the Sudaevsky submachine gun is not as famous as the PPSh. The famous gunsmith Mikhail Kalashnikov assessed the teaching staff as follows: “It can be said with all responsibility that the submachine gun A.I. Not a single foreign sample could compare with it in terms of simplicity of device, reliability, non-failure operation, and ease of use. For the high tactical, technical and combat properties of Sudaevsky weapons, combined with their small dimensions and weight, they were very fond of paratroopers, tankers, scouts, partisans, and skiers.
PPS weight without magazine - 3.04 kg. Weight with six equipped magazines - 6.72 kg. The bullet retains its lethal force at a distance of up to 800 m. During the war, approximately half a million copies of the PPS were produced. Rate of fire - 700 rds / min. The initial speed of the bullet is 500 m / s. For comparison: the muzzle velocity of a German MP-40 bullet is 380 m/s. Shop German submachine gun for 32 cartridges, it was recommended to fill only up to 27 pieces, because when fully loaded, the spring began to release, and this led to delays in firing. The advantage of the German design was a lower rate of fire. But effective range limited to 50-100 meters. The effective fire of the MP-40 did not actually exceed 200 meters. A steel sheet 2 mm thick was not pierced by a bullet even with close range leaving only a dent.
The quality of the weapon is also indicated by its, so to speak, “copy coefficient”. In Finland, in 1944, they adopted the M-44 submachine gun - a copy of the PPS under the 9-mm parabellum cartridge. They were produced about 10 thousand pieces, which is not so small for Finland. Finnish peacekeepers in the Sinai in 1957-1958 were armed with these submachine guns.
In Poland, PPS was produced under license, and on its basis, a WZ 43/52 sample with a wooden butt was developed in 1952. In China, it was produced at several enterprises with slight differences under the single name "sample 43", then - "Type 54". In Germany, already copied from the Finnish M-44, in 1953 it was adopted by the gendarmerie and border guards under the symbol DUX 53, later modified into DUX 59.
In Hungary, they generally tried to combine PPS and PPSh in the 53M design, which was produced in small batches, since it turned out to be not very successful.
Over six million submachine guns of various models were produced in the Soviet Union during the war years. This is four times more than in Germany.
Victor Myasnikov
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At your few requests, I continue the topic. As we all already know from my previous post. The best submachine gun at that time was PPS-43, not MP-40 or PPSh. In this topic, we will not destroy the prevailing myths - you already know him. However, everything is in order.
It is difficult to overestimate the role that machine guns have played in history. Including - in the history of our country. From the moment of their appearance in service with the Russian army to the present day, machine guns have undergone a complex evolution. Suffice it to recall that at the beginning of the twentieth century they were still considered as special remedy with a very narrow range of combat missions, and in its middle they already permeated the entire organization of troops and still remain one of the most important means of fire destruction of the enemy in close combat, have long become an integral armament of combat vehicles, aircraft and ships.
The Red Army most often dealt with these machine guns during the Second World War.
I omit the performance characteristics - they are of little interest to anyone.
1. 7.62 mm light machine gun DP-27
The light machine gun DP (Degtyarev, infantry) was adopted by the Red Army in 1927 and became one of the first samples created from scratch in the young Soviet state. The machine gun turned out to be quite successful and reliable, and as the main weapon of fire support for infantry, the platoon-company link was massively used until the end of World War II. At the end of the war, the DP machine gun and its modernized version of the DPM, created based on the experience of military operations in 1943-44, were removed from service with the Soviet Army and were widely supplied to countries and regimes "friendly" to the USSR, having noted in the wars in Korea, Vietnam and others.
The DP light machine gun is an automatic weapon with automatics based on the removal of powder gases and magazine-fed. The gas engine has a long stroke piston and a gas regulator located under the barrel. The barrel itself is quick-change, partially hidden by a protective cover and equipped with a conical removable flash hider. The return spring was located under the barrel and, with intense fire, overheated and lost elasticity, which was one of the few drawbacks of the DP machine gun.
Food was supplied from flat disk magazines - "plates", in which the cartridges were located in one layer, with bullets towards the center of the disk. This design provided a reliable supply of cartridges with a protruding rim, but it also had significant drawbacks: a large dead weight of the magazine, inconvenience in transportation, and a tendency for magazines to be damaged in combat conditions. (Why was a box magazine not used for the DP, similar to that used in the English RP Bren, also created for cartridges with a rim, although Degtyarev developed a similar power scheme for the experimental RP of 1938?) The trigger of the machine gun allowed only automatic fire. There was no conventional fuse; instead, an automatic fuse was located on the handle, which turned off when the hand covered the neck of the butt. The fire was fired from fixed folding bipods.
2. 7.62-mm machine gun "Maxim" arr. 1941. The enlarged neck of the barrel cooling casing is clearly visible - snow can now be used.
During the Second World War, Maxim heavy machine guns were in service with machine gun companies of rifle and machine gun artillery battalions, machine gun squadrons of cavalry regiments, and were mounted on armored trains and armored boats. The Maxim machine gun is a powerful automatic weapon used to destroy open group live targets and enemy fire weapons at ranges up to 1000 m. The best results were obtained by sudden fire at ranges up to 600 m.
The American engineer X. Maxim created his machine gun back in 1883. In the Russian, and then in the Red Army, a machine gun of his system of the 1910 model, created by Tula craftsmen P.P. Tretyakov and I.A. Pastukhov. They made over 200 changes to the design of the machine gun, reducing the weight of the machine gun by 5.2 kg. In 1930 and 1941, some changes were made to the design of the machine gun that improved its performance, in particular, it made it possible to fill the casing of the barrel cooling system not only with water, but also with ice and snow.
By its design, the machine gun of the Maxim system is an automatic weapon system with barrel recoil (short stroke). After the shot, the powder gases throw the barrel back, thereby turning on the reloading mechanism - it removes the cartridge from the cloth cartridge belt, sends it to the breech and simultaneously cocks the bolt. After the shot, the operation is repeated. The machine gun has a high rate of fire - 600 rounds per minute, its combat rate of fire is 250-300 rounds per minute. For firing from a machine gun, rifle cartridges with bullets mod. 1908 (light bullet) and arr. 1930 (heavy bullet).
The trigger mechanism is designed for automatic fire only and has a fuse against accidental shots.
The machine gun is fed with cartridges from a slide-type receiver with a cloth or metal tape that appeared at the end of the war with a capacity of 250 rounds.
Sights consist of a rack-mounted sight and a front sight with a rectangular top. On some machine guns, an optical sight was also installed.
The machine gun was mounted on a wheeled machine, developed by the colonel of the Russian army A.A. Sokolov. This machine provided sufficient stability of the machine gun when firing at ground targets, due to the presence of a wheel travel, it facilitated the movement of the machine gun manually when changing the firing position.
Machine gun arr. 1910 was distinguished by high reliability and non-failure action, but its weight was too large: 62-66 kg in combat position. For the maneuvering actions characteristic of the Second World War, this weight was unacceptable, therefore, for a long time, Soviet gunsmiths were developing a new easel machine gun, which ended in 1943 with the adoption by the Red Army of the Goryunov system machine gun. Nevertheless, Maxim heavy machine guns were used by the Soviet infantry until the end of World War II.
3. 7.62 mm machine gun DS-39
The easel machine gun (DS-39) is a firearm automatic weapon of the V.A. Degtyarev, developed in the USSR and adopted by the Red Army in 1939.
History of creation.
The heavy weight and technological complexity of the machine gun of the Maxim system made it necessary to work on the creation of a new, lighter and simpler machine gun. These works were carried out in the Soviet Union already from the end of the 20s. The result of them was the adoption in September 1939 of the 7.62-mm machine gun of the Degtyarev system mod. 1939. Its development was started by Vasily Alekseevich Dyagtyarev at the beginning of 1930, and already at the end of 1930 he presented the first sample for field tests. After identifying a number of shortcomings, the machine gun was sent for revision, to which only the tape feed mechanism was subjected.
In 1934, the modified machine gun was presented for field tests, which lasted from November 1934 to June 1938. During the tests, several changes were made to the design of the machine gun: the pistol grip was replaced with butt pad handles, two shooting modes were made, and the the position of the reciprocating mainspring, the finning of the barrel appeared, the universal machine I.N. Kolesnikov was replaced by a lighter machine developed by Diagtyarev. This version of the machine gun was adopted by the Red Army on September 22, 1939. The machine gun had the abbreviated designation "DS-39" (Degtyareva easel).
The manufacture of the machine gun began at the Kovrov Plant, but then moved to the Tula Arms Plant, which had previously produced easel machine guns of the 1910 model. stopped.
In total in 1940 - 1941. 10345 DS-39 machine guns were produced.
Device descriptions
Machine gun automation works by removing part of the powder gases from the bore. The barrel bore is locked when fired by breeding the lugs. The trigger mechanism allows only automatic fire in two modes - 600 and 1200 rpm, and the second firing mode was intended for firing at air targets. Switching fire modes occurs when you turn the handle of the buffer device, which is located below, on back side receiver. Slider-type tape feeder, the slider moves along a curved groove, the tape with cartridges is fed from right side(later this tape feed mechanism was used in DShK machine gun). The loading handle is located on the right side of the weapon's receiver. There are two triggers, they are located in front of each butt pad handle, they were pressed simultaneously during firing index fingers. Spent cartridges were thrown down. Its characteristic feature is the air cooling of the barrel. The diameter of the cooling ribs decreases from the gas chamber to the muzzle of the barrel along the cone. During intensive shooting, the barrel was replaced with a spare, to avoid burns to the hands when replacing it, it has a special handle. Frame type sight, with scales for firing light and heavy bullets. The tripod machine has a mechanism for precise vertical aiming.
4. 7.62 mm machine gun SG-43
The machine gun was developed by P. M. Goryunov, put into service in 1943 and began to enter the army to replace the Maxim and Degtyarev DS-39 heavy machine guns.
The Goryunov machine gun was put into service in 1943 under the name "7.62-mm machine gun of the Goryunov system, model 1943 (SG-43)". It appeared in the middle of World War II, at the most tragic time for the USSR, when machine guns were sorely lacking on the fronts. Due to its simplicity and manufacturability, it had a significant impact on the course of military operations with the power of its fire, reliability, and maneuverability. The industry quickly mastered its production, closed the gap in the armament of the army and made it possible to create a strategic stock of machine guns.
However, one should note important detail in the fate of the SG-43 machine gun. In service with the Russian army, he appeared thanks to V. A. Degtyarev, his high consciousness of civic duty.
Here is how D.N. Bolotin describes this story.
"I.V. Stalin kept the development of a new machine gun under his control. He personally knew Degtyarev, trusted him, believed in his talent and did not allow the thought that anyone could surpass him, and therefore gave instructions on the basis for the development of a new machine gun take the Degtyarev DS-30 machine gun.All forces were thrown into the development of such a machine gun.
Goryunov, together with the master V. E. Vorotnikov and his nephew, locksmith M. M. Goryunov, developed his machine gun optionally, in semi-legal conditions. In competitive tests, in which the improved Degtyarev machine gun and a number of foreign samples took part, the Goryunov machine gun turned out to be the best. This was contrary to Stalin's instructions, so at the final meeting, when he asked Degtyarev which machine gun was better, Degtyarev said that the Goryunov machine gun was simpler and more reliable than his machine gun, the industry would master it faster, and therefore the Goryunov machine gun should be adopted. So the army got an excellent weapon."
The machine gun was mounted on a Degtyarev wheeled machine or on a Sidorenko-Malinovsky machine. Both machines allowed firing at ground and air targets.
On the basis of the SG-43 machine gun, the SGT tank machine gun was developed.
During the hostilities, a number of shortcomings were revealed in the machine gun. And so the machine gun was modernized. We made the following changes: changed the design of the trigger mechanism; the shield was removed from Degtyarev's wheeled machine; introduced the Malinovsky-Sidorenko tripod machine.
The machine gun received the SGM index.
The automatic machine gun works at the expense of the energy of the powder gases discharged from the bore through the side hole.
The barrel bore is locked by turning the bolt.
The striker-type trigger mechanism allows only continuous fire.
Sights of the open type consist of a frame sight and a front sight.
The lever-type fuse, when turned on, blocks the trigger mechanism.
The machine gun is fed with cartridges from a metal belt for 250 rounds, consisting of 5 links of 50 rounds. The use of canvas tape from the Maxim machine gun is allowed.
5. 7.92 mm light machine gun ZB-26/30/37
In the early 20s. 20th century in Czechoslovakia, after gaining independence in 1919, the development of industry began at a rapid pace. In Brno for the design and production of small arms various types the company "Czechoslovenska-Zbroyovka" is created.
One of the first developments of the company was a machine gun that used belt feed, which received the designation ZB arr. 24. The machine gun was designed by Vaclav Holek in accordance with the terms of the competition for the creation of a light machine gun, held in 1924 by the Czechoslovak army. The performance characteristics of the weapons presented by Kholek turned out to be higher than the machine guns of other systems participating in the competition. The command of the Czechoslovak army decided to adopt the Holek machine gun into service, provided that the belt feed (which, by the way, worked flawlessly during the tests) was replaced with food through a box magazine mounted on the receiver. According to the military, the use of food from the store contributed to the mobility of the machine gun on the battlefield. New model machine gun received the designation "model 24", and after launching into mass production at the plant "Zbrojovka Brno" - index ZB arr. 26.
This light machine gun immediately gained popularity among the troops.
In addition to the army of Czechoslovakia, quite large batches of these machine guns were received by the armies of China, Yugoslavia and Spain. In addition, deliveries were made to 22 countries around the world. In 1930, more than perfect model- ZB arr. 30. At first glance, both machine guns were completely identical. arr. 30 was distinguished only by the production technology and some external details, in particular the presence of a gas regulator. This machine gun was adopted by the Romanian army. In 1933, testing of the ZCB-33 modification, created for the English 7.71 mm rifle cartridge, began in England. This machine gun was adopted by the British army under the name Bren.
The automatic machine gun of this modification works on the principle of removing part of the powder gases from the bore, for which a gas chamber with a regulator is located under the barrel in front of it. The barrel bore is locked by tilting the bolt in a vertical plane by means of the corresponding inclined surfaces on the bolt carrier and on the bolt. The trigger mechanism involves firing both single shots and bursts. Switching the fire mode is carried out by a flag-type translator located on the left side of the trigger guard. The translator also performs the functions of a fuse.
The machine gun has an air-cooled barrel, and to improve the cooling conditions, the barrel is equipped with ribs. It is also possible to quickly replace an overheated barrel, for which a handle is fixed on the barrel, which is also used when carrying a machine gun. A bipod or a light machine is also provided, with which you can fire at aircraft (in this case, an anti-aircraft sight is used, the rear sight of which is installed on the left side of the receiver, and the front sight on the tide of the guide tube). The regular machine gun sight provides aimed shooting at a distance of up to 1600 m. It consists of a front sight and a trailer drum, on which divisions are applied. Each division corresponds to a change in range by 100 m. Mauser rifle cartridges are used for firing from a machine gun. Cartridges are fed from a box magazine with a capacity of 20 or 30 rounds.
After the occupation of Czechoslovakia, the production of ZB-26/30 machine guns continued for the needs of the Wehrmacht. It should be noted that during the Second World War, this machine gun was widely used on both sides of the front and has established itself as a reliable and unpretentious weapon.
The SA came face to face with the ZB in 1944 during the liberation of Eastern Europe: Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, etc.
6. Here it is, the leader. 7.92-mm single machine gun MG-42. The best of the best.
MG 42 (an abbreviation from the German Maschinengewehr, which literally translates as "mechanical rifle") is a machine gun general purpose caliber 7.92 mm Mauser, developed in Nazi Germany and adopted by the Wehrmacht in 1942.
He supplemented, and in some cases replaced, the MG 34 general purpose machine gun in all branches of the German armed forces, although both machine guns continued to be made and used until the end of the war.
The MG 42 is known for its reliability, durability, simplicity and ease of use, but its main feature is its rate of fire. The MG 42 has one of the highest rates of fire for single-barreled portable machine guns - from 1200 to 1500 rounds per minute.
The new machine gun weighed only 12 kg (compare with the Maxim machine gun weighing 60 kg), allowed firing both single shots and bursts, and had a lot of advantages in its versatility. Naturally, minimal changes in the design of the machine gun when changing the field of activity were necessary. Appropriate machines were attached to different options. As light machine gun on bipods, the MG-42 made it possible to conduct a dense barrage. As an easel, it was possible to fire from prone, sitting and kneeling positions. It was even possible to mount an optical sight on it for firing at a distance of up to 2500 m. In the absence of a machine gun from the MG-42, it was possible to shoot at air and ground targets, holding it on the shoulder of the second crew number, or it could be mounted on an anti-aircraft tripod for firing at aircraft at an altitude of up to 1 km.
There were other automatic weapon designs with similar firepower. These are machine guns such as the French Darne, the Hungarian tank Gebauer, the Soviet aviation 7.62-mm ShKAS and the British Vickers K. However, the feed from the belt and the MG 42 quick-change barrel system allows for longer firing compared to the above machine guns .
Production of the MG 42 continued after the defeat of Nazi Germany. On its basis, an almost identical MG1 (MG 42/59) was created, which was then improved into MG1A3, and it, in turn, into MG 3. Also, MG 42 became a model for Swiss machine guns MG 51, SIG MG 710-3, Austrian MG 74 and for the Spanish light 5.56 mm Ameli machine gun.
Fire from MG-42, barrel change.
Any questions, I'll be happy to answer.
After World War I (1914-1918) banned the Germans from developing or manufacturing any weapons, including tanks, submarines, and but with the rise of the Nazis in the 1930s and the resurgence german army most of the restrictions under the Treaty, the authorities bypassed, starting rearmament for a new world war. By this time, German military strategists had developed the concept of a light portable multi-purpose machine gun.
Air instead of water
For some time, the MG-13 was such a solution. Introduced in 1930, it was a reimagining of the World War I Dreyse Model 1918 water-cooled machine gun modified to be air-cooled. It was fed by a 25-round magazine or a 75-round drum and was adopted by the German army as the standard machine gun. In the end, the machine gun was installed on tanks and aircraft of the Luftwaffe, but in general it turned out to be costly to manufacture and allowed firing at a speed of only 600 rounds per minute. Therefore, this model was withdrawn from service already in 1934 and sold or placed in storage.
Swiss version
The relative failure that befell the MG-13 required additional testing. The Rheinmetall-Borsig company, which has been producing weapons since 1889, in order to circumvent the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles, organized the creation of the shadow company Solothurn in neighboring Switzerland and continued to work on new air-cooling. During the First World War, machine guns, as a rule, were cooled with water, which complicated their maintenance and transportation. Tests took place from the beginning of the 1930s and soon ended with the creation of an improved model.
It was the Solothurn MG-30, created in 1930. The machine gun was used in neighboring Austria and Hungary, as well as in Germany, but the German authorities wanted to get a more convenient and portable weapon, encouraging the development of the line to continue. Soon the MG-15 was produced, which proved to be very useful as a defensive aircraft weapon and received large orders after the official adoption of the Luftwaffe.
Maschinengewehr 34
The further evolution of this line gave rise to the legendary MG-34 - a machine gun, also known as the Maschinengewehr 34, which combined best qualities all previous models, including MG-30 and MG-15. The result was so revolutionary that it became the first true single machine gun - a multi-purpose combat weapon capable of performing multiple functions without changing its basic design. The weapon engineer Vollmer was named its creator.
The new machine gun was quickly approved, and it was put into service during 1936. It was originally produced by Mauserwerke AG but soon merged with Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG and Waffenwerke Brunn. A total of 577,120 units were made between 1935 and 1945.
Main characteristics
In the basic configuration, the dimensions of the MG-34 machine gun are very impressive: its length is 1219 mm with a standard barrel of 627 mm, and its weight is 12.1 kg. It uses a unique short-stroke rotation of the sliding bolt from the recoil momentum of the muzzle recoil booster. MG-34 is a machine gun, the caliber of which was chosen specifically for the proven 7.92x57 Mauser rifle cartridge. The rate of fire of these early models was 600-1000 rounds per minute with a choice of single or automatic fire. The initial speed reached 762 m / s, which made it possible to hit a target at distances up to 1200 m. This distance could be increased using a specially designed machine tool for using the weapon as a heavy machine gun. The sight is standard, with a step of 100 m to 2000 m.
Ergonomic design
The MG-34 has a linear design in which the shoulder support and the barrel are on the same imaginary line. This is done in order to provide more stable shooting, but not only. The stock is an ergonomic extension on the back of the box, while the box itself is slightly humpbacked, with a thin profile. The feed and ejection ports are easily visible from the front and the handle is lowered in the usual way. In front of the box is a perforated casing, covering the barrel inside it. There is a conical flame arrester on the muzzle. When used as an infantry support weapon, a folding bipod is attached under the casing, which is extended at the junction. A machine gun of this length requires frontal support, especially when the shooter is in the prone position.
air cooling
Weapons of this type have one drawback - dependence on the natural circulating around the barrel during firing. Therefore, the barrel is placed inside a perforated casing to allow such cooling to take place, but this solution does not allow for sustained fire, which is essential for support or suppression weapons. Short controlled bursts were the rule for such machine guns. The barrel had to be changed every 250 shots, and its total service life was 6,000 shots. To facilitate its change, German engineers provided for the possibility of unlocking the receiver and "turning" it out of the casing. The shooter accessed the barrel inside the casing through the open back of the assembly and could remove it for replacement. Then a new cold barrel was inserted, and the fire resumed as usual.
Shooting modes
The fire is opened by pressing the trigger, which consists of two parts. The upper section is marked with the letter E (Einzelfeuer) and is responsible for single shots, and the lower one is marked with the letter D (Dauerfeuer) and is designed for automatic fire. Thus, the fighter can control the supply of ammunition and the heating of the barrel.
ammunition supply
The nutrition of the MG-34 was also given special attention. When stationary, the weapon is typically fed by a 50-round round drum or a 75-round saddle-type double drum (a legacy of the MG-15 design). To ease the load when used as a portable support weapon, a 50-round belt was used. If necessary, it could be combined with other tapes up to a full charge of 250 rounds. However, the use of tape loads the mechanism and reduces the rate of fire.
Machine gun crew
After the MG-34 was tested in practice, they were armed with various parts of the German army - from special forces to the infantry. One machine gun served the calculation, which consisted of at least two people. One fired and carried weapons in combat, while the other was in charge of ammunition, assisted with belts and handled delays. If necessary, additional team members could help them - carry additional trunks, machine tools or additional ammunition.
Handyman
Structurally, the MG-34 machine gun is so tactically flexible that it quickly took over all possible combat functions. But its main purpose was to support the infantry. For this, the machine gun was equipped with a bipod, and the soldiers used 50-round tapes. The rate of fire has always been strong point weapons, but shooters preferred single shots or very short bursts for greater accuracy.
A high rate of fire was necessary when the MG-34 machine gun (the photo is in the review) served as an anti-aircraft gun to destroy low-flying enemy aircraft. For this, a machine with an anti-aircraft rack, front and rear sights of an anti-aircraft sight were attached.
The heavy machine gun MG-34 (see photo in the article) was attached to the Lafette 34 for continuous fire. This assembly included a built-in buffer mechanism that stabilized it during firing. In addition, an optical sight was installed on the receiver for better tracking and hitting a target at a distance.
MG-34 is a machine gun, the device of which allows it to be quickly disassembled in the field, which makes it possible to clean, lubricate and repair it in a short time. The precise mechanics of the device could be damaged by any debris on the battlefield, which is why it was so important to follow a strict maintenance regimen in order to clear the weapon of anything that could potentially cause it to stop at the most inopportune moment.
Fatal perfectionism
Another drawback of the MG-34 was the general problem of all pre-war firearms A: Manufactured to high quality standards that require a lot of time, cost and effort. This led to the fact that the MG-34 combat machine gun was constantly in short supply throughout the war, since everyone needed it. German services on all fronts. In the end, five factories were forced to manufacture it, and additional resources, time and energy were spent on creating additions to fulfill their various functions. good weapon turned out to be too gentle in the harsh military conditions, which led to the development of a simplified version - the equally legendary 1942 MG-42.
Modifications
MG-34 is a machine gun, work on the improvement of which was also carried out during the war. The MG-34m featured a heavy casing, as it was intended to be used as an anti-personnel weapon, mounted on many German armored vehicles. The prototype MG-34s and its final version MG-34/41 received shortened barrels (about 560 mm) to increase the rate of fire in the role and fired only automatic fire. The MG-34/41 was supposed to replace the MG-34, but this did not happen due to the emergence of the effective MG-42 series. The MG-34/41 was never officially adopted, although it was produced in some numbers.
MG-34 Panzerlauf served as a tank machine gun. These models used a heavier casing with far fewer holes. The stock was removed for a more compact profile in the limited space inside German armored vehicles. Nevertheless, a conversion kit was carried on board, which made it possible to quickly turn the Panzerlauf into a ground light machine gun in case vehicle would have to refuse. The set includes a bipod, stock and scope.
One of the latest modifications of the MG-34 is the MG-81 machine gun, a defensive anti-aircraft weapon that replaced the obsolete MG-15. The MG-81Z (Zwilling) became an offshoot of this line, essentially connecting two MG-34s with a common launcher. The design was changed in such a way as to allow the machine gun to be fed from both sides. Its rate of fire reached an impressive 2800-3200 rounds per minute. Production of this series was limited, as MG-34s were more needed in other areas.
Despite the fact that the MG-34/42 machine gun appeared in 1942, the production of the MG-34 did not stop until the end of the war in Europe in May 1945. Although the MG-42 was intended to replace the MG-34 as a front-line weapon, it and failed to achieve its fairly high performance and eventually played the role of complementing the classic design of the 1930s.
Worldwide recognition
The German machine gun MG-34 was used not only by Germany and not only during World War II. Its counterparts quickly spread throughout the world. Among the countries whose armies adopted it are Algeria, Angola, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Finland, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Israel, Korea, North Vietnam, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Türkiye. The machine gun was used during (1946-1950), the Arab-Israeli conflict (1948), the Korean War (1950-1953), in Vietnam (1955-1975). Until now, it can be found in remote places where this legendary weapon still comes into battle.
On May 17, 1718, James Puckle patented his gun, which became the prototype of the machine gun. Since that time, military engineering has come a long way, but machine guns are still one of the most formidable weapons.
"Pakla's gun"
Attempts to increase the rate of fire of firearms were made repeatedly, but before the advent of a unitary cartridge, they failed due to the complexity and unreliability of the design, the extremely high cost of production and the need to have trained soldiers whose skills would go far beyond the automatic manipulations with a gun.
One of the many experimental designs was the so-called "Pakla gun". The weapon was a rifle mounted on a tripod with a cylinder with 11 charges acting as a magazine. The calculation of the gun consisted of several people. With coordinated actions of the calculation and the absence of misfires, a rate of fire of up to 9-10 rounds per minute was theoretically achieved. This system was supposed to be used at short distances in naval combat, but due to the unreliability of this weapon, this weapon was not widely used. This system illustrates the desire to increase firepower rifle fire by increasing the rate of fire.
Machine gun "Lewis"
The Lewis light machine gun was developed in the United States by Samuel McClen, and was used as a light machine gun and aircraft during the First World War. Despite the impressive weight, the weapon turned out to be quite successful - the machine gun and its modifications were kept for quite a long time in Britain and its colonies, as well as the USSR.
In our country, Lewis machine guns were used until the Great Patriotic War and are visible on the chronicle of the parade on November 7, 1941. In domestic feature films this weapon is relatively rare, but the frequent imitation of the Lewis machine gun in the form of a "camouflaged DP-27" is very common. A genuine Lewis machine gun is captured, for example, in the film "White Sun of the Desert" (with the exception of shooting shots).
Machine gun "Hotchkiss"
During the First World War, the Hotchkiss machine gun became the main machine gun of the French army. Only in 1917, with the spread of light machine guns, did its production decline.
In total, the easel "Hotchkiss" was in service in 20 countries. In France and a number of other countries, these weapons were kept during the Second World War. Limited "Hotchkiss" was delivered before the First World War and to Russia, where a significant part of these machine guns was lost during the East Prussian operation in the first months of the war. In domestic feature films, the Hotchkiss machine gun can be seen in the film adaptation of The Quiet Flows the Don, which shows the Cossacks attacking German positions, which from a historical point of view may not be typical, but acceptable.
Maxim machine gun
Maxim's machine gun went down in history Russian Empire and the USSR, remaining officially in service much longer than in other countries. Along with the three-line rifle and revolver, it is strongly associated with the weapons of the first half of the 20th century.
He served from the Russian-Japanese to the Great Patriotic War inclusive. Powerful and distinguished by a high rate of fire and accuracy of fire, the machine gun had a number of modifications in the USSR and was used as an easel, anti-aircraft and aviation machine gun. The main disadvantages of the easel version of "Maxim" were excessively large mass and water cooling of the barrel. Only in 1943 was the Goryunov machine gun adopted, which by the end of the war began to gradually replace the Maxim. In the initial period of the war, the production of "Maxims" not only did not decrease, but, on the contrary, increased and, in addition to Tula, was deployed in Izhevsk and Kovrov.
Since 1942, machine guns have been produced only with a receiver for canvas tape. Production legendary weapons was discontinued in our country only in the victorious 1945.
MG-34
The German machine gun MG-34 has a very difficult history of adoption, but, nevertheless, this model can be called one of the first single machine guns. The MG-34 could be used as a light machine gun, or as an easel machine gun on a tripod machine, as well as as an anti-aircraft and tank gun.
A small mass gave the weapon high maneuverability, which, combined with a high rate of fire, made it one of the best infantry machine guns of the beginning of World War II. Later, even with the adoption of the MG-42, Germany did not abandon the production of the MG-34; this machine gun is still in service with a number of countries.
DP-27
From the beginning of the 30s, the Degtyarev system light machine gun began to enter service with the Red Army, which until the mid-40s became the main light machine gun of the Red Army. The first combat use of the DP-27 is most likely associated with the conflict on the CER in 1929.
The machine gun proved itself well during the fighting in Spain, on Khasan and Khalkhin Gol. However, by the time the Great Patriotic War began, the Degtyarev machine gun was already inferior in a number of parameters such as mass and magazine capacity to a number of newer and more advanced models.
During operation, a number of shortcomings were also identified - a small magazine capacity (47 rounds) and an unfortunate location under the barrel of a return spring, which was deformed from frequent firing. During the war, some work was carried out to eliminate these shortcomings. In particular, the survivability of the weapon was increased by moving the return spring to the rear of the receiver, although the general principle of operation of this sample has not changed. The new machine gun (DPM) since 1945 began to enter the troops. On the basis of the machine gun, a very successful DT tank machine gun was created, which became the main Soviet tank machine gun Great Patriotic War.
Breda machine gun 30
One of the first places in terms of the number of shortcomings among mass-produced samples can be given to the Italian Breda machine gun, which, perhaps, has collected their maximum number.
Firstly, an unsuccessful store and only 20 rounds, which is clearly not enough for a machine gun. Secondly, each cartridge must be lubricated with oil from a special oiler. Dirt, dust gets in and the weapon instantly fails. One can only guess how it was possible to fight with such a "miracle" in the sands of North Africa.
But even at sub-zero temperatures, the machine gun also does not work. The system was distinguished by great complexity in production and a low rate of fire for a light machine gun. To top it off, there is no handle for carrying the machine gun. However, this system was the main machine gun of the Italian army in World War II.
By the end of 1941, the role of automatic weapons both in parts of the Wehrmacht and in the Red Army increased significantly. In close combat, especially in settlements and trenches, a submachine gun was more convenient than a rifle and a carbine. The high density of fire of this weapon provided him with a clear advantage over magazine and self-loading rifles.
At the beginning of 1942, the MP-38 and MP-40 submachine guns began to enter the infantry armament in large numbers in the German army. If at the beginning of the war German infantry armed mainly with Mauser rifles and carbines, and only tank crews were armed with submachine guns, landing units and commanders of rifle platoons (in total, at the beginning of the war, the Germans had only 8772 MP-38s), then a year later their number in the German army increased fivefold. During the course of the war, submachine guns began to be used to solve various problems.
Simplicity and reliability, high mobility, a large portable supply of ammunition finally secured the primacy of the MP-38 over other types of melee weapons. The high demand for troops automatic weapons, as well as the developed tactics for using this type of weapon in close combat conditions, led to the emergence of a more modernized MP-38, which received the designation MP-40.
Already in the spring of 1940, the German company Erfurter Maschinenfabrik (ERMA) began production of the MP-40. German designers managed to develop a submachine gun, distinguished by its simple design, high strength and high survivability of the automation system, as well as ease of maintenance in the field. At the beginning of the 40th year, by order of the General Staff ground forces Nazi Germany, new models were adopted for arming the infantry of the Wehrmacht (from fourteen to sixteen MP-40s in infantry company), cavalry, automobile, tank units and reconnaissance and sabotage units, as well as staff officers. MP-40 has become one of the most common types of German small arms.
By the beginning of the war, the Soviet units were armed with submachine guns PPD-40 and PPSh-41. However, their number was extremely limited. When they entered the troops, they fell primarily into the hands of the foremen of the companies and adjutants of the highest command staff. PPD-40 was difficult to manufacture and had low combat qualities. PPSh, in turn, had fairly good tactical and technical data. It was manufactured according to the most advanced technology of stamping and welding structures at that time and could be produced by any enterprise.
However, a large mass (PPD - 5.4 kg, PPSh - more than 5.3 kg, and with full ammunition, the weight of these submachine guns could be 9 kg) and a significant length due to the wooden stock (PPD - 788 mm, PPSh - 842 mm ) made it difficult to use in the landing, tank, sapper and reconnaissance units.
The test results and the combat use of captured MP-38 and MP-40 assault rifles by reconnaissance and sabotage groups prompted the Main Artillery Directorate of the Red Army at the beginning of the 42nd year to announce a competition for the development of a more modern submachine gun chambered for a standard 7.62 × 25 mm pistol cartridge.
The main requirements for the new product were compactness, improved tactical and technical characteristics compared to PPD and PPSh, ease of production, reduction in labor costs in the manufacture of components and parts, and reduction in their cost.
The main requirements of the competition were the mass of the future submachine gun (without a magazine it should not exceed 3 kg). The length with the butt was set no more than 750 mm, and with the butt folded - 600 mm. The supply of cartridges was supposed to be carried out from a box-type magazine.
By mid-February 1942, several dozen experimental barrels were already ready for field tests. These were the designs of both well-known designers and novice gunsmiths, including front-line soldiers - students and employees of the Artillery Academy, as well as employees of the Scientific Research Range small arms(NIP SVO).
Despite the originality of individual systems, in all projects there was a tendency to "bind" to the design of the German MP-38/40. All the samples submitted for testing, in one way or another, repeated the principle of operation, the general layout, the supply of cartridges from a box magazine, the folding metal butt of submachine guns of German designers.
From the end of February to the beginning of March 1942, competitive tests were carried out at the NIP SVO. Of all the samples submitted, only seven submachine guns were selected for further testing. These were two samples of famous designers Degtyarev (PPD-42) and Shpagin (PPSh-2), four samples of young developers Bezruchko-Vysotsky, Menshikov, Zaitsev (two models differed mainly only in the design of the butt) and one sample of the collective creativity of army craftsmen.
The PPD-42 and the Bezruchko-Vysotsky submachine gun were recognized as the best of those tested. At the same time, the development of the latter had the best manufacturability. When assembling it, spot and seam welding, cold stamping were used. However, despite the originality, the features of the MP-40 were visible in the design of Bezruchko-Vysotsky: the barrel did not have a solid safety cover, a bracket-stop for firing from the side or through the loopholes of armored vehicles, a stock that folded down, safety cutouts of the receiver, a flip rear sight at a distance 100 meters and 200 meters, a cylindrical bolt, the cocking handle of which was located on the left, a pistol grip for controlling fire, a method of locking the bore with a “roll-out” of the bolt, a method of connecting the receiver and trigger boxes, a box magazine. True, the latter, thanks to the bottle shape of the cartridge case 7.62 × 25, was a curved "sector" shape, like the PPD and PPSh-41.
The control samples during the tests were the German MP-40 and the Soviet PPSh-41. The PPD-42 and the Bezruchko-Vysotsky submachine gun were equal in accuracy and accuracy of fire to the MP-40, but inferior to the PPSh-41. In terms of reliability, the Bezruchko-Vysotsky submachine gun was inferior to PPD-42 and control samples.
In addition, during intensive shooting, the short protective casing of the barrel did not completely protect the shooter's hands from burns. During the tests, Bezruchko-Vysotsky did not succeed in completely eliminating the causes of delays in firing.
At the direction of the head of the NIP SVO, military engineer A.I. Sudaev. However, instead of helping Bezruchko-Vysotsky, a month later he submitted his sample for testing. Despite the similarity of the layout of his submachine gun with the Bezruchko-Vysotsky submachine gun, there were differences: Sudayev simplified the design of the receiver, improved its manufacturability, the barrel was completely covered with a casing to protect the shooter's hands from burns. The shutter also underwent changes, in which the hole for the guide rod of the return-action spring was made with an offset to the left, and the guide rod itself simultaneously acted as a reflector of the spent cartridge case. The safety box that locks the bolt in the forward and cocked position was located next to trigger guard. A frame-type muzzle brake-compensator was installed on the front of the barrel casing, as a result of which the accuracy of fire increased. The metal butt folded over the receiver. The shutter handle was located on the right side. Thanks to the elongated receiver, the rate of fire of the submachine gun was 700-600 rds / min. (for PPD and PPSh, the rate of fire was about 1000 rds / min.), Which allowed the shooter to save cartridges and by briefly pressing the trigger to fire single shots.
A prototype of Sudayev's design was tested on April 4, 1942. After two weeks of factory tests, it was handed over with a positive response to field tests, which took place from April 26 to May 12, 1942. Samples were tested by V.A. Degtyareva, S.A. Korovina, N. G. Rukavishnikova, I.K. Bezruchko-Vysotsky, A.S. Ogorodnikova, A.A. Zaitseva, A.I. Sudayev. The most compact and easy to handle were the samples of Sudayev, as well as Bezruchko-Vysotsky, who presented a modernized model of a submachine gun for competitive testing. On which a muzzle brake-compensator was installed, like in PPS, which increased the accuracy of fire. To reduce weight, the bracket-stop was removed from the barrel. At the bottom of the bolt, to the left of the cartridge rammer, a longitudinal groove was made, in which an elongated guide rod of a return-combat spring was placed, which served as a reflector for a spent cartridge case. The cocking handle was located on the right. A fuse was placed along it in a milled groove in the form of a bar moving perpendicular to the receiver (similar in design to the fuse of the PPSh submachine gun).
According to their results, the sample of Bezruchko-Vysotsky did not pass the tests due to the low reliability of the automation and delays in firing. Based on the results of the tests, the commission concluded that prototype submachine gun Sudaev completely withstood the special program of the competition and has no other competitors.
In terms of combat and tactical and technical data, the PPS surpassed the PPSh-41, so it was decided to urgently send the PPS into mass production. In addition, Sudayev was recommended to reduce the dimensions of the barrel casing for more convenient use of PPS in combat vehicles. To increase the strength of the receiver and improve the stability of the PPS when firing, increase the mass of the weapon by using thicker steel sheets for the manufacture of the receiver (2 mm instead of 1.5 mm). To reduce the rate of fire - increase the length of the shutter stroke, to prevent the spent cartridges from touching the wall of the receiver window during extraction - increase its length, provide for the placement of a ramrod. By the end of testing submachine guns Sudaev and Bezruchko-Vysotsky G.S. Shpagin finished refining his PPSh-2, which did not pass the first tests of submachine guns. In this regard, the GAU leadership decided to conduct comparative tests of PPS and PPSh-2. These tests took place from 17 to 21 July 1942. Based on the test results, the commission determined that the PPS surpasses the PPSh-2 in terms of reliability of firing in conditions of heavy pollution, accuracy of fire, ease of firing, wear, action in trenches, dugouts, when moving to the battlefield and other combat characteristics. Since the PPS turned out to be the best of all the samples developed by the summer of 1942, a week after the completion of the competitive tests, it was recommended by the USSR State Defense Committee for serial production.
It was completed with 6 stores, which were placed in two pouches. There were also accessories for cleaning and lubricating weapons. In terms of the simplicity of the device, compactness, convenience and high reliability when operating in difficult conditions, the PPS significantly exceeded the standard PPD and PPSh.
The total weight of the PPS with full ammunition (210 rounds in six stores) was 6.82 kg. A fairly small mass of weapons provided machine gunners with good maneuverability in battle. At the same time, the initial speed and lethal range of the bullet, as well as the practical rate of fire, were the same with the PPSh.
The teaching staff was also distinguished by high production and economic characteristics. The design of the submachine gun allowed the production of 50% of the parts by cold stamping, as well as the use of spot and electric arc welding. Compared to PPSh-41, the production of PPS required only 6.2 kg of metal and 2.7 machine-hours, which is 2 and 3 times less than for the Shpagin submachine gun (respectively 13.9 kg and 8.1 machine hours).
The Soviet state needed in large numbers similar weapons, and therefore, by the decision of the GKO, already in December 1942, the defense enterprises of besieged Leningrad, including the Sestroretsk Tool Plant named after S.P. Voskov, the plant named after A.A. Kulakov and the plant (artel) "Primus". At the end of December 1942, Sudayev was sent to the plant named after A. A. Kulakov to organize the release of his teaching staff. Despite the difficulties in organizing production, the bombing and shelling of the city, the lack of the required number of machine tools, tools and equipment, 187912 PPS were produced from February 1943 to December 1944.
In January 1943, the artillery department finally approved the technical documentation for the production of PPS-42. The Moscow plant named after V. D. Kalmykov became the main enterprise for the development of technical documentation and the submachine gun itself. Engineers and technologists of the plant constantly made improvements to its design, working out both individual units and entire assemblies, and refined the technical documentation. In less than two years, they made “918 various changes and additions, 413 of which were introduced into production as of March 15, 1944. There were 21 major design changes made to the drawings.” During the production of PPS and its operation in parts, some design flaws were revealed. The result was further changes made to PPS-42 both by the author and by engineers and technologists of manufacturing plants. They were aimed at improving the functioning of weapons in any, including the most difficult conditions, on the non-failure operation and improvement of manufacturing technology.
So, in the course of hostilities using PPS, such a drawback appeared as delays in firing caused by incomplete sending of the next cartridge into the chamber due to contamination of the latter with powder soot. The reason for this was a relatively light shutter for this type of weapon (with inertial locking of the bore). So, the PPSh shutter had a weight greater than that of the PPS, by about 200 g, and without problems sent a cartridge even into a smoked barrel chamber. Sudayev solved this problem in his own way. Together with the technologists of the Leningrad plant named after A. A. Kulakov, he decided to increase the diameter of the chamber by 0.01 mm. It would seem a negligible change in the size of the chamber, but it had a great effect, reducing the number of delays to 0.03%, which was 20 times less than the norm allowed by the specifications. In addition, instead of a hole for the guide rod of the reciprocating mainspring, Sudayev made a longitudinal milled groove on the bolt, like the second model of the Bezruchko-Vysotsky submachine gun, which simplified the manufacture of the bolt. Also, in the modernized version, the bolt box was strengthened by using 2 mm steel sheet instead of 1.5 mm for its manufacture, the mass of the bolt was reduced to 550 g, the shape of the fuse was changed, a stop was introduced into the design of the guide rod of the reciprocating mainspring, which simplified the assembly and disassembly of the weapon, the length of the weapon was somewhat reduced.
By a decree of the GKO dated May 20, 1943, the modernized model was given the name “7.62-mm submachine gun designed by Sudayev mod. 1943 (PPS-43)". From the same year, this weapon became known as a machine gun. This submachine gun has become truly the most best weapon this class. Already in the middle of 1943 at the Moscow Machine-Building Plant named after V.D. Kalmykov daily produced up to 1000 units of PPS-43. In total, from October 1942 to July 1, 1945, the plant produced 531,359 copies of the teaching staff. In total, in 1942-1945, 765373 PPS-42 and PPS-43 were sent to the army.
Automation PPS-43 worked on the basis of the use of free shutter recoil energy. The barrel bore was locked by the mass of the shutter, preloaded by a reciprocating mainspring.
Shooting was carried out "from the rear sear" - this was the most common design of automatic submachine guns. The shutter had a striker fixed in the shutter cup.
A feature of the PPS device in comparison with PPD and PPSh was the eccentric placement of a reciprocating mainspring with a guide rod, the front part of which simultaneously served as a reflector for a spent cartridge case, as well as a pistol fire control handle. The fire mode was only automatic, but with a smooth pull on the trigger, it was also possible to conduct a single fire. PPS-43 was equipped with a non-automatic fuse. The fuse provided locking the bolt in the forward and cocked position. The exceptional simplicity of the design ensured the high reliability of the submachine gun. The PPS was equipped with a folding metal butt, which, for ease of carrying, folded over the receiver. In the combat position, the butt leaned back. The front of the receiver was a casing that served to protect the barrel from damage and the shooter's hands from burns when firing. Holes were made on the casing to cool the barrel. A muzzle brake-compensator was welded to the front of the casing, due to which the accuracy of fire was increased.
Fire from PPS was fired in short bursts of 3-6 shots, long bursts of 15-20 shots and continuous fire. An open-type sight with a swiveling whole was designed for firing at 100 m and 200 m. The best results in short bursts were possible at a distance of up to 200 m, and in long bursts up to 100 m. The lethal force of the bullet was maintained up to 800 meters. The high initial speed ensured good flatness of the trajectory. The long sighting line and acceptable stability of the PPS ensured good accuracy and accuracy of fire.
The stability of the PPS during firing was ensured by a recoil force compensator, a folding butt, and also a small mass of the shutter. Reduce the mass of the shutter to 550 gr. allowed the use of his "roll-out": the shot occurred when the shutter had not yet reached its final forward position. The neck of the trigger box with an inserted magazine was used as an additional handle and provided the convenience of holding the weapon. By efficiency combat use it was 1.5 times superior to MP-38/40 and 1.3 times PPSh.
In addition to undeniable advantages, PPP had some disadvantages. For example, an insufficiently reliable fuse. Even a slight wear on the cutout for the bolt handle or the figured cutout of the fuse led to its spontaneous shutdown. The short butt increased the effect of accommodation, which made it difficult to aim at the maximum range even at dusk. Sudayev's submachine gun was capricious when dirt got inside the receiver and the lubricant thickened, resulting in delays in firing. It was convenient to cock the shutter only with the right hand. He was also not fit to hand-to-hand combat. IN Soviet army Sudayev's submachine gun was in service until the mid-1950s. During the Second World War, the PPS design was repeated by gunsmiths in other countries.
In 1944, the Finns adopted an almost exact copy of the PPS-43 under the name "9-mm Suomi M.1944 submachine gun" - under the 9 × 19 Parabellum pistol cartridge, with magazines from Suomi ML 931 submachine guns ( box-shaped with a capacity of 20 and 40 rounds and disk for 71 rounds). It differs from PPS only in the store receiver, which allowed the installation of a disk store. At the end of the 40s, the PPS was produced under license in Poland in two versions: with a folding metal butt wz.43 - for the Airborne Forces, tank crews, signalmen and others - and a wooden butt wz.43 / 52. In the 50s, PPS began to be produced in China under the name "type 43". It was widely used by North Korean troops and Chinese volunteers in the Korean War (1950–1953). In 1953, in Germany, the DUX-53 submachine gun, which was an exact copy of the Finnish Suomi M.1944, was adopted by the gendarmerie and border guards. After minor modernization in 1959 under the symbol DUX-59 submachine gun before the adoption of the MP-5 submachine gun was in service law enforcement and border guards.
