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PPSh-41

Pistolet-Pulemyot Shpagina

smgVarious Soviet factories · 1941–1950

OVERVIEW

High-rate Soviet submachine gun produced in very large wartime numbers.

HISTORIAN'S COMMENTARY

Before the Storm

Introduced between 1941 and 1950, PPSh-41 was built by Various Soviet factories for Soviet Union forces as a smg for total war armies.

In the Field

Chambered in 7.62x25mm Tokarev and operating by blowback, open bolt, it offered an effective reach of about 200 meters. Crews could sustain roughly 900 rounds per minute in trained hands, carried in a 3.63 kg frame with a 71-round magazine.

Historian's Note

In practice it thrived in alleys, trenches, and ruined interiors where seconds decided survival. Historians usually remember this type for the shock of close-range fire volume and morale impact.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber7.62x25mm Tokarev
ActionBlowback, open bolt
Rate of Fire900 rpm
Muzzle Velocity488 m/s
Effective Range200 m
Magazine71 rounds
Weight3.63 kg
Length843 mm

DEVELOPMENT

The PPSh-41 was designed as a simple stamped-and-machined submachine gun to scale quickly after early Soviet losses in 1941. Its design favored robust operation in mud, snow, and rough field conditions.

COMBAT HISTORY

It became one of the defining close-range weapons of the Eastern Front, especially in urban and assault fighting. High volume fire at short range made it effective for shock actions and trench clearing.

NOTABLE USES

  • [01]Soviet assault groups in Stalingrad. - PPSh-41 was used here in squad-level engagements where handling and immediate fire effect mattered.
  • [02]Infantry actions in Kursk and later offensives. - This theater exposed how ammunition load, reliability, and training shaped real battlefield outcomes.
  • [03]Urban combat and close-range winter operations. - Field reports from this context show why smg doctrine evolved during the war.

CONTINUE RESEARCH

Battle Context

  • Stalingrad

    Urban attrition and close-range combat platforms linked to the Stalingrad campaigns.

  • Kursk

    Armor-centric systems associated with one of history’s largest tank battles.

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