The PPSH-41

By Ernst Schafer and Max Schmidt

“Делать сложное очень просто, а вот делать простое очень сложно.”
“To make it complex is of course easy, but to simplify is the ultimate complexity”

History and Design

The PPSH-41 was designed in 1940 by Georgy Shpagin as a cheaper and more simplified alternative to the PPD series of submachine guns. The PPD-40 was, in turn, partially a Soviet copy based on the concept of the Suomi KP-31 that the Soviets encountered fighting the Finnish during the Winter War. The genius of the PPSH comes from the fact that it was much easier and faster to produce than previous designs due to the extensive use of stamped instead of milled metal. Early production PPSHs featured ladder sights similar to those found on the Mosin Nagant 91/30. These had an aimed range of 500m while the more common flip-type rear sight had a maximum aimed range of 200m.

The PPSH is an open bolt blowback operated submachine gun. It has a floating bolt, typically with a fiber, wood, or bakelite buffer for the bolt. Rate of fire was 1,000 rounds per minute with two fire modes; semi-auto and full-auto. There is a crude compensator built into the end of the barrel as well as a safety on the bolt that allows the gun to be rendered safe in the open or closed position. The effective range was 100-200 meters with a muzzle velocity of about 500m/s. The PPSH was chambered in 7.62x25mm Tokarev and utilized 71 round drum magazines and, later, 35 round double stack stick magazines. The PPSH was relatively heavy, weighing in at about 12 lbs with a loaded drum and about 8 lbs base weight.

Production

The PPSH-41 was, and still is, one of the most produced submachine guns in the world. Between 1941-1947 approximately 6 million were produced in various factories across the Soviet Union. After production ceased in 1947 replacement parts were still made until 1955. When production began in 1941 it was initially produced in smaller numbers due to the outbreak of war. The Germans’ rapid advance into the Soviet Union forced many factories to be relocated deeper into Soviet territory. Eventually, the PPSH entered full production beginning in about December 1941. By the end of the year, only 38,000 units had been produced. This was reversed in 1942 with 1,519,000 units produced. Production peaked in 1943 with 1,767,000 units produced. After 1943, production numbers slowly dropped off due to the introduction of Alexei Sudayev’s PPS-43. The PPSH was produced in tandem with the PPS but as the war progressed more factories dropped production of the PPSH in favor of the PPS. At its peak, 13 factories were producing PPSHs.

This ability to produce massive quantities of guns was due in part to the ease of production of the PPSH. Being made out of mostly stamped metal made it incredibly fast and easy to produce. This also allowed it to be produced with relatively unskilled labor and in factories that had previously produced products utilizing stamped metal. Throughout the war the Soviets found ways to cut production time down increasingly more as well as use their resources more effectively. Eventually, production was cut down to 7.3 hours, then again to 5.6 at peak production. One way of saving resources was using old 91/30 barrels, cutting them in half thereby making two barrels for PPSHs. During production, PPSHs were typically produced and issued with two drums that were fitted to that specific gun. Tolerances/quality for drums is generally lax and it can be difficult to find drums that fit in the modern day. It usually takes some effort and experimentation to find drums that fit well. The same is true of the box mags, those have issues of their own.

Photos above courtesy of Battle Order on YouTube

Factory	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947
Factory No.367 NKV (Zagorsk /Vyatskie Polyany)	23,538*	531,630*	642,949*	555,003*	287,629*	16,579*	440*
ZIS factory (Moscow)	10,000	510,000	629,000	658,000	224,000	-	-
Factory No.43 NKAP (Moscow)	-	57,000	95,500	135,000	56,000	-	-
"Iskra" factory of the Moscow city council	-	43,000	83,000	95,000	-	-	-
Factory No.113 NKSS (Gorkiy)	-	32,500	49,000	-	-	-	-
Car factory (Yaroslavl)	-	28,500	-	-	-	-	-
Factory No.828 NKMV (Moscow)	4,000	171,500	149,500	-	-	-	-
Arsenal No.3 (Tbilisi)	-	14,600	6,000	-	-	-	-
Locomotive-vagon repair factory NKPS (Tbilisi)	-	11,000	38,000	12,000	-	-	-
Instrumental factory NKMP (Tbilisi)	-	23,000	43,000	12,000	-	-	-
Factory in the name of F.Dzerzhinsky NKNP (Baky)	-	16,800	31,500	15,000	-	-	-
Factory No.182 NKSP	500	11,000	-	-	-	-	-
Factory No.2 NKV (Kovrov)	-	38,000	-	-	-	-	-
Factory No.385 (Zlatoust)	-	31,800	-	-	-	-	-
Factory No. 619 NKEP	100	-	-	-	-	-	-
Machinegun factory (Tehran, Iran)	-	-	214	9,586	-	-	-

Planned numbers for PPSH-41 production. 1941-1945 date provided by the State

Committee of Defense Resolutions. *- actual produced quantity

Variations

There were many factors that went into the variations seen in PPSHs throughout the war such as factory, year a specific gun was produced, etc. As mentioned previously, some earlier variants had rear ladder sights instead of flip type sights. There are variations among those as well with earlier and later patterns. The same can be said for forward sights, many earlier production guns had removable front sights while later productions had non-removable front sights. The list of variations goes on as improvements were made due to feedback from use in the field or need for simplification. One variation of note can be commonly found on the lower housing. As time progressed, reinforcements were added, the most pronounced being the added “winged” reinforcement commonly found on mid-postwar production PPSHs.

Early Ladder Type Rear Sight

Left: Late pattern flip sight Right: Early pattern flip sight

Left: Early pattern detachable front sight hood Right: Late pattern non-detachable front sight hood

Left: Early pattern lower housing, 1941-44 production, Middle: Lower housing with enforcement overlays, 1942-44 production, Right: Lower housing with “winged” reinforcement, 1943-47 production

Left: Earlier pattern bolt handle, Right: Later pattern bolt handle

Originally the PPSH-41 went into service with a 71 round drum magazine, this gave soldiers an advantage in terms of available firepower but came somewhat at a cost. These drums were known to sometimes have reliability issues and they were decently complex to manufacture, causing somewhat of a bottleneck in production. There were few modifications made to the drum on future variants, a good way to determine when the magazine was manufactured is to check the amount of rings on the front of the mag (see photos below). In January 1942 stick magazines were accepted into service, they would begin to see widespread use in 1943. These were more reliable and easier to produce than the drum magazine. These magazines held 35 rounds and can be identified by the the ribbing on the side. If possible try to get magazines that have the ribbing (see photo below) on the side as these were predominantly used throughout WWII, whereas the flat ones only see use at the end of the war and postwar. Before purchasing magazines for reenacting please make sure you are aware of local/state/federal laws and conform to them.

Issuance and Use

Due to low production numbers in 1941, mass quantities of PPSHs weren’t seen in combat until mid/late 1942 to early 1943. Keeping in mind that the Red Army consisted of 5 million men already in service in 1941, nearly 600,000 units produced by the end of 1942 can only supply a fraction of the men in the Red Army. Initially, PPSHs were issued to maybe 1-2 men per squad. As production rose, that number increased. By the end of the war, there was a good mix of PPSHs, PPSs, SVTs, etc alongside the standard Mosin. The PPSH was perfect for close to mid-range combat and its high fire rate gave the Soviets an incredible advantage over the Germans. This was proved time and time again, especially in urban fighting such as Stalingrad, Berlin, and other urban settings.

As the Second World War raged on, no other nation would grow to put greater value on the submachine gun than the Soviet Union. In mid 1942 about 6% of men in a Soviet infantry battalion were equipped with submachine guns. In early 1944 that number increased to 25%, greater than any other military at the time. Soviet doctrine would evolve to have entire battalions organized around the use of submachine guns. The simplicity of the PPSH-41 and eventually the PPS-43 allowed the Soviets to produce massive numbers of submachine guns, equipping regular enlisted men with the PPSH-41 whereas in other militaries submachine guns were reserved for NCOs and officers.

During 1942 the Soviets would implement a regimental submachine gun company, consisting of 3 SMG platoons with 3 SMG squads per platoon. Its job was to support the main force of the regiment during an attack or form the regimental reserve. However, it could be deployed as the regimental commander saw fit, either as a company or separate platoons. Later, in mid 1943, the Soviet Rifle Company would convert one of their rifle platoons into a submachine gun platoon, these men would all likely be equipped with the PPSH-41. These platoons on the offensive would be used to attack weak points at the edge of the enemy’s line. If the enemy had no weak point in their line, the platoon would split into their respective squads and cover gaps between the rifle platoons and flanks in the line. On the defensive these platoons would form the second echelon, defending the company HQ and rear from flanks or infiltrators. At night the submachine gun platoons would be brought up to the first echelon of the defense to take advantage of the low visibility, as well as compensate for it.

What to Expect as a Reenactor

As previously mentioned, magazines can be very finicky and tiresome to work with. Due to United States gun laws it can also be difficult or illegal to acquire either. Make sure you are aware of local/state/federal laws and conform to them. Drums are much more available in the states than box magazines, especially wartime box magazines with “ribs”. Postwar box magazines do not have “ribs”. Generally, if you can get your hands on it then more power to you. Many PPSHs had their production dates and factory stamps defaced on the upper receiver prior to importation to the states. Through knowledge of variation details and smaller surviving factory stamps the approximate production year can be deduced. For reenacting purposes, PPSHs are going to need to be blank adapted to function and for safety. Make sure you are aware of local, state, and federal firearms laws and how they affect you. Parts kits become available from time to time and can be purchased for conversion into BFONGs (Blank Fire Only Non-Guns).

PPSHs used in a reenactment setting.

Teardown and Maintenance

Teardown of the PPSH is relatively simple. There are essentially two main pieces: 1. The receiver and 2. The bolt. To take the bolt out simply press the receiver cap forward and push down on the barrel. This will separate the upper and lower receiver giving access to the bolt. Take the bolt out and separate it from the spring and buffer. Clean the inside of the receiver, the bolt and spring. Make sure to not only oil but use gun lube as well. A submachine gun has considerably more wear on it due to the high fire rate and metal on metal contact. The lube is a better buffer than oil, prevents increased wear, and helps the parts move smoother. To reload the drum magazine follow these steps: First, press down on the button on the back of the drum then release the arm on the front of the drum. Second, remove the face the drum magazine and grab the center piece inside the drum and twist it until you hear four clicks. Third, load the 71 rounds into the magazine and then press the button on the back releasing the tension on the follower. Lastly, put the face back on the drum, press the button on the back and slide the arm on the front back into its original position.

Sources:

Baum, J. A. (2017). Russian PPSh Operator Infantry Weapon Regulations. (D. Goldovt-Ryzhenkov, Trans.). John A. Baum.

Egorov, B. (2021, November 7). Why is this WWII submachine gun on every Red Army Monument? Russia Beyond. Retrieved February 25, 2023, from https://www.rbth.com/history/329701-why-is-this-wwii-submachine-good

PPSH-41 submachine gun. m9130.info. (2020). Retrieved February 25, 2023, from https://www.m9130.info/ppsh-41-submachine-gun

Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, December 5). Georgy Shpagin. Wikipedia. Retrieved February 25, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgy_Shpagin

МАТВЕЕВ, Подполковник Е. “Боевые Приемы Танкистов.” Броне-сайт. Accessed March 10, 2023. http://armor.kiev.ua/Battle/WWII/tactik/

“Company of Submachine Gunners.” ВОЕННАЯ ЛИТЕРАТУРА –[ уставы и законы ]– боевой устав пехоты Красной Армии (1942). часть 2. Accessed March 10, 2023. http://militera.lib.ru/regulations/russr/1942_bup/11.html.