Submachine gun of the Shpagin system: Drumroll of the Red Army. PPD: the first Soviet submachine gun Handicraft and semi-handicraft models

Submachine gun PPD-34 / PPD-34/38 (USSR)

Machine gunner Galya Maksimova with a PPD-34 submachine gun, winter 1942

The design of submachine guns in the USSR began in the mid-1920s. On October 27, 1925, the Red Army Armaments Commission substantiated the need to arm junior and middle command personnel with submachine guns, and on December 28, 1926, the Artillery Committee of the Red Army Artillery Directorate approved the technical conditions for the manufacture of the first submachine guns. On July 7, 1928, the Artillery Committee proposed to adopt the 7.63 × 25 mm Mauser cartridge for pistols and submachine guns, which was used by the German Mauser C-96 self-loading pistol, which was quite popular in the USSR. This cartridge had sufficiently high combat qualities, but in addition, the use of this cartridge made it possible to produce barrels for 7.62-mm submachine guns and rifles on the same equipment, use existing equipment and even defective blanks for rifle "three-line" barrels. The reliability of the supply of cartridges from the magazine to the chamber was increased by the bottle shape of the sleeve.

At the end of 1929, by a decree of the Revolutionary Military Council, the submachine gun will be introduced into the weapon system of the Red Army in the near future. The submachine guns were rated as "powerful close combat automatic weapons". By decision of the Revolutionary Military Council, the main weapon of the infantry was to be a modern self-loading rifle, and a submachine gun as an auxiliary. In the same 1929, an experimental submachine gun designed by Degtyarev under a 7.62 mm cartridge was created. The cartridge itself was the same 7.63 × 25 Mauser cartridge with minor changes and received the designation 7.62 × 25. By design, the Degtyarev submachine gun had a significant resemblance to his own light machine gun - a bolt with divergent lugs and a disk magazine located flat on top. The commission headed by division commander V.F. Grushetsky at the Scientific Testing Weapons Range tested self-loading pistols and experimental submachine guns for new cartridges in June-July 1930. None of the presented samples was adopted, however, these tests helped to finally determine the requirements for a new type of weapon.

The next version of the Degtyarev submachine gun was created in 1931. It had a semi-free shutter, like the previous version, but the slowing down of the shutter retreat was carried out not by the redistribution of energy between its two parts, but by the increased friction that occurred between the cocking handle and the bevel in front of the cutout under it in the receiver. The handle fell into this cutout after the shutter arrived in the extreme forward position. The shutter at this moment turned to the right at a small angle. This option received a round-section receiver, which was distinguished by greater manufacturability. In 1932, Degtyarev created a simplified version with a blowback. In 1932-1933. 14 samples of 7.62-mm submachine guns were developed and passed field tests. Among them were improved Tokarev, Degtyarev and Korovin submachine guns, as well as new Prilutsky and Kolesnikov. The designs of Degtyarev and Tokarev turned out to be the most successful, but the Degtyarev model was somewhat more technologically advanced and had a relatively low rate of fire, more suitable for this type of weapon.

On January 23, 1935, after debugging the sample, in which, in addition to Degtyarev, designers P.E. Ivanov, G.F. Kubynov and G.G. Markov, the submachine gun was approved by the GAU for the production of an experimental batch of 30 copies. On July 9, 1935, the model was adopted by the Red Army under the name "7.62-mm submachine gun of the 1934 model of the Degtyarev system" or PPD-34. In the same year, the production of a submachine gun was started at Kovrov Plant No. 2. Due to the low manufacturability and lack of development of the sample itself in mass production and the then prevailing notions that the submachine gun was predominantly a "police" weapon, the release was carried out only in small batches , and the Degtyarev submachine gun itself entered service mainly with the command staff of the Red Army as a replacement for revolvers and self-loading pistols. In 1934, Kovrov Plant No. 2 produced 44 copies of PPD-34, in 1935 - 23, in 1936 - 911, in 1937 - 1291, in 1938 - 1115, in 1939 - 1700. That is, in general, a little more than 5000 pieces.

In 1935-1937. the PPD-34 submachine gun was subjected to extended military tests, which revealed a number of shortcomings. As a result, in 1938-1939. PPD-34 has been upgraded. At the attachment point of the store, the stock was reinforced by introducing a metal guide neck welded to the bar with its latch, which increased the reliability of its adjoining. Stores began to be made interchangeable. We also strengthened the mount of the sight. After these improvements, the weapon received the name "submachine gun of the 1934/38 model. Degtyarev's systems. At the same time, given the experience of using submachine guns in such armed conflicts as the Chaco war and Civil War in Spain, showing the increased role of submachine guns in modern hostilities, the Artillery Committee indicated that: “... it is necessary to introduce a submachine gun into service with certain categories of fighters of the Red Army, the NKVD border guard, machine gun and gun crews, some specialists, airborne troops, car drivers etc."

However, during the increase in the production of PPD, the excessive complexity of its design and manufacturing technology, as well as its high cost, was revealed. At the same time, it was supposed to carry out: "... the development of a new type of automatic weapon for a pistol cartridge should be continued for a possible replacement of the outdated PPD design." By order of the Art Administration on February 10, 1939, the PPD was removed from production program 1939. The copies available in the Red Army were concentrated in warehouses for better preservation in the event of a military conflict, and the samples in storage were instructed to "provide the appropriate amount of ammunition" and "keep in order." Some of these weapons were used to arm the border and escort troops. Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940 ( winter war) became a new stage in the development of submachine guns in the USSR. The Finns were armed in relatively small quantities with a very successful Suomi M / 31 submachine gun designed by A. Lahti.

But despite the lack of numbers, the enemy very skillfully used these weapons in the difficult conditions of fighting on the Mannerheim Line, which made a great impression on the rank and file and command personnel of the Red Army. It was during the war with Finland in the USSR that the mass production of submachine guns was launched and work was intensified on the creation of new models of it. The Degtyarev submachine guns, stored in warehouses and in service with the border guards, were urgently transferred to the units fighting in Finland. A month after the start of the war, at the end of December 1939, at the direction of the Main Military Council, the production of PPD was launched again, and on January 6, 1940, by a decision of the Defense Committee, the improved PPD was again adopted by the Red Army. But in mass production, one PPD with a set of spare parts and accessories cost 900 rubles in 1939 prices, despite the fact that light machine gun DP with spare parts cost 1150 rubles. As a result, during the deployment of mass production, some changes were made to the design of these weapons, aimed at technological simplification, reduction in cost and acceleration of production. The designation "arr. 1934/38" retained, however, the modernized sample was already a different weapon, since its design was thoroughly redesigned, and the sample itself was even different in appearance.

The changes made to the design include the shape of the ventilation holes in the barrel casing and their number - 15 long instead of 55 short, a striker fixed in the bolt cup instead of a separate drummer on the axis, a receiver made of a tubular billet instead of a milled one. early models, simplified, made up of stamped parts, simplified fuse, simplified leaf spring ejector, trigger guard instead of milled from a single piece, simplified stock. However, practical use has shown that a simplified version of the bolt with a fixed striker is unreliable and allows delays in firing, as a result of which a separate striker was reintroduced from April 1, 1940. In addition to the 25-round sector magazine, a 73-round disk magazine was introduced.

The disk store was very similar in design to the Finnish Suomi store, but with one important difference - the Soviet submachine gun has a long solid wooden box that houses the store neck, while the Suomi box only reached the store, which was inserted directly into the gate box connector. As a result, the Degtyarev submachine gun store has a protruding neck at the top for the possibility of adjoining a receiver designed for a box magazine. A special flexible pusher served to supply the last 6 rounds from the magazine to the process. This design sometimes allowed jamming when feeding cartridges, which was eliminated only when the magazine was removed from the weapon. But in the conditions of hostilities, even in this form, the modernized weapon was adopted as a temporary measure. A more capacious store made it possible to use the weapon in combined arms combat to repel an enemy attack at close range, creating a high density of fire on it. The above shortcomings were eliminated by Degtyarev together with a number of other designers in February 1940. The new weapon was designated PPD-40.

Automation PPD works according to the scheme with a free shutter. The trigger mechanism allows firing bursts and single shots from an open bolt. Switching between fire modes was carried out using the rotary flag of the fire mode translator, located in front of the trigger guard on the right. The barrel is closed with a round steel casing, a wooden stock. On samples of 1934 and 1934/38. the stock is one-piece, for the 1940 model it is split. Cartridges are fed from box-shaped curved magazines with a double-row arrangement of cartridges or drum magazines with a capacity of 71 cartridges. Drum magazines for PPD-34 and PPD-34/38 had a protruding neck, with which the magazines were inserted into the receiver. Degtyarev submachine guns had a sector sight, which allowed them to fire at a distance of up to 500 meters. There was a manual safety on the cocking handle that blocked the bolt in the forward or rear position.

Specifications PPD-34/38

Caliber: 7.62×25

Weapon length: 777 mm

Barrel length: 273 mm

Weight without cartridges: 3.75 kg.

Rate of fire: 800 rds / min

Magazine capacity: 25 or 71

Submachine guns

Adopted by the Red Army.

The Degtyarev submachine gun was a fairly typical representative of the first generation of this type of weapon. It was used in the Soviet-Finnish war, as well as at the initial stage of the Great Patriotic War.

History of creation and production

After a series of unsuccessful experiments using the 7.62 × 38 mm Nagant cartridge, on July 7, 1928, the Artillery Committee proposed adopting the 7.63 × 25 mm Mauser cartridge for pistols and submachine guns, which was used in the popular Mauser C96 pistol in the USSR. In favor of choosing this cartridge, in addition to its high combat qualities, it was said that the production of 7.62-mm barrels of both pistols and submachine guns could be carried out on the same technological equipment, and unification along the bore with the Mosin rifle allowed the use of existing equipment and even defective blanks of rifle "three-line" barrels. In addition, the bottle shape of the sleeve increased the reliability of feeding from the magazine.

At the end of 1929, the Revolutionary Military Council decided that the submachine gun, rated by him as "powerful automatic melee weapon", will be introduced into the weapon system of the Red Army in the near future. The main weapon of the Soviet infantry, according to the decision of the Revolutionary Military Council, was to be a modern self-loading rifle, and an auxiliary submachine gun along with it. In the same 1929, an experienced 7.62 mm Degtyarev submachine gun.

In June-July 1930, a commission headed by division commander V.F. Grushetsky conducted tests of self-loading pistols and experimental submachine guns for new cartridges (the so-called "Competition of 1930"). The results of these tests were generally unsatisfactory, so that none of the samples submitted to it was accepted for service. Nevertheless, its implementation helped to finally determine the requirements for a new type of weapon.

In 1931, the next version of the Degtyarev submachine gun appeared, with a semi-free shutter of a different type, in which the slowdown of the shutter retreat was achieved not by redistributing energy between its two parts, but due to the increased friction that occurs between the cocking handle of the shutter and the bevel in the front of the cutout under it in the receiver, in which the handle fell after the shutter arrived in the extremely forward position, while the shutter itself turned to the right at a small angle. This sample had a round receiver, more technologically advanced, and the barrel was almost completely covered with wooden lining (instead of a casing).

Finally, in 1932, an even more simplified version appeared, this time with a free shutter. In 1932-1933, a total of 14 samples of 7.62-mm submachine guns were developed and passed field tests, including converted Tokarev, Degtyarev and Korovin submachine guns, as well as newly developed Prilutsky and Kolesnikova. The systems of Degtyarev and Tokarev were recognized as the most successful, but the PPD turned out to be a little more technologically advanced and had a relatively low rate of fire beneficial for this type of weapon.

After revision, in which, in addition to Degtyarev, designers participated G. F. Kubynov, P. E. Ivanov and G. G. Markov, On January 23, 1935, it was approved by the GAU as a model for the manufacture of an experimental batch (30 copies), and on July 9, it was adopted by the Red Army under the name "7.62-mm submachine gun of the 1934 model of the Degtyarev system (PPD)". In the same year, production began on Kovrov Plant No. 2(named after K. O. Kirkizh).

Most military experts of that time, both in the USSR and abroad, considered the submachine gun as a "police", and when used by the army - a purely auxiliary weapon. In accordance with these ideas, and also due to the rather low manufacturability and lack of development of the sample itself in mass production, it was initially produced in small batches and entered service mainly with the command staff of the Red Army as a replacement for revolvers and self-loading pistols (the rank and file at about the same time began to re-equip with another type automatic weapons, - automatic and self-loading rifles). In 1934 Kovrov Plant No. 2 made 44 copies of the PPD, in 1935 - only 23, in 1936 - 911, in 1937 - 1,291, in 1938 - 1,115, in 1939 - 1,700, in total - a little more 5,000 copies.

As can be seen from the scale of production, the Degtyarev submachine gun in the first years of its production was still essentially prototype, which worked out methods for the production and use of new weapons by the troops. In 1935-37, the PPD underwent extended military tests, which revealed a number of shortcomings, and as a result, in 1938-39, the weapon was modernized, receiving the designation "submachine gun model 1934/38. Degtyarev systems". It is also sometimes referred to as "2nd sample", and the sample of 1934 - "1st Sample".

Meanwhile, when trying to increase the production of PPD, it turned out that it was quite complex structurally and technologically, which prevented the establishment of its mass production.

By order of the Art Administration on February 10, 1939, the PPD was removed from the production program of 1939, orders to factories for its production were canceled, and the copies available in the Red Army were concentrated in warehouses for better preservation in case of a military conflict, and the submachine guns in storage prescribed “provide[s] with an appropriate amount of ammunition” and "keep in order"(ibid.). A certain amount of PPD was used to arm the border and escort troops, sometimes there are even reports that their insignificant production was kept for these purposes.

The attitude towards submachine guns changed dramatically during the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940. Impressed by the actions of Finnish submachine gunners armed with Suomi submachine guns, the command of the Red Army not only used all PPD-34 and Fedorov assault rifles made back in the 1920s, but also organized the delivery of submachine guns that the border guards had to the front by planes. The production of submachine guns was transferred to three-shift work with the full use of all equipment.

Improving the design of weapons continued. On February 15, 1940, Degtyarev presented a modernized sample of the PPD, developed with the participation of the designers of the Kovrov plant S. N. Kalygin, P. E. Ivanov, N. N. Lopukhovsky, E. K. Aleksandrovich and V. A. Vvedensky.

This variant was approved for production on February 21, 1940 by the Defense Committee under the Council of People's Commissars and put into service as "Submachine gun of the 1940 model of the Degtyarev system". Its release began in March of the same year. In total, 81,118 PPDs were produced in 1940, which made its 1940 modification the most massive. The army received significant quantities of this type of weapon.

PPD was produced at the beginning of World War II, but already at the end of 1941 it was replaced by a more advanced, reliable and much more technologically advanced Shpagin submachine gun, the development of which was started in parallel with the deployment of the mass production of PPD, in 1940. PPSh was originally designed for the possibility of production at any industrial enterprise with low-power press equipment, which turned out to be very useful during the Great Patriotic War.

Meanwhile, the production of PPD in the initial period of the war was temporarily restored in Leningrad for Sestroretsk Tool Plant named after S. P. Voskov and, from December 1941, factory them. A. A. Kulakova. In addition, on Kovrov plant in the experimental workshop, about 5,000 more PPDs were manually assembled from the available parts. In total, in 1941-1942, 42,870 PPDs were manufactured in Leningrad - the so-called "blockade release", "blockade", they went into service with the troops of the Leningrad and Karelian fronts.

Subsequently, on the same production facilities production of a more advanced and technologically advanced Sudaev submachine gun was carried out.

Variants and modifications

Design and principle of operation

The submachine gun operates on the basis of automatic blowback. The barrel bore is locked by the mass of the bolt spring-loaded by a return spring. Shooting is carried out from the rear sear. The trigger mechanism provides single and continuous fire. To switch the fire mode, the trigger mechanism has an appropriate translator, made in the form of a flag located in front of the trigger guard. On one side of the flag is a number "one" or inscription "one"- for single shooting, on the other - the number "71" or inscription "cont."- for shooting with automatic fire.

Submachine gun Degtyarev - 80 years. Part 2

Above: ski battalion fighters in camouflage suits and with PPD-34/38 submachine guns (with a drum magazine) and PPSh.

New Discussions

At this time, the first divisions of submachine gunners, including ski ones, were created in the troops. This experience was very useful already in the initial period of the Great Patriotic War. By the way, in the Red Army at that time a shorter name was assigned to the submachine gun - “automatic” (it lasted until the end of the 1940s, when the submachine gun under an intermediate cartridge entered service), and the fighters armed with it began to be called “submachine gunners” .

A remarkable discussion took place on April 26, 1940, at a meeting of the commission of the Main Military Council of the Red Army to summarize the experience of the Finnish campaign, dedicated to the small arms system. People's Commissar of Defense K.E. Voroshilov pointed out: “I must tell you that we shot at 22 ° frost from Suomi, and he shot well, but our PPD did not shoot ... So there is some kind of defect and it’s not just about lubrication, but maybe be a patron or some other thing. Since we are now switching to it, it would be necessary to eliminate all these shortcomings. This is a mass weapon, and we are arming the department with it.” People's Commissar for Armaments B.L. Vannikov objected: “I think that this pistol [submachine gun], which we are now producing, will meet our requirements. I have another fact, when [I] was in the 13th Army and when several Suomi machine guns were taken from the Finns, we tried to shoot from the Suomi, and it did not fire.

One could consider this an ordinary dispute between the customer and the industry, but Vannikov was supported by the division commander M.P., a participant in the battles. Kirponos: “I believe that our machine gun is excellent, it should not be abandoned, but only the tide should be abandoned” (apparently, the neck of the drum magazine was meant). Voroshilov drew a line: “You can write it down: leave it in service. To ask Comrade Vannikov and his people to take all measures to ensure that all the causes that affect his work in winter conditions are eliminated and to ensure that the PPD works flawlessly in various meteorological conditions, up to a temperature of +/-40 °

Lubrication must be special and be sure to give a description. PPD should be interchangeable with both stores and parts. In the decision of the meeting, an entry appeared: "... To instruct the Small Arms Directorate, together with the NKV, to eliminate all defects in the RPM adopted for service, ensuring its operation at temperatures of minus 50 ° and plus 70 °."

In the memoirs of P. Shilov, who was a reconnaissance officer of the 17th separate ski battalion in the Finnish campaign, an episode of one battle is described: they fired at the Finns to the last bullet.

A pouch with a drum (“disk”) magazine with a capacity of 71 rounds.

PPD 1940

Speaking about the submachine gun, "which we are now releasing," People's Commissar Vannikov had in mind a new modification of the PPD. February 15, 1940 V.A. Degtyarev presented a modernized model, created with the participation of designers S.N. Kalygina, P.E. Ivanova, N.N. Lopukhovsky, E.K. Aleksandrovich and V.A. Vvedensky. This sample had the following main differences:

- the receiving neck of the weapon was replaced with a receiver, respectively, the magazine neck was eliminated, and its capacity was reduced to 71 cartridges: the design of the magazine returned, in fact, to the "Finnish". The work of the shop feeder has become more reliable. The mass of an empty store was 1.1 kg, fully equipped -1.8 kg; [ 2 The “dead weight” of the drum magazine was really too big.] - accordingly, the front and rear stops of the magazine were installed on the receiver (the back stop is combined with the magazine latch), the stock was split, with a separate forearm - a “stock extension” in front of the magazine;

- the shutter was equipped with a fixed striker.

On February 21, 1940, the Defense Committee approved these changes, and in early March they were introduced into production. This is how the "7.62-mm submachine gun of the Degtyarev system model 1940 (PPD-40)" appeared. He could have an open front sight or with a fuse-namushnikom. The flag of the translator received new designations: "1" - for a single fire and "71" - for automatic. A leather shock absorber ring was inserted into the butt plate of the receiver.

In the meantime, during the first quarter of 1940, the production of PPD was concentrated in the indicated separate workshop of plant No. 2, and the manufacture of the main parts was carried out on production lines. They also organized an assembly and testing workshop, in which submachine guns were assembled on four conveyors with a given rhythm of movement - one of the results of the introduction of mass production technologies into arms production and domestic engineering in general, carried out in the second half of the 1930s.

Tests of a submachine gun with a fixed bolt head showed a large percentage of delays or accidents - due to misfires or premature shots. Specialists of the Red Army Small Arms Department insisted on returning to the previous drummer scheme, and from April 1, 1940, the PPD-40 variant with the same separate drummer and striker went into production. In total, 81118 submachine guns were produced in 1940, so the PPD-40 became the fourth and most massive serial modification submachine gun Degtyarev. PPD-40 showed generally good reliability, was well balanced and easy to learn by fighters.

7.62-mm submachine gun model 1940 (PPD-40) manufactured in 1940. Sight - sector, front sight - without fuse.

Gate.

A submachine gun with a detached magazine.

Barrel shroud, front sight (without fuse) and forearm (extension).

Receiver and sight. The stamp of INZ No. 2 is clearly visible.

Incomplete disassembly of the PPD-40 submachine gun.

About one legend

The massive appearance of PPD in the troops at the end of the Soviet-Finnish war and the adoption of the PPD-40 with a magazine for 71 rounds contributed to the formation of another legend, as if the PPD was copied from the Suomi. The legend turned out to be persistent and is found even in contemporary literature. Not to mention the previously described story creation of COIN, consider the design of these samples. Both had automatics based on free-bolt recoil, were arranged according to the "carbine" scheme, with a wooden stock and a cylindrical barrel casing, equipped with a striker-type percussion mechanism with a shot from the rear sear, sector sights. Individual parts were made using lathes.

The similarity was clearly determined by the prototype - the German MP.18, which served as the basis for many submachine guns of the interwar period. Meanwhile, at PPD, the translator and fuse were separate, while at Suomi they were combined. The reloading handle at the PPD was rigidly connected to the bolt, at the Suomi it was separate and remained motionless during firing. The trunk of the "Suomi" is quickly replaced. Finally, the PPD had neither a compensator, like the Suomi, nor, moreover, a pneumatic retarder for the rate of fire. So PPD and Suomi were " distant relatives". But the PPD drum magazine was indeed copied from the drum magazine of the I. Koskinen system to the Suomi submachine gun [ 3 It is worth mentioning that box magazines with a capacity of 20 and 50 rounds and a drum magazine for 40 rounds were also accepted for Suomi. The relatively large magazine capacity and the ability to have a large portable ammunition load were among the main advantages of submachine guns.].

As for the captured "Suomi", they were used later, and not only in the army: sometimes they "played a role" ... PPD in Soviet films ("A guy from our city" 1942, "Actress" 1943, "Invasion » 1945).

Fighters with PPD-40 submachine guns at the parade on May 1, 1941 in Moscow. Pay attention to the original way of holding submachine guns.

One of the postage stamps of the last pre-war series dedicated to the Red Army and the Red Army Fleet and issued in February 1941 depicts fighters with PPD-40 passing in parade (artist F. Kozlov).

Trophy "Suomi" was used during the Great Patriotic War. In the photo - Captain B.M. Garanin with submachine gun m/1931 "Suomi".

To replace PPD

In 1940, a change in attitude towards the submachine gun manifested itself. This can be seen in the weapons literature of that time [ 4 Suffice it to recall a thorough analysis of the design features and combat use of submachine guns in the works of such prominent specialists as V.G. Fedorov ("Evolution small arms", 1939) and A. A. Blagonravov ("The material part of small arms", "Foundations for the design of automatic weapons", 1940). At the same time, V.G. Fedorov called the submachine gun "an underestimated weapon."], and on the decisions made by the military leadership. On the same day, April 26, 1940, when the commission of the Main Military Council considered the system of small arms of the Red Army, the Main Military Council decided to approve "organizations and states rifle division wartime of 17,000 personnel”, providing for 1436 submachine guns in the division. The commission headed by the head of the ABTU commander of the 2nd rank D.G. Pavlov on April 25 suggested: “For each combat vehicle, have a PPD and 15 hand grenades ... Arm the drivers of armored vehicles, communication vehicles, command and passenger vehicles with a PPD.”

The submachine gun was still considered an auxiliary weapon, but the degree of saturation of the troops with it increased. Characteristic is the indication in the speech of the Inspector General of the Infantry, Lieutenant General A.K. Smirnov at a meeting of the top leadership of the Red Army in December 1940, that "when our [rifle] department was divided into two units," they would include "both automatic rifles and submachine guns." At the same famous meeting, the head of the Combat Training Directorate of the Red Army, Lieutenant-General V.N. Kurdyumov counted on an offensive battle (assuming the offensive of the Soviet rifle corps on the defense of the German infantry division): “Our advancing corps will have in the first attacking echelon: 72 platoons, 2880 - bayonets, 288 light machine guns, 576 - PPD ... On average, 1 km of the front will be attacking 2888 people against 78 people of defense; machine guns and submachine guns -100 against 26 ... "

On May 1, 1940, the stocks of the Red Army had 6,075,000 rifles, 25,000 submachine guns and 948,000 pistols and revolvers. At a meeting of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks on June 4, 1940, the question “On the organization of the production of PPD submachine guns” was specially considered. Plans to increase the number of submachine guns required a more reliable and, most importantly, more technologically advanced and cheaper design. Then it was possible to expect that the submachine gun as a military weapon would play its main role - cheap and quick decision problems of "increasing the power of infantry fire" in combat at close range and replacing some of the carbines and pistols in special forces.

Reducing the processing time, metal consumption and cost could be achieved through the widespread use of all the same mass production technologies - replacing metal cutting with pressure treatment (hot stamping, cold pressing without subsequent machining), the introduction of precision casting, electric welding.

A new sample was created in G.S. Kovrov. Shpagin and presented for factory testing on August 20, 1940. Based on the results of field tests, it was indicated that the Shpagin submachine gun "has advantages over PPD in terms of reliability of automation in various operating conditions, in simplicity of design and in a slight improvement in accuracy of fire." By the Decree of the Defense Committee under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of December 21, 1940, the “7.62-mm submachine gun mod. 1941, PPSh (Shpagin submachine gun)."

The PPSh drum magazine was "inherited" from the PPD-40. It gave certain advantages, but a weapon with such a magazine was bulky and inconvenient when crawling. The equipment of the drum magazine turned out to be much more complicated than the box magazine, the feeder spring quickly weakened, the magazine had to be equipped with fewer rounds; carrying spare drum magazines was less convenient than box magazines. In addition, the drum magazine was significantly more difficult to manufacture. Already in 1942, for submachine guns, in addition to the drum magazine, they adopted a box magazine for 35 rounds.

PPD-40 at the fighter of anti-tank artillery crew.

A PPD-40 sample found in Belarus without a butt, bolt, receiver butt plate, sight.

SS soldiers inspect captured PPD-40 and PPSh.

PPD in the Great Patriotic War

The place of submachine guns in the new system of small arms of the Red Army, which was formed in 1939-1941, can be judged from the plan for military orders of the People's Commissariats of Defense, Navy and Internal Affairs for 1941 (Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks) dated February 7, 1941): “... For land weapons ... Rifles in total - 1,800,000 Including self-loading mod. 40 - 1,100,000 ... 7.62mm Shpagin submachine guns - 200,000 ... ".

At the last pre-war May Day parade in 1941, a unit of fighters armed with PPD-40 passed through Red Square. By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, two types of submachine gun (“automatic”) were in service with the Red Army - PPSh and PPD, and the latter was already being discontinued.

According to state No. 04/400, introduced on April 5, 1941, a rifle division for 14,500 personnel was to have 10,240 rifles and 1,204 submachine guns. The rifle company in the state had 27 submachine guns, 104 SVT rifles, 11 repeating rifles mod. 1891/30 and 9 magazine carbines arr. 1938; each rifle squad was supposed to have two RPMs.

At first, it was not possible to realistically withstand such norms for saturating rifle troops with individual automatic weapons. So, in the 5th and 6th armies of the Kyiv Special Military District in June 1941, rifle divisions had submachine guns from 20% to 55% of the state. This, coupled with heavy losses during the retreat in the first months of the war, forced us to reconsider the states. So, the staff number 04/600 dated July 29, 1941 already assumed 10,859 personnel, 8341 rifles and 171 submachine guns.

The problem, apparently, was not only in the number of submachine guns, but also in their distribution. In any case, on October 21, 1941, the head of the Main Armored Directorate, Lieutenant General Ya.N. Fedorenko wrote to I.V. Stalin as People's Commissar of Defense: “I report that automatic weapons PPD and PPSh, intended for troops, in practice, in most cases, are not in troops engaged in direct combat, but in the rear of divisions, armies and fronts. Moreover, in such institutions as: the tribunal, the prosecutor's office, special departments and political departments, most of the command staff are armed with these automatic weapons. If earlier submachine guns were considered as weapons for the command staff and part of the fighters of auxiliary specialties, now their role has changed. New principles for the use of groups of submachine gunners in combat were taking shape. In the same October 1941, they found an organizational basis: a company of submachine gunners was introduced into the staff of a rifle regiment.

The most massive submachine gun during the war was destined to become a more technological PPSh. A typical example. The draft order of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command on the formation of the 1st and 2nd Guards Rifle Corps (signed on December 31, 1941) indicated that in each Guards Rifle Division there should have been “PPD - 875”, in each regiment - a company of submachine gunners (“ 100 PPD per company”), I.V. Stalin personally replaced the PPD with the PPSh, the production of which was expanding at that time.

Political instructor of the militia detachment of the Moscow Komsomol B.F. Sukhov with a PPD-40 submachine gun.

Fighters of the ski battalion, armed with PPD-40 (in the foreground) and SVT rifles, near Moscow. Winter 1942

An interesting combination of weapons. In the hands of the marines - a submachine gun PPD-40, sniper rifle arr. 1891/30 and self-loading rifle SVT-40.

Fighters special company Lieutenant P.N. Muratikov Regiment of the UNKVD of Moscow, which operated in April-May 1942 in the Kirov direction. The group is armed with carbines, PPSh submachine guns, PPD-34/38 and PPD-40 (in the background).

Partisan ambush. In the foreground is a fighter with a hand grenade and a PPD-34/38 submachine gun with a drum magazine.

Commander of the Pinsk partisan brigade M.I. Gerasimov with his staff. In the photo you can see PPSh submachine guns (from the commander), PPD-40, as well as captured German MP.40 and Austrian MP.34 (o) Steyr-Solothurn.

Scout in a mask suit with PPD-40 (version with a sector sight). The period of fighting near Moscow, December 1941

Scouts of the 181st special reconnaissance and sabotage detachment Northern Fleet Sergeant V.E. Kashutin and V.N. Leonov, armed with a SVT-40 self-loading rifle and a PPD-34/38 submachine gun.

In this photo, both the scouts and the fighter accompanying them are armed with PPD-40s.

The young reconnaissance fighter Vova Yegorov armed himself with a standard set - a submachine gun and a hand grenade.

PPD continued to be actively used both in the troops at the front and in partisan and sabotage detachments. Here, for example, is an excerpt from the diary of the commissar of the reconnaissance and sabotage detachment, lieutenant of state security V.N. Babakina: “6.X1.41… On the Makarovo-Vysokinichi road they found a large horse-drawn convoy… They attacked two lagging carts. Kuzmichev threw a grenade on the road, they killed a horse and a driver, two shot back. Kuzmin and Verchenko killed two more with a PPD shot, they threw bottles of fuel into one cart ... ". The certificate of the work of the special school of the NKVD Directorate for Moscow and the Moscow Region for the period from September 1941 to September 1942 stated: “In the light of the changed tasks performed by partisan sabotage and destruction detachments behind enemy lines, the list of their weapons has also changed. The number of machine guns-pistols PPSh, PPD has been increased in the armament of the detachments (from 3 to 8 pieces per detachment).

The enemy also appreciated the Soviet submachine guns. Trophy PPD arr. 1934/38 were adopted in the Wehrmacht among the “weapons of a limited standard” under the designation MP.716 (g), arr. 1940 - MP.715 (g), but PPSh - MP.717 (g) turned out to be more popular .

In the initial period of the war, the production of PPD was restored, but not in Kovrov, but in Leningrad. On the basis of the equipment of the Sestroretsk Tool Plant im. S.P. Voskov launched the production of PPD-40, which was carried out almost manually. In December 1941, when the city was already surrounded, the Electromechanical Plant named after V.I. A.A. Kulakov No. 209: the troops defending the city needed automatic weapons, and its delivery from the outside was difficult. They also did PPD at the part of the production of the evacuated artillery plant No. 7 that remained in Leningrad.

At the end of December 1941, all three factories produced 10813 PPDs (according to the certificate of the 5th department of the Artillery Committee of the Main Artillery Directorate). Of these, the Leningrad section of the plant named after S.P. Voskova handed over 4150 submachine guns by December 25. According to a note by a member of the Military Council of the Leningrad Front A.A. Zhdanov to the chairman of the GKO I.V. Stalin on January 7, 1942, "... in six months, the industry of Leningrad manufactured and handed over to the Red Army ... 10,600 PPD assault rifles." In total in 1941-1942. Leningraders, in the most severe conditions, manufactured 42870 PPD-40s, which were used in the troops of the Leningrad and Karelian fronts.

Young workers of the branch of the Sestroretsk Tool Plant named after. Voskova Nina Nikolaeva and Valya Volkova at the assembly of PPD submachine guns (with a folding sight).

Control foreman of the branch of the Sestroretsk Tool Plant named after V.I. Voskova S.V. Pivovarov inspects the assembled PPD submachine gun.

Ahead is a grenade, behind it is a fighter with a machine gun. Submachine gunners Arkhipov, Tolvinsky and Kumirov of D. Bednikov’s unit, armed with PPD-40, during the battle in locality. Leningrad front.

Scout of the Marine Corps, Red Navy soldier P.I. Kuzmenko with a standard set of weapons - a submachine gun (PPD-40) and a hand grenade (here - model 1933). Leningrad Front, November 1941

One of these PPD-40 is stored in VIMA-IViVS. A sign is fixed on its butt: “Made in Leningrad during the enemy blockade. 1942" Another PPD carries a plate on the buttstock with the inscription: "To the Commander of the 54th Army, Comrade Fedyuninsky from the Voskov factory." This submachine gun was handed over to I.I. Fedyuninsky, as a participant in the defense of the city, in 1942 on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the Red Army. This copy, like many PPDs of Leningrad production, has a folding rear sight - according to the type of PPSh modification of 1942. In Kovrov, in the experimental workshop of the Chief Designer's Department in 1941, about 5000 PPDs were assembled from the remaining backlog of parts.

V.A. Degtyarev, after being put into service and put into production, PPSh continued to work on new designs of submachine guns, but they remained experienced. Already at the beginning of 1942, a competition was announced for a new, lightweight 7.62-mm submachine gun, which could replace the PPD and PPSh in the arsenal of scouts, skiers, paratroopers, gun crews, combat vehicle crews, drivers, etc. Among the numerous participants in this competition were V.A. Degtyarev, and G.S. Shpagin. However, the victory was won by the sample of A.I. Sudayev, later recognized as the best submachine gun of World War II. Moreover, a good basis for organizing the mass production of teaching staff was the production of factories named after. Voskov and them. Kulakov (the organization of production was directly supervised by A.I. Sudayev).

A shortened submachine gun made during the defense of Leningrad in military workshops using PPD and PPSh parts.

A submachine gun made by partisans and found in the Molodechno region of the Byelorussian SSR.

Submachine guns of the "carbine" scheme with a large magazine capacity attracted attention for a long time. An example of this is the experienced American 5.6 mm Bingham model PPS-50 chambered for a small-caliber low-power cartridge of the .22LR type, designed either for police services or for collectors.

In military and partisan workshops

The VIMAIiVS collection contains shortened (small-sized) submachine guns, in the design of which PPD parts are used. Such samples were made in small quantities in 1942-1943. in the workshops of the 265th Infantry Division, which participated in the defense of Leningrad. In addition to shortening the barrel to 110 mm, changing the casing, the absence of a butt and installing a pistol control handle, they are distinguished by the transfer of the shutter handle to the left side, the translator-fuse borrowed from the PPSh, the simplest sighting device, and a box magazine with a capacity of 15 rounds.

A homemade submachine gun based on the PPD-40, but without a buttstock and with a pistol grip and a homemade bolt, is in the collection of the Belarusian State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War. It was found in 1957 in the Molodechno region, but the manufacturer of this partisan weapon is unknown. In the same museum, for example, the PPD-40 is stored, repaired and slightly altered (with the sight replaced with a self-made folding one) by the partisan master I.V. Vlasik in the detachment named after M.I. Kutuzov.

On the PPD-40, converted in 1944 in the partisan detachment "Groza" (operated in the Vitebsk region) by the masters N.V. Polivenok, P.T. Izrailev and P.I. Shcheglyak, a folding sight from the PPSh and a new stock were installed. Handicraft branding includes not only the names of the masters, but also an indication: “1944, Br. Marchuk, 2nd detachment, 1st partisan factory. On other PPD-40s, converted by partisan craftsmen, you can see homemade receiver boxes, casings, or casings and sights taken with minor alterations, for example, from captured German MP.34 or MP.35 submachine guns.

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Vladislav Morozov