The creation of compact small arms, in the store of which a large number of cartridges would fit, was done by many designers. However, several samples of submachine guns turned out to be successful. The difficulties are explained by the fact that the use of large-capacity magazines in designs entails an increase in the dimensions and mass of weapons. In addition, the scheme of work becomes more complicated, the shooter has to spend more time on equipping the store. Nevertheless, this did not stop the gunsmiths. Several variants of submachine guns have already been created. Description, device and performance characteristics of the most successful shooting models are presented in the article.
Introduction to weapons
According to experts, such a definition as a submachine gun (PP) is not entirely successful for designating a rifle unit. It will be easy for an inexperienced person to get confused. It may seem that the characteristics of pistols and machine guns are combined in this weapon. In fact, PP is an independent type of small arms. A submachine gun is more of a submachine gun that is structurally adapted to fire pistol ammunition. Thus, the SMG is considered an automatic weapon capable of continuous firing. Due to the large mass and dimensions, submachine guns cannot be considered automatic pistols. Since the SMG uses low-yield pistol cartridges, these rifle units cannot be machine guns and assault rifles.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of PP?
Unlike an assault rifle and a submachine gun, a submachine gun is characterized by a simpler scheme of automation and design as a whole. PP is lighter and not as bulky. The production of such units is cheaper. Submachine guns have a high rate of fire - up to 1250 shells can be fired within one minute. Unlike rifle and intermediate cartridges, pistol ammunition fires perceptibly low recoil. However, they are characterized by low power. As a result, when firing from the PP, a low flatness of the trajectory and weak damaging properties of the projectiles were noted.
PP-91
This rifle model is a Russian submachine gun "Kedr", created in the 90s by order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. The base for the weapon was the PP-71 of the Soviet designer E. F. Dragunov, the creator of the legendary SVD. The submachine gun "Kedr" is adapted for firing with a standard cartridge 9x18 mm PM. Box magazines are equipped with 20 and 30 rounds of ammunition. PP-91 with a simple and technological design.
Device
Automatic works due to free shutter recoil. The weapon is adapted for automatic and single shooting. The design of the PP-91 has a rectangular receiver with a lid, sights, a firing mechanism, a shoulder rest, a box magazine, a bolt and a return mechanism. Place the safety lever on the right side of the receiver near the trigger. At the beginning of firing, the shutter is in the forward position. Then, under the influence of powder gases, it shifts to the rear. At the same time, the spent cartridge case is extracted, the hammer is cocked and the return spring is compressed. She pushes the shutter to the forward position. Then the next ammunition is sent from the magazine into the chamber and the barrel channel is locked. The pistol grip is made of impact-resistant plastic. If necessary, the butt of the submachine gun is easy to fold. Using the PP-91, you can hit a target at a distance of up to 100 m. According to experts, shooting is more effective at a distance of 25 m. Thanks to its excellent performance characteristics, the PP-91 is appreciated by professionals. The submachine gun is used by collectors, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Federal Drug Control Service, the Federal Penitentiary Service. PP-91 is made by workers of a machine-building plant in the city of Zlatoust.
TTX
- Submachine gun caliber - 9 mm.
- The ammunition used is 9x18 mm Makarov pistol cartridges.
- With the stock folded, the length of the PP-91 is 31 cm, with the stock unfolded – 54.
- Barrel length - 12 cm.
- Weighs PP 1.4 kg.
- Within one minutecan be fired from 800 to 1,000 shots.
- The muzzle velocity of the bullet is 310 m/s.
Wind variant
PP-91 became the basis for the pneumatic submachine gun. Shooting from wind weapons is carried out with steel balls of 4.5 mm caliber. The initial speed of the ball is 70 m/s. "Pnevmat" is equipped with a 12-gram cylinder of carbon dioxide. Up to 600 shots can be fired per minute. The oven weighs 1.5 kg. This shooting model costs about $300.
Thompson submachine gun
In 1915, US Navy officer John B. Blish developed a semi-free breechblock equipped with a special bronze H-shaped liner that slowed it down. Interacting with the grooves located on the inner walls of the bolt boxes, the liners held the bolts in the front position at the beginning of firing. Then, when the powder pressure in the barrel channels decreased, the liners rose up and unlocked the bolts. The presence of these retarder liners is typical for the design of Thompson submachine guns. PP allow firing in automatic and single mode. The first models were with a rather complex percussion mechanism. It was a small triangular lever mounted in the bolt frame. This lever interacted with the drummer at the moment when the bolt group was in the extreme forward position. Shooting was carried out with the shutter open.
In the M1A1 model, the lever was replaced by a striker fixed in the bolt cup. Used PP with an open shutter. Modernself-loading version of the M1927A1 with a conventional trigger mechanism. You can shoot from such a PP with a closed shutter. The weapon is equipped with a front sight and a combined one. For the Thompson PP, box-shaped double-row magazines with a capacity of 20 and 30 ammunition were developed. A second variant of ammunition supply was also provided - with the help of drum magazines, the capacity of which was 50 and 100 rounds. In the production of submachine guns, complex metal-cutting machines were involved, as a result of which the manufacture of weapons was quite expensive. With an average salary at that time of 60 US dollars, one rifle unit cost about 230. Due to its heavy weight and high sensitivity to the quality of ammunition, the PP did not become the main small arms in the US Army. Despite the high rate of fire without delay, the American government considered that the army did not need a submachine gun. The Thompson SMG was widely used by the mafia and police officers.
About the characteristics of the 1928 Thompson SMG
- The submachine gun is designed to fire the 45 ACP cartridge, caliber 11, 43 mm.
- With empty ammunition, the weapon weighs no more than 4.55 kg.
- PP is equipped with a box magazine with a capacity of 20 ammunition (the mass of a rifle unit increases by almost 1 kg) or a disk magazine with 50 rounds (the weight of the weapon increases by more than 2 kg). If a disc magazine was attached to the submachine gun, the mass of the PP exceeded 8 kg.
- Within one minute, a fighter couldfire up to 700 shots.
- The indicator of the aiming range, depending on the modification of the PP, varied from 100 to 150 m.
PPD
In the 30s of the twentieth century, the Degtyarev submachine gun (PPD-34) was created. The weapon was named after the Soviet designer V. Degtyarev. In 1934, the rifle model entered service with the Soviet army. The last modification was created in 1940. In the technical documentation, it is listed as PPD-40. The Degtyarev submachine gun is the first Soviet mass-produced automatic weapon. It was produced until 1942.
PPD was widely used in the Soviet-Finnish war, and later - in the Great Patriotic War. Then this rifle model was replaced with a Shpagin submachine gun, which, according to Soviet gunsmiths, was cheaper and more technologically advanced. Automation worked using the recoil energy of the free shutter. The barrel channel is equipped with four right-hand rifling. The PPD has a perforated casing, the purpose of which is to prevent mechanical damage to the automation, as well as to protect the shooter's hands from burns. In the first version of the PPD, there was no fuse. He appeared in subsequent models. The fuse blocked the shutter and, as experts are convinced, was not reliable enough. There were especially many complaints about the fuses of worn-out PP. Submachine guns were equipped with sector double-row magazines, designed for 25 rounds of ammunition. During the shooting, the store was used as a handle. In 1940 they designeddrum-type stores, the capacity of which was increased to 71 rounds. The functions of sighting devices were performed by front sights and sector sights. Since the submachine gun overheated during operation, the fighters were forced to fire in short bursts. Despite the fact that the weapon was theoretically suitable for aimed shooting up to 500 m, in fact, it was possible to hit the target only from 300 m. According to experts, the pistol bullet retained excellent ballistics and lethal force up to 800 m.
About the characteristics of PPD
- The total length of the submachine gun is 77.8 cm.
- Shooting was carried out with a cartridge of 7, 62x25 TT pistols.
- Weighed PPD with full ammunition 5, 4 kg.
- The aiming range was 500 m.
- Up to 1100 shots could be fired per minute.
- The projectile left the barrel channel at a speed of 500 m/s.
About the Sudaev submachine gun
According to weapons experts, Soviet rifle units are characterized by simplicity and high manufacturability. Particularly much attention is paid by designers to such parameters as the reliability and effectiveness of weapons created in wartime. In 1942, the Sudayev submachine gun (PPS) was developed.
According to experts, this model is characterized by conciseness and real Spartan simplicity. The PPS submachine gun is considered the best small arms in its class during the Great Patriotic War. Model onarmed with the Red Army since 1942. The place of serial production of Sudaev submachine guns was the Sestroretsk Tool Plant in the city of Leningrad. 26 thousand rifle units were manufactured. In 1943, a new modification was designed, which is listed in the technical documentation as PPS-43. The submachine gun is equipped with a shortened stock and barrel. Small changes affected the latch in the shoulder rest and the fuse. In addition, the designer made the receiver casing and the box as one piece. With PPS-43, it was possible to fire with the shutter open. The weapon worked by shifting the bolt to the rear position. To prevent the PPS from overheating, its barrel casing was equipped with special holes that provided cooling for the weapon. The receiver is equipped with a massive shutter, which was affected by a reciprocating mainspring. It was connected to a special guide rod. The shutter was a reflector, with the help of which the spent cartridges were extracted. The impact type of the trigger provided for firing only in automatic mode.
Since, according to experts, the PPS-43 had a low rate of fire, it was possible to shoot in short bursts using just a few ammunition. Ammunition was supplied from two-row stores, the capacity of which was 35 rounds of 7, 62x25 mm TT pistols. A front sight and a simple flip rear sight were used as sights, which could be adjusted for firing at 100 and 200m.
PPSh
During the Great Patriotic War, the Shpagin submachine gun became the most popular small arms among Soviet soldiers. This model was developed under the cartridge of 7, 62x25 mm pistol TT. Unlike PPS, PPSh could fire both single shots and long bursts. The barrel shroud is also equipped with rectangular cooling holes. Initially, the PPSh was equipped with a sector sight. Soon it was replaced by a crossover. Ammunition was supplied from a drum magazine, the capacity of which was 71 ammunition. Since it was not reliable enough - it often wedged and froze at sub-zero temperatures - it was replaced with a carob designed for 35 ammunition. The PPSh had a high rate of fire: at least 20 shells flew out of the barrel channel per second.
The Shpagin submachine gun has proven to be a deadly weapon, especially in close combat. Due to the high rate of fire and penetrating properties, the PPSh is known among Soviet soldiers as a "trench broom".
