The creation of a compact small arms, in the store which would fit a large number of rounds, involved a lot of designers. However, several submachine guns proved successful. The difficulties are explained by the fact that the use of large-capacity stores in constructions entails an increase in the size and mass of weapons. In addition, the scheme of work is becoming more complicated, the shooter has to spend more time on store equipment. Nevertheless, this did not stop the gunsmiths. Several versions of submachine guns have already been created. Description, device and performance characteristics of the most successful shooting models are presented in the article.
Acquaintance with the weapon
According to experts, such a definition as a submachine gun (PP) is not entirely successful for designating a rifle unit. An inexperienced person can easily get confused. It may seem that this weapon combines the characteristics of pistols and machine guns. In fact, PP is an independent type of small arms. A submachine gun is more likely an assault rifle, which is structurally adapted for firing pistol ammunition. Thus, PP is considered an automatic weapon capable of continuous shooting. Due to the large mass and dimensions, submachine guns cannot be considered automatic pistols. Since the PP uses low-powered 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 an assault rifle, the submachine gun is characterized by a simpler scheme of automation and the design as a whole. PP is lighter and not so large. The production of such units is cheaper. Submachine guns have a high rate of fire - up to 1250 shells can be fired in one minute. Unlike rifle and intermediate rounds, firing pistol ammunition gives significantly lower returns. However, they are characterized by low power. As a result, when firing with PP, a small flatness of the trajectory and weak damaging properties of the shells were noted.
PP-91
This shooting model is a Russian submachine gun "Cedar", created in the 90s by order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. The weapon base was the PP-71 of the Soviet designer E. Dragunov, the creator of the legendary SVD. The Kedr submachine gun is adapted for firing with a standard 9x18 mm PM cartridge. Box stores are equipped with 20 and 30 ammunition. PP-91 with a simple and technological design.
Device
Automation works due to the recoil of the free shutter. The weapon is adapted for automatic and single shooting. The design of PP-91 has a rectangular receiver with a lid, sights, trigger mechanism, shoulder rest, box magazine, shutter and return mechanism. Place a safety lock on the right side of the receiver near the trigger. At the beginning of firing, the shutter is in the front position. Then, under the influence of powder gases, it shifts to the back. At the same time, the shot sleeve is extracted, the cock is cocked and the return spring is compressed. She pushes the shutter to the front position. Then there is the sending of the next ammunition from the store to the chamber and locking the barrel channel. Impact resistant plastic is used to make the pistol grip. If necessary, the butt of the submachine gun is easy to fold. Using the PP-91, you can hit the target at a distance of up to 100 m. According to experts, shooting is more effective at a distance of 25 m. Due to the excellent tactical and technical characteristics, the PP-91 is appreciated by professionals. The submachine gun is used by collectors, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Federal Drug Control Service, and the Federal Penitentiary Service. PP-91 is made by workers of a machine-building plant in the city of Zlatoust.
TTX
- The caliber of the submachine gun is 9 mm.
- As ammunition, cartridges of 9x18 mm Makarov pistol are used.
- With the folded butt, the length of the PP-91 is 31 cm, with the folded butt - 54.
- Barrel length - 12 cm.
- PP weighs 1.4 kg.
- Within one minute, 800 to 1, 000 rounds can be fired.
- The initial bullet velocity is 310 m / s.
Wind version
PP-91 became the base for the pneumatic submachine gun. Shooting from a wind weapon is carried out with steel balls of caliber 4.5 mm. The initial velocity of the ball is 70 m / s. Pneumat is equipped with a 12-gram carbon dioxide cylinder. Up to 600 rounds can be fired per minute. The oven weighs 1.5 kg. This shooting model costs about 300 dollars.
Thompson Submachine Gun
In 1915, an American naval officer, John B. Blish, developed a semi-free bolt equipped with a special bronze H-shaped liner that slowed its rollback. 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 gates. The presence of these moderator liners is characteristic of the design of Thompson submachine guns. PP allow shooting in automatic and single player mode. The first models were with a rather complicated percussion mechanism. It was a small triangular lever mounted in a bolt skeleton. 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 brisk motionless fixed in the bolt cup. Used software with an open shutter. The modern self-loading version of the M1927A1 with the usual trigger trigger mechanism. You can shoot from such a PP with a closed shutter. The weapon is equipped with a front sight and a combined whole. For Thompson, two-row box-shaped stores with a capacity of 20 and 30 ammunition were developed. A second option was also provided for ammunition - with the help of drum stores, 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 high 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 US government decided that the army submachine gun was not needed. Thompson software was widely used by the mafia and police officers.
About the characteristics of Thompson PP 1928
- The submachine gun is designed for firing with a cartridge of 45 ASR caliber 11.43 mm.
- With an empty ammunition weapon weighs no more than 4.55 kg.
- The PP is equipped with a box magazine with a capacity of 20 ammunition (the mass of the rifle unit increases by almost 1 kg) or a disk of 50 rounds (the weight of the weapon increases by more than 2 kg). If a disk magazine was attached to a submachine gun, the mass of the PP exceeded 8 kg.
- Within one minute, the fighter could fire up to 700 shots.
- The aiming range, depending on the modification of the PP, ranged from 100 to 150 m.
PPD
In the 30s of the twentieth century, a 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. Degtyarev submachine gun is the first Soviet serial automatic weapon. It was produced until 1942.
PPDs were 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 the 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-handed rifling. The PPD has a perforated casing, the purpose of which is to prevent mechanical damage to automation, as well as 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 locked the shutter and, experts say, was not reliable enough. There were especially many complaints about the safety of worn PP. Submachine guns were equipped with sectorial double-row stores, designed for 25 ammunition. During the shooting, the store was used as a handle. In 1940, drum-type stores were designed, the capacity of which was increased to 71 cartridges. The functions of sights were performed by flies and sector sights. Since the submachine gun was very hot 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 with only 300 m. According to experts, the pistol bullet retained excellent ballistics and lethal force up to 800 m.
About PPD characteristics
- The total length of the submachine gun is 77.8 cm.
- Shooting was carried out by a cartridge 7.62x25 pistol TT.
- Weighed PPD with a full ammunition load of 5.4 kg.
- The aiming range was 500 m.
- Up to 1, 100 rounds could be fired per minute.
- The projectile left the barrel at a speed of 500 m / s.
About Sudaev's submachine gun
According to weapons experts, Soviet rifle units are characterized by simplicity and high adaptability. Especially a lot of designers pay attention to such parameters as the reliability and effectiveness of weapons created in wartime. In 1942, the Sudaev submachine gun (PPS) was developed.
According to experts, this model is characterized by laconicism and true Spartan simplicity. The PPS submachine gun is considered the best small arms in its class during the Great Patriotic War. Model in service with the Red Army since 1942. The place for serial production of Sudayev's 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 in the technical documentation is listed as PPS-43. The submachine gun is equipped with a shortened stock and barrel. Small changes affected the latch in the shoulder rest and fuse. In addition, the designer made the receiver and box as one part. With PPS-43 it was possible to fire with the shutter open. The weapon worked by moving the shutter to the rear position. So that the faculty does not overheat, its barrel casing was equipped with special openings that provided cooling of the weapon. The receiver is equipped with a massive shutter, which was influenced by a reciprocating spring. It was connected to a special guide rod. The shutter was a reflector, with the help of which the shot cartridges were extracted. The shock type of the trigger provided for firing only in automatic mode.
Since, according to experts, PPS-43 had a low rate of fire, it was possible to shoot in short bursts using just a few ammunition. The ammunition was carried out from two-row stores, the capacity of which was 35 rounds of 7.62x25 mm TT pistol. As sighting devices, a front sight and a simple flip pillar were used, which could be adjusted for shooting at 100 and 200 m.
