Video—Red Army Icon: Soviet PPsh-41 Submachine Gun

by
posted on May 30, 2015
The Soviet PPsh-41 submachine gun was one of the most iconic firearms of World War II. In the hand of Soviet troops, it was instrumental in the defeat of Hitler’s Nazi Germany. Chambered for the bottle-necked 7.62x25 mm Tokarev cartridge, the PPsh41 fed from a 71-round capacity drum magazine with a cyclic rate of more than 900 rounds per minute. Designed by Georgi Shapgin, the PPsh-41 was the right gun at the right time for the Red Army. Rugged, simple and effective, the straight-blowback operated submachine gun was used in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, and more than 6 million were made. For more, watch American Rifleman TV's "I Have This Old Gun" segment above.

Latest

Leupold Vx 6Hd Cds Szl2 Hunting Riflescope
Leupold Vx 6Hd Cds Szl2 Hunting Riflescope

New For 2025: Leupold VX-6HD Gen 2 Riflescopes

Leupold & Stevens will offer a new generation of premium Gold Ring riflescope for hunters in 2025 of which include innovative features that go above and beyond previous VX-6 designs—their best just got better.

Review: Iver Johnson MF20

It’s no surprise that innovative designs like the Iver Johnson MF20 have emerged; by merging the best features of both shotguns and ARs, this firearm offers impressive—but controllable—firepower while mitigating the scattergun’s usual shortcomings.

6 New Handguns For 2025

Several of the nation's biggest names in firearm manufacturing have released new models ahead of SHOT Show 2025. Here's a rundown of the features that each of them offer.

Boys To Riflemen: Aiken’s Volunteers During The British Attack on Plattsburgh

In September 1814, Americans once again stood against the might of the British military, as their forefathers had done during the Revolution. A small group of teen boys proved their valor in the face of a British attack and earned a special presentation rifle for their efforts.

The Armed Citizen® Jan. 20, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

A Gas-Operated M1903 Conversion That Never Was

The U.S. government's never-ending quest for a more effective shoulder-fired arm to equip its military has, naturally, resulted in more prototypes than production models. This semi-automatic Model 1903 Springfield conversion was one such dead-end.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.