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Degtyaryov PPD
The PPD (Russian: Пистолет-пулемёт Дегтярёва; Pistolet-Pulemyot Degtyaryova, English: Degtyaryova submachine gun) is a Soviet family of submachine guns developed by Vasily Degtyaryev. The first PPD-29 prototype was created in 1929 on the basis of the DP, using a similar top-feeding system with disk magazines. Further improvements led to the appearance of the PPD-31 in 1931, which externally resembled the Tokarev M1927. In 1933, it was decided to return to the barrel with a cooling jacket.
In 1934, limited production of the PPD-34 began, and in 1935 it was officially accepted into service. It was the second significant submachine gun in service with the USSR after the Thompson. In 1938, a small update was carried out, with the new model being designated PPD-34/38. However, the submachine gun was still considered a weapon only for certain units and most of them served in the police. About 5,000 PPD-34 and PPD-34/38 were produced until 1939, after which the decision was made to suspend production.
However, the Winter War turned everything upside down. Production of the PPD-34/38 was resumed at an emergency pace. In 1940, a number of design changes were introduced to make production easier and cheaper. Further improvements led to the appearance of the PPD-40, in particular with a new type of magazine. Although it was replaced by the PPSh-41, the PPD-40 was produced until 1943, due to the war.
In 1942, a modernized version of the PPD-42 with a pistol grip and a folding stock in the MP 40 style, fed from 30-round box magazines, was presented for testing, but it lost the competition to the PPS.
Degtyaryov PPD-29
The Pistolet-Pulemot Degtyarova 1929 (Degtyaryov submachine gun 1929) is a prototype Soviet 7.63×25mm Mauser submachine gun developed in 1929. The submachine gun is sometimes referred to as the "PPD-29" or "PPD-30". Externally, it resembled the DP Light Machine Gun constructed a few years earlier. Due to the complicated magazine system and 7.63x25mm ammunition, the Mauser did not arouse the interest of the Soviet Army. It was tested by the Red Army in June and July 1930 against two competing designs by Tokarev and Korovin. None of the weapons tested were considered adoptable, and the Degtyaryov in particular was deemed overweight and had an excessive rate of fire. But Degtyaryov was given the green light to further modify the weapon. The main change in the next prototypes was to be the switch to the Russian 7.62x25mm Tokarev ammunition (which was slightly different from the Mauser ammunition) and the use of a more classic weapon design. PPD-29 did not enter service. A good fact is that the Prototype is currently kept in the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Specifications
(1929 - prototype only)
- Type: Submachine Gun
- Caliber: 7.63×25mm Mauser
- Weight: 7.1 lbs (3.2 kg)
- Length: 28 in (71 cm)
- Feed System: 42-round magazine
- Rate of Fire: 1200rpm
The Degtyaryov PPD-29 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Video Games
| Title | Appears as | Mods | Notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land of War: The Beginning | 2021 | |||
| Enlisted | 2021 |
Degtyaryov PPD-31
The Pistolet-Pulemot Degtyarova 1931 (Degtyaryov submachine gun 1931) was a Russian prototype submachine gun designed by Vasily Degtyarov. The submachine gun was developed in early 1931 after the previous breech-locking PPD-29 submachine gun was rejected. For this new weapon, Degtyaryov used a more basic action and a standard box magazine instead of a flat-shell drum. In 1932–1933, the Red Army tested the Model 1931 against several competing designs by Tokarev, Prilutsky, Kolesnikov, and Korovin. Of these prototypes, Degtyaryov was considered the best and received funding for further improvements, which over the next few years resulted in the development of the PPD-34 submachine gun. The PPD-31 was a simple reverse-action submachine gun chambered for the standard Soviet 7.62x25mm Tokarev pistol cartridge. It was fed from a curved, 25-round box magazine and equipped with a fire selector for semi-automatic and fully automatic firing.
The early model used a full stock extending into the front handguard, covering the entire barrel. This caused excessive heating of the barrel and decreased accuracy. The second prototype used a barrel cover with ventilation holes, which had a positive effect on the weapon's performance. The same barrel cover was used in the later PPD-34 model.
Specifications
(1931 - 1933)
- Type: Submachine Gun
- Caliber: 7.63×25mm Mauser / 7.62x25mm Tokarev (both ammunition variants were tested)
- Weight: 3,46 kg
- Length: 790 mm
- Barrel length: 270 mm
- Height without magazine: 131 mm
- Width: 71 mm
- Feed System: 25-round magazine
- Rate of Fire: 600rpm
The Degtyaryov PPD-31 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Degtyaryov PPD-34
After the introduction of the later PPD-31 variant and a number of field tests, it was decided to introduce many modifications to the operation of the submachine gun. One of the key changes compared to the previous model was the increased rate of fire. The military commission gave guidelines for a submachine gun with a rate of fire of 800 - 1,000 shots per minute. The introduction and standardization of the 7.62x25mm Tokarev ammunition contributed a lot. After a revision of the weapon, on January 23, 1935, the weapon was approved as a model for the production of a pilot batch (30 copies), and on July 9 - adopted by the Red Army under the name "7.62 mm submachine gun model 1934 of the Degtyarev system" (Pistolet-Pulemot Degtyarova 1934 - PPD-34)". Production began in the same year.
The weapon was initially produced in small batches and was mainly used by the command staff of the Red Army as a replacement for revolvers and pistols. A total of just over 3,300 weapons were produced from 1934 to 1938.
As can be seen from the scale of production, the Degtyarev submachine gun in the first years of its production was still basically a prototype on which methods of producing and using new weapons by soldiers were tested.
Specifications
(1934 - 1938)
- Type: Submachine Gun
- Caliber: 7.62x25mm Tokarev
- Weight: 3.63 kg (with a full magazine)
- Length: 788 mm
- Barrel length: 244 mm
- Height: 197 mm
- Width: 70 mm
- Feed System: 25-round box magazine
- Rate of Fire: 800-1000rpm
The Degtyaryov PPD-34 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two Soldiers (Dva boytsa) | A Red Army soldier | PPD-34 with stick magazine | 1943 |
Video Games
| Title | Appears as | Mods | Notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FinnWars | PPD-34 | 2006 | ||
| Forgotten Hope 2 | PPD-34: Added in v2.56 (2020) | 2007 | ||
| Enlisted | PPD-34 | 2021 |
Degtyaryov PPD-34/38
During the operation of the weapon, several defects were found and attempts were made to eliminate them. Feedback from users stated that the weapon's automatic operation only works properly with factory-installed magazines. Inserting a magazine from another model caused the weapon to jam. In the years 1938 - 1939, the weapon was modernized: the stock and the place of mounting the magazine were strengthened by introducing a metal guide neck, as a result of which the reliability of its connection increased. The magazines have become interchangeable for different types of weapons, and the sight mount has been strengthened. Box magazines have also been changed, adding a cover in the upper part of the weapon, thus strengthening their structure. Due to reports that the magazine capacity was too small, they decided to construct a new drum magazine for 73 rounds. In this form, the weapon received the designation "7.62 mm submachine gun model 1934/38 of the Degtyarev system" (Pistolet-Pulemot Degtyarova 1934/38 - PPD-34/38)"
When trying to increase the production of PPD-34/38, it turned out that it was quite complicated in terms of design and technology and very expensive to produce, which made it impossible to start its mass production. At the end of 1938, it was concluded that the production of PPD should be completely stopped until the identified shortcomings were removed and the design was simplified, but it was still assumed that the development of a new type of automatic weapon using a pistol cartridge would be continued, with the aim of possibly replacing the obsolete PPD design.
By order of February 10, 1939, the PPD was removed from the production program, orders to factories for its production were canceled, and the units available in the Red Army were concentrated in warehouses.
After the start of the war with Finland in November 1939, the weapon was urgently restored to frontline use, and at the end of December 1939, PPD production was restarted. On January 6, 1940, by resolution of the Defense Committee, the improved PPD was again adopted by the Red Army. In the process of implementing mass production, changes were made to its design, aimed at technological simplification, cheaper and faster production. The weapon retained its previous name PPD-34/38 but was in fact a completely different weapon, with a completely redesigned design and a completely different appearance from the early "34/38" version.
In particular, the shape of the ventilation holes in the barrel cover has changed (15 long ones instead of 55 short ones), virtually every element of the weapon has been simplified to make it suitable for mass production.
Additionally, the drum magazine has been modernized and now holds 71 rounds. The weapon in this condition was put into service as a temporary measure. But despite the introduction into production, the design continued to be simplified.
At the turn of 1938-40, approximately 2,800 units of both models were produced.
Specifications
(1938 - 1940)
- Type: Submachine Gun
- Caliber: 7.62x25mm Tokarev
- Weight: 3.63 kg (with a full magazine)
- Length: 788 mm
- Barrel length: 244 mm
- Height: 197 mm
- Width: 70 mm
- Feed System: 25-round box magazine, 73-round drum magazine (early), 71-round drum magazine (late)
- Rate of Fire: 800-1000rpm
The Degtyaryov PPD-34/38 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fighting Film Collection No. 3 (Boyevoy kinosbornik No. 3) | Pyotr Sobolevsky | German paratrooper | Early PPD-34/38 | 1941 |
| Fighting Film Collection No. 8 (Boyevoy kinosbornik No. 8) | A Soviet soldier | Early PPD-34/38; In documentary footage | 1942 | |
| Native Shores (Rodnye berega) | Ivan Pereverzev | The battalion commander | Early PPD-34/38 | 1943 |
| Soviet soldiers and officers | ||||
| Philosophy of a Knife | archive footage, Early PPD-34/38 | 2008 |
Video Games
| Title | Appears as | Mods | Notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forgotten Hope 2 | Early and Late PPD-34/38: Added in v2.6 (2022) | 2007 | ||
| Deadfall Adventures | Hybrid Early PPD-34/38 - PPD-40 | 2013 | ||
| Enlisted | Late PPD-34/38 | 2021 |
Animation
| Title | Character | Notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantis: The Lost Empire | Early PPD-34/38 | 2001 |
Degtyaryov PPD-40
Even though the PPD-34/38 version was introduced into mass production on January 6, 1940, the design was ordered to be simplified even more to make it suitable for mass production. Already on February 15, 1940, Degtyarev presented a modernized sample of 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. It had a two-piece stock, placed in front of and behind the magazine and equipped with metal guide stops intended for its assembly, which allowed the use of a "normal" drum magazine, without an extension for mounting in the neck. The magazine capacity without the addition was 71 rounds and at the same time the reliability of the power supply increased significantly. Box magazines from previous models were incompatible.
This version was approved for production on February 21, 1940 as the "7.62 mm submachine gun model 1940 of the Degtyarev system" (Pistolet-Pulemot Degtyarova 1940 - PPD-40)". Its release began in March of the same year.
A total of 81,118 PPD-40s were produced in 1940.
Despite the introduction of PPD-40 into mass production, a competition for its successor was announced with immediate effect. Stating that the design of the weapon itself is outdated and has reached its modification limit. Already in the fall of 1940, two new designs were tested as a successor to the PPD. Namely PPSh-40 Szpitalny and PPSh-40 Szpagin. And at the end of November 1940, based on the results of field tests and technological evaluation of the PPSh samples submitted for consideration, it was recommended for adoption and for introduction into mass production. Thus, an order was issued to stop the production of PPD-40. Even though mass production ceased, PPD-40 was still produced on a cottage industry basis. At the Kovrov plant, approximately 5,000 more PPDs were hand-assembled from existing parts. A total of 42,870 PPDs were produced in Leningrad in 1941–1942.
Specifications
(1940 - 1943)
- Type: Submachine Gun
- Caliber: 7.62x25mm Tokarev
- Weight: 7.1 lbs (3.2 kg) (with a full magazine)
- Length: 788 mm
- Barrel length: 273 mm
- Height: 197 mm
- Feed System: 71-round drum magazine
- Rate of Fire: 800-1000rpm
The Degtyaryov PPD-40 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Film
Television
| Title | Actor | Character | Notes / Episode | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbo | Peter Falk | Lt. Columbo | "Dead Weight" (S01E03) | 1971 |
| Eddie Albert | Maj. Gen. Martin J. Hollister | |||
| Omega Option (Variant "Omega") | Soviet sailors | Seen in documentary footage | 1975 | |
| The State Border: Film 5 | Dmitry Matveev | Lt. Il'ya Sushencov | 1986 | |
| Semyon Morozov | Petty officer Pavlo Levada | |||
| Black Pea Coats (Chyornye bushlaty) | Vyacheslav Krikunov | Starshina / Jr.Lt. Levontiy Leontyev | 2018 | |
| Spy City | East German police and militia | 2020 |
Video Games
| Title | Appears as | Mods | Notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 | 2006 | |||
| Forgotten Hope 2 | Added in v2.56 (2020) | 2007 | ||
| World of Guns: Gun Disassembly | PPD-40 | 2014 | ||
| Heroes & Generals | 2016 | |||
| Enlisted | PPD-40 | 2021 | ||
| PPD-40 DSZ | ||||
| integral suppressor | PPD-40 BraMit | |||
| Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Ostfront | 2021 |
Degtyaryov PPD-42
Degtyarov PPD-42 submachine gun (factory designation KB-P-135) was developed during early 1942 by team, led by famous Soviet gun designer Vasily Degtyarov (designer of the PPD-34/38/40 line of submachine guns, among other weapons). PPD-42 was designed upon requirements for a compact, simple and easily manufactured submachine gun, drawn late in 1941 by GAU (General Artillery Department of the Red Army General staff). PPD-42 submachine gun was extensively tested during 1942, and in the end it was rejected in favor of the Sudaev PPS-42 submachine gun. Only few experimental PPD-42 submachine guns were made in Kovrov. The PPD-42 submachine gun is a simple blowback operated weapon, firing from an open bolt, in full automatic only. Feed is from double stack detachable box magazines. Iron sights feature flip-up rear sight blade with settings for 150 and 300 meters. Bottom-folding shoulder stock is made from stamped steel, like most other parts of the gun.
The submachine gun can sometimes be seen under the name.:
- PPDM-42 (Rus.: Пистолет Пулемёт Дегтярёва Модернизированный 1942 / Pistolet Pulemot Degtyarova Modernizirovannyy 1942) - Degtyarov submachine gun Modernized.
- PDM-42 (Rus.:Пулемёт Дегтярёва Модернизированный 1942 / Pulemot Degtyarova Modernizirovannyy 1942) - Degtyarov submachine gun Modernized.
Specifications
(1942 - prototype only)
- Type: Submachine Gun
- Caliber: 7.62x25mm Tokarev
- Weight: 6.8 lbs (3.1 kg) (less magazine)
- Length: 30.2 in (76.8 cm)
- Barrel length: 10.6 in (27 cm)
- Capacity: 30
- Rate of fire: 600RPM
- Fire Modes: Semi-Auto/Full-Auto
The Degtyaryov PPD-42 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Video Games
| Title | Appears as | Mods | Notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enlisted | 2021 |
Degtyaryov KB-P
The KB-P (KaraBin-Pistolet / Pistol Rifle) is a semi-automatic rifle for pistol ammunition. In the late 1930s, Soviet military experts increasingly drew attention to the gap between submachine guns and rifles in the Red Army's equipment. In 1940, the GAU formulated tactical and technical requirements for competitive development. In 1941, carbines (pistol rifles) chambered for the TT (7.62x25 mm) pistol cartridge by leading Soviet designers and design teams were presented for testing.
In 1942, NIPSVO received self-loading rifles from Simonov, Korovin, Main and Degtyarev. Despite generally positive test results and a sufficient level of reliability demonstrated by some samples, the GAU considered it inappropriate to expand on the topic of this weapon. The main obstacle to the creation of the "light rifle" was the testing of new submachine guns, which took place at about the same time. Compact, light and with high firepower, the Sudayev PPS-42 submachine gun looked clearly more promising than a self-loading carbine with the same cartridge and smaller magazine capacity. Work on this type of weapon was discontinued. Only a few prototypes were built.
Degtyaryov clearly took inspiration from his previous designs. The weapon was very simple in design and construction. Strangely enough, a PPD-42 submachine gun was built on its basis, which had the same factory marking as KB-P-135 because it was derived from the same weapon design.
Specifications
(1942)
- Number built: Only prototypes
- Type: Semi-Automatic Carbine
- Caliber: 7.62x25mm Tokarev
- Weight: 5.7 lbs (2.6 kg)
- Length: 34.8 in (88.5 cm)
- Barrel length: ??
- Feed System: 25-round box magazine, Magazine from PPD-34
The Degtyaryov KB-P and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Video Games
| Title | Appears as | Mods | Notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enlisted | KB-P-135 | 2021 |