Mosin-Nagant Rifle
The design of the Mosin-Nagant repeating rifle in caliber 7.62×54 mm R is the work of Belgian brothers Emil and Leon Nagant and Russian army officer Sergei Mosin. Tsarist soldiers were first issued it in 1891, and it became the standard service weapon of the infantry. The main advantage of the legendary rifle was its durability and reliability, even under the harshest conditions. It featured a rotating bolt with a separate front section with locking lugs, a middle part with a bolt handle, and a striker nut at the rear. A special latch in the magazine prevented pressure from the spring on the top round as it was ready to be chambered. The "Mosinka" lacked a separate safety, and the cocked striker was secured by rotating the nut a quarter turn. Several more compact carbines were derived from the basic version, with the M1891/30 variant, which was 1232 mm long, being widely used during WWII. With more than 37 million units produced, it is one of the most widely spread military weapons in history.
With a Pistol Cartridge
The creation of the legendary PPSh-41 submachine gun, also known as "Shpagin," dates back to just before the German invasion of the USSR. Designer Georgiy Shpagin opted for the typical blowback action, a rough wooden stock, and a high proportion of metal parts made by cheap stamping. From the more expensive technologies, only the chrome-plated barrel remained, giving the weapon exceptional durability. It fired 7.62×25 mm Tokarev rounds and could be fed by either 35-round box magazines or iconic 71-round drum magazines. The PPSh-41 was easy to operate and clean, and it functioned even in extremely low temperatures. During the war, around 5 million units were produced, and in the hands of soldiers and partisans, the PPSh-41, with a rate of fire of 900 rounds per minute, became one of the symbols of the fight against Nazi occupation.
The Tokarev TT-33 pistol, which used the same 7.62×25 mm Tokarev cartridge as the PPSh-41, adopted the principle of the Colt M1911, which used a recoil-operated locking mechanism. Fedor Tokarev designed his pistol to be as simple as possible and to withstand rough handling. Compared to the Western model, the "33" was narrower, lighter, and had some interesting improvements. The magazine release was milled into the walls of the removable frame, containing all the parts of the firing and trigger mechanisms. This modular design simplified production and repairs on the front lines.
The Tokarev TT-33 lacked a manual safety and was secured by setting the hammer on a safety notch. Although the Soviet plans intended the self-loading pistol to replace the aging Nagant M1895 revolver in the Red Army’s armament, both weapons served concurrently. Tokarev's design was so timeless that it wasn't retired until 1952, when the next legend, the Makarov, appeared.
Light and Heavyweights
The most famous light machine gun of Stalin's troops became the Degtyaryov DP in caliber 7.62×54 mm R, which weighed only about 9 kg and was fed from a characteristic disc magazine holding 47 rounds attached on top (the shape of the magazine earned the gun the nickname "dish gun"). The DP was introduced in 1928 and produced for a quarter of a century, with about 795,000 units made. Its automatic function was ensured by a gas-operated system, and the bolt was locked by a pair of swinging flaps engaged by the striker's motion. The Degtyaryov was known for its considerable ruggedness, though the magazine was not durable in the field and could be easily damaged. Problems were also caused by the gas piston spring located under the barrel, whose stiffness changed due to heat transfer from the heated barrel over time.
The Maxim heavy machine gun of the same caliber had long ceased to be cutting-edge by the time of WWII, but it was so widely used that it cannot be overlooked. The weapon, introduced into the Tsarist military in 1905 (later replaced by the improved version vz. 1910/30), was based on the German MG 08, with most changes made to the loading mechanism, which was made of sheet metal. The Russian version featured a large filler opening on the top of the cooling jacket, allowing for snow to be used as well as water. Most Maxims were sent to the front mounted on a two-wheeled carriage, which made movement easier, but increased the weapon's weight from 23 to more than 60 kg. The rate of fire was a manageable 550 rounds per minute, with ammunition supplied by a 250-round cloth belt.
Half-Inch Caliber
The lighter successor to the Maxim was a weapon initially known by the designation GVG, which paid homage to the names of the trio of designers. It worked on the principle of a locked bolt with gas-operated action from the barrel via a tube. The gas pressure acted on the piston connected to the bolt carrier, which locked by tilting the rear part in the horizontal plane. The theoretical rate of fire was 500–700 rounds per minute depending on whether light or heavy projectiles were used, but in practice, it achieved a rate of about 200 to 250 rounds per minute. The weapon was fed by a metal belt with 250 rounds stored in a box.
The water-cooled barrel was heavy but boasted a chrome-lined bore, allowing it to withstand prolonged continuous fire. In the event of damage, the soldier could easily disassemble it using a locking mechanism and handle that prevented burns. In the pursuit of maximum simplicity, the weapon lacked rifling in the barrel and dust protection covers. Like the Maxim, the basic version was mounted on a wheeled carriage with a steel shield. The Red Army adopted it in May 1943 under the designation SG 43, and soldiers appreciated it for its easy handling and high reliability.
The Most Powerful Automatic Weapon
The most powerful automatic weapon in the hands of the Soviet soldiers fired a mighty 12.7×108 mm round and was born from the collaboration between Vasily Degtyaryov and Georgiy Shpagin. Degtyaryov initially struggled to increase the rate of fire above 360 rounds per minute, but the problem was solved when Shpagin improved the ammunition feeding system. The rate of fire almost doubled, and by 1938, the heavy machine gun was adopted into service as the DShK. The design duo relied on a straight-line, locked bolt mechanism, and the barrel featured a large muzzle brake. Ammunition was fed from 50-round belts, and the trigger mechanism allowed only automatic fire. The weapon was mounted on a pedestal with two wheels, and, like the SG 43, it could be easily adapted for anti-aircraft use.
The DShK was loved by Soviet troops for its performance (effective range up to 2000 meters), but its extreme weight – 157 kg including the mount – was a downside. For this reason, the heavy machine gun was most often placed on a lighter tripod in the anti-aircraft role and transported on a truck bed.
Would you like to try shooting with historical weapons? Come to our shooting range in Prague. Our experienced instructors will teach you how to use various weapons from the very basics.
