The PPSh-41 submachine gun was one of the most mass produced weapons of its type of World War II. It was designed by Georgi Shpagin as an inexpensive alternative to the PPD-40, which was expensive and time consuming to build. The PPSh operated with simple blowback action, had a box or drum magazine, and fired a 7.62x25mm pistol round. It was made with metal stampings to ease production, and its chrome-lined chamber and bore helped to make the gun very low-maintenance in combat settings. Simple, robust, reliable and accurate the PPSH 41 was a tough weapon that could operate in all climates. Issued to entire regiments for shock assault the PPSH 41 became the combat symbol of the Red army.
Marks and Stamps: (Top of barrel sleeve) 1944 Serial no (side of barrel) 4050 (Underside of receiver) Serial no (Butt) Serial no.| Accession Number: 178 | Period of Use: 1940s - present |
| Type: Machine pistol/SMG | War Zones: Second World War; China Civil War; Korea; Indo-China; Africa; Hungarian Uprising |
| Country of Origin: USSR | Type Date: 1941 |
| Manufacturer: State Factories | Serial Number: 1359 |
| Manufacture Date: 1944 | Calibre/Ammunition: 7.62mm x 25 |
| Weight: 3640g | Length Overall: 838mm |
| Cyclic Rate: 900rpm | Length Barrel: 266mm |
| Deactivation Certificate Number: DA 2457 |