How a Soviet PPS Submachine Gun Works

Wikipedia: The PPS (Russian: ППС – "Пистолет-пулемёт Судаева" or "Pistolet-pulemyot Sudayeva", in English: "Sudayev's submachine-gun") is a family of Soviet submachine guns chambered in 7.62×25mm Tokarev, developed by Alexei Sudayev as a low-cost personal defense weapon for reconnaissance units, vehicle crews and support service personnel.[4]

The PPS and its variants were used extensively by the Red Army during World War II and were later adopted by the armed forces of several countries of the former Warsaw Pact as well as its many African and Asian allies.

Type Submachine gun
Place of origin Soviet Union
Service history
In service 1942–1960s (USSR)
1942–present (other countries)
Used by See Users
Wars World War II
Chinese Civil War
Korean War
First Indochina War
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Vietnam War
Cambodian Civil War
Laotian Civil War
Portuguese Colonial War
Liberian Civil Wars
Rhodesian Bush War
Namibian War of Independence
War in Donbas
Production history
Designer I. K. Bezruchko-Vysotsky and A. I. Sudayev
Designed 1942
Produced 1942–1946 (USSR)
No. built ~2 million (USSR)
Variants PPS-42, PPS-43, M/44, PPS wz. 1943/1952, Type 43
Specifications
Mass PPS-42: 2.95 kg (6.50 lb)
PPS-43: 3.04 kg (6.7 lb)
Length PPS-42: 907 mm (35.7 in) stock extended / 641 mm (25.2 in) stock folded
PPS-43: 820 mm (32.3 in) stock extended / 615 mm (24.2 in) stock folded
Barrel length PPS-42: 273 mm (10.7 in)
PPS-43: 243 mm (9.6 in)
Cartridge 7.62×25mm Tokarev
Action Blowback, open bolt
Rate of fire 500–600 rounds/min (cyclic rate)[1]
Muzzle velocity Approx. 500 m/s (1,640 ft/s)
Effective firing range 100–150 m[2][3]
Maximum firing range 200 m
Feed system 35-round detachable box magazine
Sights Flip rear sight, fixed blade front sight