One of my favorite-looking guns is the Russian PPSH-41 machine gun from WWII. Everyone likes different styles and types of guns and for me, this one is a looker. That’s why another gun caught my eye when I noticed it hiding in the back of a gun rack at a local store. I only saw the top portion of the barrel but that was enough to catch my interest. Not a PPSH, but close enough that I had to ask for a better look. It turned out to be the PPS-43, also a WWII mass-produced sub-machine gun. Only this one is semi-auto and a few modifications have been made, including the caliber.
The metal frame is long and boxy looking, and it has a unique flash hider on the end of the barrel. There was no way I could leave this gun in the store, so it went home with me and then to the range. I view guns somewhat like cars when it comes to makes and models. A lot of cars have different names, different motors, and different prices, but they all look the same. I like to see guns every now and then that are different from all the others, especially those vintage guns.
History of the PPS-43
The PPS-43 stands for “Pistolet Pulemet Sudaeva” model of guess when… 1943. I know, they were very creative with names back then. There was a PPS-42 that was adopted by the Soviet Army first, but the gun was modified the following year and renamed accordingly. So why did the Russians want another machine gun when they had the PPSH-41? They needed something that was more compact and maneuverable for special units.
Tank crews, paratroopers, and other units carried the more compact PPS instead of the PPSH. The sub-machine gun is chambered in 7.62X25 which was common for that period. The 9mm luger eventually replaced the 7.62×25 as the standard handgun and submachine gun round. Almost two million PPS-43 guns were produced during WWII causing it to be called the SMG of WWII.
The PPS-43 is not your average-looking gun.
As I mentioned above, this gun has a unique look that you probably like or don’t like. The frame of the gun is long, and the receiver area is surprisingly thin and square looking. It has a folding stock that straddles the mid-section of the gun, but it has been permanently welded in place because of the barrel length. It’s sold as a pistol, meaning a stock would make it an SBR (short barrel rifle) and require a tax stamp to own.
While the gun looks identical to the original version, Pioneer Arms made some major changes to the weapon when they produced it for mass sale to the public. The original gun fired from an open bolt position, meaning the firing pin was attached to the bolt and used the force of the bolt closing on the round to fire. Pioneer Arms redesigned the gun to fire from a closed bolt position which means the firing pin works separately from the bolt.
In a closed bolt position, the bolt must be all forward “closed” before the firing pin can strike the bullet. An open bolt system can fire much faster in automatic mode because there are fewer steps involved. But for semi-auto mode, a closed bolt system is much faster because there are fewer moving parts when the trigger is pulled.
What else is different about this gun?
The safety on the PPS-43 is a simple sliding lever that moves parallel to the gun. Most safeties move across the trigger, blocking its movement. This one, however, must be pulled towards the rear of the gun. A thin square looking lever protrudes partway into the trigger guard area and blocks the trigger and bolt from moving. This design was partially because the gun was originally an open bolt.
The handguard/heat shield is part of what makes this gun look cool and scream sub-machine gun. The bottom side of the handguard is open, which I’m assuming was part of the effort to save material when mass-producing the gun for WWII. Metal sling mounts are located on the left side of the gun. Because it doesn’t have a stock, a sling is the best option when shooting the PPS. I did just a little looking around and it doesn’t appear anyone is making an arm brace for this gun.
On the Range With the PPS-43
This isn’t a tac driver, and I wouldn’t enter any shooting competitions with it. But it was designed as a machine gun for close quarters, not long-distance battle. It’s a blast to shoot on the range and because of the weight, its kick was just slightly more than a .22 rifle. I fired 9mm Blazer ammo out of the 35-round mags from the waist position first. This would be an ideal way to shoot up close if it were still full auto.
I also fired it with a sling using forward pressure and could easily hit body silhouettes at 50 yards, but anything smaller started becoming difficult. The gun I purchased came with two curved metal magazines and by the looks of them, they were not new. Even though it’s chambered in 9mm, it appears they are using the original 7.62×25 magazines. This does cause the 9mm bullets to sit further back in the magazine because the luger is only 19mm long instead of 25mm. I didn’t have any issue with cycling, however, which surprised me.
Is it good for anything besides collecting?
Compared to modern firearms, the PPS-43 is outdated and outgunned. It’s heavier, the trigger pull is longer, and it doesn’t have any rails for attaching optics or lights. But it’s built like a tank and it looks cool, which makes it worth owning. So, can you do anything besides put it on display for other gun enthusiasts? Maybe, maybe not. If this was the only gun with high-capacity mags you own, it could work for home defense.
If you have anything more modern, that would probably be a better option for self-defense, hunting, or anything else you do with a gun. Either way, this is a cool gun with a ton of history behind it and it stands out. If you appreciate WWII-era guns, you will love owning and shooting this one. And because it’s chambered in 9mm, the ammo is easy to find and somewhat cheap. It may not be modern, but you can’t replace the feeling of owning such an iconic gun.
