Germany Adopts the PPSh in 9mm: the MP-41(r)

During World War Two, both German and Russian soldiers often thought that the other side's weapons were better than their own. In particular, both sides often preferred their opponents' SMGs. In late 1941, a group of German officers formally requested that Germany simply copy and produce the PPSh-41. This led to the HWA formally studying the question of PPSh-41 vs MP-40...and they found that the German gun was better, but the Russian magazine was better.

Naturally, as a result of this finding, the German military chose to convert captured Russian PPSh-41s to use MP-40 magazines . The conversion used standard MP40 magazines, and required magazine well adapters and new 9mm barrels. Some 10,000 such conversions were made in total. Some used cast magwell adapters and some were stamped, and the barrels were made from standard MP40 barrels turned down to fit PPSh trunnions.

The standard 7.62mm PPSh-41 in German service was designated MP-717(r), while the ones changed to 9x19mm like this were designated MP-41(r). Many thanks to Limex for giving me access to film this one for you!

Contact:
Forgotten Weapons
6281 N. Oracle 36270
Tucson, AZ 85740

[nucleargrizzly]

A range I frequented had a Russian PPSh as a rental. One day they let me clean it. Amazing that something so simple and inexpensively made worked so well. Absolutely nothing to it.

[Gldble]

I believe you meant the MP40 magazine is double stack, single feed. A single stack, double feed magazine would be quite strange.
A lovely video as ever though Ian, thank you!

[Gojiro]

if there's one thing I've learned about guns through watching this series, its that Magazine design is WAAAY more important then us everyday plebs realize, the thing that exists in our brains to be the cool part of gun reload animations in video games actually has a ton of mechanical importance towards a guns successful use despite it having the least amount of moving parts.

[toncek]

German gunsmith: as you requested, we're going to make some PPSH-Mp40 hybrids.
German soldier: Using the best of both designs, right?
Gg: ...
Gs: Using the best of both designs, RIGHT?

[CruSquad_Archives]

For ppl wondering about the rear sights. That is an early production sights. Which is really cool too see, especially when it's converted to fire 9MM.

[carlbrown]

Once again, Ian gets to live out all our fancies and handle another unique forgotten weapon. One wonders if the rate of fire was comparable.

[enysuntra]

"The MP41 magazine was single-stack, double-feed..."
Hm. That would really be an interesting, and totally impractical, gun.

(The HK SL-8 civilian rifle based on the G-36 AFAIK has something like this, a single-stack magazine that was developed from the Mil-Spec G36 magazines - but this is deliberate to "demilitarise" it.)

[highlandoutsider]

Its gutting that its so rare, cause a ppsh in 9x19 would be a dream range toy

[Getpojke]

Reminds me that its about time I watched my all time favourite war movie again; Cross of Iron from 1977. Steiner (James Coburn), plus a few of his men, use looted PPSh-41s, though they use drum mags so not converted as the drum wouldn't fit if they were. Great film.

[johnmcdonald]

I have a PPSh BFONG(Blank Firing Only Non Gun) I use for WW2 reenacting. I fitted one of the Inter Ordinance reproduction magazine adapters to it and it runs fine with original MP-40 magazines.

[theairbourne]

Am i the only one who immediately noticed that the PPSH-41 has a early upper with the early tangent rearsight but a late war lower with the reinforced extentions?

[aidanfarnan]

5:29 when the barrel pivot hinge is so interesting the bolt comes over to have a look. "Huhya!"

[casualsatire]

To everyone in the comments, he meant the MP40 and Sten had a double stack, single feed magazine. Google exists people.

[Procket]

The Germans also had an adoption designation for plain captured PPsh-41s that were also fielded for military use and they were able to feed it without needing Soviet ammunition because 7.63 Mauser is dimensionally identical to 7.62 Tokarev and was still hot enough to run the gun reliably. So the Germans just produced 7.63 Mauser and fed their captured Soviet guns with it.

[theblindsniper]

One of the things i love about running a gun channel is getting amazing opportunities to see incredible pieces like this, from all around the world

[henryrodgers]

A friend has a PPSH semi-auto kit gun with one of these adapters. Funnily enough, the barrel on IT is a machined down barrel from a semi-auto MP40 replica!
History has cycles, apparently.

[maxfaxdude]

The main reason for the German adoption of firearms like these was that the Wehrmacht had a chronic shortage of small arms (particularly submachineguns) throughout the war. And conversion from the 7.62 x 25 mm Tokarev to the 9 mm Parabellum cartridge made sense because this was the standard pistol and submachinegun cartridge in the German armed services thereby simplifying logistics.

[marty]

1:31 wait a moment... "single-stack double-feed"? Shouldn't that be the other way around?

[mrkeogh]

Ian's next book is going to be about the MP40 magazine and its patent issues 👍

[Nimbleshooter]

I’ve been looking forward to this video. I always thought this conversion was fascinating