VFC PPSh-41 GBB SMG

The Real PPSh-41 "Papasha" SMG

The real steel PPSh-41 is widely known as one of the most effective SMGs of WWII, designed by Georgy Shpagin in 1940 and first produced in 1941. Known as Pistolét-pulemyót Shpágina-41, aka Shpagin's machine-pistol-41, the PPSh was created as a response to the very effective Suomi KP/-31 SMG employed by Finnish forces during the Winter War (1939-1940), giving the Red Army an essential close-range firepower advantage.

The PPSh-41 replaced the Degtyaryov PPD submachine gun in Soviet service and was far simpler to produce, ideal for wartime production. Each PPD required 95 parts and 13.7 machining hours, compared to 87 parts and 7.3 machining hours for the PPSh. By spring 1942, over 3000 PPSh's were produced per day, an impressive feat and a big reason these SMGs are still found in conflict zones to this day.

Like the PPD, the PPSh-41 was chambered in the 7.62 x 25 Tokarev cartridge, the standard pistol cartridge of the Red Army at the time, used with the Tokarev TT-33 pistol. Each PPSh was issued with two factory-fitted drum magazines which were later replaced with conventional 35-round box magazines. Later in its life, the PPSh-41 also served in the Korean War and Vietnam War, while seeing limited service in the Syrian Civil War in the hands of rebel groups.

Platform Details

Starting at the front, we come to the full-length barrel shroud/heat shield, a big part of the iconic PPSh look. The barrel shroud is a single piece of folded steel which runs all the way back to the receiver, made from significantly thicker gauge steel than AEG versions. The front of the shroud functions as a muzzle brake in the real steel, helping control its violent muzzle rise in full-automatic.

On the top, we can find the front and rear sights, both fixed, non-adjustable sights, as was the convention for SMGs made in the WWII era. The front sight is a fine front post set into a dovetail, protected by a stamped steel hood with ports on the top and sides to allow ample light transmission.

The rear sight is a simple open design with protective wings on either side, offering two notches with "20" and "30" stamped into each, denoting 10s of meters. These range markings are ambitious for a real PPSh and even more so for an Airsoft GBB, though they can be used as a 20m and 30m notch quite effectively in Airsoft engagements.

Welded onto the left side of the heat shield, we have our front sling point, a steel loop which is thick and strong; easily capable of supporting the PPSh-41 with its hefty drum magazine. On top, we find the ejection port, complete with realistic Molot Arsenal markings: a star inside a shield, with "1944" marked below.

Just below the "1944" marking, you'll notice a rectangular piece on the top of the heat shield. This is the very-well-disguised HOP-up adjuster, allowing you to tune the PPSh-41 for different ammo weights by varying the amount of backspin applied to your BBs. If you turn the piece clockwise, the HOP-up effect will increase.

Following the ejection port, you'll find the serial number stamped into the top of the receiver. While this isn't a unique serial number, it is correctly stamped onto the outer barrel, stock tang and trigger guard, along with the receiver itself, perfectly mimicking the real steel PPSh-41 and its manufacturing standards.

The bolt carrier is visible through the ejection port and the charging handle slot on the right side, authentically finished "in the white", i.e, bare metal. The real steel PPSh-41 used a blued finish for its receiver and barrel shroud, but the bolt carrier was unfinished, providing a recognisable silver accent which is authentically replicated in this build.

The bolt carrier includes all the details a firearms buff would expect, including a milled extractor-style groove on the top and a fixed charging handle on the right side, with a built-in locking piece. The locking piece allows the bolt to be locked both in the forward and rear (ready-to-fire) positions, functioning as a safety catch similar to the "safety notch" of the STEN gun. This is the only safety mechanism on the PPSh but is remarkably easy to use once you're accustomed to it.

Like the real PPSh-41, VFC's replica shoots from an "open bolt" position. This means that the bolt carrier starts locked to the rear and drops when the trigger is pulled, loading a cartridge and firing it in succession. Open bolt firearms are well-regarded for their heat dissipation qualities and simplicity of manufacture, a very common system in WWII era SMGs. We're thankful VFC made the PPSh-41 as realistic as possible, both in its operation and build quality.

On the bottom of the receiver, we can find the magazine well, a cutout designed primarily for the included drum magazine. We aren't aware of stick magazines for the VFC PPSh-41 yet, but hopefully, they'll get around to it. The magazine release catch is the correct folding design for a PPSh, positioned on the bottom for easy access from either side.

To insert or remove the magazine, the catch must be in the unfolded position, but once your magazine is in, you can fold it flat against the receiver to thoroughly secure your mag. As we would expect for this stunning build, the magazine release is made entirely from steel, ensuring it can go the distance, even under regular, hard use.

Behind the magazine catch, we have the trigger guard, a significantly enlarged design to allow for use with full-finger gloves. The guard is made from stamped steel, and inside, we have the steel trigger and stamped steel fire selector switch. With the switch pushed forward, the PPSh is in full-auto mode. With the switch at the rear, it's in semi-auto.

At the rear, we come to the stock of the PPSh, a "semi-pistol-grip" design. The stock is made from positively beautiful real wood, light in tone with a varied wood grain and finish which closely matches real WWII-era PPSh-41 SMGs. On the left side, the stock features a sling port designed for PPSh-41 replica slings, which can be paired with the front sling loop to support this hefty, full steel beast.

Its relatively short length of pull compared to most rifles of the era makes it far easier to handle in close quarters, and its semi-pistol grip design allows you to stay low when fighting in the woods. At the rear, it's equipped with a steel butt plate to prevent stock cracks, complete with a cleaning kit port which can be used for tools, mid-game snacks and other essentials.

To field strip the PPSh-41 for maintenance, we recommend following the steps outlined in VFC's video: VFC PPSh-41 GBBR Disassembly Guidelines.

Internals

Inside the PPSh-41, we're treated to full steel trigger parts, ensuring the build can handle heavy use in the long term. The bolt carrier is made from CNC-machined aluminium, ensuring it's light and fast to cycle, not to mention extremely gas-efficient. The result is a rate of fire few GBB platforms can match, similar in speed to a MAC-11 GBB but with a far stronger recoil impulse.

The HOP-up unit is a unique design but is compatible with aftermarket VSR/GBB type inner barrels and HOP-up buckings, giving you access to a vast aftermarket of accuracy and range upgrades. The pre-installed bucking and 6.05mm tightbore barrel provide superb results straight out of the box, capable of lifting 0.28g BBs with ease.

Features

• Full steel/real wood build - Flawlessly authentic
• Open bolt operation - Just like the real PPSh-41
• Ported barrel shroud/heatshield - Iconic PPSh-41 looks
• Authentic Molot Arsenal markings - Perfectly matches real WWII PPSh-41 SMGs
• Steel outer barrel - Provides realistic weight distribution & handling
• Open iron sights - Protected front sight blade; two rear notches for different ranges
• Ambidextrous folding magazine release - On the bottom; must be folded down to insert
• Enlarged trigger guard - Easy access to the trigger when wearing full-finger gloves
• Two-position fire selector switch - Push forward for Full Auto, rearward for Semi-auto
• Bolt carrier lock safety - With the bolt at the front or rear, push the locking piece inwards to lock
• Semi-pistol-grip stock - Shorter than most for easy handling up close
• Sling points front & rear - On the left side of the handguard & stock; ready for a two-point sling
• Realistic field stripping - Access the bolt carrier & internals the same way as the real Papasha
• Real wood stock - Fantastic quality, period-accurate wood finish
• Steel butt plate - Prevents the stock from cracking if dropped
• Compatible with VFC PPSh-41 Drum Magazines

Package Includes

• VFC PPSh-41 GBB SMG
  • 120rnd Drum Magazine