The best small arms of the Second World War. The best rifles of the twentieth century
World War 2 was one of the most difficult and significant for the history of all mankind. The weapons that were used in this crazy fight by 63 of the 74 countries that existed at that time claimed hundreds of millions of lives.
Steel arms
World War 2 brought weapons of various promising types: from a simple submachine gun to installation rocket fire- "Katyusha". Lots of small arms, artillery, various aviation, marine species weapons and tanks were improved during these years.
Edged weapons of World War 2 were used to carry out close combat hand-to-hand combat and as a reward. It was represented by: needle and wedge-shaped bayonets, which were equipped with rifles and carbines; army knives various types; daggers for the highest land and sea ranks; long-bladed cavalry sabers of ordinary and commanding personnel; naval officer's broadswords; premium original knives, dirks and checkers.
Weapon
Small arms of World War 2 played a special role important role, since a huge number of people took part in it. Both the course of the battle and its results depended on the weapons of each.
Small arms of the USSR of World War 2 in the Red Army weapons system were represented by the following types: personal service weapons (revolvers and pistols of officers), individual weapons of various units (magazine, self-loading and automatic carbines and rifles, for ordinary personnel), weapons for snipers (special self-loading or repeating rifles), individual automatic for close combat (submachine guns), collective view weapons for platoons and squads of various groups of troops ( light machine guns), for special machine gun units (machine guns mounted on an easel support), anti-aircraft small arms (machine guns and machine guns large caliber), tank small arms (tank machine gun).
The Soviet army used such small arms as the famous and irreplaceable rifle of the 1891/30 model (Mosin), SVT-40 self-loading rifles (F.V. Tokarev), automatic ABC-36 (S.G. Simonova), automatic pistol- machine guns PPD-40 (V.A. Degtyareva), PPSh-41 (G.S. Shpagina), PPS-43 (A.I. Sudaeva), TT type pistol (F.V. Tokarev), DP light machine gun (V . PTRS (S. G. Simonova). The main caliber of the weapon used is 7.62 mm. This entire range was mainly developed by talented Soviet designers, united in special design bureaus (design bureaus) and bringing victory closer.
Small arms from World War 2, such as submachine guns, made a significant contribution to the approach of victory. Due to the shortage of machine guns at the beginning of the war, an unfavorable situation developed for the Soviet Union on all fronts. A rapid build-up of this type of weaponry was necessary. During the first months, its production increased significantly.
New machine guns and machine guns
In 1941, a completely new type of submachine gun, the PPSh-41, was adopted for service. It was more than 70% superior to the PPD-40 in terms of accuracy of fire, was extremely simple in design and had good combat qualities. Even more unique was the PPS-43 assault rifle. Its shortened version allowed the soldier to be more maneuverable in battle. It was used for tankers, signalmen, and reconnaissance officers. The production technology of such a submachine gun was at the highest level. Its production required much less metal and almost 3 times less time than similar previously produced PPSh-41.
The use of large-caliber armor-piercing bullet allowed to cause damage armored vehicles and enemy aircraft. The SG-43 machine gun on the machine eliminated the dependence on the availability of water supplies, since it was air-cooled.
Enormous damage to enemy tanks was caused by the use of anti-tank rifles PTRD and PTRS. In fact, with their help the battle of Moscow was won.
What did the Germans fight with?
German weapons of World War 2 are presented in a wide variety. German Wehrmacht used pistols of the following types: Mauser C96 - 1895, Mauser HSc - 1935-1936, Mauser M 1910, Sauer 38H - 1938, Walther P38 - 1938, Walther PP - 1929. The caliber of these pistols ranged: 5 ,6; 6.35; 7.65 and 9.0 mm. Which was very inconvenient.
The rifles used all 7.92 mm caliber types: Mauser 98k - 1935, Gewehr 41 - 1941, FG - 42 - 1942, Gewehr 43 - 1943, StG 44 - 1943, StG 45(M ) - 1944, Volkssturmgewehr 1-5 - end of 1944.
Machine gun types: MG-08 - 1908, MG-13 - 1926, MG-15 - 1927, MG-34 - 1934, MG42 - 1941. They used 7.92 mm bullets.
Submachine guns, the so-called German "Schmeissers", produced the following modifications: MP 18 - 1917, MP 28 - 1928, MP35 - 1932, MP 38/40 - 1938, MP-3008 - 1945 . They were all 9 mm caliber. German troops also used a large number of captured small arms that they inherited from the armies of the enslaved countries of Europe.
Weapons in the hands of American soldiers
One of the main advantages of the Americans at the beginning of the war was sufficient quantity At the time of the outbreak of hostilities, the United States was one of the few countries in the world that almost completely rearmed its infantry with automatic and self-loading weapon. They used self-loading rifles "Grand" M-1, "Johnson" M1941, "Grand" M1D, carbines M1, M1F1, M2, "Smith-Wesson" M1940. For some types of rifles, a 22 mm detachable M7 grenade launcher was used. Its use significantly expanded the firepower and combat capabilities of the weapon.
The Americans used Reising, United Defense M42, M3 Grease gun. Reising was supplied under Lend-Lease to the USSR. The British were armed with machine guns: Sten, Austen, Lanchester Mk.1.
It was funny that the Knights of British Albion, when making their Lanchester Mk.1 submachine guns, copied the German MP28, and the Australian Austen borrowed the design from the MP40.
Firearm
Firearms from World War 2 on the battlefields were presented famous brands: Italian "Berreta", Belgian "Browning", Spanish Astra-Unceta, American Johnson, Winchester, Springfield, English - Lanchester, unforgettable "Maxim", Soviet PPSh and TT.
Artillery. The famous "Katyusha"
In the development of artillery weapons of that time, the main stage was the development and implementation rocket launchers volley fire.
The role of the Soviet combat vehicle rocket artillery The BM-13 is huge in war. She is known to everyone by her nickname "Katyusha". Her rockets(RS-132) in a matter of minutes could destroy not only manpower and the enemy’s equipment, but, most importantly, undermine his spirit. The shells were installed on the base of such trucks as the Soviet ZIS-6 and the American all-wheel drive Studebaker BS6, imported under Lend-Lease.
The first installations were manufactured in June 1941 at the Comintern plant in Voronezh. Their salvo hit the Germans on July 14 of the same year near Orsha. In just a few seconds, emitting a terrible roar and throwing out smoke and flame, the missiles rushed towards the enemy. Fire tornado completely absorbed enemy railway trains at the Orsha station.
The Jet Research Institute (RNII) took part in the development and creation of deadly weapons. It is precisely his employees - I. I. Gvai, A. S. Popov, V. N. Galkovsky and others - that we must bow to for the creation of such a miracle of military equipment. During the war years, more than 10,000 of these machines were created.
German "Vanyusha"
In service German army there was also a similar weapon - this rocket launcher 15 cm Nb. W41 (Nebelwerfer), or simply "Vanyusha". It was a weapon of very low accuracy. It had a wide spread of shells over the affected area. Attempts to modernize the mortar or produce something similar to the Katyusha were not completed due to the defeat German troops.
Tanks
In all its beauty and diversity, World War II showed us a weapon - a tank.
The most famous tanks of World War 2 were: the Soviet medium hero tank T-34, the German “menagerie” - heavy tanks T-VI "Tiger" and average PzKpfw V "Panther", American medium tanks "Sherman", M3 "Lee", Japanese amphibious tank "Mizu Sensha 2602" ("Ka-Mi"), English easy tank Mk III "Valentine", their heavy tank "Churchill", etc.
"Churchill" is known for being supplied under Lend-Lease to the USSR. As a result of reducing the cost of production, the British brought its armor to 152 mm. In battle he was completely useless.
The role of tank forces during World War II
The Nazis' plans in 1941 included lightning strikes tank wedges along the junctions of Soviet troops and their complete encirclement. It was the so-called blitzkrieg - "lightning war". The basis of all German offensive operations in 1941 was tank troops.
The destruction of Soviet tanks by aviation and long-range artillery at the beginning of the war almost led to the defeat of the USSR. Such a huge influence on the course of the war had the presence required quantity tank troops.
One of the most famous - which took place in July 1943. Subsequent offensive operations of the Soviet troops from 1943 to 1945 showed the power of our tank armies and skill tactical conduct battle. The impression was that the methods used by the Nazis at the beginning of the war (this is a strike by tank groups at the junction of enemy formations) have now become an integral part of Soviet combat tactics. Such attacks by mechanized corps and tank groups were magnificently demonstrated in the Kyiv offensive operation, the Belarusian and Lvov-Sandomierz, Yasso-Kishenev, Baltic, Berlin offensive operations against the Germans and in Manchuria - against the Japanese.
Tanks are weapons of World War 2, which showed the world completely new combat techniques.
In many battles, the legendary Soviet medium tanks T-34, later - T-34-85, heavy tanks - KV-1 later KV-85, IS-1 and IS-2, as well as self-propelled units SU-85 and SU-152.
The design of the legendary T-34 represented a significant leap in world tank construction in the early 40s. This tank combined powerful weapons, armor and high mobility. In total, about 53 thousand of them were produced during the war years. These combat vehicles took part in all battles.
In response to the emergence of the most powerful T-VI "Tiger" and T-V "Panther" tanks among the German troops, the Soviet T-34-85 tank was created in 1943. The armor-piercing shell of his gun, the ZIS-S-53, penetrated the armor of the Panther from 1000 m and the Tiger from 500 m.
Heavy IS-2 tanks and SU-152 self-propelled guns also confidently fought against the Tigers and Panthers from the end of 1943. From 1500 m the IS-2 tank penetrated frontal armor"Panther" (110 mm) and practically pierced its insides. SU-152 shells could tear off the turrets of German heavyweights.
The IS-2 tank received the title of the most powerful tank of World War 2.
Aviation and navy
One of the best aircraft of that time are considered the German dive bomber Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka", the impregnable "flying fortress" B-17, the "flying Soviet tank" Il-2, the famous fighters La-7 and Yak-3 (USSR), "Spitfire" (England) , North American P-51 Mustang (USA) and Messerschmitt Bf 109 (Germany).
The best battleships naval forces different countries during World War II were: the Japanese "Yamato" and "Musashi", the English "Nelson", the American "Iowa", the German "Tirpitz", the French "Richelieu" and the Italian "Littorio".
Arms race. Lethal weapons of mass destruction
The weapons of World War 2 amazed the world with their power and cruelty. It made it possible to destroy almost unhindered a huge number of people, equipment and military installations, and to wipe out entire cities from the face of the earth.
World War 2 brought weapons mass destruction various types. Nuclear weapons became especially deadly for many years to come.
Arms race, constant tension in conflict zones, intervention powerful of the world this into the affairs of others - all this can give rise to new war for world domination.
World War II is the greatest military conflict in human history. Most countries in the world have something to do with it. During the war, soldiers used the most modern weapons at that time. Many types of weapons have become very popular for one reason or another. IN this top we will look at the most popular weapons of the Second World War.
10 SVT-40 Tokarev self-loading rifle
This rifle was developed by the Soviet designer Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev in 1940 and was adopted by the Red Army in the same year. During the Great Patriotic War, it was the most popular rifle, and it was also mass-produced. Despite its shortcomings, such as unreliability, large dimensions and sensitivity to contamination, it was popular among soldiers in Germany, the USA and Finland. This rifle The SVT-40 was produced until the end of World War II, and then was discontinued due to its shortcomings.
9 StG 44
This assault rifle was developed by Hugo Schmeisser in 1943 and adopted by the Third Reich in the same year. This rifle was the first to implement the idea of an intermediate cartridge, which was something in between a pistol and a rifle cartridge. StG 44 had high accuracy shooting at short and medium distances, it was also distinguished by its rate of fire, convenience and compactness. However, it also had disadvantages, such as excess weight and fragility of the stem. This weapon became the prototype for many other types of weapons. Its production ceased in 1945, with the fall of the Third Reich.
8 M1 Garand
Developed in 1936, the rifle was adopted by the US Army in 1931 and was used by US forces throughout US involvement in World War II. This rifle was distinguished by reliability, good accuracy, and also a high rate of fire, twice that of conventional rifles. However, due to the overly powerful cartridge, it was overweight and expensive to produce. The M1 Garand rifle was discontinued in 1957.
7
This rifle, developed in 1935, was adopted the same year and became the most popular rifle of the Third Reich army. Its main advantages include its good penetration capabilities, convenience compared to analogues, and a hidden magazine. Disadvantages are the rifle's low magazine capacity - 5 rounds, strong recoil, not very high rate of fire and high cost of production. This was produced until the end of World War II.
6 Thompson Thompson submachine gun
This submachine gun was developed in 1920, which did not prevent it from remaining in production until 1971. It had a high rate of fire and the ability to use a disk magazine, which increased the number of cartridges in the magazine several times. He was also different high quality. However, it was heavy, and its production was expensive and difficult.
5 Mosin rifle
The Mosin rifle was developed in 1891 by Sergei Ivanovich Mosin and was produced until 1965. This rifle was extremely easy to manufacture, maintain and use. It was also distinguished by its reliability and good accuracy. However, despite all these advantages, it was very inconvenient, since during the Second World War it was already obsolete.
4 TT Tula Tokareva
This pistol was developed in 1930 by Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev. It was developed on a competitive basis in order to replace the outdated Nagan pistol, which is in service with the Red Army. The gun is inexpensive and is also easy to manufacture and maintain. TT has high accuracy and high penetrating ability. This pistol continues to be used today.
3 Luger Parabellum Luger Pistol
This pistol was developed in 1900 by designer Georg Luger. This pistol was very expensive and difficult to manufacture, but had very high accuracy, as well as high level rate of fire for its time. This pistol is a fairly successful model of pistols, and therefore is still produced to this day.
2 PPSh Shpagin submachine gun
This submachine gun was developed by designer Georgy Semyonovich Shpagin in 1940. In the same year, it was adopted by the USSR Army. It remained the main submachine gun Soviet army until the 60s, when it was replaced by the Kalashnikov assault rifle. The PPSh was distinguished by its low cost and ease of production, ease of use, reliability, rate of fire and high penetration ability. However, it also had disadvantages, such as high probability spontaneous discharge when falling. It also often jammed due to the not very successful structure of the cartridges.
1 MP-40
Thanks to Soviet cinema, this submachine gun, developed in Germany in 1938, became a kind of personification of the army of the Third Reich. However, this submachine gun was not the most popular machine gun of the German army, as it was presented. This is primarily due to the high cost of production. However, now in the minds of contemporaries this machine gun is the most famous weapon Wehrmacht. The MP-40 submachine gun was distinguished by high accuracy and accuracy of fire. Thanks to all these factors, he became the most popular weapon World War II and a kind of symbol of the Third Reich.
The Second World War significantly influenced the development of small arms, which remained the most in mass form weapons. The share of combat losses from it was 28-30%, which is quite an impressive figure considering the massive use of aviation, artillery and tanks...
The war showed that with the creation of the most modern means armed struggle, the role of small arms did not decrease, and the attention that was paid to them in the warring states during these years increased significantly. The experience of using weapons accumulated during the war is not outdated today, having become the basis for development and improvement. small arms.
7.62 mm rifle model 1891 Mosin system
The rifle was developed by Russian army captain S.I. Mosin and in 1891 adopted by the Russian army under the designation “7.62 mm rifle model 1891”. After modernization in 1930, it was launched in mass production and was in service with the Red Army before World War II and during the war. Rifle mod. 1891/1930 was distinguished by high reliability, accuracy, simplicity and ease of use. In total, more than 12 million model rifles were manufactured during the war years. 1891/1930 and carbines created on its basis.
7.62 mm sniper rifle of the Mosin system
The sniper rifle differed from a regular rifle by the presence of an optical sight, a bolt handle bent to the bottom, and improved processing of the barrel bore.
7.62 mm rifle of the 1940 model of the Tokarev system
The rifle was developed by F.V. Tokarev, in accordance with the desire of the military command and the highest political leadership of the country to have a self-loading rifle in service with the Red Army, which would allow rational consumption of cartridges and provide a greater target range of fire. Mass production of SVT-38 rifles began in the second half of 1939. The first batches of rifles were sent to the Red Army units involved in Soviet-Finnish war 1939–1940 IN extreme conditions this “winter” war revealed such shortcomings of the rifle as bulkiness, heavy weight, inconvenience of gas control, sensitivity to pollution and low temperature. To eliminate these shortcomings, the rifle was modernized, and production of its modernized version, SVT-40, began on June 1, 1940.
7.62 mm sniper rifle of the Tokarev system
The sniper version of the SVT-40 differed from the production samples by a more careful fitting of the trigger elements, qualitatively better processing of the barrel bore and a special boss on the receiver for installing a bracket with an optical sight on it. The SVT-40 sniper rifle was equipped with a specially created PU sight (universal sight) with 3.5x magnification. It allowed firing at a range of up to 1300 meters. The weight of the rifle with the sight was 4.5 kg. Sight weight - 270 g.
14.5 mm anti-tank rifle PTRD-41
This gun was developed by V.A. Degtyarev in 1941 to fight enemy tanks. PTRD was powerful weapon- at a distance of up to 300 m, his bullet penetrated armor 35-40 mm thick. The incendiary effect of the bullets was also high. Thanks to this, the gun was successfully used throughout the Second World War. Its production was discontinued only in January 1945.
7.62 mm DP light machine gun
A light machine gun created by designer V.A. Degtyarev in 1926, became the most powerful automatic weapon rifle squads Red Army. The machine gun was put into service in February 1927 under the name "7.62-mm light machine gun DP" (DP meant Degtyarev - infantry). The low weight (for a machine gun) was achieved thanks to the use of an automation scheme based on the principle of removal of powder gases through a hole in a fixed barrel, a rational design and arrangement of parts of the moving system, as well as the use of air cooling of the barrel. Sighting range firing from a machine gun is 1500 m, the maximum flight range of a bullet is 3000 m. Of the 1515.9 thousand machine guns fired during the Great Patriotic War, the vast majority were Degtyarev light machine guns.
7.62 mm submachine gun of the Degtyarev system
The PPD was adopted for service in 1935, becoming the first submachine gun to become widespread in the Red Army. The PPD was designed for a modified 7.62 Mauser pistol cartridge. The firing range of the PPD reached 500 meters. The trigger mechanism of the weapon made it possible to fire both single shots and bursts. There were a number of modifications of the PPD with improved magazine mounting and modified production technology.
7.62 mm submachine gun of the Shpagin system mod. 1941
The PPSh (Shpagin submachine gun) was adopted by the Red Army in December 1940 under the name “7.62 mm Shpagin system submachine gun model 1941 (PPSh-41).” The main advantage of the PPSh-41 was that only its barrel required careful machining. All other metal parts were made mainly by cold stamping from sheet metal. The parts were connected using spot and arc electric welding and rivets. You can disassemble and reassemble the submachine gun without a screwdriver - there is not a single screw connection in it. From the first quarter of 1944, submachine guns began to be equipped with sector magazines with a capacity of 35 rounds, which were more convenient and cheaper to produce. In total, more than six million PPSh were produced.
7.62 mm pistol of the Tokarev system mod. 1933
The development of pistols in the USSR practically began from scratch. However, already at the beginning of 1931, the Tokarev system pistol, recognized as the most reliable, light and compact, was adopted for service. In mass production of the TT (Tula, Tokarev), which began in 1933, the details of the trigger mechanism, barrel and frame were changed. The target firing range of the TT is 50 meters, the bullet flight range is from 800 meters to 1 kilometer. Capacity – 8 rounds of 7.62 mm caliber. The total production of TT pistols for the period from 1933 to the end of their production in the mid-50s is estimated at 1,740,000 units.
PPS-42(43)
The PPSh-41, which was in service with the Red Army, turned out to be - mainly due to too large sizes and mass - not convenient enough when fighting in populated areas, indoors, for reconnaissance officers, paratroopers and crews of combat vehicles. In addition, in wartime conditions it was necessary to reduce the costs of mass production of submachine guns. In this regard, a competition was announced to develop a new submachine gun for the army. The Sudayev submachine gun, developed in 1942, won this competition and was put into service at the end of 1942 under the name PPS-42. Modified in next year design called PPS-43 (the barrel and butt were shortened, the cocking handle, the safety catch and the shoulder rest latch, the barrel casing and receiver combined into one part) was also adopted for service. The PPS is often called the best submachine gun of World War II. It is distinguished by its convenience, sufficiently high combat capabilities for a submachine gun, high reliability, and compactness. At the same time, the PPS is very technologically advanced, simple and cheap to produce, which was especially important in conditions of a difficult, protracted war, with a constant lack of material and labor resources. The PPS was developed in besieged Leningrad, based on a compilation of its own project and the project of Lieutenant Technician I.K. . Bezruchko-Vysotsky (design of the shutter and return system). Its production was launched there, on Sestroretsky arms factory, initially - for the needs of the Leningrad Front. While food for Leningraders was coming to the besieged city along the road of life, not only refugees, but also new weapons were being taken back from the city.
In total, about 500,000 units of PPS of both modifications were produced during the war.
Weapon - barreled weapon usually a firearm, for firing bullets or other damaging elements caliber 20 mm or less.
Over the years, the following classification has developed:
- by caliber - small (up to 6.5 mm), normal (6.5 - 9.0 mm) and large (from 9.0 mm);
- by purpose - combat, sighting, training;
- according to the method of control and holding - revolvers, pistols, rifles, submachine guns, machine guns, anti-tank rifles;
- according to the method of use - manual, held directly by the shooter when shooting, and easel, used from a special machine or installation;
- according to the method of service in battle - individual and group;
- according to the degree of automation - non-automatic, self-loading and automatic;
- by the number of trunks - single-, double- and multi-trunk;
— by the number of charges – single-shot, multi-shot;
- according to the method of storing loaded cartridges - magazine, drum, belt-fed, barrel-magazine;
- according to the method of feeding the cartridge into the barrel - self-loading, weapons with manual reloading;
- according to the barrel design - rifled and smoothbore.
Of greatest interest is the classification according to the method of control and retention, since it determines the actual types and intended purpose. firearms.
Main structural elements firearms are: barrel; locking device and ignition device; cartridge feeding mechanism; signaling devices; trigger; mechanism for extracting and removing cartridges; stocks and handles, safety devices; sights; devices that ensure the unification of all parts and mechanisms of a firearm.
The barrel is designed to give the bullet directional movement. Internal cavity the barrel is called the bore. The end of the barrel closest to the chamber is called the breech end, and the opposite end is called the muzzle end. Based on the channel structure, barrels are divided into smooth-bore and rifled. Bore rifled weapons As a rule, it has three main parts: the chamber, the bullet entrance, and the rifled part.
The chamber is designed to accommodate and secure the cartridge. Its shape and dimensions are determined by the shape and dimensions of the cartridge case. In most cases, the chamber shape is three or four conjugate cones: in rifle chambers and intermediate cartridge- four cones, one for a cartridge with a cylindrical sleeve. The chambers of magazine-fed weapons begin with a cartridge input - a groove along which the cartridge bullet slides when it is fed from the magazine.
Bullet entry is the section of the barrel bore between the chamber and the rifled part. The bullet entrance serves for the correct orientation of the bullet in the barrel and has the shape of a truncated cone with rifling, the fields of which smoothly rise from zero to full height. The length of the bullet entry must ensure that the leading part of the bullet enters the rifling of the barrel bore before the bottom of the bullet leaves the neck of the cartridge case.
The rifled part of the barrel serves to give the bullet not only translational, but also rotational motion, which stabilizes its orientation in flight. The rifling is a strip-shaped groove that winds along the walls of the bore. The bottom surface of the cut is called the bottom, side walls- edges. The edge of the rifling facing the chamber and receiving the main pressure of the bullet is called the combat or driving edge, the opposite is called the idle edge. The protruding areas between the rifling are the fields of the rifling. The distance at which the rifling makes a full revolution is called the pitch of the rifling. For weapons of a certain caliber, the pitch of the rifling is uniquely related to the angle of inclination of the rifling - the angle between the edge and the generatrix of the barrel bore.
The locking mechanism is a device that closes the bore from the breech side. In revolvers, the locking mechanism is back wall frames or "breech". On most firearms, the bore is locked by the bolt.
The firing (ignition) mechanism is designed to initiate a shot. Depending on the principle of operation, the following types of firing mechanisms can be distinguished: trigger; striker; hammer-drummer; shutter; firing mechanism of electric spark action.
The cartridge feeding mechanism is designed to send a cartridge into the chamber from the magazine.
Signaling devices– are intended to inform the shooter about the presence of a cartridge in the chamber or to the cocked position of the trigger mechanism. Signal devices can be signal spokes, ejectors with an inscription, or signal pins.
Trigger - designed to release the cocked parts of the striking mechanism. In firearms, the trigger and firing mechanisms are most often considered as a single unit and are called the firing mechanism.
The mechanism for extracting and removing cartridges is designed for removing spent cartridges or cartridges from the chamber and removing them from the weapon.
There is a distinction between complete removal of cartridges (cartridges) from a weapon - ejection, or partial (removal of a cartridge case/cartridge from the chamber) - extraction. During extraction, the spent cartridge case/cartridge is finally removed manually.
Safety devices – designed to protect against unintentional shooting.
Sights - designed to aim the weapon at the target. Most often, sighting devices consist of a rear sight and a front sight - the so-called simple open sight. Beyond simple open sight The following types of sights are distinguished: sights with interchangeable rear sights, sector sight, frame sight, angle sight, diopter sight, optical sight, night vision sight, telescopic or collimator sight.
Devices that ensure the integration of all parts and mechanisms of a firearm. For long-barreled and medium-barreled weapons this role is played by the receiver (block), for short-barreled weapons - a frame with a handle.
Stocks and handles (for long-barreled weapons) are designed for ease of holding and using the weapon. They are made of wood, plastic and other materials that do not conduct heat well.
The Second World War significantly influenced the development of small arms, which remained the most popular type of weapon. The share of combat losses from it was 28-30%, which was quite an impressive figure considering the massive use of aviation, artillery and tanks.
Self-loading rifles, incl., received the greatest development during the war years, both in qualitative and quantitative terms. their variety is machine guns and machine guns, incl. aviation and tank.
Personal weapons—revolvers and pistols—played a supporting role. At the same time, revolvers were already at the end of their use, although they still served as weapons for both army units and auxiliary troops and some special forces. Presumably, at least 5 million revolvers were used during the war.
During the war, pistols did not receive noticeable development, despite their wide variety of models. In total, a relatively small number of them were produced - about 16 million, which is explained by their function as a personal weapon in self-defense. Only in a few cases did pistols play the role of the main weapon - security in the rear, operations military intelligence and so on. Leaders in the production of pistols, both in quantity and in quality indicators, were Germany and the USA.
Born during the interwar period the new kind small arms - received a submachine gun greatest development in the USSR, Great Britain, USA and Germany. However, only English and Soviet troops used it as the main infantry weapon. All other countries regarded the submachine gun as an auxiliary weapon for tank crews, artillerymen, rear guards, etc. At the same time, in close and street battles, in practice it proved to be an effective and indispensable weapon. In addition, mass production of submachine guns was the most technologically advanced and cheapest among all types of small arms.
Machine guns that took part in World War II can be divided into three categories. The first is machine guns from the First World War. They were treated first heavy machine guns, technically backward, but still providing high fire density in stationary installations. The second is transitional machine guns, created during the interwar period. These include two types - manual and aviation. Light machine guns of this period actively came into fashion, competing with automatic rifles. Aviation weapons were the main armament of aircraft, not yet supplanted by small-caliber guns. The third is machine guns developed during the war. These are, first of all, single (universal) machine guns, as well as large-caliber ones of all types. It was these machine guns that not only ended the war, but also for several decades, and some to this day, were in service with many armies of the world.
It should be noted that during the war, all armies without exception experienced a shortage of light machine guns, which was explained by the following. Firstly, priority in production was given to aircraft and tank machine guns. Secondly, the losses of machine guns on the fronts were too great, since they were one of the primary targets of artillery. Thirdly, the machine gun, having quite complex mechanisms, required qualified maintenance technical staff, who was almost absent at the front. Repairs were carried out either in rear workshops or at manufacturing plants. Thus, a significant part of the light machine guns was under repair. Fourthly, during the battle, due to its weight and dimensions, a machine gun was more often thrown than a rifle. Hence, all armies had a fairly large number of captured machine guns.
Anti-tank rifles, both in the First and Second world war, remained an exotic weapon and was produced and used by a limited number of countries. The USSR was the sole leader in the production and use of anti-tank rifles. Germany, having a sufficient number of anti-tank rifles, no longer had an object for them mass application, since the armor of Soviet tanks was higher than the armor penetration of German PTRs.
As in the First World War, in the Second the main small arms were the rifle in all its varieties. The only difference from the previous war was that self-loading and automatic (assault) rifles took the palm. The sniper rifle occupied a special place, since the sniper from a separate “military trade” became a “mass profession” of the Second World War.
The leaders in the production of rifles were naturally the largest participants in the war: Germany. USSR, Great Britain and USA. Despite the huge number of rifles produced during World War II, a significant number were used both from World War I and pre-war production. Many older rifles have been modernized, with barrels, bolts and other worn parts replaced. From infantry rifles They arranged cavalry carbines and changed the caliber of weapons.
At a huge number rifles produced, the level of their losses in the main warring countries exceeded production. Replenishment of losses was possible only by attracting stocks of outdated samples. As a rule, they were armed with auxiliary and rear units and used for training purposes.
Approximate number of small arms, samples of which took part in the war, by country and type of weapon (in thousands)
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Total |
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Australia | — | 65 | — | — | |||
Austria | 399 | — | 3 | 53,4 | — | ||
Austria-Hungary | — | 3500 | — | — | — | ||
Argentina | 90 | 220 | 2 | — | — | ||
Belgium | 682 | 387 | — | 50 | — | ||
Brazil | — | 260 | — | — | — | ||
Great Britain | 320,3 | 17451 | 5902 | 614 | 3,2 | ||
Hungary | 135 | 390 | — | — | — | ||
Germany | 5876,1 | 41775 | 1410 | 1474,6 | 46,6 | ||
Greece | — | 310 | — | — | — | ||
Denmark | 18 | 120 | — | 4,8 | — | ||
Spain | 370,6 | 2621 | 5 | — | — | ||
Italy | 718 | 3095 | 565 | 75 | — | ||
Canada | — | 420 | — | — | — | ||
China | — | 1700 | — | — | — | ||
Mexico | — | 1282 | — | — | — | ||
Norway | 32,8 | 198 | — | — | — | ||
Peru | — | 30 | — | — | — | ||
Poland | 390,2 | 335 | 1 | 33,4 | 7,6 | ||
Portugal | — | 120 | — | — | |||
Romania | — | — | 30 | — | — | ||
Siam | — | 53 | — | — | — | ||
USSR | 1500 | 27510 | 6635 | 2347,9 | 471,7 | ||
USA | 3470 | 16366 | 2137 | 4440,5 | — | ||
Türkiye | — | 200 | — | — | — | ||
Finland | 129,5 | 288 | 90 | 8,7 | 1,8 | ||
France | 392,8 | 4572 | 2 | 625,4 | — | ||
Czechoslovakia | 741 | 3747 | 20 | 147,7 | — | ||
Chile | — | 15 | — | — | — | ||
Switzerland | — | 842 | 11 | 1,2 | 7 | ||
Sweden | — | 787 | 35 | — | 5 | ||
Yugoslavia | — | 1483 | — | — | — | ||
South Africa | — | 88 | — | — | — | ||
Japan | 472 | 7754 | 30 | 439,5 | 0,4 | ||
TOTAL |
15737,3 | 137919 | 16943 | 10316,1 | 543,3 |
186461,8 |
1) revolvers
2) pistols
3) rifles
4) submachine guns
5) machine guns
6) anti-tank rifles
The table does not take into account data on transferred/received weapons and trophy receipts.
The holiday is approaching Great Victory- the day when the Soviet people defeated the fascist infection. It is worth recognizing that the forces of the opponents at the beginning of World War II were unequal. The Wehrmacht is significantly superior to the Soviet army in armament. In confirmation of this “dozen” small arms of Wehrmacht soldiers.
1. Mauser 98k
Magazine rifle German made, which was put into service in 1935. In the Wehrmacht troops, this weapon was one of the most common and popular. In a number of parameters, the Mauser 98k was superior Soviet rifle Mosin. In particular, the Mauser weighed less, was shorter, had a more reliable bolt and a rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute, versus 10 for the Mosin rifle. For all this German equivalent paid with a shorter firing range and weaker stopping power.
2. Luger pistol
This 9mm pistol was designed by Georg Luger back in 1900. Modern experts consider this pistol to be the best during the Second World War. The design of the Luger was very reliable, it had an energy-efficient design, low accuracy of fire, high accuracy and rate of fire. The only significant flaw of this weapon was the inability to close the locking levers with the structure, as a result of which the Luger could become clogged with dirt and stop shooting.
3. MP 38/40
This “Maschinenpistole”, thanks to Soviet and Russian cinema, became one of the symbols of the Nazis war machine. The reality, as always, is much less poetic. The MP 38/40, popular in media culture, has never been the main small arms for most Wehrmacht units. They armed drivers, tank crews, and squads with it. special units, rear guard detachments, as well as junior officers ground forces. German infantry armed mostly with Mauser 98k. Only occasionally MP 38/40s were handed over to assault troops in some quantity as “additional” weapons.
4. FG-42
The German semi-automatic rifle FG-42 was intended for paratroopers. It is believed that the impetus for the creation of this rifle was Operation Mercury to capture the island of Crete. Due to the specifics of parachutes, the Wehrmacht landing force carried only light weapons. All heavy and auxiliary weapons were dropped separately in special containers. This approach caused large losses on the part of the landing force. The FG-42 rifle was enough a good decision. I used 7.92×57 mm caliber cartridges, which fit into 10-20 magazines.
5.MG 42
During World War II, Germany used many different machine guns, but it was the MG 42 that became one of the symbols of the aggressor in the yard with the MP 38/40 submachine gun. This machine gun was created in 1942 and partially replaced the not very reliable MG 34. Despite the fact that new machine gun was incredibly effective, it had two important drawbacks. Firstly, the MG 42 was very sensitive to contamination. Secondly, it had an expensive and labor-intensive production technology.
6. Gewehr 43
Before the start of World War II, the Wehrmacht command was least interested in the possibility of using self-loading rifles. It was believed that the infantry should be armed with conventional rifles, and have light machine guns for support. Everything changed in 1941 with the outbreak of war. The Gewehr 43 semi-automatic rifle is one of the best in its class, second only to the Soviet and American analogue. Its qualities are very similar to the domestic SVT-40. There was also a sniper version of this weapon.
7. StG 44
Assault Sturmgewehr rifle 44 was not the best best weapon times of the Second World War. It was heavy, completely uncomfortable, and difficult to maintain. Despite all these flaws, the StG 44 became the first modern type assault rifle. As you can easily guess from the name, it was produced already in 1944, and although this rifle could not save the Wehrmacht from defeat, it brought about a revolution in the field of handguns.
8.Stielhandgranate
Another “symbol” of the Wehrmacht. This one is manual anti-personnel grenade widely used by German troops in World War II. It was a favorite trophy of soldiers of the anti-Hitler coalition on all fronts, due to its safety and convenience. At the time of the 40s of the 20th century, Stielhandgranate was almost the only grenade completely protected from arbitrary detonation. However, it also had a number of disadvantages. For example, these grenades could not be stored in a warehouse for a long time. They also often leaked, which led to wetness and damage to the explosive.
9. Faustpatrone
First in human history anti-tank grenade launcher one-time action. In the Soviet army, the name "Faustpatron" was later assigned to all German anti-tank grenade launchers. The weapon was created in 1942 specifically “for” Eastern Front. The whole point is that German soldiers at that time they were completely deprived of close combat capabilities with Soviet light and medium tanks.
10. PzB 38
The German anti-tank rifle Panzerbüchse Modell 1938 is one of the most little-known types of small arms from the Second World War. The thing is that it was discontinued in 1942, as it turned out to be extremely ineffective against Soviet medium tanks. However, this weapon is confirmation that it was not only the Red Army that used such guns.
Continuing the weapons theme, we will introduce you to how a ball shoots from a bearing.