PPSH-41 - Korean Conflict Bring-Backs?

[MattS]

Looks like more fun than should be legal (and in some countries, it isn't)!

[Ed Hicks]

Old Baldy and Pork Chop Hill weapons

That's a nice PPSH...This PPSH41 Captured on Pork Chop Hill (DEWAT) in the lousy photo was a battlefield pickup, registered and dewat...From Regt. XO and plaque attached. Ed

This PPSH 41 is part of a group of Dewat weapons personally captured and collected on the battlefield by an officer in WWII, Korea and Vietnam...I believe this was given to him by a member of the Columbian Battalion attached to his unit on Old Baldy and Pork Chop Hill...Very interesting man with a stellar battle record and who retired as a Brigadier General...As soon as the collection is secured for auction this month I will provide the details along with more images of the officer and his collection...WWII weapons include MP40, STG 44, MG34, MG42 and more-most were captured from the SS Division Nord during Operation Nordwind in 1945. Ed

[Dave D]

As crude as the PPSH41 is, That's a beauty Alan !

[603dasc]

This PPSH 41 is part of a group of Dewat weapons personally captured and collected on the battlefield by an officer in WWII, Korea and Vietnam...I believe this was given to him by a member of the Columbian Battalion attached to his unit on Old Baldy and Pork Chop Hill...Very interesting man with a stellar battle record and who retired as a Brigadier General...As soon as the collection is secured for auction this month I will provide the details along with more images of the officer and his collection...WWII weapons include MP40, STG 44, MG34, MG42 and more-most were captured from the SS Division Nord during Operation Nordwind in 1945. Ed

This just sounds like a very impressive, fantastic grouping of weapons. Can't wait to see the whole kit and caboodle!

[Alan Smith]

Dave,

I'm with you: the PPSH-41 is (at first glance) a "crude" weapon. However, as you handle it, shoot it and generally get to understand it, you are pretty much in awe of its simple yet highly durable and reliable construction. Bottom line is that, regardless of cosmetic appearances, the PPSH-41 was a first rate SMG in its day. Prior to acquiring this example I never had any idea I would grow to enjoy/respect the PPSH-41 as much as I have.

[juoneen]

This gun did its job quite admirably The reason they beat the germans in the city fighting.... made millions of em, and they were cheap to manufacture. I cant recall but they come apart in just a few pieces. Drawback that killed em. No selective fire switch or feature. The kalishnikov two years post war ended this guns mainstay except in small countys where guerilla bands operated in the 40's 50's 60's (also chicom)and still can be found occasionally in many other african nations and such, but the AK became the #1 choice because as soon as anyone got their hands on the AK, they threw away the ppsh41's, or passed em down . I hear they are cheap on the black market in central american countrys just because of that reason. Nice gun ...but lets be serious now....once bitten by the "sphagen bug "you are hooked for life, there is no cure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnscYdnjXYk

[tgus]

I just piced up a Korean War bring back PPSH. It noted on the original amnesty form that it is a Korean war trophy. The Vet put 1960 as the date acquired on the form because that was after his service in the army and was worried about getting in trouble. He did not bring home a mag and never fired it.

[Alan Smith]

Thanks for showing the original registration papers; I always enjoy seeing how the vets described their war trophy MG's when registering them.

[tgus]

Thanks for showing the original registration papers; I always enjoy seeing how the vets described their war trophy MG's when registering them.

No problem I found it interesting too. I like that he called it a burp gun!

[Alan Smith]

Here is a .pdf scan (let's see if it posts correctly) of the original registration for my PPSH-41, as obtained from BATFE via a Freedom of Information Act request. Unfortuantely, most of the "good stuff" is redacted, but it is interesting to see the 1958 original registration date, i.e. not long after the Korean War.

As I mentioned before, although not visible due to the redactions, per the oral history with the gun the original registrant was a police department in Missouri. My guess is that the gun was abandoned by (or taken from) a Korean War vet in the early post-war years. What is interesting is that the police department registered the gun within only a few months of acquiring it; this is unusual to me: most PD's at the time simply tossed such items into the weapons locker and there it would sit for decades.

[Alan Smith]

Well . . . . the attempt to post a .pdf scan from work was not successful. Here is a photo of what I obtained via FOIA request.

[Alan Smith]

Close up of date gun was acquired by the PD, registration date, and descriptive data re: the gun.