ForgottenWeapons
patreon
PTRS 41: The Soviet Semiauto Antitank Rifle (aka an SKS on Steroids) (ad-free)
🕑 Added 2022-12-14 12:00:01 +0000 UTCPrior to World War Two, the Soviet Union had a rather lackluster interest in antitank rifles - a series of guns were developed, but slowly and without all that much success. The Barbarossa invasion gave a very immediate need for just this sort of weapon, however, to give Soviet infantry units an organic anti-armor capability. Two star Soviet designers were tasked with designing AT rifles, Degtyarev and Simonov. The cartridge they were to use was the new 14.5x114mm, a high-velocity monster using a tungsten carbine cored projectile.
After a shockingly fast development period, the guns from both design bureaus were accepted. The Degtyarev became the PTRD-41, a single-shot auto-ejecting design that was extremely cheap and fast to produce. The Simonov design became the PTRS-41, a 5-shot semiauto offering more firepower but also taking longer to produce. The Degtyarev entered service first, with the first substantial deliveries of PTRS rifles arriving in 1942.
Both designs would serve through the war, with hundreds of thousands being made. Many were put into storage in 1945, and they are still seen today in Ukraine periodically. The PTRS would go on to be the basis for Simonov's 7.62x39mm infantry rifle, adopted as the SKS.
Many thanks to the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels for access to this very rare piece! Check them out here:
Comments
Forgotten Weapons
Yeah, I've seen a little bit of it around. It's still used in things like the KPV machine guns.
Matt Haught
Is there any ammo in the US other than the odd bringback round?
Manimal
I have always been interested in that one. great video! I remember old documentaries saying they were used more for anti-aircraft, since they weren't effective on tanks.
Forgotten Weapons
Alas, no. I'm still working on finding a way to shoot both a PTRS and a PTRD.
Douglas Knapp
Cool Ian! Any chance of seeing it shoot? No luck yet on my searches. BTW: well-focussed as you are on the subject, I'd say don't worry about having background, in fact I kind of like it.
Glenn Miller
great opening!
Minion
Beer's in the fridge 😉
Mrgunsngear
very cool history there
Robert Rowe
Wait, can I change my suggestion on which rifle Ian should use in the next 2 gun match???
Guido Schriewer
that poor bastard that had to move THAT thing! my sks size is just fine! the piston must be like a barbell already. beside.. its commiesoviet... where is the bayo on it?
Minion
Instead of https://www.kim-mra.be/D7t/ try https://klm-mra.be/en
Kenneth Marshall
I found it odd that despite the very proven design, it was only copied as the Pouza P50 50 cal. I'd think its proven design would make it more attractive for a commercial venture for the 50 cal community, but it is a lot of machining so that impacts overall costs.
Always a pleasure watching and learning
