Simonov PTRS 1941 (PTRS-41)

History

Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, Simonov produced the PTRS-41 (or "PTRS 1941") anti-tank rifle for the Red Army during World War II. The Soviet military industry was driven to develop every imaginable attempt to repel the total annihilation of the invading German army by means of warfare. This demand for anti-tank rifles existed, and Simonov and his PTRS-41 and Degtyaryov and his PTRD-41 provided powerful systems in 1941. The PTRS-41 was a respectable attempt, offering some unique qualities to the former.

The PTRD-41 was simpler and lighter, but only fired one round before requiring manual reloading. In contrast, the PTRS-41 is heavier, longer and more complex (the latter due to its gas system), although it is fired from a clip-on five-round self-loading magazine.

All of these factors ensured that fewer PTRD-41s were available to the Soviet Army than PTRD-41s due to mass production needs throughout the war.

The PTRS-41 fires the same 14.5x114mm cartridge as the PTRD-41, but via semi-automatic, gas-based operation. Cartridges are stacked in an overlapping fashion and mounted on the base as a one-piece "clip" (as opposed to a traditional firearm "magazine"). A new feature designed for ease of transport allows the barrel of the PTRS-41 to be disassembled and transported as two separate parts.

However, the additional features that make the PTRS-41 unique also ultimately lead to a more complex and dynamic system compared to the PTRD-41 - especially with clip feeds prone to interference on set.

The PTRS-41 has a conventional layout and is suitable for rifles. Behind the angular case is a wooden butt. The pistol grip and trigger group are suspended below the receiver in the traditional way.

The magazine feed is located directly in front of the trigger group, and the pull handle is located on the right side of the gun body. Cartridge cartridge ejected from the eject port above the finisher.

A carrying handle was installed in front of the main working part, and a long gas cylinder was installed above the barrel part. A collapsible bipod mounts under the barrel to help control the aiming of this heavy weapon system.

The barrel extends some distance from the cylinder and has a front sight with a muzzle brake, the latter designed to help eliminate some of the harsh recoil inherent in firing such a large caliber cartridge. The self-loading, semi-automatic nature of this weapon allows it to fire repeatedly until all the ammunition in the magazine is used up.

The PTRS-41 is over 86 inches long and has a 48-inch barrel. With a muzzle velocity of up to 3,3230 feet per second, armor penetration of up to 25 mm can be achieved at 500 meters (0 degree declination).

Like the PTRD-41, German armor protection was a growing prospect when the PTRS-41 appeared on the battlefield - which somewhat limited the usefulness of this anti-tank rifle system. Regardless, these weapon systems can still prove reliable against soft-skinned enemy vehicles and tanks, and these weapons can target critical components such as softer rear areas (where engines are often mounted), driver sights, and rails.

Additionally, the PTRS-41 proved useful in house-to-house combat, where its armor penetration could play to an advantage. Despite increasing restrictions, the PTRS-41 remained in service throughout the war until 1945.

Like other captured Soviet weapons, the still-useful PTRS-41 was put into service by the Germans under the designation 784(r), a 14.5mm anti-tank slide, which was not used until 1943.

The PTRS-41 survived the war and appeared in the Korean War under the North Korean and Chinese banners.

Simonov PTRS 1941 (PTRS-41) Specification

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