Submachine gun Dolganova №15 State Museum of the Great Patriotic War.
During the Great Patriotic War, Soviet partisans did not have to rely on timely and full supply, and because they were forced to do only their own. among other things,, in partisan groups organized their own workshops for repairing existing weapons, and even the production of new models. One of these workshops has developed the assembly of the original submachine guns, developed by the designer-partisan VN. Dolganova.
In the first half 1944 of the year, until the liberation of the Byelorussian SSR, in the occupied territory of Vitebsk region acted 5th partisan detachment them. GI. Kotovskogo from the "Storm" brigade. Like other similar form, Squad had its own gunsmith, for the most part engaged in the maintenance and repair of cash weapons. However, at some point it Master gunsmith Vasiliy DOLGANOV engaged in the development of its own project of small arms. Before the war he lived in Samarkand, and he worked at the "red diesel" toolmaker. Available experience factory work, complete with weapons maintenance skills as a partisan, It can be used in their own new project.
General view of sub-machine gun VN. Dolganova.
In the arsenal of Order does th. Kotovskogo there were a variety of samples of small arms, as the Soviet, and the captured German - all factory production. VN. Dolgan proposed to strengthen these weapons systems of its own design and manufacturing. Taking into account the production capacity of his studio, he developed a special submachine gun design. New weapons can be collected in makeshift conditions with the use of available materials and the most advanced technologies. Almost all of the details of the new sub-machine gun could be produced on the spot, while others were borrowed from the series of arms. In this case, the designer-Partizan managed to ensure compatibility with the serial production of the factory shops.
Despite the specific manufacturing technology and special raw materials, SMG Dolganova both externally, and in its design resembled some samples of his class, full custom manufactures. Partisans proposed to use a relatively compact automatic weapons under the pistol cartridge 7,62h25 mm TT, only capable of firing bursts.
The main part of the new submachine gun was a receiver. Its top member, vmeshtavshiy prison, It proposed to be made of sufficient diameter water pipe. In front of the tube bore holes for installation of the magazine and eject spent cartridges. The back of the weapons designers have provided the trigger for opening store items. Front tubular box placed the barrel, and the rear end of a removable lid closed. The latter was part of the bolt group and held in place by a spring-loaded latch.
Rear view from above. Photo from the book «partisan weapon: collection catalog»
Guerrilla workshop could make their own barrels, and such details have decided to borrow from the write-DP guns. Barrel truncated to a desired length and equipped with a new base flies characteristic shape. Through the sleeve breech was fixed in the front end of the receiver.
Under the tubular box was the trigger housing. This device is made of sheet metal, forging giving it the desired shape. The casing had a rectangular cross section, decreasing in the rear. Since the main receiver box lower housing secured with the aid of bent plates and screws. In the rear part of the guide-ring had to install the collapsible butt simplest construction.
The weapon has been based on the free automatic shutter. The gate structure represented Dolganova item rather complex shape and significant weight. The front portion of the valve had a semicircular cross section and has integrally formed with a cylindrical rear. On the front wall of the article has a recessed cup with a fixed striker. Also provides for installation of a simple spring-loaded extractor. The known data, VN. Dolgan and his comrades are machined valves of the shafts of the correct size, taken from a damaged German automotive engineering.
The receiver and the breech of the barrel with a hole. Photo from the book «partisan weapon: collection catalog»
Behind the shutter placed reciprocating action spring, Mount the guide bar. Depending on the current capabilities, guerrillas gunsmiths could make springs independently or shoot them with suitable trophies. Sources finished springs were like submachine guns, and cars, a wire for winding self-shot kills with balloons.
curious system used for cocking the shutter. The guide rod reciprocating mainspring was made L-shaped. Its long front part connected with the gate, a short rear portion was withdrawn outwardly through an opening in the rear cover of the receiver. There had spherical shutter control handle. Pulling it back, it was possible to prepare the weapon for firing. Also in the back of the box there was a L-shaped slot, performs the function of an opt-in fuse. Setting the charging handle into the slot blocked automation work.
Submachine gun VN. Dolganova get a simple trigger, able to provide only fire bursts. The tubular casing at the receiver were the trigger, Managing fire, sear to hold the shutter in the cocked position, as well as spacers and springs. Right above the trigger guard placed biased switch. In the back position, he blocked the descent, in the front - can fire. In order to simplify the structure and its production designer declined the opportunity to single shooting.
Sight and labeling. Photo from the book «partisan weapon: collection catalog»
According to others, least, part of serial SMGs Dolganova received advanced trigger with two modes of fire. Such a weapon could fire both single, and queues. Selecting the shooting mode by means of the previous file biased switch.
Simple details a simple trigger mechanism proposed cut of available metal. According to some reports, the main source of raw materials for such purposes has become commonplace barrel out of gasoline, available to the guerrilla group.
Submachine gun had to use two types of detachable shops. Receiver for a shopping trip on the product units PCA, but it has been processed in accordance with the production capacity of the guerrillas. At the bottom of the tube receiver had a large window to set store. Before him was a metal corner, who acted as one of the stops. Behind the shop is maintained latch, placed directly into the casing of the trigger.
Weapons recovered from the bolt group.
like PPSH, SMG Dolganova could use two types of shops. The first was from a standard drum submachine gun Shpagin. Such a product is received and held 71 7,62h25 mm cartridge TT, but due to the nature of the spring had to slightly reduce its load.
The second box-type store was founded by partisans on their own. Unfortunately, such means of ammunition only mentioned in various sources and, as far as, no such shop has been preserved. Apparently, VN. Dolganova, using available materials, copied the regular box magazine for PCA. In this case the ammunition halved, but it increases the convenience for handling weapons.
Guerrilla submachine gun was sophisticated enough sights. Based, mounted on the muzzle of the barrel, It was placed in the annular bead unregulated namushnike. On top of the receiver, behind the ejection window, It is an adjustable open sights. Its design included the firing range of up to 500 m step adjustment 100 m, but the actual characteristics of the weapons were considerably lower.
slide group. Photo from the book «partisan weapon: collection catalog»
VN. Dolgan rigged his gun butt simplest. Its main element was a U-shaped bracket, bent out of thick wire. Cores consisted of staples in a ring on the rear of the trigger housing. On the cross member bracket placed swinging butt plate, made of metal plate. To reduce the dimensions of the butt weapons should move forward. The known data, Butt attachment were not the most perfect. Because of this, when fired it could vibrate and wobble, and folded under the action of the recoil.
Weapons obtained simplified hardware, Nevertheless, capable of providing a certain convenience. On the metal base pistol handle placed a pair of wooden overlays with notches. A small wooden block was mounted on the corner of the front of the store and served something like a forend. However, due to the lack of any trunk protection and minimum dimensions of "fore-end" hold weapons would have to shop for.
The total length of the machine pistol with Dolganova buttstock was 730 mm. When folded - 573 mm. The height of the product, taking into account the store - 190 mm. Width without means of ammunition - 60 mm. Automation through a free bolt yielded rate at firing 600 rounds per minute. Effective range of fire reached 150-200 m, As with other submachine guns chambered 7,62h25 mm TT.
prison, view of the lower part.
Unlike some other types of weapons of guerrilla artisanal production, submachine guns Dolganova had no protective coating. For one reason or another, the designer did not conduct oxidation of metal parts. Because of this weapon retained silver unpainted metal, against which stood a wooden handle and blued barrel stores prefabricated.
In the first months 1944 year master gunsmith VN. Dolgan independently produced the first model of a new submachine gun. This weapon is immediately transferred to one of the soldiers of the 5th partisan detachment; Now he was to become the main verifier. According to the results of the first battles SMG got the highest scores. Weapons well in battle, and because it was recommended for serial production in the company officer workshop. Soon detachment guerrillas them. Kotorvskogo started assembly of new submachine guns.
The known data, a few months - until the liberation of Belarus - VN. Dolgan and his friends managed to collect significant amounts of new weapons. According to various sources, in total were collected not less than one hundred submachine guns. probably, artisanal origins impact on the technical configuration of serial products, and various samples were in some way different from each other. In particular, one sub-machine guns manned existing drum magazine from PCA, while others had to be used with box-build products own.
The appearance of the submachine guns domestic production affected the combat capabilities of the 5th Partisan Brigade Detachment "The Storm". Now, carrying out a raid on enemy targets, guerrillas could do more damage for short time and with less risk to themselves. Naturally, All this has increased the productivity of their combat operation. This operation continued until the summer of weapons 1944 of the year, when the success of "Bagration" operation allowed the Belarusian partisans to return home.
The exact fate of the vast majority of submachine guns VN. Dolganova unknown. At the same time to the present day survived only one instance of such weapons. AT 1945 , the Belarusian Partisan Movement Staff gave it to the museum. Now a unique pattern is stored in the Minsk State Museum of the Great Patriotic War. The receiver sub-machine gun there is the serial number - 15, and given master and partisan detachment, which makes for a weapon. At some point, a museum specimen was oholoschen. With the gate cut drummer, and a breech opening appeared.
Working in extremely difficult conditions, Soviet partisans were forced to support themselves with everything necessary, including small arms. some of the units, such as the 5th Detachment. Kotovskogo from the "Storm" brigade, not only repaired their weapons, but also produced a completely new samples. Total SMGs structure Basil N. Dolganova was not attentive, but these weapons has contributed to the future victory.
