The SPSh-44 (26-мм сигнальный пистолет СПШ-44) is a Soviet signal pistol.
== History == The gun was designed by G. S. Shpagin as a replacement for the previous models of the Red Army signal pistol. In 1943 he made first version of the gun - 26mm SPSh-43 flare (signal) pistol (26-мм осветительный (сигнальный) пистолет СПШ-43). In January 1944, The second version of this pistol was made - SPSh-2 (СПШ-2). After tests and trials, in 1944 SPSh-2 flare gun was officially adopted as the new standard Red Army signal pistol. In May 1944 it began mass production as SPSh-44 signal pistol. Later it became the standard flare gun in all Warsaw Pact countries. In the mid-1970s, experimental cartridges for immobilization of wild animals for SPSh-44 signal pistol were made and tested.
== Design == The SPSh-44 is a single-shot break-action smoothbore flare gun.
== Variants == OSSh-42 (ОСШ-42) - the first test prototype with 140mm barrel (1.09 kg) Pistolet sygnałowy wz. 1944 - copy of SPSh-44, made since 1948 by Zakłady Metalowe im. gen. "Waltera" in Polish People's Republic Type 57 - copy of SPSh-44, made in the People's Republic of China SPSh-26M KZ (СПШ-26М KZ) - copy of SPSh-44, made by Uralsk machine-building plant "Metallist" (in Uralsk, Kazakhstan). Keserű Muvek Rubber Protector - is a single-shot traumatic pistol manufactured by the Hungarian company " Keserű " by reworking the SPSh. It has separate loading with a 28-mm rubber bullet and a blank cartridge .380 Knall, and can be owned without license in Hungary
== Users == USSR Belarus Poland Russian Federation Turkmenistan - Armed Forces of Turkmenistan Ukraine
References
=== Bibliography === 26-мм сигнальный пистолет (СПШ) обр. 1944 г. Руководство службы / Гл. артил. упр. Вооруж. Сил СССР. Moscow: Voenizdat, 1946 (тип. им. Тимошенко) 26-мм сигнальный пистолет (СПШ) обр. 1944 г. Руководство службы / Воен. м-во СССР. Moscow: Voenizdat, 1950 (тип. им. Тимошенко) 26-мм сигнальный пистолет (СПШ) обр. 1944 г. Руководство службы / Воен. м-во СССР. Mоscow: Voenizdat, 1952 Дополнение к руководству службы. 26-мм сигнальный пистолет (СПШ) обр. 1944 г. - 1979 г.
== External links == SPSh Flare Pistol / Internet Movie Firearms Database
