M44 Submachine Gun: Finland Copies the Soviet PPS-43
This video explores the Finnish M44 submachine gun, a design heavily influenced by the Soviet PPS-43. Faced with an expensive and slow-to-produce domestic submachine gun (the kp/31 Suomi), Finland opted to copy the simpler, stamped-sheet-metal design of the Soviet PPS-42/43 captured during the Continuation War. The M44 was adapted to Finnish specifications, primarily using the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge and utilizing both Suomi and Swedish Carl Gustaf m/45 magazines. Production was limited due to material shortages, with only 10,000 units manufactured out of an initial order for 20,000. A later plan to resume production and replace the Suomi was ultimately shelved when Finland acquired a large surplus of Sten guns in exchange for other firearms.












