Hudson PPSh41... Basic Troubleshooting Guide

Subject: Hudson PPSh41... Basic Troubleshooting Guide Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:10 pm

Trouble Shooting Guide... Hudson's PPSh41...

Hudson PPSh41... Basic Troubleshooting Guide Ppshin11

Field Stripping, Cleaning, Inspection and Re-assembly have already been covered in previous Step by Step Guides so this guide aims to pinpoint causes of problems when your PPSh41 refuses to operate correctly.
Hudson’s PPSh41 has a somewhat tarnished reputation, along with some other Hudson models, of being unreliable and fragile. Breakages are generally centred around the Bolt but firing problems can be pinpointed and tracked down to other causes too..
The ones that do tend to be caused by Maintenance problems or general wear and tear. It is an easy model gun to strip, check and can be restored to good firing order.

1. Rounds failing to ignite.

Have the cartridges been prepared and loaded correctly?
Are the caps used the correct type and in good condition?

Check condition of Detonator Pin

The Pin should be Clean, corrosion and rust free, not bent and screwed tightly in the chamber.

2. Rounds fire but will not extract from Chamber.

Check that the Detonator Pin and Chamber are clean and not clogged up with Dirt and deposits left from previous firing sessions.
Clogged up Chambers will grab cartridges and stop them being withdrawn by the extractor.

Ref: Hudson PPSh41 Cleaning and Lubrication… Step 1

Check the Extractor is working correctly.

Load a round with a “Dead” cap and insert it into the magazine.
Fit the mag’ into the gun, cock it and pull the trigger.

The bolt should strip the round from the mag’ and feed it into the Chamber. It will not fire as the dead cap has no charge so the gun now has the Bolt fully forwards and closed.
Hold the gun level and keeping an eye on the ejection port, slowly pull the bolt back manually by the cocking handle.

Notice how much Brown dirt resembling rust has appeared around the top of the magazine. This is residue left over from the last firing session that obviously wasn't cleaned properly!

The round should be seen to be pulled smoothly back out of the chamber as it’s gripped to the bolt face by the Extractor claw.

This close-up shot shows the Extractors' Claw firmly in the cartridge rim. This grip, together with the support of both "prongs" underneath the round holds it firm until the Ejector knocks it off.

Detailed photo of the "prongs" supporting the underside of the cartridge..

Ease the bolt back until the round is fully withdrawn.
If the round fails to withdraw at all, it may be stuck in the chamber in clogged up dirt.
If the round starts to withdraw, but drops off the bolt face before reaching the Ejector, then there may be a problem with worn out or broken Extractor Claw, Claw Spring, or Bolt Face.
One or both of the Feed Prongs may have snapped off.

For more information
Ref: Claymore’s excellent Review at http://www.mp40modelguns.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?t=1166 and

Ref: Hudson PPSh41 Inspection Guide… Step 2

3.Rounds Fire but fail to Blow Back.

Check that Detonator Pin and Chamber are clean… see above
Ensure that cartridges are prepared, lubricated and loaded correctly … see above
Try substituting Hudson’s own cartridge Piston with MGC ones. The MGC type do not have a hole drilled through the piston centre and may well seal in more gas pressure as the cap ignites giving much better blowback.
Note, however, the Detonator pin will have to be shortened to suit the MGC piston’s extra length.

Ref: Tuning Guide… Hudson PPSh41

4.Rounds extract but will not eject from the gun.

Check that the ejector has not broken.
Check that the Magazine spring has enough tension to bring the next round up into the gun and into the path of the bolt.
Rounds being pushed through the magazine also throw the fired round out after extraction and ejection. Without sufficient spring tension, the fired round will fall back into the breach causing jamming.
To check, load about 20 rounds into the Drum magazine.

The observant ones amongst you will have spotted that these rounds have the Internal Piston "upside down". They're brand new and out of the boxes! Do NOT attempt to Fire or Dry Fire your model gun when the rounds are assembled like this!
Push the cartridge down into the magazine body to check for spring pressure. There should be firm tension, enough to push the round back upwards once you let go.
Next, push the round out with your thumb. It should strip out and forwards without snagging and the next round should snap up into the feed lips without any resistance.

If it feels sloppy or sticks, then dismantle the magazine and check that a round isn’t caught and fouling the movement in the mag’.
Are the cartridge rims caught on the edges of the feed pathway making them stick?
Are the cartridge rims fouling against each other stopping them stripping from the magazine’s feed lips?
Dismantle the mechanism and check the spring for breakage, rust and the carrier for burrs that may cause friction in the magazine.

5. Bolt not stripping rounds from the Magazine.

Magazine spring too strong… tensioner wound up too tightly?
Magazine Feed Lips bent, burred or damaged
Bolt “Chin” broken, chipped or missing

Ref: Claymore’s excellent Review

Recoil Spring worn out and too weak?
If the Bolt will not drive forwards hard enough to strip the round from the magazine, check for weak or broken recoil spring.
If the Bolt fails to slam forwards up to the Detonator Chamber or is stopped when attempting to strip out a round, check the spring

Step 6. Trigger and Sear.

Problems here may lead to the gun firing accidentally and uncontrollably or the bolt refusing to move forward when the trigger is pulled.
The Sear moves down into the Lower Receiver when the trigger is squeezed. Ensure it drops into its recess cleanly and that it returns smoothly when the trigger is released.

Cerwyn

updated - images now with Servimg

_________________
Cerwyn

Hobby collector of Replica model guns and Militaria.
also member of Living History Reenactment Groups.

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