SPSh-44
Russian pistol

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.
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