USSR: no antitank rifles before August 1941?

[cathar1244]

The simple and cost effective Degtyarov design PTRD was a single shot rifle 2,0m long and weighting 17,3kg, the Simonov design PTRS was selfloading and had a 5 round magazine loaded by a 5 round cartridge clip. The rifle was 2,1m long and weighed 20,9kg. It could be broken down in two separate loads by simply knocking out a square cross wedge at the receiver. Both rifles were considered usefull and were adopted both to service in Fall, 1941

I had not read that before. Sounds like the situation of the French infantry in 1940 -- no easily ported antitank weapon other than grenades and mines.

Quote is from http://russianammo.org/Russian_Ammuniti ... 145mm.html

I had assumed the Soviets had the PTRD and PTRS at the very start of the Russo-German war.

Cheers

[76mm]

Askey's book says that no ammunition had even been produced for the PTRD or PTRS until August 1941, and that for that reason they did not enter wide-spread use before November 1941. I was also unaware of that!