The PPSh-41 fired the 7.62x25mm (Tokarev) bullet. The 7.62x25mm was the main Soviet pistol and submachine gun bullet. The PPSh-41 weighed around 12 pounds (5.45 kg) with a full 71-round magazine. It weighed 9.5 pounds (4.32 kg) with a loaded 35-round magazine. The PPSh-41 could fire 900 rounds per minute. This was very high compared to other submachine guns of World War II. The PPSh-41 did not have a grip on it. Because of this, the soldier usually had to hold the PPSh-41 behind the drum magazine. The soldier could also hold the bottom of the drum. 35-round box magazines could have been used from 1942. However, Soviet soldiers in World War II usually kept the 71-round drum magazine.