Introduced by the Italian Pietta company in the 1970s (yes, the same Pietta that makes all those reproduction Old West revolvers and lever action rifles), the PPS/50 has been a continuously popular firearm for more than 40 years now. Designed to roughly resemble a Soviet PPSh-41 submachine gun, the PPS/50 is a semiautomatic .22 rimfire for the recreational market and nothing more. It is a simple blowback action, and perhaps the most interesting mechanical feature is its 50-round drum magazine (which is really what differentiates it from the plethora of other rimfire semiautomatic rifles on the market). The drum is remarkably reliable, and has certainly contributed to the long sustained manufacture of the PPS/50.