Starting in 1918, Vasily Degtyaryov headed the first Soviet firearms design bureau[1] at Kovrov Arms Factory.

[2] In 1940 he became a Doctor of Technical Sciences,[1] and Hero of Socialist Labour[1] (he received the second such award in its history just two weeks after Joseph Stalin).

[2] On the day of the designer’s death, by a resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, monthly scholarships were established in his name:[3] On October 17, 1954, a monument[4] was erected in Kovrov for Degtyaryov, and a bust and several plaques were installed on the territory of the weapons factory bearing his name.

[7] In many cities of the former USSR (Kharkiv, Novosibirsk, Lomonosov, Saint Petersburg) streets carry the name of Degtyaryov.

On November 6, 1979, on the occasion of the centennial of the designer's birth, the USSR Ministry of Communications issued a postal envelope with his image.