MP 40

Description

The German MP 38 & MP 40 Submachine Gun (SMG) is one of the most iconic and instantly recognizable weapons of World War 2. Often incorrectly referred to as a ‘Schmeisser’ by allied forces after designer Hugo Schmeisser, who had nothing to do with the weapon itself and only held a patent on the magazine.

With the rise of Hitler in the 1930’s, the German Army put out a request for a new Maschinenpistole (hence the MP) to replace the ageing MP 18, which came into service at the end of World War 1. The call was answered by weapons manufacturer Erfurter Maschinenfabrik (ERMA), who created a prototype known as the MP 36. After trails, the modified weapon was accepted into military service and designated the MP 38.

Mechanically the MP 38 was identical to this updated MP 40 in terms of firing 9x19mm Parabellum ammunition, operating via an open bolt/straight blowback system and utilizing a 32 round detachable box magazine. However in terms of manufacturing, they differed considerably to ultimately reduce production time and costs. The most visual difference was that the MP 38 sported a machined/grooved steel receiver, where as this later model was constructed of stamped steel.

No wartime photograph of a German unit or resistance/partisan group would be complete without one of these weapons. Although they had their issues, predominantly with the single column magazine feed, they were still a far superior weapon, in terms of construction and reliability than the British Sten.

Also, having been produced in such high numbers and having seen service in so many theaters of operations during WW2, post war, amongst the chaos of the repatriations and clean-ups, weapons such as these readily found themselves in the hands of the criminal underworld and paramilitaries. Their presence in these organizations would last for decades and even today the odd example still appears in an obscure civil war or police seizure.