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The Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun is widely used by law enforcement, tactical teams and military forces.

A submachine gun (SMG) is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges.[1] It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. An assault rifle, in contrast, uses an intermediate-power cartridge with more power than a pistol but less than a standard rifle or battle rifle.

Contents

History

In the early 20th century, experiments were made by converting stocked pistols from semi to fully automatic. Stocked automatic weapons firing pistol rounds were developed around the same time during World War I, by Italy, Germany, and the United States. The first dedicated designs were developed in the latter stages of World War I both as improvements on earlier stocked pistols, and to offer an advantage in trench warfare.

They were popularized in the 1920s and '30s as weapon of choice of American gangsters and police, in the form of the famous Thompson submachine gun, commonly referred to as the "Tommy Gun". Submachine guns rose to prominence as a frontline close-quarters combat weapon and commando firearm during World War II. They are now widely used by police[2] SWAT, military commando, paramilitary, and counter-terror team members for a variety of situations.

19th century to 1920

Replica Thompson 1928A1 with box-type magazine.

The first automatic weapon to fire a pistol round was a scaled-down version of the Maxim machine gun, used for demonstrations in marketing the Maxim in the late 19th century, especially when a full-sized firing range was not available. First-generation submachine guns were characterized by machined metal parts, blowback designs with the bolt directly behind the barrel. The submachine gun appeared during the later stages of World War I. It first saw action in trench warfare where grenades, pistols, sharpened entrenching tools, improvised clubs, and bayonets were commonly employed.

The Italians developed the Villar Perosa, introducing it in 1915. It is not a submachine gun, as it cant be fired from shoulder and without support. Originally developed as an aircraft weapon, it also saw some use by infantry as a light machine gun. This odd design was eventually modified to become a traditional submachine gun,the OVP 1918 that evolved into the Beretta 1918 after the end of WW1 .

However, the Bergmann MP18 is the first true submachine gun and has been used intensively starting with Operation Michael in March 1918.

The Thompson submachine gun program began in roughly the same period. The various dates and achievements of the first generation submachine guns creates a contentious area for firearms historians, with conclusions much to do with their nationality and interpretations. The only pictures of SMGs used in combat and reports of captured SMGs refer to MP 18 captured in France after the German Spring Offensive.

The Beretta 1918 had a traditional wooden stock, a 25-round box magazine, and had a cyclic rate of fire of 900 rounds per minute. The Germans had been using heavier versions of P08 pistols, equipped with larger capacity "snail" drum magazine, and longer barrel; these were semi-automatic. Bergmann, by 1918 had developed the MP18. The MP18 used 9x19mm Parabellum round in a snail-drum magazine. The MP18 was used in significant numbers by the German stormtroopers which, in conjunction with appropriate tactics, achieved some notable successes in the final year of the war. However, they were not enough to prevent Germany's collapse in November 1918.

The Thompson submachine guns had been in development at approximately the same time as the Bergman and Beretta, but development was put on hold in 1917, when the US and the weapon's designer (Thompson) entered the war. The design was completed afterwards and used a different internal system from the MP18 or Beretta, but it had missed its chance to be the first purpose-designed submachine gun to enter service. It would however go on to serve as the basis for later weapons and have the longest active service life of the three.

1920 to 1950

In the inter-war years the submachine gun became notorious as a gangster weapon; the iconic image of pinstripe-suited James Cagney types wielding drum-magazine Thompsons caused some military planners to shun the weapon. It was also used by the police, but many criminals favored the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle. The submachine gun was nevertheless gradually accepted by many militaries, with many countries developing their own designs over the period, especially in the 1930s.

Argentina manufactured a wide range of high quality submachine guns during the interwar years, most notably the Hafdasa C-4 and Halcon M-1943 which were chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum and .45 ACP calibres depending on service. A weapon ahead of its time was the Hafdasa C-2 machine pistol issued to armoured vehicle personel which would be today classed as a Personal Defense Weapon.

In the USSR, the PPD34 and PPD34/38 were developed. In France the STA 1922 was adopted as MAS 1924 and evolved into MAS-35 later adopted as MAS-38 using the 7.65mm Long round of the Pistol PA 35, a cartridge derived from the .30 Pedersen. In Germany some improvements on the MP18 were employed, namely the MP28/II and the MP34. Also, Nazi Germany adopted the MP38, unique in that it used no wood and a folding metal stock, though it used similar amount of stampings as the MAS. Italy further developed a number of its own designs (see list of Italian submachine guns), with similar attempts at improvements in lower production cost, quality, or weight.

The MP40 9 mm submachine gun with stock extended.

During the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in 1939, the MP38 production was still just starting and only a few thousand were in service, but it proved very popular especially in towns and cities. It was far more practical and effective in those environments than the standard-issue German rifle, the Kar 98K. From it, the nearly identical, but safer and cheaper to make, MP40 was developed; about a million MP40s were made in World War II. The MP40's design used even more stampings, and less strategically-important metals such as aluminum, but still managed to be lighter because it avoided some of the heavier machined parts of the MP38.

Britain adopted the Lanchester submachine gun, based on the MP28/II. Britain was also interested in acquiring M/31 Suomis but this project was canceled in 1939 when Finland needed every one for her own defense. However the high cost of manufacture and low rate of production led to the much simpler, cheaper and faster to make Sten submachine gun. The Sten gun was so cheap to make that near the end of World War II, Nazi Germany started manufacturing their own copy of the design (the MP 3008). Britain also used many M1928 Thompsons early on (the inter-war period version with a drum magazine), and also many of the improved version M1 (the one seen only with a stick magazine). After the war, the Sten would be replaced by the Sterling submachine gun.

America and its allies used the Thompson submachine gun, especially the simplified M1 version that was not machined to accept the drum magazine. Because the Thompson was still expensive to produce, the M3 "Grease Gun" was adopted in 1942, followed by the slightly improved M3A1 in 1944. The M3 was not necessarily more effective, but was made with cheap stamped metal, making it much more affordable. It could be configured to fire either .45 ACP ammunition, which the Thompson and M1911 pistol also fired, or the 9 mm Parabellum, widely used by Allies and Axis. It would be among the longest serving of the submachine guns designed during the war, being produced into the 1960s and serving in US forces officially into the 1980s.

Finland had developed the M/31 Suomi before the Winter War in which it saw much use. The weapon fired 9 mm Parabellum rounds from a drum magazine with the capacity of 70 (although often loaded with up to 74). Although America used stick magazines in the Thompson, and Russians carried only a few drum magazines (usually one drum, if any, and remaining ammunition as stick magazines), the Suomi was mostly deployed with drums. They were also less prone to jamming than the stick or "casket" magazines developed for the weapon. The weapon was used until the end of Lapland war, and in peacetime service, to the early 1990s.

By the end of World War II, the USSR had fielded the largest number of submachine guns, such as the PPSh-41, with whole infantry battalions being armed with little else. Even in the hands of conscripted soldiers with minimal training, the volume of fire produced by massed submachine guns could be overwhelming in an urban environment. The German forces formed similar troops of their own in response to this. Key realizations made during World War II, notably the fact that most small-arms engagements occurred within 100 yards (90 meters), and that a high rate of fire was generally more effective than the slower but more accurate fire, (such as provided by bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles) were some of the key causes for the development of the assault rifle.

1950 to present

Submachine guns lend themselves to moderation with suppressors, particularly so in cases where the weapon is loaded with subsonic ammunition. Variants of the Sten and modern-day Heckler & Koch MP5 have been manufactured with integral suppressors, and such weapons are on occasion used by special forces and police units. After the Korean War, the role of submachine guns in military applications was gradually diminished. Both submachine guns and battle rifles were supplanted by the new assault rifles, such as the CAR-15 and Heckler & Koch HK53. Submachine guns are used by special forces and counter-terrorist units operating in urban environments or cramped interior areas, and as defense weapons for air crews, armored vehicle crews, and naval personnel. Though submachine guns still have a strong hold on niche users, due to their advantage in compact size, they are facing competition from carbines and shortened assault rifles. The dominance of submachine guns in law enforcement tactical operations has been diminished by new developments since the 1990s. Factors such as the wide availability of assault rifles and carbines and the increasing use of body armor have combined to limit the appeal of submachine guns to government agencies. Assault rifles and carbines have been supplementing submachine guns in some roles. However, assault rifles are not a complete replacement, since they are generally heavier, have greater muzzle blast, more recoil, and may be likely to overpenetrate due to their use of rifle rounds.

During the Aparthied era, The Rhodesian and South African governments supplied Afrikaaners submachine guns what would be classed as a Land Defence Pistol (LDP). The LDP's were basically submachine guns with semi automatic capability, very much like assault pistols.

Also touted as a successor to the submachine gun is the personal defense weapon (PDW), a machine pistol-like weapon which fires armor-piercing pistol cartridges. The PDW is similar in operation to submachine guns and is often considered as such. However, the PDW's specialized ammunition is incompatible with common pistol and rifle rounds, and it is less effective than rifle rounds against unarmored targets.[citation needed] The trend in modern submachine guns had been toward lighter, smaller weapons utilizing plastics to a greater degree.

Legal ownership by civilians

Private ownership of submachine guns is illegal in most nations, but there are a few notable exceptions, including the following:

Czech Republic

Civilian ownership of submachine guns is regulated by the Ministry of the Interior, which classifies such weapons as Category A (Restricted Firearms and Accessories) under the provisions of Act 119 of 2002.[3] In addition to a valid gun license, the prospective civilian owner must obtain a Category A Exemption from a local police agency and demonstrate the reason for owning a submachine gun, e.g. a legitimate firearms collection.

Finland

The Firearms Act of 1998 (amended in 2001) outlawed possession of submachine guns by the general public, although licensed collectors in good standing can obtain permits for older submachine guns from the Gaming and Weapons Administration. Police must verify that the collector is able to store the gun securely to discourage theft.[4]

Pakistan

Civilian gun licenses in Pakistan vary considerably in terms of region and class of firearm. Local police agencies can issue permits for submachine guns that are only legal in the state in which they are issued, although a license issued by the Prime Minister will allow the gun in question to be transported anywhere in the country. There are complaints that the licensing process has become too politicized.[5]

Switzerland

Submachine guns may only be owned by licensed collectors, but cannot be fired in full-automatic mode. Civilians may purchase semi-automatic versions of such firearms.

United States

Civilian ownership of submachine guns is regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives under the provisions of the National Firearms Act of 1934 as amended by Title II of the Gun Control Act of 1968. In addition, the Firearms Owners' Protection Act of 1986 outlawed the manufacture of submachine guns for the civilian market and currently limits legal ownership to units produced and properly registered with the BATFE before May 1986. Some states enforce their own laws regulating or forbidding civilian possession of submachine guns. Civilians may purchase semi-automatic versions of such firearms without requiring NFA clearance, although some states (including California and New Jersey) enforce their own restrictions on such weapons.

See also

References

  1. ^ Russian state standart GOST 28653-90 (ГОСТ 28653-90 «Оружие стрелковое. Термины и определения)
  2. ^ saf.org
  3. ^ http://aplikace.mvcr.cz/archiv2008/sbirka/2002/sb052-02.pdf
  4. ^ http://www.kaapeli.fi/~rauhanl/pdf/Artikkelit/AKIBTBRAP090505.pdf
  5. ^ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123120431026355961.html

External links


Simple English

[[File:|thumb|right|The Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun: a favourite with law enforcement and the military.]]

File:Pistolet maszynowy MP-40, Muzeum Orła Biał
An MP-40 submachine gun: about a million were made in WWII

A submachine gun is a type of gun that shoots many bullets, usually pistol bullets, when one holds down the trigger. A submachine gun is smaller than a machine gun and can easily be carried by one person. They are often used where people need to defend themselves in small areas, or people need to fire many bullets quickly. The first submachine guns were invented in the early 1900s. They are often used by the police.[1]

History

In the early 20th century, experiments were made by converting pistols from semi to fully automatic firearms. Stocked (with handle) automatic weapons firing pistol rounds were developed around the same time during World War I, by Italy, Germany, and the United States. The first dedicated designs were developed in the latter stages of World War I both as improvements on earlier stocked pistols, and to offer an advantage in trench warfare.

They were popularized in the 1920s and '30s as weapon of choice of American gangsters and police, in the form of the famous Thompson submachine gun, commonly referred to as the "Tommy Gun". Submachine guns rose to prominence as a frontline close-quarters combat weapon and commando firearm during World War II. They are now widely used by police[2] SWAT, military commando, paramilitary, and counter-terror team members for a variety of situations. Submachine guns are highly effective in close quarters; their lower-powered pistol cartridges make them generally more controllable in fully-automatic fire compared to assault rifles, while their small size and light weight grant maneuverability. However, pistol cartridges generally have low effectiveness against targets protected by body armor or cover, and are short-ranged compared to intermediate and rifle cartridges.

References

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