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The sub-machine gun was a natural step from the development of the semi-automatic pistol, when it was found that the pistol could not be controlled while firing automatically. There was a service requirement for a light handy firearm which would fire pistol cartridges automatically, as opposed to the 'one pull one shot' of the semi-automatic action, but two major changes of design were required. Firstly, the pistol had to be adapted for two-handed use in order to control it effectively, and secondly, a larger magazine was necessary to supply adequate ammunition for automatic fire. A third major change of design which crept in incidentally was the simplification of the mechanism. The majority of sub-machine gun designs dispensed with the breech locking mechanism and employed a heavy breech block supported by a spring; the block was locked from the practical point of view, at the instant of firing, by its great inertia or unwillingness to begin moving under the rearward thrust of the cartridge in the chamber. By the time the spent case was moving quickly, the bullet had left the barrel and the gas pressure had fallen to approximately atmospheric level while the breech block had absorbed sufficient energy to complete its cycle.
The first attempt came from Germany where the Military Mauser and Luger (1917 model) semi-automatic pistols were fitted with detachable butts and the latter weapon was also fitted with a 32 round snail type magazine. The actions remained semi-automatic, but the effective range was increased considerably by the two handed hold, whilst the cyclic rate of fire would be 40 aimed shots or more per minute. These weapons were introduced late in the first World War and issued to NCOs in machine gun units for close range defence. It was about this time that the Burgmann Muskete appeared in the German Army; it fired automatically, was conventional in design and very similar to many modern models, except for the Luger snail type magazine which proved to be an awkward accessory. The barrel was 7 inches long and similar to the Luger pistol barrel; the complete weapon weighed 9 lbs.
From 1920 onwards development in Europe and the USA went ahead with enthusiasm. The Thompson sub-machine gun was first placed on the market in 1921, and was designed by a retired American General, John T Thompson. The American bootleggers of the 1920s were quick to appreciate the tactical value of a large volume of fire for short range combat. The USA fighting services also recognised it for a new weapon in special roles such as night raids and fighting in close country. Germany and Russia had several types in service by 1939, having experimented in the Spanish Civil War, but the British Army with its great fighting traditions, turned a conservative eye on this new weapon and none were in the Service in September 1939. When a demand came from the fighting troops in 1940, large numbers of the expensive American sub-machine guns had to be purchased in a hurry. The lesson of this experience seems to be 'preserve an open mind when examining new weapons and ascertain how others intend to employ them'. Eventually Britain did produce a remarkably efficient and cheap sub-machine gun, 'The Sten' which went through a series of modifications which produced the Mk 1, Mk 2, Mk 2S, Mk 3 and Mk 5. After the second World War the British Army adopted a sub-machine gun that had been designed by Col Patchett and manufactured by the Sterling Engineering Works. It was introduced under the designation of the sub-machine gun L1A2 and has been modified and is now known as the sub-machine gun L2A3 and is currently used in the British Army.
Sub-Machine Guns in the Collection - 1
Sub-Machine Guns in the Collection - 2
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Page produced by Peter Eldred - Last updated 3 August 2004