This review looks at the iconic WWII era German MP 38 and MP 40 submachine guns. One book is reviewed in detail, plus three others are mentioned in brief. And just for fun, I have a review of the Umarex Legends CO2 powered BB gun replica as a sidebar.

The MP40 “Schmeisser”, part of the Great WW II Weapons series

• Author: Mike Ingram 
• ISBN13: 9781782746836
• Copyright date: This Amber edition published in 2018.   First published in 2001
• ePub or .pdf download? Y/N  No
• Binding: Paperback softcover
• Size: 8 3/8 x 11 1/4 inches 
• Pages: 96 pages
• Photos: 70 color and B&W photos and illustrations
• US importer: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 33 East 17th Street, New York, NY 10003
• US importer website:  www.sterlingpublishing.com/9781782746836/, custservice@sterlingpublishing.com
• UK website:   https://www.amberbooks.co.uk/book/the-mp40-schmeisser/
• Cover price: $24.95

The MP 40 “Schmeisser” 

   This book is laid out in much the same fashion as the two previous titles reviewed. It starts with a history lesson about trench warfare in WW I, and then moves onto the Interwar years (1919-1939). The Bergmann M.P.18,I is described in Chapter 1, Genesis of the Machine Pistol.

   Chapter 2, Between the Wars, mentions the rebuilding of the German military industry in spite of the Treaty of Versailles. It then covers a lot of German politics and history. It mentions Adolph Hitler joining the German Workers Party which became the Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party, better known as the Nazi Party. Also discussed is the Spanish Civil War, which gave Germany the chance to try newly developed weapons under combat conditions. I get the feeling that the author, Mike Ingram, is a political history geek. His profile states: “He holds an MA in history from the University of Birmingham and is qualified to teach history in adult education.” Guns mentioned are the M.P. 28,II, ERMA EMP, and the Finnish M31 and the Russian Pistolet-Pulemyot Degtyreva or PPD34/38.

Chapter 3, Machine Pistol Theory, gets into the mechanics of submachine guns, touching on rate of fire, blowback mechanism operation, bolt design, etc. It is a rather basic discussion, however. Perhaps I am being too picky here, but the explanations given in this section seem to be a bit awkward. If you understand guns, it will all make sense. If not, some bits will be difficult to digest.

Chapter 4, The MP 38 and MP 40 in Detail, really gets into the nuts-and-bolts details. There is a two page spread artists drawing of a stripped and sectioned MP 38, along with a numbered parts list. Production methods are also discussed, including differences between the two guns. Number and letter codes of the three factories are explained as well.

Chapter 5, The MP 40 in Combat, is an odd chapter. It is more like an overview of paratrooper and infantry tactics, and less about the MP 40. The MP 40 is mentioned, but mainly in the larger context of battle history. Again, author Ingram seems to let his history degree take over.

Chapter 6, Other Machine Pistols of WW II, takes a quick look at other subguns. Briefly mentioned are Sten and a German last-ditch attempt to copy the Sten known as the MP 3008. A two-page cutaway drawing showing the innards of a Sten is a nice touch. There is also a cutaway drawing of a Soviet PPSh-41. The Thompson M1928A1 and the later, far simpler M1A1 are described also, as is the PPSh-41. The US M3 and M3A1 “grease gun” is mentioned as being inspired by the success and the simplicity of both the MP 40 and the Sten.

The Appendix includes a very basic Glossary, a comparison chart listing dimensions and features of 17 types of submachine guns, and a diagram showing the breakdown of a German Infantry Division.

This book tends to cover the same content as the two previous books, but not in the same detail, and with much fewer close-up photos. Also, there are several lesser-known guns mentioned, but with NO accompanying photo. More detail photos, and perhaps some color photos would be welcome. It is not a poor book, but it is a basic book. It would be suitable as a gift for someone showing an early interest in German weapons, etc., but it is not an in-depth research tool.

German Submachine Guns, 1918–1945 (Schiffer Publishing)

I previously reviewed this book, along with two other books in the same series from Schiffer Publishing, in the Oct 2019 issue (V23N8) of SAR. A few quotes from that review:

The German SMG book covers many designs, starting with the Bergmann MP18/1, and continuing with the MP28/11, MP35/1, MP34, etc. These designs all used wood stocks, so had a “traditional” appearance, similar to the Thompson. The infamous Nazi MP38 and MP40 guns, with their distinctive under-folding skeleton stocks, are covered in great detail. Many clear, crisp color photos illustrate manufacturing details, variants, etc.

Many of the color photos are full-page studio type shots that portray not only the firearm, but accessories and other related militaria. This provides an interesting visual treat. These photos are by Marc de Fromont, and the guns and equipment are from the Collection of the Royal Army Museum of Brussels, and Le Poilu of Paris.

At only 80 pages, these books are not high-end research and reference manuals, but they are certainly worthy of consideration. The full-page photos noted above, disassembly sequences, side-by-side variant comparisons, and accessory photos should appeal to small arms enthusiasts. 

The MP38, 40, 40/1 and 41 Submachine Gun (The Propaganda Photo Series)

While I have not seen this particular title, I did review four other books from this same series in the Jan 2020 issue. (V24N1). As they follow the same format, these comments below from that review will also apply here. Although this title is now out of print, the SAR bookstore still has some copies.

What sets this series apart from other books is the use of official photos taken by German military photographers. These Kriegsberichter, or war reporters, were tasked with capturing inspiring images for the German propaganda machine. Propaganda being what it is, most of the original captions must be treated with a great deal of suspicion. The author, Guus de Vries, mentions this in the Preface.

Each book typically starts with an Introduction, then a look at the development process of the specific weapon. From there, accessories, different variants, markings, etc are covered. This technical study takes up the first 50 or so pages (Differs with each title). The Propaganda photos section makes up the remainder of the 152 pages.

As might be expected from the posed photos, they tend to be better quality than “grab” shots. Most photos are crisp and clear, although some are not (usually specific battle photos). All are B&W, there are no color photos.

 While these books are not the final word on each gun covered, they do hold a great deal of information in the technical first section. Adding in the official German Kriegsberichter photos makes this an interesting group of titles.

MP 38 and MP 40 Submachine Guns (Osprey Publishing, Weapon series)

Once again, I have not seen this specific title, but I have read and reviewed others from the Weapon series from Osprey Publishing. These observations should apply.

While small in size, the various titles in this series contain a lot of information. At 80 pages per title, these books will certainly not rival the massive encyclopedia type reference books available for some guns. However, they do provide a very good start for getting familiar with a new gun. As each title is written by a different subject matter expert, the writing style will vary somewhat. Generally, though, the booklet begins with a good bit of history and background to each weapon, and the path of development required to create the specific weapon. From there, a more detailed look at the different variants is given. All are available in multiple formats, this being paperback, ePub, and Pdf.

The Weapon series covers many types of arms from all periods of war. They are well researched and written, informative, and nicely illustrated. While not the final word on a given firearm, they are certainly a great starting point. The Weapon series is one series of a much larger catalogue of military books from Osprey Publishing.

EDITOR’S NOTE: SIG Sauer recently issued a safety recall for some CROSS rifles. See sigsauer.com/crossrecall for more details.

“Why?” That was the initial thought when reading about SIG Sauer’s introduction of the CROSS bolt-action rifle at the 2020 SHOT Show. This was SIG’s reentry into the bolt-action market. Significantly, the CROSS is not intended for the tactical/sniper role—hunting is its realm. Tom Taylor, SIG’s Chief Marketing Officer & Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales, answers the “why” for the CROSS:

“Stagnant” is not a word that applies to SIG, with its innovative products in multiple classes of weapons—handgun, submachine gun, assault rifle, precision, belt fed machine gun and now bolt action. SIG designed the CROSS bolt-action to not only offer performance with current cartridge designs, such as 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Win, but also with their highly anticipated high-pressure ammunition starting with the .277 Fury. The CROSS’ action is incredibly rigid but also light, thanks to its one-piece receiver eliminating the need for bedding and action screws. The CROSS one-piece receiver interacts directly with trigger, bolt, AICS magazine and barrel mounting—think AR, but without upper and lower distinctions. This is a change from typical bolt-action methods that serves to minimize many of the accuracy-robbing causes associated with bolt actions while also contributing to ruggedness afield. The CROSS in .308 Win with 16-inch barrel weighs a mere 6.5 pounds.

With any precision rifle, the trigger is a crucial part of the equation. SIG created a fully-housed, two-stage match trigger with a range of adjustment between 2.5 and 4.5 pounds with no creep. The urge to change or tinker with your trigger will not be present with the CROSS.The other noteworthy feature of the CROSS, both in terms of aesthetics and performance enhancement is the fully-adjustable folding stock. Comb height, pad height, pad cant (screws on the pad assembly go 7 degrees either way), a reversible comb and length of pull are all easily adjustable and locked in place. This allows a user to “fit” the CROSS like no other production rifle. Its adjustability mimics what is possible only with a custom stock. This should not be discounted in importance.  

For this evaluation, the author kept it a “SIG party” in terms of rifle, ammunition, optic and suppressor. A SIG SIERRA3BDX 4.5-14x44mm riflescope was mounted on the CROSS. Arrangements were made to use a SIG SRD762-QD suppressor—it was as simple as installing an optional SIG Taper-Lok muzzle device adapter. The heart of SIG’s Taper-Lok system is a tapered and threaded barrel. Taper-Lok compatible muzzle devices thread on with concentricity assured by the matching tapered shoulder on the muzzle device. The Cross includes a thread protector along with a tapered washer that serves as an adapter for use with non-tapered muzzle devices.

SIG Elite Hunter 165 grain and 150 grain Elite Copper HT ammunition was used with the CROSS. SIG Elite 168 grain Match was also tested to establish a baseline for accuracy. No ammunition tested produced greater than 1.5-inch groups at 100 yards. The CROSS feeds from standard AICS-pattern magazines with a Magpul 5-rounder arriving with the rifle. It has a proprietary sled follower for optimized single-round loading through the ejection port. The single-stack profile of the AICS lends itself to a thinner overall width for the CROSS and stiffer action due to less material needing to be removed from the bottom of the receiver. 

The focus of this article is a return to the hunting style symbolized by the bolt-action CROSS chambered in .308 Win. (The CROSS is also available in 6.5 Creedmoor and SIG’s .277 Fury.) Instead of focusing on long-range hunting scenarios, let’s operate under the assumption that “closer is better” when taking an animal. This puts the onus on scouting and choosing the best ambush position, or stealthily creeping through the woods in search of your desired prey. Of course, if a 300+ yard shot is the only option, having the ability to successfully place the round where needed is an asset.

The CROSS is tailor-made for pursuing game in rugged/steep terrain. Its high degree of accuracy is also conducive to hunting from stands or ground blinds with shots across wide, clear-cut clearings, yet it still provides svelte handling for spot/stalk techniques. Most do not realize that even with the relatively short ranges involved in thick-timber hunting, pinpoint accuracy is crucial to finding the shooting lane. The CROSS is easily carried in the hand, ready to go when quarry is spotted.  

Secured in a hunting pack is another option allowing for hands-free movement with the CROSS. The Eberlestock X31 LoDrag II pack serves as an excellent example. Eberlestock strives to design a pack so items are easy to find. They also make it easy to attach things to the outside of the pack. There’s no digging and wrestling with your pack to free an item—it’s quick at hand. It’s a great combination. By having the pack carry the rifle, your hands are free for all of the things you need them for when you are traversing terrain. The X31 incorporates a tactical weapon-sized scabbard. It has a unique contour shape that tapers at both the top and the bottom, giving the pack an excellent close-to-the-body ride. The packs are fully compressible with pairs of side-mounted compression straps that draw the load upward to optimally position the pack’s contents over the wearer’s center-of-gravity. The X31 LoDrag II has two generously-sized, form-following pockets on the exterior of the upper and lower front flaps. MOLLE-10 lightweight webbing is used, to which you can attach conventional 25mm MOLLE accessories.

Numerous positive qualities of the CROSS quickly became apparent upon use.  The author has always been a fan of using detachable magazines for safely/efficiently loading/unloading a rifle. Every time in/out of transportation, in/out of blind, which happens multiple times a day, requires weapon manipulation that the detachable magazine simplifies. The AR-like safety found on the CROSS is natural to manipulate, considering the CROSS’s pistol grip profile. Our blinds were situated with expected shots in the 100- to 225-yard range. The CROSS’ MOA accuracy instilled confidence it would do its job.  

The CROSS’s pistol grip gives it superior overall carry qualities, with one-handed carry more feasible as well. The natural ergonomic attributes of the CROSS are conducive to quick, well-placed shots when an animal presents itself. This stems from the custom fitting made possible by the SIG stock. Not a lot of time was spent at the bench on Echo Valley Training Center’s (EVTC) 100-yard range. There are more indicative evaluations for a hunting rifle than merely firing from a bench at a 100-yard target. The CROSS’ adjustable buttstock allows for a good cheek weld that aids in handling recoil by preventing a “slap” of the face that is more typical of the jaw welds found on a lot of rifles when scopes are used. The CROSS proved potent on the Jungle Walk range at EVTC with targets placed at 30 yards out to 220 yards. The ability to move through its varied terrain and engage randomly-placed targets hidden within cover suited the CROSS perfectly. The emphasis was on accurate shot placement and how the CROSS’s smooth bolt facilitated follow-up shots. The 6.5 pound, 16-inch barreled CROSS is easy to handle with little time needed to find the reticle when the rifle is brought up to the shoulder.

The CROSS is well suited for still hunting forays. This translates into fluid off-hand shots at game and not off rests or bipods. If lucky, the hunter will be able to adopt a kneeling or sitting position in lieu of offhand. Range T&E simulated this by setting up clay pigeons at various ranges and then assuming sitting, kneeling or standing positions. Another twist is to have a companion pick the target and shooting position for the shooter to engage as quickly as possible. Follow up shots were encouraged to get a sense of the CROSS’ potential. The detachable magazine feature simplifies reloading via a spare magazine. While not empirically quantifiable, the CROSS proved to “hang” well and was very manageable in getting into and out of field shooting positions.

The CROSS is equally at home for long-range engagement. Other range drills consisted of shooting steel targets out to 550 yards on Echo Valley Training Center’s Known Distance Range. The key point with the CROSS is it has out-of-the-box performance without the owner having to resort to a trip to an armorer or gunsmith for tuning. The CROSS takes a back seat to no rifle in terms of precision, repeatable accuracy, ergonomics and reliability. A rifle which weighs 6.5 pounds, uses a detachable magazine, is chambered in a hard-hitting caliber and is capable of 1.5 MOA or less cannot be ignored.

SPECIFICATIONS: SIG SAUER CROSS

• CALIBER:  .308 Win
• BARREL: 16-inch stainless steel, 1:10RH twist
• OA LENGTH: 36.5 inches
• WEIGHT: 6.5 pounds
• ACTION: Bolt
• CAPACITY: Detachable AICS, Magpul 5-round magazine with proprietary follower included with rifle
• PRICE:  MSRP $1,799 USD
• URL: sigsauer.com

In May 2010 the Russian Ministry of Defence launched a program for developing the new assault rifle for the Russian armed forces. Afterwards it’s been speculated that the original goal of that program was to replace the AK-74-type assault rifle with the AEK-971 rifle, which was developed by the Kovrov arms plant. This project was a part of the Russian army Ratnik program that’s the comprehensive individual soldier equipment system.

According to public information, Izmash started the AK12 development from scratch, but it’s likely based on earlier work developed in Ishevsk in decades past. The project was originally known as the AK200 and its goal was to get the rifle included into the Russian Army Ratnik program. The AK200 type rifle included certain features like the hinged receiver, ambidextrous cocking handle, thumb operated safety, among others. Many of these features were not common with the standard AK rifles. Most of these features were rejected and the following AK400 rifle resembled the AK74. To make a long story short, the AK400 was adopted by the Russian armed forces as the AK12 in 5.45×39 and the AK15 in 7.62×39.

The Saiga TR3 is a semi-auto only version of the AK12/AK15. It shares most features with the AK12, but it bears some differences. It’s currently available in 5.45×39 and 7.62×39 calibers as well as in the 366 TKM (9.55×39) smoothbore caliber aimed primarily at the Russian domestic market.

RECEIVER AND BARREL

The receiver is a U-section of stamped 1.5 mm sheet steel and assembled by rivets and spot welds. The bolt rails are likely laser cut sheet steel parts riveted inside the receiver section. The barrel extension and rear trunnion are machined from steel and pinned to the receiver.

The receiver cover is stamped from sheet steel and it is basically similar to previous AK-variations. However, it’s mounted in a far different way. At the front end of the cover is a machined eyelet that fits into a recess on the gas tube base. The cover is locked in place with a cross pin that goes through the gas tube base. The rear end of receiver cover has machined steel hooks that fits the receiver rear trunnion. The receiver cover fitting is much tighter than that found on AK47/AKM/AK74 type rifles. The receiver cover mounting is far different from the standard AK because of how the optical sights mount on top of the receiver cover.

The barrel is mated on a barrel extension (trunnion) by threads. The barrel is a four groove model with a right hand twist and a 16.38 inch length (416 mm) as measured from muzzle to bolt face. The chamber and bore are chrome-plated. The twist rate was not measured or given with technical data, but the 5.45×39 caliber barrels have usually 1 turn in 200 mm (7.87 in) twist. In theory the barrel is free floating as the lower part of the forearm is mounted on the receiver, not on the barrel. However, the gas tube is fixed on the barrel, so the barrel is actually not free floating.

There is no muzzle thread, but the muzzle brake is mounted by rotating until it catches a QD lug and secured with a spring-loaded plunger.

BREECHBLOCK AND TRIGGER

The bolt carrier and bolt are of the basic AK-type with a long stroke gas piston. Even as it’s intended for the 5.45 mm cartridge, its weight and dimensions are similar to an 7.62 mm AK. However, the 5.45 mm and 7.62 mm parts are not interchangeable. The gas piston is chrome-plated and it has no circular grooves like the AK47or the AKM. Like the AK military versions, the TR3 bolt has a floating firing pin. The bolt handle is on the right side of receiver and it’s the same finger-hook type as used with the AK rifles.

The trigger mechanism is a basic AK-type in semi auto configuration and there’s no auto sear or even a place for it. The trigger is two-stage with a pull weight of 4.2 pounds. The safety lever operation is of the basic AK type and the lever has second shelf for easier access. The safety lever is similar to the Krebs Enhanced Safety.

FURNITURE

The buttstock is both collapsible and folding. The buttstock length of pull has 4 positions from 10.7 to 13.2 inches (273 to 335 mm). The buttstock and its tube look similar to those of the AR15, but the dimensions are different and the parts are not interchangeable. A rubber recoil pad is fixed on a removable buttplate that covers a compartment inside the stock tube. The stock is held open with a spring-loaded button/latch located at the rear of the left side of receiver.

The stock folds on the left side and it locks on the side by a spring-loaded hook. The stock hinge includes a mechanism that locks the trigger mechanism and prevents bolt and slide movement. There is no provision to fire the rifle with the stock folded; that feature is likely omitted to comply with Russian firearm laws.

The plastic pistol grip is ergonomically shaped with finger grooves and an ambidextrous thumb rest. The pistol grip has a removable core that stores an oil bottle and some tools.

The handguard is also made from plastic and it has two halves. The lower half is mounted on the receiver with a large cross pin. The upper half of the handguard is mounted on the lower half with a snap-on coupling. The handguard has fixed Picatinny rails on top and bottom. There is also a provision to mount short plastic rails.

SIGHTS AND MAGAZINE

The iron sights are more similar to the Valmet/Galil pattern than typical AK open sights. The front sight is mounted on the gas block. The front post is adjustable for elevation with a separate tool and it has protective ears.  The rear sight is mounted on the rear of the receiver cover. The rear sight is anaperture type with sliding tangent adjustable from 100 meters up to 600 meters, and with a battle sight setting of 400 meters, marked with a Cyrillic ”P”. The rear sight is also adjustable for windage with 0.22 MRAD clicks. The adjustment mechanism is similar to the RPK rear sight. On the top of the receiver cover is a fixed Picatinny rail for mounting an optical sight.

The polymer magazine has a steel reinforced rear spine and front locking lugs. The magazine is a staggered row type and it is compatible with AK74 rifles. It has the size and shape of 30 round magazines, but its capacity is 10 rounds. Inside the magazine is a limiter made from heavy steel wire. The limiter is quite easy to remove; it’s likely there to meet current European Union gun legislation and perhaps Russian gun laws, too.

TEST FIRING AND HANDLING

For test firing of the 5.45×39 Saiga TR3, the only ammunition available was Barnaul 60-grain lead core FMJBT. Shooting from a sandbag support with iron sights at an outdoor range in snowy conditions and 14°F (-10°C) temperature, produced 3.6 MOA groups while shooting seven, 5-rounds groups. That’s not the best the AK platform can produce but the TR3 produced groups typical of many AKs.

In addition to accuracy testing, the Saiga TR3 saw some faster shooting situations. The TR3 performed well in fast, close range situations. It’s easy handling and fast shooting. With double taps, it was easy to keep the sights on target. The safety selector was stiff, but the rifle was also brand new. A feature that makes the safety selector stiff is the mechanism that locks trigger and bolt when the buttstock is folded. The safety lever has a second shelf, similar to the Krebs safety. On the other hand, it makes safety manipulation easier with gloves on, but it may also catch on clothing or equipment.

As previously noted, the iron sights were far from the familiar AK-style. The rear sight has a small diameter aperture that works well on bullseye targets, but the aperture is too small for quicker shooting. But, mount a red-dot up top, and the TR3 does much better.

The included 5.45 mm plastic AK magazine is bit trickier to fill than the 7.62 mm steel magazine. The magazine fit in the receiver is tight and requires more care to insert properly than with a 7.62 mm AK magazine.

Disassembly of the Saiga TR3 follows the usual AK sequence with few exceptions. The receiver cover is mounted differently and held in place by a cross pin at the front end of the cover. The gas piston tube is fixed and cannot be removed. But, for cleaning, it has a removable end plug.

There are no muzzle threads to mount a sound suppressor. However, the muzzle brake QD lug can be used to mount a sound suppressor. B&T make suppressors that mount on TR3’s QD lug.

The Saiga TR3 comes with cleaning kit, oil bottle, sight tool and one 10-round magazine. The Saiga TR3 isn’t the cheapest AK-type rifle available. In Europe the TR3 costs about 2,100 Euros; that is more than the price tag of the average AR15 rifle. Yet the TR3 is likely one of the best AK rifles currently available.

In the 1980s, a wave of great action television shows hit the small screen. “The A-Team,” “Airwolf,” “Knight Rider,” and “MacGyver” have become iconic to audiences of all ages and have cult followings even today. But the most iconic, remembered, and well-loved is without a doubt is “Magnum P.I.” starring Tom Selleck. The show was a big hit on television and even won a number of awards. It also has a modern remake starring Jay Hernandez, though it is not as good as the original.

The show follows Thomas Magnum, a private investigator who works as a security expert at a private beach villa owned by a wealthy writer. He shares the property with a World War 2 British veteran named Jonathan Quayle Higgins the 3^rd. The two rarely get along, with Higgins’s two security dogs constantly chasing Magnum and Magnum constantly borrowing and destroying things under Higgins’s protection, as well as getting dragged into a number of cases. Magnum’s two best friends are Theodore “T.C.” Calvin, the owner of a helicopter tour company, and Orville “Rick” Wright, the manager of the King Kamehameha Club. Magnum often recruits T.C. and Rick in his cases, with T.C. flying him to spy on people and Rick using his underground contacts to get important information.

In the show, Magnum’s gun of choice is an M1911A1. The one he used throughout the series is in the NRA Museum in Fairfax, Virginia. The gun that is photographed is the second, and was also used by other actors in the show (There are always duplicate hero guns to keep from slowing the show if there’s any problem). It has the serial number just above the trigger on the right side and has the name of the factory to the upper left just above it. Above it on the slide is where the words Colt’s Government Model are engraved. On the other side, the words are Colt’s MK IV / Series ’70 Government Model 9mm Luger Caliber. (Movie 1911s are frequently 9mm, easier to blank).

The M1911A1 first entered service in 1926 and has become of the America’s favorite firearms. It was in service until the 1990’s, where it was replaced by the Beretta M9. Some elements of the armed forces still use it, including some elements of the Marine Corps. The M1911A1 and other variants have also been adopted by other nations around the world, including large numbers of Latin American countries, the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, and a few others. Today, it is popular with civilians and veterans, though it can be a bit expensive.

The M1911A1 is actually an improved version of the M1911 pistol. The original gun is good, but there were some issues on the battlefield and a number of improvements were needed. The front sight was widened and the trigger was shortened. The hammer is enlarged slightly and the spur above the grip is made longer. These improvements were small but helped the gun quite a bit. Both pistols shoot .45 ACP from a 7-round magazine. They both weigh just over three pounds.

There were other guns used in the series to include a number of pistols like the Walther PPK, Colt Detective Special, and Smith & Wesson Model 15. In one episode, Rick takes out a hitman with a Mac-10 Submachine gun. In one episode, a Mac-10 is made to look like an Uzi submachine. Why they did this the author has no idea, as in a later episode an Uzi is seen. In flashbacks to Vietnam, M-16A1 Rifles are seen being carried by US soldiers. In some flashbacks, Vietnamese soldiers are seen carrying Valmet Rifles, instead of the AK-47s, since Hollywood did not have ready access to those guns in that timeframe.

“Magnum P.I.” is one of the greatest television shows of all time. Tom Selleck is great as Thomas Magnum and will probably be remembered best for this role. John Hillerman plays Higgins and is great in the role, especially since he is not British. Roger E. Mosley and Larry Manetti are also good in their parts, as well as the guest stars like Kwan Hi Lim, Gillian Dobb, Kathleen Lloyd, and Jeff MacKay. Special praise is reserved for Eugene Roche, who does a great job playing St Louis private detective Luther H. Gillis. The action in the show is great and some of the mysteries are well done, though some stories can be a bit predictable. If you want a great show to binge watch though, “Magnum PI” is one of the best and it will have you wanting to go to Hawaii and drive a Ferrari at top speeds around those beautiful islands.

SAR would like to thank the Weapons Department of Independent Studio Services in Sundale, CA for allowing us to photograph and record the history of these Movie Guns.

“A botched development process – focused solely on manufacturing, looks, and lighter weight – caused the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG to be forever exiled to the confines of the firearms curiosa.”

It has not been ever conclusively explained what led Società Costruzioni Industriali Milano S.p.A., best known as SOCIMI – a well-respected manufacturer of train wagons, buses and other means of mass transportation – to enter the firearms business in 1983.

Devoid of any expertise or dedicated technology for firearms manufacturing, SOCIMI joined forces in 1984 with Luigi Franchi S.p.A., best known for its SPAS-12 and, later SPAS-15 shotguns, as well as its hunting shotguns and a limited escapade in military weaponry in the 1950s with the LF-57 sub-machine gun.

By 1987, SOCIMI would be the sole owner of Franchi. And this is where our story begins.

The Italian UZI: the Type 821 SMG, manufactured by SOCIMI in close collaboration with Franchi all through the 1980s, was a botched attempt to refine the legendary Israeli UZI design (photo by Franco Palamaro)

The SOCIMI Type 821 SMG was compact and lightweight, aimed at the law enforcement market with a specific attention to special task units and close protection details (photo by Franco Palamaro)

A little bit of history

All through their coexistence, SOCIMI and Franchi would engineer a family of long-stroke piston-driven military rifles that included the 7.62x51mm caliber SOCIMI AR-832 FS battle rifle, and two 5.56x45mm assault rifles, dubbed respectively the AR-831 and the AR-871 – the latter an improved, simplified version of the earlier. The AR-871 would become one of the early entrants in the long trials for the selection of a new 5.56mm NATO assault rifle for the Italian Armed Forces… and would also be one of the first to be canned.

But that’s a story for another time.

The only firearm that SOCIMI would manufacture in any quantity would be the Type 821 SMG 9mm open-bolt, blowback-operated sub-machine gun; the reason why the company would decide to refine what was already a popular and well-established design – the Israeli UZI – is simultaneously arguable and completely lost to time.

A close-up of the muzzle: the adjustable front sight block is screwed on to the machined aluminum receiver (photo by Franco Palamaro)

The rear plate hosted a sling swivel, and could be rotated and pulled away to remove the bolt and return spring when disassembling the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG (photo by Franco Palamaro)

In the early 1980s, the decline of the sub-machine gun as the go-to weapon for numerous military and law enforcement specialties was still a long way off. Light weight, compact and effective as they were, sub-machine guns still enjoyed the favor of the guys in uniform… and somehow they still do, chiefly among special task units and close protection details, but not exclusively: the American reader must keep in mind that, to this day, in many countries the sub-machine gun remains the standard police patrol firearm, while rifles and shotguns – more popular within the law enforcement community in the US – never really caught on in that role.

It would thus make sense that SOCIMI would try and get a hold on what was, back then, a very receptive market, and that they would try and do so with a refined version of a proven design: aggressively marketed in both the civilian and military-grade variants, the UZI had, in 1981, received a somewhat unwitting publicity stunt when United States Secret Service agent Robert Wanko was photographed as he deployed his UZI in the moments immediately following John Hinckley Jr.’s attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s life on March 30, 1981.

REFINING THE BATTLEHORSE

While retaining most of the key technical features of the UZI, SOCIMI and Franchi decided to focus their improvement effort on the manufacturing and materials. While the bolt group and barrel are still made of carbon steel – as they should be – both the receiver and the grip frame were machined out of lightweight aluminum alloy.

The use of aluminum in lieu of stamped sheet metal made the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG approximately 2.2 ounces lighter than the original UZI; the SOCIMI/Franchi sub-machine gun was also somewhat shorter than the UZI, given the barrel length – 7.87 inches vs. the original’s 10.2 inches – which would make it more desirable for police officers who’d have to carry it all day, and for close protection details who could conceal it more easily.

The receiver of the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG was distinctive, more streamlined than the original UZI’s, and lacked its predecessor’s prominent pressed reinforcement slots that keep dirt out of the way of the bolt. It also does without the UZI’s removable top cover: the non-reciprocating charging handle runs on two guides machined over the receiver body, reducing the amount of components involved in the field-stripping. The front and rear sight, both adjustable, were manufactured in separate blocks and then screwed on to the receiver.

The grip assembly – likewise machined out of aluminum and secured to the receiver by two retaining pins – is also distinctive in shape, in that it features a slightly different trigger guard, a set of finger grooves, and a more prominent grip safety. It was otherwise identical to its counterpart on the UZI, with a completely identical trigger group, a sliding 3-position fire selector (marked A-R-S as on the UZI) and featured an UZI-style magazine catch. SOCIMI made its own magazines, the only bent steel components on the gun: they were exact (and excellent) copies of the UZI magazines, holding 32 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and bore conspicuous SOCIMI rollmarks. The Type 821 SMG was fully compatible with original UZI mags.

The SOCIMI Type 821 SMG was an open-bolt sub-machine gun; nominal rate of fire ranged at around 600 rounds per minute – essentially the same as the original UZI’s – but the lighter weight made it harder to control (photo by Franco Palamaro)

The buttpad would be folded up when the stock rested to the right side of the gun, in order to reduce the profile and allow concealed carry (photo by Franco Palamaro)

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

In order to make the Type 821 SMG lighter and simpler than the original, the SOCIMI/Franchi engineers replaced the complicated underfolding sheet metal stock of the UZI with a straight single-strutt tubular steel stock, featuring an upfolding buttpad, hinged underneath the receiver and secured in the open or closed position by a push-button latch.

While the design and construction of the original UZI stock was meant to make it viable as an impromptu hand-to-hand combat weapon (or entrenching tool, if need be), the SOCIMI/Franchi engineers had no such use in mind when they designed the Type 821 SMG stock, opting instead for striking an acceptable balance between stability, low encumbrance, and concealability when folded. The final design was strikingly like that of the Beretta PM-12 sub-machine gun stock.

Both the grip panels and the handguard were two-piece components manufactured out of molded plastic, in a grey-greenish color – a stark contrast with the hard-anodized matte black finish of the aluminum parts. They are also some of the overall worst aspects of the Type 821 SMG: the polymer mix chosen for their manufacture was all wrong, and they were thus very prone to breakages – as you can see from the many cracks in the pictures illustrating this article.

A close-up of the stock hinge on the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG: a wide button would lock it in place, both when folded and unfolded (photo by Franco Palamaro)

A spring-loaded catch would hold the barrel nut in place; in order to disassemble the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG, the user would need to keep the catch depressed while unscrewing the barrel nut (photo by Franco Palamaro)

Indeed, in some of the (very few) SOCIMI Type 821 SMG samples that still survive today, these parts have since all but broken away completely.

Additionally, they were held in place with Phillips-head screws – not a great idea on a firearm, even for the 1980s – and those weren’t exactly the best available, prone as they were to rusting.

Lacking a removable top cover, the disassembly of the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG was more akin to that of a Beretta PM-12 or the Czechoslovak SA Vz.26. With the magazine out and bolt closed, the sling swivel located at the rear end of the receiver would be unscrewed out. This would in turn allow the removal of the squared rear end cap; once that was done, the user could remove the return spring and guide rod assembly and slide out the bolt, which is substantially identical to that of the Israeli UZI, with a fixed firing pin, but features a deep guide milled on top.

The barrel is removed from the front by unscrewing the barrel nut, which was kept in position by a spring-loaded latch. Once it all was done, the return spring guide rod could be used as a punch to remove the pins that keep the receiver and the grip assembly/frame together.

The disassembly was not harder than the original UZI’s, and resulted in an overall similar amount of components.

Just like the UZI, the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG would host its magazine in the pistol grip; the magazine catch is identical to the UZI’s (photo by Franco Palamaro)

The plastic buttpad on the Type 821 SMG stock, fully extended (photo by Franco Palamaro)

REASONS FOR A FAILURE

The SOCIMI Type 821 SMG was originally announced in 1984, and despite some hiccups – such as the plastic components – it seemed initially like a very good product overall. A smaller version, half-way between a Mini-UZI and a Micro-UZI, dubbed the “Type 821-5 Micro SMG”, was also announced but never got past prototype stage.

It didn’t take long for the specialized press and the market to find out the Type 821 SMG was not exactly the advertised “classic UZI meets Italian sports car high-tier design and technology.” True, the Franchi engineers – largely responsible for the project – did a good job, but something went wrong.

The charging handle on the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG was identical in form and function to that of the UZI, albeit a bit smaller (photo by Franco Palamaro)

A close-up of the Type 821 SMG trigger group; notice the feeding ramp built-in on the frame (photo by Franco Palamaro)

SOCIMI’s haste in improving the original design, making it lighter and visually distinctive through the use of different materials and manufacturing techniques had a significant side effect: the bolt, machined out of carbon steel, was the single heaviest component of the Type 821 SMG; and being a telescopic bolt – whose front portion wraps around the rear end of the barrel when it closes – it moved A LOT of mass forward when the gun was fired.

Now, in an open-bolt sub-machine gun like the UZI, the SA Vz.26 or the Beretta PM-12 – all manufactured largely out of steel and thus fairly heavy – this helps to keep recoil and muzzle climb under control. In a featherweight like the Type 821 SMG, not so much. While the UZI is known to be controllable in full-auto and fairly accurate, even in off-hand shooting, the SOCIMI/Franchi design was everything but.

The bolt of the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG: a pretty straightforward copy of the UZI bolt, albeit with a deep guide milled on the top due to the different engagement system of the charging handle (photo by Franco Palamaro)

SOCIMI made their own magazines for the Type 821 SMG: excellent copies of the original UZI magazine. The Type 821 remained fully compatible with the original Israeli mags (photo by Franco Palamaro)

At 32 feet (10-meters), in full-auto, it was almost impossible not to totally saturate a standard B-27 target, with no accuracy of sorts – and that’s at 550/600 rounds per minute, essentially the same as the UZI. Acceptable if you’re looking for a room sweeper type of gun, much less if you need precision. Things weren’t any better in semi-auto, for the same reasons.

Add the inherently higher cost of a product made in an advanced western European Country like Italy, and you’ll quickly realize why even those customers who desperately wanted UZIs but couldn’t (or wouldn’t) procure them from Israel – chiefly for political reasons – would still steer clear away from the SOCIMI/Franchi design.

SOCIMI Type 821 SMG seen from the right side, with stock unfolded (photo by Franco Palamaro)

SOCIMI Type 821 SMG, field-stripped (photo by Franco Palamaro)

Despite being popularized today as the so-called “Milano 821” sub-machine gun from Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War, the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG was manufactured only in very small quantities – 500 samples at least, but certainly not more than 1000 – with Italian government entities being the only recorded customers.

None would ever be fielded and very few still exist: the sample portrayed in the pictures that illustrate this article was photographed in 2008 in a Guardia di Finanza (Italian revenue service) depot in Rome and has likely since been sent to the smelter. Only a handful of samples that were transferred to the reference collections of Italian firearms and ammunition developers survive to this day.

Drawings from the original patent of the Type 821 SMG: applied for in 1983 under the name of Alessandro Marzocco – quoted as the “inventor”, actually the owner of the SOCIMI group – it would be accepted by Italian authorities in 1986 with number IT19655A/86, and in published in the US with number US4895064A in 1990. It expired in 2007 (source: United States Patent and Trademark Office)

An experimental development of the Type 821 SMG chambered for the 9mm AUPO caseless self-propelled cartridge (generally associated with the prototype Benelli CB-M2 design) was carried on in collaboration with Italy’s prime ammunition manufacturer, Fiocchi; too little too late, one may say, because the Type 821 SMG was discontinued the in 1989, and SOCIMI went bankrupt in 1992 following the Mani Pulite kickbacks scandal.

Franchi tried to market it for a couple more years as the SOCIMI-Franchi LF-821, but not one single sample appears to have ever been made or sold under that name. By 1995, Franchi had been absorbed by the Beretta Holding and dropped the tactical firearms line, focusing exclusively on hunting shotguns and, more recently, rifles.

The history of the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG is an example of how capricious the firearms market can be. A good design cannot always be improved, and trying to do so isn’t always a success. A botched development process – focused solely on manufacturing, looks, and lighter weight – caused the SOCIMI Type 821 SMG to be forever exiled to the confines of the firearms curiosa.

When the Thompson submachine guns were first produced in 1921, there were three production magazine options: the 100-round “C” drum, the 50-round “L” drum, and the 20-round “XX” box magazine. The first box magazines produced were unmarked, typically referred to today as Colt-era Blank magazines. These were quickly followed by the Colt-era Patent Date magazines, so called because stamped on the front of the magazines are the patent dates of three different patents used in their construction. These patent dates are: AUG. 24, 1920; AUG. 24, 1920; and JAN. 11, 1921. These dates are for: patent no. 1,350,619 issued to Oscar Payne on August 24, 1920; patent no. 1,350,646 issued to Theodore Eickhoff, also on August 24, 1920; and patent no. 1,365,234 issued to Theodore Eickhoff on January 11, 1921. Note that the first two patents were both issued on the same date. This becomes significant later in this discussion.

We do not have definitive documentation on who actually stamped out the Colt-era Patent Date magazines. We do know that John’s Machine and Stamping Works Company of Cleveland, Ohio, made 14 sets of XX magazine dies for Auto-Ordnance, and also produced 506 sample XX magazines by late 1920. We also know that the contract Auto-Ordnance signed with Colt’s called for Colt’s to produce 15,000 guns and 15,000 XX magazines. However, the contract does not indicate that Colt’s will actually manufacture the magazines, nor does it mention anything about whether Auto-Ordnance will supply their existing dies (made by John’s) to Colt’s. We do know that Colt’s supplied grit blasting and bluing service to Auto-Ordnance for both drum and box magazines.

So, where does that leave us? Still in unknown territory. We know that the features on the Colt-era Blank and Patent Date XX magazines are the same, including the circular lifter mark under the follower (Figure 1). This indicates that all the Colt-era XX magazines were made with the same dies and processes. These same characteristics are also present on the Shot or Shotshell magazines that were produced in the early 1920’s, which include the same Patent Date information. Therefore, the best way to refer to these Patent Date magazines is probably simply to call them Colt-era Patent Date magazines. Based on current documentation, it appears the Colt-era Patent Date magazines were produced up to 1939, but we have no information about how many were made or how many different orders occurred over the years. A Colt-era XX Patent Date magazine is shown in Figure 2. The information is on two lines, right and left justified.

There are two different versions of the Shot magazines with patent dates, both with the same two-line patent date information as the standard XX magazines, plus a third line indicating that these magazines are for Shot Cartridges (see figure 3). The stamping on these shot mags was also “whited up” at the factory to call attention to their unique character. Due to the longer shot cartridge length, these magazines are deeper front to back than a standard 45 ACP XX magazine.

Note that the first Shot magazine simply says “FOR SHOT CARTRIDGES” while the second says “FOR 18 SHOT CARTRIDGES”. Both magazines have a capacity of 20 rounds. Shortly after the first magazines were put into use, it was discovered that if the magazine was loaded to full capacity, 20 shot cartridges, the first two cartridges would not feed properly, with the paper nose being damaged during the chambering process. If the magazine was loaded to only 18 cartridges, they performed acceptably. Therefore, the maximum load of 18 shot cartridges was adopted, and the markings on the magazine were updated with this information.

THE MAGUIRE/WWII ERA

Russell Maguire acquired the Auto-Ordnance Corporation in the summer of 1939. He planned to immediately begin building Thompson Submachine Guns and sought a company that could produce the guns. He also needed companies who could produce the magazines for the guns. The first company to produce the XX box magazines for Auto-Ordnance during this period was the Mitchell Stamping Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They created new dies to produce the XX magazines with the same Patent Date information on the face of the magazine. At this time, there is no known documentation indicating how many of these magazines were made.

Even though the information was the same, the Mitchell magazine lettering was much bolder and stamped more deeply. The horizontal spacing was also less consistent than the Colt-era magazines. Unique characteristics include the dash after PATENTED on the first line that is slightly upswept, and the A in AUG following the dash that is slightly canted to the right, almost as if the dash was pushing the top of the letter aside (see Figure 4).

Mitchell also had a unique way of marking the magazines they produced for Auto-Ordnance. Their company initials, MSCO, were stamped inside the bottom of the backstrap of the magazine (see Figure 5). You cannot see this unless you remove the floorplate.

So, we now have two different standard XX Patent Date magazines, one from the Colt-era and one from the Maguire or WWII era. But, as television advertising loves to tell us, “Wait, there’s more.” Auto-Ordnance needed more box magazines for the new Thompson guns, so more XX magazines were ordered from Mitchell Stamping. A new set of marking dies was used for this production run. The layout of the text was more uniform and looked closer to that of the Colt-era font layout, though the stamping is still broader and deeper. They corrected the upswept dash and canted letter A, but for some unknown reason, the August date on line one was changed from “AUG. 24” to “AUG. 20.” This of course is not correct, as no patent was granted on August 20, 1920. This magazine is shown in Figure 6, and also includes the MSCO stamp on the inside backstrap.

Over the years this second run of XX magazines with the August 20 date have been described in various ways, such as Corrected Patent Date or, more appropriately, Incorrect Patent Date. Both the Colt-era and first Maguire-era magazines have been called Repeat Patent Date, which is correct but doesn’t call out the two different eras involved.

The best way to describe the Maguire-era Patent Date magazines is calling them either Maguire- or WWII-era 24/24 and 20/24. This avoids adjectives that have been misused in the past, and points to the most obvious difference between the two production runs. The Colt-era Patent Date magazines can simply be referred to in those terms for the standard XX magazines. The Shot or Shotshell magazines are typically described as just that, but further clarification is necessary to differentiate the two versions, either FOR SHOT CARTRIDGES or FOR 18 SHOT CARTRIDGES. The latter are more common than the former.

Eventually, Auto-Ordnance switched from the Patent Date markings to a more generic three-line corporate marking, with “AUTO-ORDNANCE CORP.” on the first line, “BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT” on the second line (their new corporate address), followed on the third line with “REG. IN U.S. PATENT OFF.” This is the same manufacturer marking that Auto-Ordnance used on the drum and box magazines that were made later for Auto-Ordnance by United Specialties Company in Chicago, Illinois. Mitchell Stamping continued making magazines for Auto-Ordnance during WWII, but became a subsidiary of United Specialties.

More information on Thompson magazines can be found in the author’s new book with the current working title, “Feeding the Dragon: A Collector’s Guide to Thompson Drum and Box Magazines” due out by the spring of 2022.

Since its introduction in 2015, the Keystone Arms Model 722 repeater bolt action has become available in a wide variety of configurations. The standard carbine, compact/youth in standard or deluxe trims and varmint/match covered most shooters’ needs. The most recent addition to the lineup is the precision rimfire trainer produced in cooperation with American Built Arms (A*B Arms), a manufacturer of centerfire precision rifles. Keystone markets it as the Model 722 KPT; A*B Arms .22 Chassis Rifle.

The design mates the 722’s action and 16.5-inch or 20-inch match barrel with A*B Arms’ 6061 hard-anodized aluminum chassis and their proprietary Urban Sniper stock and P*Grip. The build bears a close resemblance to the A*B Arms chassis with a centerfire short action rifle using AICS-style magazines. Weighing 6 pounds and measuring 30.75 to 34 inches (depending on the stock adjustment), the chassis rifle is just a little lighter and shorter than its centerfire counterpart. The KPT uses an adjustable Luth-AR stock and a mil-spec, AR-15-style pistol grip. With no recoil, minimal report and greatly reduced ammunition cost, it makes an excellent trainer for precision shooting. Thanks to their threaded muzzles, these rifles also work well for quiet varmint elimination when combined with a silencer.

The A*B Arms chassis is round, with four M-LOK slots on each side. In addition, there are two threaded holes on each side and the bottom front permits the addition of extra accessory rails. The chassis uses a fixed AR-style tube to retain an extensively adjustable stock. A well-rounded, heavily sculpted pistol grip with a trapdoor for accessories completes the design. On the Keystone Arms side, they use a rectangular forend with four (for the 16.5-inch barrel) or seven (for the 20-inch barrel) M-LOK slots. Both use approximately 11/16-inch match barrels—cylindrical on the AB and slightly tapered on the KPT. The match barrel and a crisp 2.5-pound trigger add up to sub-minute-of-angle results with every brand of match ammunition I tried. Both variants have an MSRP of $599.

The 722 action uses a one-lug bolt, with the handle acting as a second lug. Retained by a spring-loaded catch on the left of the receiver, the bolt sports two extractors for more reliable cycling, as well as a fixed ejector. The right-side safety lever has two positions: safe (back) and fire (forward). The real gem of this action is the 7-round box magazine—the easiest to load of any 22 LR rimfire system. Instead of a separate catch with a release button or lever, the 722’s magazine is retained by two symmetrical leaf springs that accommodate elongated swells on the sides of the magazine body. With very positive support and retention, plus metal feed lips, these magazines proved reliable and durable. Removal is easy, with just a straight-down pull required.

The rifles arrive without sights. A Picatinny rail with a cutaway for the ejection port is used for mounting optics. Two rifles were used in testing, one with a Primary Arms 1-6x rimfire BDC scope for daylight and an ATN ThOR 4 thermal sight for darkness, the other with a Riton 3-15x parallax-adjustable scope. While the Primary Arms optic’s BDC reticle is optimized for high-velocity rather than match ammunition, even that provided groups under 2 MOA with CCI Mini-Mags. Both rifles are being used with sound suppressors, the A*B Arms with a Gemtech Outback-II, the KPT with a Hailey Ordnance Consul. After testing with a variety of high-velocity and match ammunition, to minimize noise signature, I switched to Aguila 38-grain subsonics for both rifles. This ammunition produced consistent groups under 2 MOA, with minimal launch signature. At night, only a faint, transient glow is visible on the muzzle side.

With ATN’s thermal sight zeroed for 50 yards and all the ballistic data entered into the sight, re-zeroing is done by entering the target distance. With known-size targets I found it quicker to hold-over, while unknown size targets, like varmints, benefit from the internal ballistic calculator offered by ATN’s night optics. With subsonic ammunition and a day scope like the Riton, targets around 4 inches are engaged confidently past 150 yards. With the thermal scope, the same 150 yards is feasible, but with larger, head-sized targets.

As trainers, these guns allow practicing of all marksmanship skills other than recoil control. With the steeper trajectory and greater wind drift of 22 LR bullets, shorter ranges can be used to learn skills that transfer nearly one-to-one to bigger guns at longer ranges. The feel and the ergonomics of the 722 trainers approximate full-bore precision rifles closely enough to make such skill development effective and comfortable. 

Years ago, the .45 ACP was the favorite of Target competition with the Colt 1911 pistol. It’s also highly respected as a defensive caliber. When Marlin came out with the Camp Carbine in .45 ACP many jumped at the chance to have one. It wasn’t too expensive and it was so much fun to shoot. It had excellent reliability and would function with any rounds from 230-grain jacketed bullets to 200-grain and 185-grain lead wadcutters. It was a popular choice to hunt jack rabbits out on the plains. It was highly effective on coyotes, wild boars, and turkeys too. Sadly, the Camp Carbine is no longer made by Marlin. Both calibers were discontinued in 1999. They used to have the 9 mm Luger version too. Both were fun rifles to shoot. Fortunately, there are a quite a few of them on the used market.

Making a Quieter Camp carbine

As the Suppressed Camp Carbine fired, the cycling of the action makes a significant noise, too. I came up with an idea to make a Quieter Camp Carbine. This little device slides into the action just behind the bolt and is held in place with a small, but strong, magnet. When you fire the rifle, it blocks the action and keeps the bolt from cycling. The shot is much quieter. Of course, you need to pull the blocking device out and cycle the action by hand for the next shot. It’s very quick and simple to do.

The history of Knorr-Bremse light machine gun LMG is a interesting, if a bit confusing ride through pre- and post-war European arms development. In the 1920’s Hans Lauf, a German engineer, was the director of a tool-machine factory in Magdeburg called Magdeburg Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik AG. It was founded in 1892. He was also interested in armament design and in 1923, he developed a device for a rotating turret to the benefit of Oerlikon in Switzerland.

One year later, Lauf struck a secret agreement with the Army of the Weimar Republic to develop new guns, something strictly prohibited by the Versailles Treaty after World War I.

He had a relationship with the Werkzeug Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon in Switzerland, the director of which was a former German cavalry officer named Emil Burhle, who was tasked to secretly develop a new small arms program for the German army.

In 1924, Magdeburg Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik AG bought Maschinenbau Seebach which had gone bankrupt and then both companies jointed Oerlikon. Seebach was also a firearms designer and the result of this merger greatly benefitted Oerlikon, as the company inherited all the information on small arms development from Seebach.

Emil Burhle bought, little by little, all the shares of Oerlikon, then became the main stockholder and director in 1929. During this time, Hans Lauf developed a light machine gun, designated LH 33, which was patented on November 22, 1933. But Oerlikon was not really interested in the LH 33 since its main objective was the development of automatic cannons, so the LH 33 patent was sold to Sweden. Like Switzerland, Denmark and the Netherland, Sweden had a privileged relationship with the German aircraft and arms industries.

Torsten Lindfors and Ivar Staeck, two Swedish engineers improved the LH 33 with new patents. But in 1935, the restrictions of the Versailles Treaty were denounced by Germany.

So, Hand Lauf developed a new variation of the LH 33, designated LH 35 in association with Wendelin Przykalla. As a sidenote, he was the director of the Knorr-Bremse company founded in 1905 at Bowhagen-Rummelsburg, near Berlin.

The company specialized in pneumatic braking devices for railway engines and trucks. But in the new Third Reich, all industrial enterprises were expected to take a part of the re-arming of the country.

Knorr-Bremse proposed some models of its new gun to the Wehrmacht, which had just adopted the MG 34 machine gun, but the LH 35 was also retained as the LMG 35/36 A.

The company was not successful in manufacturing the gun and decided to enlist the help of the Steyr Factory in Austria. Production began in 1939, and approximately 4,000 guns were manufactured. They were used by the Wehrmacht and the Waffen SS. Since Knorr-Bremse had influenced its development, small arms historians still refer to the LMG 35/36 A as the “Knorr-Bremse.”

LMG 35/36 LAYOUT

The LMG has a long triangular wooden stock, which sets the shooter’s eye far away from the rear sight. The frame is cylindrical. It receives the barrel and a magazine on the left side. The gun has a single trigger and a large rectangular trigger guard. The controls are located on the left side, just over the trigger guard. It takes a 25-round MG 13machine gun magazine.

The gas cylinder is over the barrel and the recoil spring is in the same axis, located in the stock. The rod itself has an integral buffer. The cocking lever is on the right side of the frame. The bolt carrier is attached to a long piston.

The short barrel has no cooling device and its muzzle is fitted with a truncated flash hider that is easily changed. Along the side, there’s a handle for transportation and handling.

The front sight is protected by two ears, the rear sight is the same as found on the K98k rifle, but this one includes an anti-aircraft aiming device.

The action is gas-operated, and the bolt is locked with the carrier by a link. The bolt stays open before shooting. A bipod is mounted on the gas cylinder, with its legs folding to the rear.

The main drawback of this model is its low cyclic rate of 490 RPM.

MG 35/36 A Features

KG m/40 LAYOUT

The LH 33 was improved and adopted as the Kulsprutegevär m/40 by the Swedes, who secured new patents for its design. Its layout is the same as the German gun, but both models have no common parts.

It was built by Svenska Automatvwapen AB. 5,400 were manufactured; most were used by the Swede’s home defense force, some others by Danish and Norwegian troops stationed in Sweden during WWII.

The stock is shorter and made of wood with a particular shape. The pistol grip has asteel frame and has two wooden grip panels. The selector was removed and was replaced by a

double half-moon trigger which allows single shots or bursts, which was later discarded.

Initially, a grip safety was located at the rear of the pistol grip, but it was also discarded.

Feeding is performed by a Browning KP m/21 magazine, converted into a single stack magazine. It was necessary to improve the feeding lips and to lengthen the box to keep a 20-round capacity.

The sights are identical to those of the Browning LMG with a 200 to 1,200-meter rear sight (identical to those of the U.S. Enfield M1917 rifle.) The rear is located on the base of the gas cylinder. The barrel is easily replaced, and it has a handle.

One of the main features of the Swedish model is the gas port with two curved, metal pipes.

The gun has a particular bipod with two square legs which are front-folding.

Kg m/40 Features

DISASSEMBLY – ASSEMBLY

• The gun is made of 62 parts and is disassembled without tools. The process is the same with the German or Swedish Model.
• Remove the magazine and clear the gun.
• Extract the lock located at the rear of the frame.
• Stock and frame case are taken apart.
• Remove the recoil spring.
• Take out bolt and carrier.
• Unlock the barrel and take it off.
• Remove bipod.
• Reassemble in reverse order.

DISPLAY

The Knorr-Bremse LMG is a scarce weapon. After more than fifty years researching firearms, I saw only a few located at:

• Ordnance Army Museum in Bourges (France) ;
• National Firearms Collection, Leeds (Great-Britain);
• National Museum of the Marine Corps, Quantico (Virginia), U.S.A.
• Belgrade Military Museum in Serbia (incomplete).

Some also reside in military museums in Norway and Sweden.

Acknowledgment

The curator of Kungl. Armémuseum, Stockholm (Sweden).

Bibliography

The Machine Gun, George M. Chinn, Department of the Navy (1951).

Small Arms, Artillery and Special Weapons of the Third Reich, Terry Gander & Peter Chamberlain, Mac Donald and Jane’s (1978).

German Machineguns, Daniel Musgrave, Ironside International Publisher (1992).

MG 34-MG 42, Folke Myrvang, Collector Grade Publications (2002).

The Light Machine Guns of Sweden, O. Janson.

By 1920, the Auto-Ordnance Corporation, who under the leadership of John Thompson, had finalized the development of the Thompson submachine gun. However, Auto-Ordnance did not have the manufacturing capability for series production of the weapon. An agreement was made with Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Company to manufacture 15,000 of the weapons. Twenty years after the 1921 initial run of 15,000 Thompson Submachine Guns by Colt’s there were still several thousand unsold Thompsons remaining in Auto-Ordnance’s inventory. For all intents and purposes the weapon was a commercial and financial failure; it seemed the Thompson submachine gun was destined to become a mere footnote in history. However, as history would show, the Thompson wasn’t dead yet, it was all in the timing.

For Sale: The Auto-Ordnance Corporation

In the years following the manufacture of the Colt Thompsons, the Auto-Ordnance Corporation, had very few sales and was deep in debt. After Auto-Ordnance’s primary financial backer Thomas Ryan died in 1928, his heirs were anxious to sell off Auto-Ordnance. The Corporation had shown little potential for making a profit, and a great propensity for undesirable publicity from the Thompson gun’s illicit use by the underworld. John Thompson retired and left it up to his son Marcellus Thompson to find another source of funds to purchase the corporation from the Ryan estate.

J. Russell Maguire

J. Russell Maguire was a shrewd businessman who along with Marcellus Thompson believed that with the 1937 Japanese invasion of China and events unfolding in Germany, there soon would be a great worldwide demand for the Thompson submachine gun. Maguire decided to purchase the failing Auto-Ordnance Corporation from Fortune Ryan’s heirs. Through some financial dealings and last-minute ultimatums, Maguire was able to obtain controlling interest in the Auto-Ordnance Corporation, much to the dismay of Marcellus Thompson. When Maguire obtained the assets of Auto-Ordnance, there wasn’t much remaining except for some drawings, prints and a few thousand Thompsons.

Russell Maguire would eventually make millions of dollars off of the military contracts for the Thompson submachine gun during World War II. Both John Thompson and his son Marcellus, who had believed so strongly in the Thompson gun, would never live long enough to witness its eventual large-scale adoption by the U.S. and the Allies.

When Hitler’s Wehrmacht invaded Poland on the morning of September 1, 1939, it marked the beginning of World War II. Just two days later on September 3, 1939 France and Great Britain, who had previously agreed to come to Poland’s aid in the event of a German invasion, both declared war on Germany; however, neither country was prepared for a major conflict. Shortly thereafter there was a rush by those countries to purchase all the weapons they could. In 1939, France and Great Britain approached the Auto-Ordnance Corporation wanting to purchase Thompson submachine guns. In November of 1939, the French committed to purchase 3,000 weapons, followed by another order in March 1940 for an additional 3,000 guns. The French capitulated before the second order could be shipped. While the British order became mired in bureaucratic procedures, the Swedish government acted, purchasing 500 Thompsons on 26 January 1940. The guns shipped to Sweden were believed to be some of the last Colt-made Thompsons still in Auto-Ordnance’s inventory.

After the German invasion of Poland, a world-wide demand increased for weapons, and by 1940 the remaining stock of Colt manufactured Thompson guns had been sold. Both France and Great Britain were eager to buy whatever weapons were available without regard to price. Maguire tried to interest Colt’s in another production run of the Thompson, but they were already committed to manufacturing Browning machine guns and were not interested. Maguire eventually was able to negotiate a deal with the Savage Arms Corporation, to manufacture the Thompson for Auto-Ordnance. On December 15, 1939 Savage signed the first contract to manufacture 10,000 1928 model Thompsons, the guns would be made at Savage’s Utica, New York plant.

 After a brief engineering study, Savage began acquiring most of Auto-Ordnance’s tooling and gages from Colt and Remington. The National Equipment Company of Springfield, Massachusetts made additional tooling, which was unavailable. In 1940, after a 19-year hiatus, the first Model of 1928 Thompsons were rolling off the assembly line. Savage delivered the first completed guns to Auto-Ordnance in April of 1940. Although Savage manufactured many of their own parts, a number of them were sub-contracted to their J. Stevens Arms sister plant located in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. A letter “S” was stamped into all parts made by Savage. Parts manufactured by the J. Stevens’ company were marked with a block letter S that often looks a lot like a number “5.” All Stevens’ manufactured Thompson parts were inspected by Savage personnel when they arrived at the Utica, New York factory.

Savage would eventually complete a total of fourteen contracts for the 1928 model. Savage and Stevens also manufactured a large number of parts to supply Auto-Ordnance’s own factory in Bridgeport, Connecticut that began manufacturing the U.S. 1928 A1 model in August of 1941.

During the 1921 Thompson production, the Colt’s name and address was prominently roll marked on the left side of the receiver.  However, in accordance with their contracts with the Auto-Ordnance Corporation, Savage was not to put their name on the Thompson, but Savage manufactured 1928 and 1928A1 Thompsons are easily identified by a capital letter S prefix in the serial number on their receivers. The receiver serial number of every 1928 and U.S. 1928 A1 Thompson was also roll marked into the underside of the trigger frame. Some early production 1928 Thompsons were well-made, earning them the moniker “Savage Commercials.” However, fine aesthetics, are not needed or desired on military weapons. As production increased, embellishments like the adjustable Lyman rear sight and the radial-finned barrel were replaced by a simple L sight, a smooth barrel and eliminating the checkering on the actuator handle and control levers.    

The British ordered their first 450 Thompson guns from Auto-Ordnance on February 15, 1940. By the time the Lend-Lease Act was enacted in March of 1941, the British had initiated eleven contracts in which they purchased 108,000 Thompsons directly from the Auto-Ordnance Corporation. By the end of 1944, the British had also received approximately 406,000 additional U.S. 1928 A1 and M1-M1A1 Thompson submachine guns through the United States’ Lend-Lease Act. The Thompsons were issued to the British Home Guard, the Army, the RAF and the S.O.E (Special Operation Executive). An estimated 5,000 of the British Thompsons were sent to India.

Auto-Ordnance Bridgeport

On August 22, 1940 Auto-Ordnance acquired a facility in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to supplement Savage’s Thompson production. Auto-Ordnance was one of the first manufacturers to establish the widespread use of Ordnance subcontracting, using nearly 75 subcontractors to produce parts during peak production. In many cases the subcontractors had no previous experience in ordnance work.

The company procured a large number of old and well-used machine tools, and made all its tooling and fixtures, jigs, cutters and gages in-house. Auto-Ordnance also supplied many of its subcontractors with tooling they manufactured. The Auto-Ordnance Bridgeport facility prepared itself to go into mass production of the Thompson submachine gun without the use of government loans or factory construction costs. At first, Auto-Ordnance leased the buildings in Bridgeport. In April of 1941, the corporation bought the factory buildings. The following year adjacent property was purchased for further expansion of the facilities. The Bridgeport Thompson plant ran 22 hours a day in 11-hour shifts; the downtime was used for machine maintenance and repairs. By 1943, Auto-Ordnance Bridgeport had increased its workforce to approximately 3,000 employees, mostly women.    

Late in 1941, the U.S. Ordnance Department had several meetings with Auto-Ordnance officials and engineers to discuss the immediate need to increase production of submachine guns by nearly one-hundred percent. In January of 1942, production of the Thompson U.S. 1928 A1 model had reached over 40,000 per month. Two authorizations were given by the Ordnance Department to increase capacity. The first called for a planned rate of 60,000 per month and the second for a rate of 90,000 per month. The expansion plan called for the procurement of additional equipment and machine tools on the government’s account. Some $665,000.00 worth of machinery, mostly used, was purchased by Auto-Ordnance on government contract W-478-ORD-1456.

In November 1941, the engineering staff at Savage began conducting a study of how the U.S. 1928 A1 model Thompson could be simplified. The engineers were looking for ways to decrease the time it took to manufacture the gun, in order to increase production. Consuming much of the manufacturing effort was the receiver, more specifically, the rails inside of the receiver that the bronze lock traveled on. The three-piece bolt/lock/actuator of the 1928 model was also labor intensive to manufacture. The engineers at Savage doubted that the locking device was necessary for the relatively low power of the .45 Caliber cartridge.

In late February of 1942, a prototype of the Savage “simplified” Thompson submachine gun was ready to be submitted to the Ordnance Department for testing and approval. The Savage Company had just completed a 10,000 round endurance test, which the new weapon successfully passed. Savage shipped the new weapon to Russell Maguire at the Auto-Ordnance Corporation headquarters. The Savage Corporation told Auto-Ordnance that they were submitting the redesigned Thompson, “Without any claims for compensation, reimbursement, royalty or patent interest.” The Auto-Ordnance engineering staff examined the new design, and then submitted it to the Ordnance Department in March of 1942. The new Thompson was sent to Aberdeen Proving Ground for testing and evaluation. The Aberdeen trials of the new Thompson were rather brief and concluded on 21 March 1942. The Aberdeen report stated that, “The overall consideration of the mechanical functioning leads to the judgment that the gun as a mechanism is equivalent or superior to the U.S. 1928 A1.” After a few government recommended alterations to the prototype were made, the new Thompson was recommended for adoption as Submachine Gun, Caliber .45 M1, at an Ordnance Committee meeting held on 24 March 1942. At the same meeting it was recommended that the U.S. 1928 A1 be reclassified as Limited Standard. On 25 April 1942, the Ordnance Committee approved the recommendation for adoption of the new Thompson as the Submachine Gun, Caliber .45, M1.

Savage engineer John Pearce and the Stevens Company’s designer Nicholas Brewer were credited with designing the new Thompson. While some parts of the original weapon remained unchanged, the primary modifications involved the receiver and bolt. The trigger frame was also redesigned, but most of the internal parts were identical. The M1 used the same box type magazine as the U.S. 1928 A1 model. On 24 February 1942, Savage agreed to a contract to manufacture the M1 model for Auto-Ordnance at a cost of $36.37 per unit, providing Savage with a profit of $12.93 per gun. Auto-Ordnance then charged the U.S. Government $43.00 for an M1 model and $42.94 for the M1A1 version, although the prices and profits varied slightly from contract to contract.

One of the major design differences between the M1 Thompson and the earlier U.S. 1928 A1 model was the M1 used a straight blowback design and did not use the actuator or controversial bronze “Blish” lock system. The M1 bolt assembly was a very simple rectangular block of steel. This allowed the receiver to be redesigned for easier manufacturer and its width reduced. The inside of the M1 receiver simply had a rectangular channel milled into it to accommodate the bolt. The cocking handle and slot were moved from the top of the receiver to the right side. Since drum type magazines had proven unsuitable for military use, the M1 series receivers eliminated the lateral slots on the sides of the magazine well for accommodating them. The length and width of the magazine well was reduced in size, and the receiver tapered at the top.

The simplified M1 Thompson was conceived to increase production and reduce cost. Savage and Auto-Ordnance were both aware that the Ordnance Department was seeking a less expensive submachine gun to replace the Thompson. The U.S. Government had on several occasions voiced concern over the Thompson’s high price. Additionally, newly developed foreign and domestic submachine guns, many made from simple sheet metal stampings, were becoming available, all at a fraction of the cost of the U.S. 1928 A1 Thompson.

The M1A1 Model

The Savage Arms Company, who originally developed the M1 version of the Thompson, continued attempts to further simplify the design by experimenting with a fixed firing pin model they designated as the M42. The prototype M42 was originally fitted with an M1 type bolt with a separate firing pin, but the firing pin was secured in the bolt in a manner that made it a non-movable part. The firing pin was fixed in an extended or “in battery” position. The firing pin, spring, hammer, and hammer pin were omitted. Less than 100 M42 Models were produced before the “fixed” separate firing pin was eliminated and replaced by a protrusion machined directly on the bolt face.

In January of 1943, the Ordnance Department announced to the Auto-Ordnance Corporation that the Thompson was going to be replaced by the newly developed U.S. M3 submachine gun. After the Ordnance Department’s official adoption of the U.S. M3, Thompson production was scheduled to be concluded in July of 1943. Plans were made to begin tapering off production of the weapon. In April 1943, 62,948 M1A1 guns were manufactured, this was reduced to 55,000 in May and 51,667 in June. This left only 5,000 guns remaining to be manufactured in July 1943 from existing contracts. Authority was then received from the Ordnance Department in June to procure an additional 60,000 weapons by the end of August. Before the end of August, more orders for the Thompson gun were received from Washington. A total of approximately 119,091 additional Thompson M1A1 models were to be manufactured, providing continuance of production through December of 1943. At the end of December there were enough parts remaining to assemble approximately 4,500 additional guns. In January of 1944 authorization was granted to complete the remaining guns by 15 February 1944. Production briefly resumed in February, completing a total of 4,092 additional guns. On February 15, 1944, the very last M1A1 Thompson submachine gun was accepted by the government via contract W-478-ORD-1949. After the Thompson production was terminated, Auto-Ordnance was awarded a contract to manufacture spare Thompson parts for Field service requirements. The parts would be used to maintain and repair weapons already in service. By the time of the last procurement of the M1A1 Thompson, the price charged to the United States government had been reduced to $42.94 per weapon. M1A1 Thompsons were manufactured by Savage in Utica, New York and at Auto-Ordnance’s Bridgeport, Connecticut plant.  

After the production of the World War II Thompson was terminated in February of 1944, the Auto-Ordnance Corporation was subcontracted to manufacture other material for the war effort. The company manufactured a variety of parts for the M1 carbine program, including receivers, bolts and slides. In October of 1944, the Auto-Ordnance Corporation became a division of Maguire Industries. Maguire Industries (Auto-Ordnance) manufactured 40,270 barrels for the M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle under contract W-19-059-ORD-316 in May and June of 1944. Maguire Industries also made a number of other miscellaneous small parts for the BAR and the 1919A4 Browning machine gun.

Although John T. Thompson’s vision of his submachine gun was originally a failure, the twenty-year old design was resurrected to serve the U.S. and her Allies during World War II. The original run of 15,000 Colt Thompsons in 1921, paled in comparison to World War II production, which exceeded 1.5 million Thompsons.

Ecerpted from American Thunder III, the Military Thompson Submachine Gun