Once the creator of one of the first mass-produced light machine guns, Denmark had slept through the dawn of the submachine gun era.

While Denmark’s neighbours busily experimented with the new type of weapon in the 1930s, at first nothing happened in the country of the machine gun. The Dansk Rekyl Riffel Syndikat (DRS), which was founded in Copenhagen before World War I, continued with machine gun production. The Model 1903 and its successors sold well, and the brand name “Madsen” had already established itself into far countries. The officer, inventor and Minister of War Vilhelm Her-man Oluf Madsen had been the driving force behind the development, and in his honor the weapons bore his name.

When the Wehrmacht invaded Denmark in April 1940, there were only a few foreign submachine guns in use by the Danish Army. Negotiations with the Finnish arms factory, Oy Tikkakoski Ab, on a licensed production of the Konepistooli M31 (Suomi) were in progress but could not be finished before the German occupation. At the end of 1940, the company, now renamed Dansk Industri Syndikat A/S (DISA), began production of the Finnish submachine gun with a slightly modified stock and protected front sight as the M/41 under German control. The approximately 1,400 weapons produced were first used in Danish units and taken over by the Germans after the disarmament in October 1943. At DISA, each weapon model and each variant received its own P (project) number, even if only some mark-ings were different. For example, the P.5 was the version for Portugal, to which the weapon was offered in 1943.

Otherwise, not much happened in the course of the war. The development of their own submachine gun was going on slow. By the time P.13 was finally finished as the “Model 1945,” the war was over, and the design was already obsolete. An interesting feature: the bolt was attached to a slide which extended over the barrel and also covered the recoil spring. For cocking, the slide was pulled back until the bolt was locked by the sear—just like a conventional blowback pistol. This slide moves back and forth with each shot. This circumstance, and the elaborate milled parts, a solid wooden stock and a complicated interior were no longer up-to-date. The installation of a folding stock did not help either. Only Mexico and El Salvador bought a few pieces.

At the same time, however, a further development had been worked on, and it was to become a major commercial success for DISA: an uncomplicated, modern submachine gun with a sheet metal receiver, folding stock and a simple but effective safety.

The work on project P.16 would be completed by the end of 1946. The production-ready weapon was called “Model 1946” (M-46) and was sold under the brand name “Madsen.” The first weapons were sold to the Danish police. Thanks to a cost-effective production, inquiries soon came from South America and Asia. El Salvador, Paraguay and Thailand were among the first foreign customers.

The weapon is an unusual design, consisting of two receiver halves, each of them pressed from one piece of sheet metal including the grip piece and magazine well. They are held together at the back by the hinges of the side-folding wire stock and at the front by the barrel nut. The cocking handle is a bracket-shaped slider that rides along on top of the receiver. Disassembly of the M-46 is very easy: one must unscrew the barrel nut, pull out the barrel, remove the cocking slider and then open the left side of the receiver, almost like a book. All internal parts such as bolt, recoil spring and buffer will remain in the right receiver half and can be easily removed. No tools are needed, and there are no connecting pins that can get lost. Weapon cleaning has never been easier, as there are no inaccessible places.

On the other hand, the operating principle is not very innovative. The Model 1946 is a conventional blowback design firing from the open bolt. The cocking slider can be operated from both sides due to its position on top of the receiver. It moves forth and back with every round fired. The weapon is fed by a stick magazine with 32 rounds (9x19mm). The small magazine loader is practically stored inside the hollow grip together with a spare extractor and a second firing pin.

The safety mechanism is extraordinary: the bolt can be locked in the open or closed position by means of a manual safety switch located on the left side of the receiver right above the trigger. And then there is an additional automatic safety in form of a lever just behind the magazine well. To fire the weapon, one must grasp the magazine and this lever securely with the non-firing hand to release the bolt. Otherwise, the lever protrudes into the receiver and blocks the way of the bolt. This kind of safety is highly unusual in submachine guns. Only a few weapons, such as the Italian TZ-45 from World War II, have almost identical safeties. Most commonly the designers rely on a grip-safety located in the grip piece. The lever behind the magazine well has one big disadvantage: the weapon cannot be fired with one hand. In case of injury or if only one hand is free, the shooter has an unsolvable problem.

In the following years, DISA did a slight revision of its submachine gun, resulting in the P.56. The main improvement was the new cocking handle. It got the shape of a button, was firmly attached to the bolt, and there was no need to remove it before disassembling the weapon.

On November 7, 1950, the submachine gun was presented as “Model 1950” on the shooting range at the old Mosede Fort near Copenhagen. Military representatives from Great Britain, India, the United States and several other countries were allowed to attend the successful demonstration of firing 20,000 rounds with a weapon from the current serial production. After 2 hours and 17 minutes the test was over—and the gun still alright. Not a single malfunction occurred during firing. In the days before the demonstration a barrel was already stressed with 42,970 rounds and then measured. The muzzle velocity decreased by less than 10 percent and the bore widened by 0.04mm (0.0015 inch). The military, in any case, seemed to have been convinced by the Mad-sen M-50, because it soon became an export hit. Orders followed (again) from El Salvador, Guatemala, Venezuela, Colombia, Indonesia and many other countries.

To be even more successful in the international market, there were a few minor improvements to the weapon, as well as a few variants to choose from. From the Model 1953 (P.74), the thread for the barrel nut was relocated from the receiver to the barrel. A curved magazine was supposed to improve the cartridge feed (although the straight stick magazines were working properly). In addition, an alternative barrel nut could be used in connection with a perforated bar-rel jacket with integrated bayonet lug. The last DISA submachine gun was the Madsen Model 1953 Mark II (P.127). It too was optionally available with barrel jacket and bayonet. On request, wooden grip plates could be attached so that the grip piece did not heat up in the sun as much as the standard grip piece made of pure metal.

In Brazil, the Indústria Nacional de Armas S/A manufactured the submachine gun under license in São Paulo. Contact with the Danes was made in 1949, and DISA assem-bled some prototypes in the desired .45 ACP caliber. Already in the middle of 1950, serial production began in the factory in Brazil. The weapon was given the model designation INA M950. The most noticeable difference to the Danish model was the cocking handle relocated to the right side of the receiver. Three years later, a slightly improved version followed—the INA M953. Among other things, the magazine well was extended. The submachine guns were used in large numbers by army, navy, civilian police and other armed units. When the military forces switched to 9mm ammunition in the early 1970s, the INAs were gradually sent back to the depots for storage. The number of weapons is not known, but it was enough to let the military think about a conversion to 9mm caliber. Originally, the state-owned armaments company Indústria de Material Bélico do Brasil (IMBEL) was to produce a conversion kit consisting of barrel, bolt and magazine so that the replacement work could be carried out directly in the respective depots. But the conditions of the weapons varied a lot, and many had to be repaired first. Ultimately, therefore, the weapons were sent to the IMBEL factory in Itajubá for rework and conversion. In addition, the submachine guns received a fire selector switch because most of them went to the police, and they wanted a semiautomatic function.

As great as the success of the Madsen sub-machine guns was in the world, it remained modest in its homeland of Denmark. Only the Danish police bought weapons from DISA. The army, however, preferred the M/49 “Hovea,” which was adopted in 1949. It was nothing more than a copy of the Swedish Carl Gustaf m/45. The state-owned weapons factory (Haerens Vabenarsenalet) in Copenhagen was chosen for its production.

In many phases of military training, the recruits have no need for fully functional service rifles. The standard service rifles are too valuable to be used for marching, parade drill, obstacle course or even the first “dry run” lessons in handling rifles on the shooting range. Dummy rifles are absolutely sufficient for this kind of use. In German, these rifles are called “Exerziergewehr” (“drill rifles”). Optimally, they have the same appearance, size and weight as the bolt-action service rifle model. And in most cases, the trigger is the only moveable part because it is needed for simulating the trigger pull characteristics to give the trainees a better feeling for their weapon. 

At the beginning of World War I, the German Army had used obsolete and captured weapons for training purposes. To improve the training, in spring 1915, the arms depot in Ingolstadt was advised to temporarily provide 10,000 model 98 rifles that were in need of repair. 

These rifles were intended for use as training rifles and had to be marked with a white color ring painted between the front and lower barrel band. Finally, in January 1916, a completely newly designed drill rifle was introduced as the “Exerziergewehr 98 (Nachbildung)” (“Drill Rifle 98” (“Mockup”)). After its introduction, it was named “Exerziergewehr 16” (relating to the year of introduction). 

In a related note to its use, it was written: “The drill rifle is to be used on every drill ground and during marching exercises, when carrying a weapon is necessary, but no live or blank firing is done. This way the service rifles in the hands of the troops are saved and will keep their good shooting performance.” 

The drill rifle has the shape of the standard Gewehr 98 and approximately the same weight and trigger pull characteristics. The sling is fixed in the same way so that the rifle can be carried and handled like the Gewehr 98. Because of the moveable trigger with trigger pull, the drill rifle can be used for aiming drill. 

The standard service bayonets could be put on the bayonet lug, but it was strictly forbidden to use the rifle for bayonet fighting. The design was not sturdy enough and could get damaged. The barrel is just an iron tube without rifling. 

The receiver and the rear sight are made of one casting with only a rough and low detailed outline. The barrel is inserted into the receiver and fixed with a screw that reaches through the front part of the sight and the rear of the barrel. The fixed rear sight is not adjustable, but it shows a V-notch for simple aiming purpose. 

Because the Exerziergewehr receiver was made of one solid cast iron, the weight and the center of gravity are approximately the same as the Gewehr 98. The cocking handle is screwed in a fixed position into the right side of the receiver. Normally, all metal parts are lacquered with field grey color, but sometimes a black color was used for the barrel. 

The beechwood stock is similar to the one of the Gewehr 98. The cleaning rod is a dummy (short metal stick with thread) and screwed directly into the wood at the front end of the stock. It can be used to put the rifles together to form a pyramid. 

Altogether, 100,000 of these Exerziergewehr 98s were ordered by the Prussian War Ministry. This included the numbers of drill rifles that were distributed to the non-Prussian parties. For example, Saxonia got 8,000 and Bavaria got 12,000 drill rifles. 

Most of these drill rifles were manufactured by the Union Waffen und Munitionswerke (the former arms company Waffenwerk Kirchner) in Zella St. Blasii (Thuringia, Germany). The smaller part of the order was placed at the company Jakob Kaufmann in Bayreuth (Bavaria), from where 28,230 rifles were delivered to Bavaria and Saxonia. 

Unfortunately, the rifles came too late— at this stage of the war there was no longer enough time for a thorough training of the recruits. Now the main focus of the drill was on live shooting. Marching drills were no longer so important. A report from the I. Bavarian Army Corps tells that the drill rifles only saw limited use: The Corps complains about the roughly made sights and a trigger pull characteristic that is very different to the Gewehr 98. The metal parts were carelessly treated. Their sharp edges often caused injuries to the fingers and damage to the clothing. 

In summer 1916 the ongoing production of drill rifles was cancelled. And in November 1916 the distribution of new drill rifles to training units was halted by the Prussian War Ministry. A year later, all drill rifles in the hands of the training units had to be returned to the artillery depots. The intention was to use them for a pre-military training of the German youth, but it is doubtful if this plan was finally implemented. 

It is not known how many drill rifles “Exerziergewehr 16” have left the factories. Today, it is a rare and interesting piece for collectors— even if one can’t use it for shooting. 

After the occupation of Czechoslovakia, the entire local arms industry came under German influence. The Czechs were very advanced in weapons engineering, rich in experience and know-how and possessed modern factories. In the course of the reorganization of the industry, the conglomerate Československá Zbrojovka a.s. Brno (“Czechoslovak arms factory AG Brno”) was placed under German administration. 

From 1938 until 1945, the conglomerate operated under the names Waffenwerke Brünn I (Brno) and II (Bystrica) and was affiliated to the Reichswerke Hermann Göring. The main products were military equipment for the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS. Not only were German weapons like the Karabiner 98k made, but also Czech pre-war developments under a new designation. For example, the vz. 24 rifle as Gewehr 24(t), the ZB vz. 26 as MG 26(t) and the ZB vz. 37 as MG 37(t). The (t) in the German name means “tschechisch” (Czech). 

The Waffen-SS quickly succeeded in gaining full control of the arms factory in Brno. The Waffenwerke’s development department worked from then on as a part of the “SS-Waffenakademie Brünn” (SS-Weap

ons Academy Brno) on the implementation of many innovative ideas, which would not have been possible through the official channels involved with the Heereswaffenamt (Army Ordnance Office) because of the intense rivalries between the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS. While the Wehrmacht was able to provide weapons through the official channels, the SS was often left out. Some developments proved to be successful and were then also produced at the Army Ordnance Office, such as the anti-tank rifle M.SS.41. 

The Need to Rise Above 

One particular development was the submachine gun Model SS 42. It was born out of the desire for more reliable function and a higher magazine capacity. The German MP 40 with its 32-round magazine was clearly inferior to the Russian PPSh-41 with its 71-round drum in the decisive moments of close combat and tended to have feeding problems under adverse conditions. Captured Russian SMGs, in the Wehrmacht designated as MP 717(r), were accordingly popular and were seldom delivered to the looted collection points. The Army Ordnance Office experimented with a converted MP 40 with a double magazine well holding two stick magazines. The result was called “MP 40/1” and was produced in a very limited number; however, the weapon was not very stable. On standard receivers taken from the series production, the cut-out for the magazine well was enlarged but without adding additional reinforcement to the weakened part of the receiver. On some of the still existing MP 40/1s, the receivers have been bent due to long-term storage. 

Further Development 

The SS therefore relied on a further development of the Czech pre-war submachine gun vz. 38. The work began at the end of March 1942, and as early as June, the Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler was notified of the completion and testing of the first experimental weapons with a drum magazine for 64 rounds. The Army Ordnance Office of course did not remain uninformed about these events and was very angry about the arbitrary action of the Waffen-SS. Therefore, the submachine gun was rejected in a meeting of the Weapons Commission at the Reich Minister of Armaments and War Production in August. The decision was justified by spurious arguments like the imminent adoption of the Maschinenkarabiner MKb42, the improvement of the MP 40 magazines and the impractical wooden stock. 

However, despite that, the development continued. The MP SS 42 is blowback-operated and fires from the open bolt. It does not show any special technical features. Initially, the production was very complex because no components are interchangeable with the MP 38 or MP 40; however, the engineers were already working on simplifications, such as a receiver entirely made of sheet metal. Instead of the drum magazine, a stick magazine could be used alternatively. The MP SS 42 was not compatible with any other German submachine gun. The Waffen-SS applied for the production of a total of 10,000 pieces in December 1942, but nothing came of it. Albert Speer as Minister of Armaments and War Production had the last word. 

The MP SS 42’s Death Sentence 

In a letter dated April 12, 1943, Speer ordered that all further work on the submachine gun was prohibited: 

“1.) The M.P. SS 42 offers no advantages in design and manufacturing technology compared to the introduced M.P. 40, in particular, it can be achieved no increase in performance since it fires the pistol cartridge 08. 

2.) A production at the Waffenwerke Brno would severely affect the output of other equipment, including the Karabiner 98k and the 3.7cm anti-aircraft gun, whose maximum increase has recently been described as urgent by the Führer. 

Under these circumstances, I am of the opinion that the production of the M.P. SS 42 in a number of 10,000 pieces is not justifiable and ask to refrain from pursuing this matter.” 

The reasons for the refusal were completely different this time. Advantages like the increase in performance due to the higher capacity drum magazine did not count and were obviously not of interest. Thus, the MP SS 42 remains only a peripheral appearance in the variety of infantry weapons of World War II. Only a few unique prototypes have been preserved, all in slightly different variations, in the outstanding collection of the Prague Army Museum. 

• • • 

The author thanks Jan Skramoušský (VHU / Army Museum Prague).

In rivalry with the Wehrmacht, its aerial warfare branch, the Luftwaffe, had developed its own anti-tank rifle grenade launcher for its paratroopers. But in the end, the fin-stabilized grenade was inferior to the Army model. 

After all units had to return their launcher cups to the depots in 1928, rifle grenades were no longer part of the armament in the following years, and they were not considered during training. Only in the course of the 1930s did they gradually shift more and more into the awareness of the military again. The Wehrmacht leadership expressed serious interest in a further-developed rifle grenade and so in early 1938, the company Theodor Bergmann & Co. from Bernau near Berlin began working on a rifle grenade and a new launcher in accordance with the requirements set in cooperation with the Heereswaffenamt (German Army Ordnance). 

The work continued to the early stage of World War II. It was only in April 1942 that the so-called Gewehrgranatgerät (rifle grenade device) was adopted by the German Army. The new device could be attached to almost all Model 98 rifles thanks to its clamp mounting. According to archive files, the delivered number of devices until the cessation of production in May 1944 reached nearly 1.5 million pieces. In the following years, a variety of different rifle grenades like high-explosive, hollow-charge and flare grenades, and even propaganda grenades for leaflet distribution, were developed and introduced. 

Actually, a very effective weapon was created early on. But the rivalry of Heereswaffenamt (Army), Marine-Waffenamt (Navy) and Technisches Amt der Luftwaffe (Air Force) prevented for the time being a combined use in all three Wehrmacht organizations. Each of these ordnance offices developed its own armament program, which competed with the other two for money and material resources. And so the Air Force tried to create its own rifle grenade device while ignoring the Army development. 

Its history began on September 15, 1941. On that day, engineers from the Westfälisch-Anhaltische Sprengstoff-Actien- Gesellschaft (WASAG) from Reinsdorf met with representatives of the Air Force for a discussion on anti-tank weapons for airborne troops. The WASAG presented an already elaborated proposal for an armor-piercing rifle grenade based on the hollow- or shaped-charge principle. Only a special fuze was missing. The company Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken Aktiengesellschaft (DWM) assured the accelerated production of the elongated cartridge cases was needed as a propelling cartridge and also promised to try to design a fuze. The DWM Research Institute in Lübeck would become involved. After delivery of the propelling cartridges and the new fuze, a comprehensive test took place on October 20, 1940, on the shooting range in Hildesheim. 

New Device 

At the end of 1940, WASAG completed its development work to the satisfaction of the Luftwaffe. Officially, the new device was called “Schiessbecher mit Klappkorn” (cup launcher with folding sight) and launched the “Gewehrgranate zur Panzerbekämpfung Modell 1940” (anti-tank rifle grenade Model 1940), in short GG/P40. However, the name is very misleading: In contrast to the Army’s device, in which the grenades are inserted into a rifled cup, the Air Force’s device consists of a kind of barrel extension. The hollow tail of the grenade is pushed onto this extension from the front. 

The new weapon was already urgently awaited by the paratroopers. Although the order ran under the highest priority level, the WASAG initially did not cope with the production. General of airborne forces, Kurt Student, therefore in January 1941 changed the delivery order as follows: 5,000 devices and 30,000 grenades until middle of March 1941, and the rest (25,000 devices and 270,000 grenades) were to be delivered over the months of April to possibly July 1941. 

At the end of January, the Führer personally intervened and demanded a lecture from General Student about the new anti-tank weapons. In preparation, on January 24, General Student was once again briefed by a WASAG employee on the Kampfpistole (flare pistol with rifled barrel) and the rifle grenade. At the same time he ordered another trial to be carried out in order to reach a range of 150m, as this range had been demanded in the lecture which he had given a few days earlier to Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring. 

The launcher was now finished. What was still missing, however, was a sighting device. For this reason there was a meeting on February 4, 1941, of representatives of the companies DWM and Mauser at the WASAG plant in Reinsdorf. First, minor changes to the fuze were again discussed, and a final design was determined. Fifteen preliminary series fuzes brought by DWM were fired without any failure after the meeting. In question of the grenade sight, Mauser agreed to design and manufacture a suitable sight. Likewise, Mauser expressed the desire to take over the production of the launchers. 

A month later, three different sights were finished and were demonstrated at a meeting at the Mauser factory in Oberndorf. The decision was made in favor of a sight consisting of a pivoting box, laterally attached to the stock next to the normal rear sight. The box carries an U-notch at its front and a scale for setting the ranges for 25m, 50m, 75m and 100m at its rear. It is attached to the stock by means of a flexible steel band and a clamping screw with a knurled nut. The sighting line is 35mm offset to the left of the barrel axis. All other demonstrated sight models would have required permanent changes to the rifles. 

Sight Production 

On March 17 another meeting was held at DWM in Borsigwalde with all involved companies. It was about the planning and execution of mass production. For the initial production (400 pieces at Mauser and 100 pieces at WASAG) on the basis of the previous drawings, slight deviations of the dimensions were accepted. Also, the foresight was mounted rigidly (instead of hinged) to speed up the production. The delivery date was April 15. For the upcoming large-scale production, Mauser should make and distribute new factory drawings for the launcher, foresight and grenade sight until March 22 at the latest. Mauser’s launchers were manufactured at the Berlin plant. Whether the sights should also be made in Berlin or in Oberndorf, was still open at this time. 

Then on May 9, 1941, it was done. The first 450 complete devices were shipped to the Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1 (Airborne Assault Regiment) under the command of Colonel Bernhard Ramcke. Just in time, because on May 20, the operation Merkur was launched—the airborne invasion of the island of Crete. Curiously, on the few known combat and propaganda photos showing the launcher, no grenade sight is visible. Special pouches for storing the launcher, tools for maintenance and cleaning or other accessories have not been mentioned in any documents, let alone issued to the troops. 

The Schiessbecher 

The “Schiessbecher” (spigot launcher) weighs 495g and consists of a cylindrical smooth tube (outer diameter 24mm, length 230mm), a permanently affixed mount (same design as the mount of the bayonet) and a hinged foresight on the left side. This can be folded down when not in use. On the underside of the launcher tube, a leaf spring of 8cm in length is fixed with a small screw. Its purpose is to hold the GG/P40 grenade in place. The cleaning rod of the K.98k can remain on the weapon while the launcher is attached, since the mount has a corresponding through hole. The launcher is simply pushed onto the muzzle until the springloaded locking mechanism of the mount engages in the recess of the bayonet lug. Detaching is done in the same way as with the bayonet by pressing a round release button located on the right side of the mount. Since the launcher does not block the muzzle but acts as a barrel extension, ordinary bulleted ammunition can be safely fired if necessary without removing the launcher. 

The GG/P40 was the only grenade developed for the spigot launcher. No other types of grenades were planned, so the enemy infantry had to be fought with this grenade if necessary; not a very effective use of hollow-charge ammunition because of the low splintering effect in the open. The grenade weighed 515g and was used at distances of 50m to 100m. Its maximum penetration was 35mm of armor, and the maximum range when fired at an angle of 45 degrees was 275m. The special propelling cartridge named “Patrone G” weighed 15g and was filled with 3.6g of powder. Its hollow wooden bullet was yellow-colored to avoid being confused with the standard blank cartridge with purple bullets. 

The Luftwaffe seemed to have created an easy-to-use and flexible anti-tank weapon for its paratroopers, which usually did not have heavy weapons at hand in the early stages of their missions. The device was much handier, easier to use, less sensitive to rough handling and less expensive to manufacture than the rifle grenade launcher of the Army. 

End of the GG/P40 and Spigot Launcher 

But then, quite surprisingly, everything was over. On April 10, 1942, a demonstration of the improved grenade with a lengthened cap, serving as a spacer, took place in Kummersdorf. Thus, the grenade was now 295mm long and could penetrate 50mm of armor. At 65mm it still achieved deep indents with a splintering effect inside the vehicle. According to the WASAG Reinsdorf department, the spin-stabilized grenade already introduced by the Army could penetrate 65mm but only with a diameter of a few millimeters. The GG/P40 was thus more effective. A disadvantage of the fin-stabilized grenade, however, was the gusty wind, which greatly reduced the accuracy. On April 20, the Reinsdorf team received an angry letter from the Berlin WASAG headquarters: “The test firing on 10.4. has unfortunately showed the total uselessness of the current design of the Gg.P.40, as in gusty winds at distances of 50 meters and less, only 9 hits could be scored from 30 grenades fired […] We agree that you will provide Wa Prüf 1/II with about 50 grenades to complete the performance tests but that they will complete the work on this project. We express our surprise that your report, in perhaps misunderstood whitewashing, did not express the total failure of the Gg.P.40.” 

This sealed the end of both the GG/P40 and the spigot launcher. How many launchers had been delivered is not known. Later in the War, the Luftwaffe received an additional 9,585 pieces of the Army rifle grenade launcher. The improved large anti-tank rifle grenade of the Army, which was introduced in October 1942, even achieved a penetration of up to 80mm of armor. Much more than the GG/P40. 

The Forensic Institute of the Security Police (Kriminaltechnisches Institut der Sicherheitspolizei / KTI) was a department of the Reich Main Security Office (Reichssicherheitshauptamt / RSHA). The Security Office was an organization subordinate to Heinrich Himmler in his dual capacities as Chief of German Police (Chef der Deutschen Polizei) and Reichsführer-SS. The organization’s stated duty was to fight all enemies of the Reich inside and outside the borders of Germany. In 1944, the KTI began to deal with, among other things, toxic bullets for small arms. The initial spark was the arrest of a Russian agent in the area of the Heeresgruppe Mitte in January of that year.

When he was arrested, numerous objects were secured, including a Mauser pistol in 7.65mm caliber, six associated cartridges and two small bombs, one incendiary and one explosive. The use of such a pistol is not unusual, because at that time the small caliber was very common among the self-loading pistols used in the German Reich, and it would have made it difficult to draw conclusions on the perpetrator in an assassination attempt. The serial number 557 453 and the circumstances indicate that the weapon may have been a Mauser model 1934.

However, the security forces became aware of the ammunition. The standard brass cases with the headstamp “Geco D 7.65” were made in Germany by the company Gustav Genschow & Co. The bullets, however, did not conform to any common pattern: hollow-pointed bullets with a steel cap and a four-piece coat. Of course, such suspicious ammunition had to be examined more closely, which is why the seized objects were delivered to the “Chemical Investigation Center” of the Heeresgruppe Mitte on January 13 and 15. There, it was first noted that each of the bullets contained 0.04 grams of an unknown substance that was not one of the commonly used poisons or explosives. It could not be more precise, because the existing equipment of the field laboratory was not sufficient for a precise analysis of all chemical substances.

The commander of the security police in Minsk therefore decided to have the prisoner and all objects brought to the Reich Security Main Office in Berlin. There, the agent was questioned again on January 26, and he started to talk. As it turned out, the man should have committed an assassination attempt on SS-Gruppenführer Curt Gustav Friedrich Walther von Gottberg. He received all his equipment by courier from Moscow. The bullets were filled with poison and would be deadly even with the slightest wound. He had received three cartridges, but had three more left from his previous mission. Accordingly, the Russians had probably used such ammunition more often in assassinations.

That same day, the RSHA handed over the items to the Forensic Science Institute. The analysis of the substances was difficult. It was only on March 21 that the final report was finished. The poison was the extremely toxic Aconitine, which can be obtained, for example, from the monkshood plant. It is considered one of the strongest plant toxins ever. The lethal dose for an adult is 4mg. The report thus comes to the conclusion that the bullets with their filling of 20mg to 30mg of Aconitine must be absolutely deadly, because “by a shot, always several blood vessels are injured, so that the poison can get into the body.”

The functioning of the bullet is indeed very well thought out. Its coat has four elongated cuts as predetermined breaking points. In the moment of impact, the rounded steel tip pushes the four-part bullet along the predetermined breaking points apart. The hollow tip and the sharp parts of the breaking bullet increase the wound formation. The poison gets into the wound and the bloodstream even if the shot is poorly aimed.

In a request to the KTI from April 1944, the General of the Nebeltruppe (rocket artillery) pointed to the problem of such bullets, because “the use of poison or poisoned weapons is forbidden according to Article 23a of the ‘Convention respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land’ from October 18, 1907. This includes well and food poisoning, poisoned arrows and bullets.” However, the answer did not elaborate on this but merely emphasized that it was special ammunition of the Soviet Russian secret service and not captured Army ammunition.

The design of the small bullet with its extremely effective content seemed to have impressed the KTI deeply. It was considered so important that they sent a report to SS-Sturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny, who immediately expressed his interest in it. In the meantime, the Army Weapons Office (Heereswaffenamt) also got wind of the matter, and in June 1944, requested a copy of the sectional drawing from the KTI. 

Even the Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler personally received detailed information including drawings and photos in August. 

Such a kind of special ammunition would fit well into the ordnance of the Waffen-SS and the SS police units. In fall 1944, therefore, a group under the direction of Dr. Joachim Mrugowsky (Chief Hygienist and Chief of Staff III at the Reich Medical Doctor SS and police) began with experiments on humans. The Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp was selected because since 1941, the KTI had maintained a workshop for the production of toxic products, such as hydrocyanic ampoules, by prisoners. For the following experiments 7.65mm bullets were filled with 38mg of Aconite Nitrate in crystalline form. On September 11, the group of doctors (including Dr. Albert Widmann) selected five Russian prisoners who had been sentenced to death; these bullets were shot in the upper part of the left thigh. In two cases, the bullet went straight through, and no effect of the poison was observed. The other three suffered for about two hours until they died. The surviving report describes in detail the development of reflexes, pupils, salivation with foaming and the unsuccessful attempts to vomit: “The motor unrest increased so much that the persons flung themselves up, and down, rolled their eyes and made meaningless motions with their hands and arms. […] Death occurred 121, 123 and 129 minutes after entry of the projectile.” Despite insignificant injuries, the poison had thus unfolded its deadly effect.

As late as September 1944, Dr. Widmann received an order of 200 poison bullets in 7.65mm caliber. The client was a good friend of Otto Skorzeny: SS-Obersturmführer Adrian Freiherr von Foelkersam of the SS-Jagdverband Ost. Whether these bullets were actually delivered, is not known. In general, so far no evidence for the use of toxic bullets on the German side could be found. Von Gottberg committed suicide on May 31, 1945, in British custody and Dr. Mrugowsky was hanged in 1948 in the War criminal prison Landsberg. 

In the sixth year of the War, the resources of the German Reich had become scarce. How practical would it be to fire two bullets with one cartridge? This idea woke the interest of the Waffen-SS. 

By the end of 1944, the German Armed Forces (apart from the numerous captured weapons) mainly used two types of rifle cartridges:

• 7.92x57mm with s.S. (heavy spitzer) bullet for rifles and machine guns
• 7.92x33mm kurz with the short Mkb bullet for machine gun carbines/ assault rifles

In order to make the cartridges more effective, a large number of other bullets, such as tracer, hard core or even explosive projectiles, were put in the cases.

Another way to increase cartridge performance was chosen in autumn 1944: If two bullets could be put in a single cartridge case, the double effect on the target could be achieved simultaneously with savings on raw material, weight and transport space without additional training for the soldiers. On the weapons themselves, nothing would have to be changed. With the loss of territory in the east, the ongoing supply of the necessary raw materials for the armaments industry partially dried up, and the air raids on the Reich further reduced the already scarce transport space.

Experimentation

The idea of putting two bullets in one case sounded simple. But the devil was in the details. The experiments with different bullets and powder types dragged on for a long time. In addition to the Heereswaffenamt (Army Ordnance Office), the SS ordnance office department “Research, Development Patents” (FEP for short), headed by SS-Gruppenführer Dr.-Ing. Otto Schwab, was involved in it. Some of the test firing attempts took place at the Gottow shooting range, which was part of the Kummersdorf Army testing institute and was officially named “Wa Prüf 11—Special Equipment Department.”

The experiments started with two bullets, 123.5 grains each (8g each), of the standard rifle cartridge in a case with a 24.7-grain (1.6g) powder charge. During a test with three rounds, under the direction of SS-Untersturmführer Winzer, a very large dispersion was noticed at a distance of 30m. The last shot got stuck in the barrel. Increasing the load to 37 grains (2g) brought little improvement. Also, in this case, bullets got stuck in the barrel. Two Mkb bullets were then put in the case, and the charge was increased to 37.037 grains (2.4g). With 16 rounds fired, the result was satisfactory. There were no outliers, and no bullets got stuck in the barrel.

Now it was time to increase the distance. For the next attempts, the target was hung at 100m. The case with the two Mkb bullets was filled with a main charge of 24.7 grains (1.6g) and an additional front charge of 1.23 grains (0.8g). The accuracy was again satisfactory with an average of nine rings per round. So far, so good, but the trajectory no longer matched the sights of the weapons. Calculations showed that the speed of the shorter Mkb bullets had to be increased from 665m/sec to 750m/sec.

Detailed investigations also showed that the second bullet flew in the slipstream of the first bullet and thus in a zone of reduced pressure. This resulted in a fairly constant deviation from the trajectory of the first bullet. In the meantime, it was January 1945, and the SS put the team under pressure. The SS ordnance office therefore contacted the Finower Industrie GmbH, which, as an experienced manufacturer of infantry ammunition, was to make the double-bullet cartridges ready for series production. Two SS technicians from FEP were assigned to Finower for this purpose. The best results were achieved with a cartridge containing one heavy bullet 193.7 grains (12.55g) and behind it a shorter and lighter Mkb bullet. At the beginning of February, it was clear that “the characteristics of this new type of infantry ammunition have been clearly recognized by extensive tests and that special manufacturing difficulties are not to be expected.” The Heereswaffenamt successfully carried out a mass firing test with these cartridges.

Before the new ammunition could go into series production, there was a meeting in Friedenthal near Oranienburg on March 17, 1945. The illustrious group counted many well-known names, such as SS-Standartenführer Dr. Heeß (Institute for Criminal Technology RSHA) and SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny (Unit I B Friedenthal). Plant manager Eibl explained that the double-bullet cartridge weighed 445.2 grains (28.85g), in contrast to the normal s.S. cartridge weighing 419.8 grains (27.20g). A cartridge with two bullets saves 158.2 grains (10.25g) on the case and 53.24 grains (3.45g) on the powder compared to two normal cartridges, without reducing the combat effect on the target and without putting more strain on weapon mechanics. Test firing with the machine gun MG42 was successful.

SS-Untersturmführer Schürmann of the SS-paratroopers praised the development and agreed to order 15,000 cartridges for the special infantry battalion Friedenthal (named after the castle Friedenthal). However, the delivery was initially to be seen as an “emergency solution” without special requirements at any point in the manufacturing process, and any problems that might occur were accepted. The main thing was that the cartridges could be delivered as quickly as possible. It is unclear whether and where production actually started. Reports or other evidence of use in action are not known. In any case, all cartridge production in Finower ended due to a lack of raw materials in March 1945.

On April 25, 1945, the SS-FHA T-Office (SS-Führungshauptamt Technical-Office, SS-FHA’s main operational department), which had meanwhile relocated from the encircled capital Berlin to Dachau in Bavaria, discussed the future manufacturing options. Since there were no suitable factories in the still unoccupied part of Bavaria, production would begin in Italy, the Protectorate or Tyrol. The Austrian inspector for armament and equipment in Salzburg would explore new companies and workshops. But ultimately, nothing came of it. In May, the War was finally over in Europe. 

After World War II, thousands of M3 and M3A1 Grease Guns were scattered all over the world. Thanks to the simple design, the weapons could be kept operational by any reasonably talented craftsman. They performed their service on both sides of the law and were used by the paramilitary Irish Republican Army (IRA) as well as by official military forces like the Greek Expeditionary Force (GEF) and the Philippine Marine Corps. However, its use by the Austrian police is hardly known.

With the War against the German Reich, huge quantities of military equipment and weapons were shipped to the European mainland. After the victory, all this could not be brought back home. It would have been too complex and too expensive. On the other hand, public order had to be restored in the respective occupation zones. The occupiers did not do this alone, and more and more local police were called in and trained for this. The units often got equipment from foreign surplus stock.

In Austria there were large quantities of Russian and American weapons left after the War. The regular police were still armed with the old Mannlicher M1895 bolt-action carbine. To strengthen their power, the police later added the Russian submachine gun PPSh-41 to their arsenal to be used for many years.

Four years after World War II, the “B-Gendarmerie” (riot-control police) were founded in secret in the American sector of Austria. Even today it is still unclear what the letter “B” means. It could stand for “Bereit schafts-Gendarmerie” (task force) as well as “Bundes-Gendarmerie” (federal police). It is also speculated that the “B” could stand for “Besondere” (special). However, at the time the B-Gendarmerie was founded, Austria’s Allies did not yet officially grant Austria its own military organization, and the name B-Gendarmerie is to be understood as a camouflage designation in any case. 

The western occupying powers, which provided substantial support for the entire project, were also in possession of secret recruitment lists and plans of the Austrians. The organization provided for the admission of former officers, and a list of battle-hardened soldiers was compiled without their knowledge in order to be able to quickly provide appropriate personnel in case of emergency. By 1954, some 90,000 men had been recorded in this way. There were also plans for taking the members of the B-Gendarmerie out of the country, especially to Italy or North Africa, in the event of a Communist coup. They would form the core of an Austrian Army in exile.

In 1950, the first standing units were formed: three battalions (named Gendarmerie schools) and one reconnaissance company were camouflaged as a driving unit. On August 1, 1952, former Wehrmacht officers took over the leadership of the B-Gendarmerie, and the units became officially known to the public. They were under the direct command of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI). At the end of 1953, the B-Gendarmerie consisted of about 100 officers and 4,000 men.

Unlike the regular police, the B-Gendarmerie received light infantry weapons from U.S. stock. The United States gave 24,500 M1 Carbines, 500 M2 Carbines, 25,000 M1 Garands, 1,837 self-loading 1911A1 pistols, 623 M3/M3A1 and 1,885 M1A1 Thompson submachine guns. The carbines and rifles came with a large number of bayonets and rifle grenade launchers. 

After the conclusion of the State Treaty on May 15, 1955, the existence of this organization made it possible to build a new Army relatively quickly. The last deployment of the B-Gendarmerie as such took place the day after the signing of the treaty in the form of a Liberation Parade in the city of Linz. 

On July 8, 1955, the Allied ban on military activity fell, and the end of the B-Gendarmerie was set for July 27, 1955, when it was renamed the Provisional Border Guard Service. The new Austrian Federal Army (or Austrian Armed Forces), named Bundesheer, was founded on May 15, 1955. Its armament came from Allied depots. In 1956, 6,000 former B-Gendarmeries formed the cadre for the newly established Army, which had to pass its first test that same year in the course of the Hungarian uprising by securing the Austrian state border. The Army soldiers, who had already been members of the B-Gendarmerie, were allowed to wear the emblem of their former organization, a red angle with a burning grenade, on the right sleeve on their uniforms. 

For consistent training and handling, instructions were issued by the BMI, like the ZI.96.363- 3/57 “Maschinenpistole Type M3 (M3 A1) Kaliber 11,43mm” on July 25, 1957. The American submachine guns remained in service for more than 10 years before they were gradually replaced from 1967 and on by the UZI. 

In the years after World War II, there was no need for new weapons in Austria. Both Russia and the Western Allies provided large quantities of their weapons, such as the PPSh-41 or M3A1. It was not until the mid-1960s that efforts were again made to develop domestic and more modern submachine guns. Unfortunately, the desired success was denied.

Austria’s armaments industry had suffered great damage in the last years of WWII and lay largely in ruins. So for the time being it was not possible to think about its own weapon production on a larger scale. However, the armed units that were gradually set up could be equipped without any problems, thanks to a large number of wartime weapons, mainly of foreign production.

On August 1, 1952, the B-Gendarmerie was officially established. Unlike the police force, which was usually armed with old pistols and carbines, the B-Gendarmerie received light infantry weapons from U.S. stocks—especially M1 Carbines and M1 Garands including accessories. At the end of 1953, the B-Gendarmerie consisted of over 4,000 men. Due to the existence of this organization, it was possible to build up the new Österreichisches Bundesheer (Austrian Armed Forces) relatively quickly after the conclusion of the State Treaty on May 15, 1955. Its armament again came from Allied depots.

The MPi 69 is kept relatively smooth; there are only a few protruding knobs or screws. For cocking, the carrying sling is attached to the bolt. There is no conventional cocking handle.

In the meantime, much had happened internationally in the field of weapons technology. Austria, too, was striving for more modern armament from the 1960s onwards. Attempts to convert the Russian PPSh-41 to 9x19mm caliber and replacing the worn wooden stocks with plastic ones were only half-hearted. At the traditional company Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, the two engineers Karl Wagner and Karl Moser had been working on a new submachine gun for some time, with particular attention to production costs and functional safety. In 1968 the Austrian Army received three prototypes of this weapon for evaluation.

Apparently, the submachine gun made a good impression, because the following year the Austrian Army ordered another 50 units for a more extensive troop trial. There were two magazines for each weapon, one with 25 rounds and one with 32 rounds. The Heeressport- und Nahkampfschule (Army Sports and Close Combat School) of the Jagdkommando (JaKdo) was provided with 30 submachine guns. The Jagdkommando is a special unit of the Austrian Army, stationed in Wiener Neustadt. Its tasks include the rescue of hostages abroad, the fight against terrorism, as well as building protection of Austrian embassies and operations in war or crises zones. The 20 other weapons were sed for testing as emergency armament for the crews of the tank destroyer Kürassier (Jagdpanzer K), also newly developed and built by Steyr-Daimler-Puch.

In reference to the year of its first use, the submachine gun was given the designation “MP 69.” The design of the weapon was a simple blowback mechanism, firing from the open bolt. The receiver with a square cross-section is made from sheet metal. The complete pistol grip and a large part of the receiver are coated with impact-resistant plastic. Thanks to a swivel-mounted piece of sheet metal at the rear end, there is no unscrewable end cap to lose. The breechblock encloses the barrel with its front half, so that a large part of its mass is located in the center of gravity. This saves on length of the receiver, and the weapon is more pleasant to shoot in fully automatic mode. A push button allows switching between safe (right position, white S), semi-automatic fire (middle position) and full-automatic fire (left position, red D). A noteworthy feature is the manner of cocking the weapon: the carrying sling is attached to the bolt. There is no common cocking handle. The shooter simply grasps the sling and pulls it back. 

During the troop trials, the MP 69 made a good impression, and the soldiers involved were satisfied with it. Steyr-Daimler-Puch seemed to have had little doubt at the time about its imminent adoption in the Austrian Army and was already producing stock. In 1970 there were already more than 5,000 pieces ready for delivery, but orders from Austria were still missing. On the other hand, the export business performed a little better: Greece bought 415 weapons for the Athens police; Thailand also ordered for its police; and larger quantities were sold to the Near and Middle East, where they still today occasionally show up in the hands of local fighters. 

More than 10 years later, minor improvements and modifications of the MPi 69 led to the visually very similar MPi 81. The most striking difference is that it again had a conventional cocking handle on the left side of the receiver. In addition, a scope with 1.5x magnification could be attached. For this purpose, two disc-shaped mounting points were permanently glued on the top of the receiver as standard. A sheet metal strip above the ejection port served as an empty case deflector and guided the cases downwards. Breakthroughs in the two struts of the scope mount allowed aiming over the rear and front sight if necessary. By means of an extension sleeve that could be clamped onto the barrel, the weapon could also be used for shooting from special hatches in armoured vehicles. A bayonet was issued, but it was mainly used as a tool. The firing rate of 750 rpm was significantly higher than that of the MPi 69 with only 400 rpm.

Exports went to Argentina, Greece and Saudi Arabia. In Austria, the MPi 81 was only used to a limited extent. Steyr-Daimler-Puch itself was partly to blame for the poor sales of both models in its own country, because since the late 1960s, the new Armee-Universal-Gewehr AUG (Army Universal Rifle) in bullpup design and caliber 5.56x45mm had been in development there. Among other things, the MPi 69 was intended to replace the submachine guns, and understandably, potential customers wanted to wait and see the result of this development before purchasing larger numbers of MPi 69s. In 1977, the Austrian Army decided to introduce the AUG as the new standard assault rifle with the designation “Sturmgewehr 77.” Due to its different variations, there was no longer a need for an extra submachine gun. 

TECHNICAL DATA 

With thinly staffed Front lines, the gaps between the individual sentries must somehow be closed. Especially in dark, rainy or windy nights, the moving shadows and the sounds of enemy soldiers are hardly to be noticed at a distance. Simple alarm devices with trip wires have proven themselves in such cases. At some distance from the Front line or at particularly difficult-to-monitor terrain, the wires are placed near the ground, well camouflaged, and when touched by enemy soldiers they activate an alarm signal.

Depending on the situation, a silent alarm can be useful. For example, an empty shell casing is fitted with a metal hammer and hung up as a bell at the next post. A pull on the tension wire in front of the position reveals enemy activity in time and gives the sentry an opportunity to inform his comrades; for example, via an extra alarm wire to a rearward camp place. The system had probably proved itself in WWII, as written in a German instruction: “In this way it is not only possible to get along with small guard positions and to relieve the often overstretched troops, but also to organize the surprise of the sneaked in enemies and to bring in prisoners.”

But often enough, the situation on-site and the number of soldiers did not allow the enemy to get that close or the own position was already sufficiently defensive. Back then, it was important to withdraw the protective darkness from the enemy in the nick of time. In the 1930s the development of a so-called “Alarmschußpatrone” (alarm shot cartridge) began. From 1936, it was manufactured by the companies Nicolaus and Eisfeld. Mounted in special holders on trees or posts, they were activated by the enemy via a trip wire. Then a 2m high flame shot up and illuminated the surroundings for about 10 seconds up to approximately 15m. The early cartridges still had moisture-sensitive cardboard cases, but from 1939 an improved model with an aluminium case and an aluminium lid for protection against the weather was manufactured. The firing of such cartridges from a flare pistol was strictly forbidden. 

In the further course of the War, in 1941– 1942, in view of the increasing use of such signal ammunition, the Heereswaffenamt (Army Weapons Office) demanded the development of a signal cartridge with a firing device as a ready-to-use unit. The result was introduced in 1943 and replaced all previous models. This device, called “Alarmleuchtzeichen” (alarm flare signal), consisted of a tin can with a diameter of 40mm, filled with a pyrotechnic charge and pre-fitted with a primer. The firing pin assembly was screwed onto it. The whole unit was attached to a mount by means of a clamp. The mount had three holes and could be nailed or tied to a tree or post. The unit weighed 250g and was delivered ready-packed in a cardboard box together with 80m of trip wire. During assembly, it was important to ensure that the device was placed in the expected direction of the enemy and that an illumination or blinding of their own positions was avoided at all costs. The illumination lasted about 18 seconds and was sufficient for a radius of about 50m at night. 

This series-produced alarm device had worked well, but the Front lacked supplies. Soldiers are quite inventive in times of need, and so they made various improvisations from all kinds of materials. The pull fuze Z.Z.42 (Zugzünder), which was available almost everywhere and had a very simple design, served as the igniter for the normal flare pistol cartridges. It basically consisted of a Bakelite tube with a spring-loaded firing pin with a safety pin. This handicraft work was not hidden from the Army Weapons Office, and the pencil pushers working there were not very enthusiastic about it. In the military, do-it-yourself magazine, Von der Front für die Front (From the Front for the Front) of June 1944, it was therefore especially pointed out that these makeshift devices were for the most part not safe to handle. For this reason, a detailed construction manual for the making of an alarm device was printed in the same issue, which “can be easily made from troop resources, is accident-proof and also works.”

But even this device, recommended by the Army Weapons Office, was unnecessarily complicated to produce. The instruction 29/5 “Mine Barriers in Winter” from August 1944 shows how it can be made even easier. A lengthwise divided piece of wood could be hollowed-out so that a Z.Z.42 and, above it, a flare cartridge can be installed. And in a suggestion of the Volkssturm issue of the do-it-yourself magazine, a hollowed-out stake with a Z.Z.42 igniter inserted at the side and a detonator were used. More was not even necessary. 

Interestingly enough, the design of various launchers for flare cartridges that were produced during the War, suggests a type of series production. The devices don’t carry manufacturers’ information or acceptance marks, or in some cases, the markings are no longer visible due to their state of preservation. Thus, it remains in the dark by whom, where and in what quantity these devices were manufactured. A model was found in France and described in the Intelligence Bulletin of the U.S. Army in the May 1944 issue, and there were also relics dug up at the Eastern Front. Today, the last surviving examples are rarities, because unlike flare pistols, such alarm devices were useless after the War and mostly went to scrap. 

After World War II, Italy kept the war-proven Beretta submachine guns in use, and production went on. Future-oriented innovations were sought in vain. Beretta seemed to be without competition—until Luigi Franchi entered the government market.

With minor modifications, the Beretta M38/44 became the M38/49, and the following models remained basically the same wartime model without any outstanding technical innovations. After the death of Beretta’s chief engineer Tullio Marengoni, his successor Domenico Salza took over the work on the submachine guns. He designed the Model 5 with its striking grip safety. A large oblong push button was inserted laterally in the finger groove of the stock and had to remain pressed during shooting. This model was used by the military and police. However, Salza now tried to finally break away from the World War II model and create a modern, inexpensive submachine gun.

While he was still developing the future M12 model, a competitor from his own country unexpectedly pushed onto the market. The arms manufacturer Luigi Franchi S.p.A., founded in 1868 in Brescia, ventured into a completely new field with its LF-57. Until then, the company had mainly produced hunting and sporting guns. But the governmental market seemed to be lucrative, and so the company owner Luigi Franchi developed a new type of submachine gun according to his ideas for his new company department Divisione Sistemi Difensivi. He attached great importance to a simple design and cost-effective production. 

LF-57 Is Born 

Already in spring 1956 the first examples of the LF-56 were ready for test and evaluation purposes. Franchi was satisfied with the result; his basic concept worked. After the experiences from the trials had been incorporated into the design, the LF-57 was thus created. The weapon was largely made of formed sheet metal, riveted around a basic block of milled steel. There are no grip plates, because the grip is pressed together with the respective half of the housing from a single piece of sheet metal. The barrel is only fixed in the receiver by a nut screwed on the muzzle. The sight consists of a fixed front sight and a laterally adjustable rear sight zeroed at 50m (55 yards).

In contrast to many other short submachine guns of that time, the breechblock does not enclose the barrel. Instead, it is shaped like a horizontal “L,” whose main mass moves in the housing above the barrel, and only a small part with an integrated firing pin closes the cartridge chamber. During the loading cycle, the breechblock has a short travel, which makes it possible to shorten the overall length of the receiver. It also increases precision, as most of the breechblock movement takes place near the centre of gravity of the weapon. Due to this feature, the receiver is very slim, but high. At first sight, the weapon therefore looks like a gas-operated gun.

The LF-57 has no manual safety device. Instead, a pressure safety device is integrated in the grip, which blocks the way of the breechblock. The way is only cleared when the hand clasps the handle and presses the safety in. A push button above the grip allows switching between single and continuous fire. The side folding stock is very stable; it does not wobble and offers a good feeling when firing.

Commercially, the LF-57 was unfortunately not a success. It also remained Franchi’s only submachine gun. The company received one was won in 1962. In the same year, Franchi launched the semi-automatic “Police Model” for the civilian American market, recognizable by the double-barrel length of 406mm. Smaller quantities of the weapon were sold to the Congo, Nigeria and Rhodesia. Interestingly, the sales success of Beretta’s new M12 in Italy was also limited. The weapon was much more sought after abroad. Until 1987, Franchi S.p.A. was run as a family business. Once in competition with Beretta, the company has been part of the Beretta Holding since 1993. 

TECHNICAL DATA

• CALIBER: 9x19mm
• LENGTH (stock folded): 420mm/16.53in
• LENGTH (stock extended): 680mm/26.77in
• LENGTH OF BARREL: 206mm/8.11in
• WEIGHT (empty): 3.32kg/7.32lb
• WEIGHT (loaded): 3.82kg/8.42lb
• MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 30 rounds
• RATE OF FIRE: 460 rounds/min