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.

The early M16 rifles were issued in relatively small numbers to U.S. military advisors and Special Forces personnel serving in Vietnam and the Air Force’s Air Police. Feedback from the field resulted in a few changes to the original design. The barrel twist was changed from 1:14 to 1:12 to increase accuracy, and a bolt closure device, known as the forward assist, was added; USAF models did not have a forward assist. The updated M16 was designated as the XM16E1: X = experimental, E1 = Evolution 1.

The M16A1 rifle slowly evolved from the XM16E1 initially fielded in large numbers during 1964 to the U.S. Standard A infantry weapon, officially adopted in 1967.

The adoption of the 5.56mm M16 during the war in Vietnam was to replace the M14 rifle that was proving to be too cumbersome, too heavy and its 7.62mm cartridge too powerful for the type of engagements being encountered in the jungles of Vietnam. What was needed was a handy weapon that was light in weight, controllable in full-automatic fire and one with a small 5.56mm cartridge that would allow the infantryman to carry a larger ammunition load; a weapon that could match the firepower from the enemy’s AK rifle.

The M16 rifle was a revolutionary design made of unconventional materials that included aluminum and plastic. The weapon’s appearance and lightweight and relatively small cartridge were not readily accepted by the military establishment or many of the younger soldiers who did most of the fighting. As a result, the M16 was bestowed with the condescending rumor that they were being made by the Mattel® toy company.

The XM16E1

The first contract to purchase M16 and XM16E1 rifles was awarded to Colt on November 4, 1963. The contract was for 104,000 rifles; 85,000 XM16E1 rifles with the forward assist feature and 19,000 M16 rifles without the forward assist for the Air Force. The cost of the XM16E1 was $121.84 per rifle, the M16 cost was $112.00 per rifle. The initial contract was considered to be a “one-time” purchase until the Special Purpose Individual Weapon, more commonly known by the acronym SPIW, was perfected and put into production—adoption of the SPIW was estimated to be in 1965.

The SPIW program began in 1959 after a number of government studies were conducted on the lethal effectiveness of infantry weapons. The basic SPIW concept was an individual infantry weapon that fired both flechettes and grenades. The U.S. Springfield Armory along with Harrington & Richardson, Aircraft Armament Inc. (AAI) and Winchester were involved in developing a satisfactory weapon. The requirements set for the proposed SPIW included a 60-round magazine for the flechette ammunition and a multi-shot 40mm grenade launcher. There was a maximum weight limit of 10 pounds loaded with 60 flechette rounds and three grenades. Development of a suitable SPIW was deemed to be unrealistic, and the program was terminated in 1968.

The realization that the SPIW program was heading for failure came as welcome news for Colt. The war in Vietnam was escalating, and more M16 rifles would be needed to equip the growing number of U.S. military personnel being assigned there.

The XM16E1 to the M16A1

The XM16E1 was the first model of the Colt/ArmaLite M16 rifle that was purchased in large quantities by the U.S. government. The M16 would become infamous during the rifle’s service during the Vietnam War. The problems experienced with the XM16E1 were the result of not one, but a compilation of missteps. The problems with the weapon resulted in a Congressional Investigation, the Ichord Committee, in 1967.

Plating the Barrel Chambers

One of the primary reasons for the M16 rifle’s early failure was being purchased “off the shelf” with little or no initial engineering study by the Ordnance Corps, who were quite dissatisfied with the adoption of a rifle from outside the traditional ordnance system. A major contributing factor was a failure to chromium plate the barrel chambers. During fighting in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, it was discovered how a humid climate contributed to rapid barrel corrosion, which resulted in failure to extract cartridge cases stuck in the chamber. As a result, all production M14 rifles had chromium barrel chambers and bores. So why didn’t the original AR-15 / M16 rifles have chromium-lined barrels? Because people in government, who knew little or nothing about small arms, were making decisions based on cost. The infamous quote, “If the rifle needed a chrome chamber, [Gene] Stoner would have designed it that way.”

Ball Powder

Originally the AR-15 / M16 rifle was designed around cartridges loaded with DuPont IMR® (Improved Military Rifle) gun powder. A decision was made to load the 5.56mm rounds with Olin-Mathieson 846 ball powder. This was done with no testing for any effects the change might have on the weapon’s gas impingement system. Ball powder burns faster than IMR powder; this resulted in a higher port pressure, which in turn increased the full-automatic cyclic rate far beyond the rifle’s design limitations. A number of 5.56mm cartridges loaded with ball powder were issued to the troops in Vietnam, and the result was disastrous.

Other transitional enhancements were made to the XM16E1 to create the M16A1 rifle, solving the reliability problems with the weapon:

• A new, redesigned buffer
• Chromium-plated barrel chambers and cleaning kits
• “Bird cage” flash hider, replacing the 3-prong type
• Chromed bolt carrier replaced by a Parkerized bolt carrier with chromium internal surfaces
• New firing pin retainer
• Redesigned bolt catch to resist breakage
• Original gas tube replaced by one made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel
• Receiver-raised “fence” to protect magazine release button from accidental ejection of the magazine
• New buttstock designed with hollow section to contain a cleaning kit, including trapdoor to access the kit
• Introduction of a 30-round magazine during 1969

By 1967, the M16 was a reliable weapon and type-classified as the M16A1 rifle. To keep up with demand, Harrington & Richardson and the Hydra-Matic Division of General Motors were awarded contracts to manufacture M16A1 rifles. The M16A1 would serve as the Standard A rifle until being phased out by the M16A2. The product-improved M16A2 was adopted by the Marine Corps in 1983 and the Army in 1986.

Civilian M16 Rifles

Fortunately for NFA collectors and enthusiasts, a fair number of M16 rifles were registered and transferable. Colt’s policy during the 1980s was that each Class III dealer could order one M16A1 rifle and one carbine. Colt specified that to reorder the rifles dealers would have to provide proof that the guns were sold to a law enforcement agency. As a result, the M16s that were offered to individuals were sold at a premium. Along with the commercial Colt M16A1 models, a few “U.S. Gov’t Property”-marked M16s made by Colt, H&R and GM’s Hydra-Matic Division were registered during the 1968 amnesty. When offered for sale, they often commanded a premium price. In addition to amnesty-registered U.S. government property-marked rifles, the Harrington & Richardson® (H&R®) Corporation sold a number of their Vietnam-era contract U.S.-marked M16A1s during an asset reduction sale in 1985. There have been 66 new H&R M16A1 rifles documented from that sale, along with a lesser number of M14 rifles. Also, occasionally available are the select-fire Colt model 614 rifles marked “AR-15.” A few M16A2 models also were registered prior to the May 1986 ruling ending the registration of transferable machine guns.

A few military M16 receivers that were functionally destroyed by shearing once through the trigger area, were painstakingly welded back together and registered. There was an article in the July 1986 issue of the old Firepower magazine by John Norrell describing the process. Unfortunately, by the time the article was published in July, it was no longer possible to register a transferable machine gun.

Conversions of Semi-Automatics

In addition to the factory select-fire M16s, prior to 1986, it was legal to convert semi-automatic AR-15-type rifles to select-fire after paying a $200.00 federal tax and receiving approval from the NFA branch of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. In addition to receivers, there were “drop-in” “auto-sears” and “lightening links” registered to convert semi-autos to full-auto. Today the drop-in devices are often more expensive than a factory M16 rifle. The attraction, that justifies the five-figure price to many, is the device itself is a “machine gun” and can be legally used in any semi-automatic AR-15-type rifle.

In addition to Colt-made SP1 AR-15s, a number of pre-1986 conversions were done to other manufacturers’ AR-15-type rifles. A few of those companies included Frankford Arsenal, Sendra Corp., SGW-Olympic Arms and the Essential Arms (EA) Company.

[Link to Part III]

Recommended Reading

The Black Rifle, Volume I by Christopher R. Bartocci, R. Blake Stevens and Edward C. Ezell

The U.S. M14 Rifle: The Last Steel Warrior, Second Edition by Frank Iannamico