The M1A1 Thompson is heavy, loud and as effective downrange as a bulldozer, just like the Americans who carried it. Though technically obsolete at the beginning of World War II, the Thompson saw active service until the Vietnam war.

By Will Dabbs, MD

The Four Preeminent World War II Submachine Guns Shoot It Out for Supremacy

What happens when you get a group of friends together to do some recreational blasting and suddenly realize that you have representative samples of each of the submachine guns used by the major powers who fought the war in Europe in WWII? You burn through a lot of ammunition and spark some spirited technical discourse.

Pistol-caliber submachine guns have lost their allure these days in favor of compact, rifle-caliber platforms that provide better penetration and greater range. However, there was a time when the submachine gun was the ultimate cool-guy iron. Troops of all flavors in World War II bartered for them and even used captured examples of foreign guns when ammunition was available. What is fascinating, however, is to appreciate the disparate mindsets that drove each of the main powers in the European Theater in World War II to design the weapons that they produced and employ them so differently.

USA

American submachine guns in World War II were much like the Americans who carried them—loud, heavy, and undeniably effective. Firing the enormous .45 ACP cartridge, the early 1928 Thompson weighed nearly eleven pounds when equipped with a fully-loaded magazine. The Thompson was technically obsolete at the outset of the Second World War, yet it soldiered on for lack of an appropriate replacement all the way to war’s end. The heavy forged receiver and fire control group were expensive and difficult to manufacture, but legendarily robust as a result. The simplified M1 and M1A1 Thompsons dispensed with the finned barrel and Cutts compensator as well as simplified the bolt assembly, but they were still difficult to manufacture. A M1 Thompson cost the U.S. government about $45 to produce back during the war.

The erstwhile replacement for the Thompson was the M3 Grease Gun. By contrast, the Grease Gun was built entirely of steel and was designed for ease of manufacture. The M3 set the government back about $18 per copy. The Grease Gun exhibited a remarkably slow rate of fire of around 450 rounds per minute and was either loved or hated by its users. The utilitarian appearance of the weapon was objectionable to many troops raised on forged steel and oiled walnut.

In American usage, submachine guns were specialist weapons used primarily by tankers, MPs and paratroopers. I have a friend who fought in the Infantry, all the way from North Africa through Sicily and up through Italy and Monte Cassino, who told me he never saw an American submachine gun in combat. Greatly coveted by front-line soldiers, submachine guns were cherished treasures when they could be obtained.

UK

More than the other three countries profiled herein, Great Britain was in a fight for its life early in World War II. Finding itself bereft of weapons after the miraculous evacuation at Dunkirk, the British were desperate for small arms. They purchased thousands of Thompsons in exchange for gold early in the war, as there simply was no other option available in quantity. With their backs literally at the ocean, the British Army needed a submachine gun that could be produced cheaply and rapidly. Tactical functionality had to take a back seat to these considerations, but the resulting weapon was still surprisingly effective.

Designed by R.V. Shepherd and H.J. Turpin at the Enfield manufacturing plant, the Sten took its name from these three sources. Alternately referred to as the “Woolworth Gun,” “The Plumber’s Delight,” and “The Stench Gun,” the Sten was (and is) undeniably bug ugly. The Sten evolved through several marks and the final Mk V sported nice wooden furniture, high quality sights, and a bayonet lug. The Mk IIS and Mk VI variants were the world’s first sound-suppressed submachine guns in common use.

Thousands of Stens were airdropped into occupied Europe for use by the Resistance against the Germans and the sound-suppressed version was state-of-the-art spy gear for its day. The story goes that a partisan attempted to execute deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini with a Sten gun only to have it misfire. A comrade subsequently did the deed with a Thompson.

The British issued Stens to Airborne troops, as well as officers and NCOs of other branches whose duties were better suited to a small, portable automatic firearm. While Stens were produced by the million in a variety of Marks, they typically cost about $9 to build. One of the brilliant aspects of the Sten’s design was that its component parts could be manufactured in small shops that were readily dispersed and concealed. The tolerances on the Sten are such that it was fairly forgiving regarding quality control.

USSR

The Soviet Union in World War II was essentially a peasant nation in possession of tremendous natural resources. Adolph Hitler, hungry for Russian raw materials and with a legendary disdain for anyone lacking blonde hair and blue eyes (Hitler’s own hair was brown, by the way), launched Operation Barbarossa in June of 1941 with the intent of securing the USSR’s vast resources for himself. Soviet defenders were initially violently thrown back until the heartless Russian winter ground the German offensive to a halt. In times of dire national crisis the Soviet submachine guns reflected the Russian character—robust, simple and plentiful.

While the stories of the PPS-43 being delivered directly from the manufacturing plants to the front lines a few blocks away are commonly known, the marginally more refined PPSh has more sex appeal. Designed by Georgi Shpagin and known to the Russians by his surname eponym, the PPSh fired a bottlenecked high-velocity 7.62x25mm cartridge at a prodigious rate of fire. The weapons were constructed predominantly of sheet steel stampings and fed from either a 35-round box magazine or a 71-round drum. The PPSh, equipped with its characteristic drum magazine, became a visual icon that personified Russian nationalism in their fight to the death with Nazi Germany.

In contrast to other combatant nations in WWII, the Soviets fully embraced the concept of the submachine gun as an Infantry combat arm. They at times equipped entire battalions solely with submachine guns and used them to tremendous effect in the brutal street fighting that characterized their push back across their homeland and into Germany. The overwhelming firepower afforded by massed formations firing submachine guns most have been utterly overwhelming at close ranges.

Germany

The Germans have a well-deserved reputation for superlative engineering. Many of the well-known German manufacturing firms today had their genesis in military production generations ago. For example, BMW produced aircraft engines, Porsche built tank turrets, and Mercedes turned out military trucks. As has been the case for our other three examples, German small arms reflect their national identity.

Until the necessities of war drove them to cut corners, German military small arms were works of art. Handling Luger P08 pistols or MG34 machine guns manufactured in the late 1930s is a breathtaking exercise for the engineering-savvy firearms enthusiast. In the case of submachine guns, the Germans struggled to standardize. Roughly half a dozen disparate submachine gun designs found their way into the ranks of the Wermacht and Waffen-SS in the early days of the war until martial necessity drove the Waffenamt to settle on a single design.

The MP38 was a revolutionary weapon. For starters, it was all steel and synthetic materials, with no wood of any sort. While the MP38 incorporated a machined receiver that was fairly difficult to produce, the more common MP40 that replaced it was an exercise in sheet steel art.

More than a million MP40 submachine guns rolled off the lines in WWII and they equipped every branch of the German military. The Germans used MP40s heavily among paratroopers and tank crews and also issued them to officers and NCOs who needed a small, portable weapon to facilitate leadership duties. Anecdotal evidence supports the issue of MP40s to troops in combat, particularly on the Eastern Front, as a reward for valor and exceptional combat effectiveness.

Magazines

Thompson magazines were of a double stack design and subsequently easily loaded with nothing more specialized than a standard set of human fingers. The magazines for the M3 Grease Gun, the Sten and the MP40 were double stack designs that tapered to a single column for presentation of rounds into the breach. As a result, they required a dedicated magazine loader and were incrementally less reliable in action as a result. All three can be loaded using a small dowel or piece of wood in a pinch, but it gets tedious quickly, particularly when those last few rounds are topped off.

The drum magazine for the PPSh is a fairly complex piece of kit that was nonetheless reliable and effective in combat, due in large part to the fact that the mechanism was well sealed against the elements. These drums, like all drum magazines, are tedious to load and noisy in operation because of the rounds clattering around inside during movement. In addition, when fully loaded they are fairly heavy and ungainly as a result.

Trigger Time

To call a Thompson a boat anchor does disservice to boat anchors. The Thompson is ridiculously heavy when fully loaded. Also, no disrespect to the near-religious acolytes of the Thompson gun, the general design is pretty wretched. The weight is in the rear of the weapon and the axis of recoil is significantly above the buttstock. These two factors are a perfect recipe for muzzle climb. The Thompson can be controlled and kept on target, even on long bursts, but it requires experience, attention and careful application of body weight. Lean into the gun and let the recoil press against gravity for best results. Additionally, the M1A1 Thompson cycles at a spunky 700 rpm and trigger control is important as a result to manage ammunition expenditure.

On the plus side, a cloud of .45 ACP rounds will stop anything that breathes. The controls are fairly well laid out for right-handed operators and the bolt locks open on the last round fired. As a result, the operator need only swap magazines and squeeze the trigger to keep the gun in action. This exercise is easier and faster than on most any other military small arm of any generation.

The Sten gun just sticks out all over the place and can seem ungainly as a result. The side-mounted magazine facilitates shooting from the prone position, no small attribute considering this is where most tactical firing is undertaken. The other three competitors must be turned sideways or fired blindly to accomplish the same end, but this feed geometry makes the gun difficult to carry comfortably while slung. All but the Mk III have a swiveling magazine well that may be rotated closed when the gun is stored or exposed to mud and fouling.

The sedate rate of fire of the Sten makes it imminently controllable with trivial training, but the ergonomics are fairly poor. There is no safety per se, though the fire selector is a convenient push-through button accessible with the trigger finger. The T-stock is positively horrid and the loop stock only marginally better. The sights are fixed and welded in place so the zero of the gun is driven by the whim of the welder in question. The magazine release is thick, heavy and difficult to manipulate in a rush.

Firing the PPSh is an altogether unique experience. The gun cycles very quickly, akin to a MAC-10, and ejects the empties straight up into the air. In short order the operator resigns himself to firing a burst, letting the empties rain down on his head, and firing another burst. The effect when three hundred Russian soldiers were firing shoulder-to-shoulder en masse must have been remarkable.

Even with a heavy drum magazine in place, the PPSh requires attention to keep bursts on target given its high rate of fire and were it not for the 71-round capacity of the drum, the gun would run dry with alarming rapidity in action. The fire selector is a pivoting lever within the trigger guard and is easy enough to manipulate. The magazine release is a pivoting lever behind the magazine itself and is fairly easy to use in action.

The MP40 is smooth, accurate, and controllable. The rate of fire is around 500 rpm and its slow cadence makes burst control a joy. The long telescoping recoil system makes the MP40 hands down the most pleasant of the four guns to shoot. However, the design is quite front heavy and difficult to keep in a ready position for extended periods as a result. Additionally, the folding stock is not particularly comfortable and tends to wobble badly over time. In their defense, the German engineers who designed it likely never imagined having a geek like me pick apart their design seventy years after they produced the guns en masse trying desperately to win a global war.

Final Thoughts

The Thompson brings the most firepower to the table, but the prospect of having to hump the thing on a twelve mile forced march is the stuff of nightmares. The Sten does a magnificent job given the desperate circumstances surrounding its production, but being issued such a crude weapon on which to trust your life must have been demoralizing. The PPSh was a devastating CQB tool at close quarters but large formations of soldiers would have consumed vast quantities of ammunition and it would be easy to burn through your basic load quickly in action. The MP40 is a magnificent piece of engineering but at nine pounds and with so much of that weight so far forward, following the thing around corners and through room clearing drills can become agonizing.

So, the bottom line, all four guns are sitting on a table and you have to pick one to use for real. Which one would it be? For me, much to my surprise, I think it would be the Sten. The light weight and slow rate of fire seem to make it the most efficient and practical tactical tool. It certainly has its shortcomings and the decision is not without reservations, but if an MP44 is not a handy alternative the Sten wins in my book, though by a narrow margin over the MP40.

Your mileage may vary, and opinions are like certain unmentionable excretory anatomical structures, everybody has one. However, in the final analysis the Sten puts its rounds most readily on target, best lends itself to being carried around tactically for long periods, and allows relatively accurate fire from the most common firing positions legitimately used in combat. Whoever would have thought?

By Warren Ferguson

Overlooking the bay that glistened with vivid blue Mediterranean water, the Canadian soldier knew that the beauty of the Cypriot island was tempered by the rage of Turkish and Greek soldiers, both of whom were known as fierce and determined warriors. Looking down to examine the small collection of confiscated firearms, the soldier noticed a 9mm submachine gun very similar to his issued Sterling. Oddly, it also had many features of the WWII British Sten. What exactly was this hybrid?

Cyprus, a visually idyllic island, has had a long history of trouble between the Greeks and Turks who both stake bold claims on the territory. The fighting hit a flashpoint in 1974 when Greek army officers of the Greek Cypriot National Guard staged a coup d’état against the president of Cyprus. They wished to unite Cyprus with Greece and Turkey’s response was to launch an amphibious invasion of Cyprus with 40,000 troops.

Canadian soldiers had been stationed in Cyprus from the early 1960s. Thus, they were well positioned to respond to the eruption of violence. Members of the Canadian Airborne Regiment, Canada’s UNFICYP (United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus) and others were at hand when the Turks pressed forth their stated objectives of protection of the Turkish minority to greater territorial acquisition by the taking of the Nicosia airport. Canadians physically kept the two sides apart, sometimes taking casualties.

The Greek and Turkish soldiers were one matter, but aggressive civilians were another. Added to the volatile mix was a divided population that owed its allegiance to one side or the other. Both were determined to maintain their stake on their particular corner of the island and their cultural pride. When the Canadians were not separating professional armies, they dealt with these armed civilian irregulars.

The Canadians were armed with FN-FALs and Sterling type 9mm submachine guns. The profile of the Sterling was well-known in these parts. United Nations peacekeepers had been carrying them since they arrived to buffer the two opposing sides. Also not unknown to the locals was the old WWII era Sten submachine gun as there were those who recalled their use by British troops and more than a few found their way into cellars.

What you had in the Sten was a simple blowback system in its rawest form. A tube contained a heavy fixed firing pin bolt that was locked by a sear to the rear until firing. Then, a strong spring propelled the bolt forward to strip a cartridge from the magazine, chamber it, and fire it in one motion.

The Sten was rather simple to field strip as well. It was designed that way, particularly the MKII, as a means of breaking it down as small as possible for concealment. The removable barrel came out from the front and the butt stock slid down and off the receiver tube when the user depressed a spring button. The Sterling was developed later and was a dramatic improvement. It was lighter, more compact, and imminently more reliable.

At a time of war, when tensions are high, how can irregulars obtain automatic weapons when the United Nations is doing its best to keep the warring sides apart and prevent a build up of arms? As evidenced by this odd 9mm creation, you simply take the best aspects of two well-known submachine guns, look for ways to make it as easy to manufacture as possible, and get the firearm in the hands of combatants. For a lack of a better name, this writer is going to call the submachine gun in this article a ‘Stenling.’

What is known is that sometime during his tour of duty, a Canadian soldier, likely from the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, came across the strangest looking Sterling he had ever seen. It has long been practice for the Canadian Forces to take samples of foreign weapons for regimental museums and training purposes, and then cut up and melt down the rest.

The prevailing wind out of National Defense HQ dictates that if there is no firearm present, hostility will cease. Naturally, history has proven this incorrect, but institutionally, the Canadian Forces is on board with United Nation mandated weapons decommissioning activities.

Subsequently, out of Cyprus came the Stenling via army sources and found its way into the Okanagan Military Museum in Kelowna, British Columbia. Not to be outdone by the Army, the Canadian Firearms Centre (think BATF bureaucracy) issued directives for the further DEWATing procedures for museum firearms. Thus, a full stripping and analysis of what could be a very rare Cypriot submachine gun was made impossible.

Looking closely at the Stenling it was easy to see that the Sterling played an important role in the submachine gun’s size, weight, overall layout and feel. The general outline of the trigger group was copied but the parts simplified. However, the two-piece pistol grip is made out of cast metal. The safety/selector was missing and so it is difficult to determine if it was a Sten or Sterling pattern, but an educated guess would be the latter.

The trigger guard is fixed and the distance from the trigger to pistol grip is noticeably increased, and does not add to the ergonomics of the firearm. Quite the opposite in fact and this detracts from an otherwise sensible package.

The cocking handle was near identical to a Sterling as is the perforated barrel shroud. Despite this, the muzzle area is welded and departs from the Sterling design because the barrel of the British firearm is fitted to the muzzle via two retaining screws. It does feature a hand protector forward of the ejection port.

From the Sten come the rudimentary sights and aspects of the magazine well assembly. The magazine is similar to the Sterling in construction, but straight and not curved. The magazine release button is like that of a Sten.

Gone is the familiar Sterling rear tube cap, as the design called for a Sten-like sliding spring retainer/butt stock. However, the simply constructed buttstock was made to look somewhat like that of the Sterling, but does not fold. It is made of bar steel and not stampings.

The Cypriot firearm is painted black and at twenty paces, the SMG appears to be a Sterling using a Sten magazine. So, how many were made? The bolt is numbered 281 but in times of trouble, serial numbers seldom start at zero often in order to exaggerate figures. So who exactly made it? This is a mystery.

In all, you have the most curious Sten/Sterling hybrid ever made. It is not uncommon for blowback submachine guns to be made in troubled spots. Nevertheless the Stenling shows both simplification and care and thought in its manufacture. This SMG could have been made cruder but was not. Yet all frills were cast aside. Perhaps the readership can shine some light on this curiosity. The chances are that this submachine gun – made quickly during a time of war – is one of very few constructed, if not one of a kind.

The author would like to thank OMM curator Keith Boehmer for providing the sample firearm.

Every so often there are ideas or products that are introduced in the firearms industry that every observer agrees are quite good but for one reason or another just don’t make it to market or are unsuccessful. It could have been bad timing, bad marketing, a lack of resources or just bad management. The story of the MP9 is an interesting story about how a potentially good product that for all practical purposes was dead and was about to be buried, has now has been reborn for a second chance to serve law enforcement and military the world over.

Those who read the last article can guess the MP9 started life many years ago as the SPP/TMP submachine gun. From a commercial point of view it never really made it in the world market because it was never fully developed and poorly marketed. Another handicap with Steyr was the lack of a decent international network in which to plug in new professional products. The limited number of countries that are using the AUG rifle serves as a testimony to this fact.

In 2001, non-industry investors bought out Steyr. Like any new owner of any acquired company, they reviewed the profit and loss of each product and decided to drop the TMP. They did this because the volume of units sold did not justify keeping it in the product line. The fact that there were ways to revive and re-launch the product was of no interest to businessmen who wanted return on their investment as soon as possible. That is business.

Brügger & Thomet (B&T) had an ongoing relationship with Steyr on some other projects and understood the shortcomings of past TMP marketing and made the Steyr management an offer for all the drawings, licenses, spare parts and current inventory. The Steyr management thought this was a great deal because they were just going to destroy everything; and in late 2001 B&T acquired all the rights to the SPP/TMP worldwide.

Since then B&T has taken their time to improve what was already a pretty good little design. B&T made over 19 different engineering changes and added features to the gun and finally renamed it the MP9 for Machine Pistol 9 millimeter.

Some professional readers might already know of Brügger & Thomet as one of Europe’s best known manufacturers of firearm suppressors and upgrade accessories to many weapon systems mostly to law enforcement, NATO and NATO partner countries. They are also the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) supplier to most of Europe’s weapon manufacturers that include, HK, SIG, Beretta, Swiss Arms, Walther and Glock. In 2002, B&T received an award from HK as being one of its most reliable suppliers. Out of a possible 100 they received 99.6. Germans, by the way, never give 100 to anyone.

Producing a submachine gun, however, is much different that making a suppressor but B&T has experience with this as well. B&T produced its own version of the MP5. Not just only in one version but in all versions to include the MP5SD. They have dropped this product all together in favor of the MP9.

When one picks up the MP9, the size and weight is what one first notices. It weighs only 1.3kg (2.87 lbs) which makes it the lightest 9mm submachine in the industry. Some may say the Glock 18 (709 grams/1.56 lbs) and the Beretta 93-R (1,170 grams/2.58 lbs) are lighter but these are not really submachine guns but just pistols with full automatic capability and are very difficult to control. The Glock does not even have a shoulder stock, which is necessary if required to fire accurately. For a better comparison, the MP5K for example is a bit over 2 kg (4.41 lbs) and the MP5PDW is 2.78 kg (6.13 lbs). The MP9 is almost half the weight as the MP5PDW. Another point that is a factor here is that the MP9 stays in battery when making a contact shot when the operator places the muzzle of the weapon right up against the target. This point was well illustrated during a presentation to an Asian country’s navy who were responsible for boarding suspect freighters. In the close quarters, the operator chose to use his pistol as opposed to the MP5 for clearing the ship and had to make a contact shot with a pirate with his pistol. The pistol went out of battery and couldn’t fire with the situation quickly becoming a wrestling match until the operator’s partner could shoot the pirate at point blank range.

The size of the MP9 with the stock closed is only 30.5 cm (12.01 in). There are smaller submachine guns in the world like the MAC10/11 and Vz61, but these are obsolete by either firing the 7.65 ACP cartridge or from an open bolt and thus are unsuitable for today’s professional users. An operator can even carry the MP9 comfortably under a normal suit jacket using the B&T carry holster which was designed like an IPSC rig and can be attached to the belt loop attachments made by Safariland, Uncle Mike’s or Blackhawk.

The MP9 also has a nice smooth design with no exposed moving parts to get hung up on clothes or equipment. This makes the weapon’s size and weight ideal for many different applications, including: VIP & close protection teams, military & police special forces, vehicle crews, helicopter & aircraft crews, commanders and officers, police patrol weapon, plain clothes and undercover surveillance teams.

Another big plus with this design is the polymer construction of the MP9. Polymer is impervious to rust which makes it suitable for marine and combat diver operations. To that effect, the entire outer envelope of the pistol is made of a synthetic material. Another thing about polymers that many people often overlook is the potential to mold the weapon in different colors to be mission specific for the operator. The MP9 takes maximum advantage of this feature and is available in Black, Coyote Tan, Green and Red.

The ergonomics (and safety for that matter) are greatly enhanced by the integrated forearm grips of the MP9 that keep the hand of the operator away from the muzzle. When combined with the integrated folding stock, it allows for a very stable firing position. The magazine well is in the handgrip of the MP9 and is a much faster and efficient way of reloading any weapon. This method of operation is known as the “hands-find-hands” design and is so much quicker a typical operator can reload the MP9 in about one-third the time it takes to reload an MP5.

When it comes to training, the MP9 is from the start, “Ready for the real world…” by having an optimized FX Training version available. In the past, there always seemed to be a schism between the industry’s ammunition and firearms manufacturers. This has almost always been the case with FX Training ammunition. Why should a gun producer R&D and produce a version of their weapon that will benefit a single ammunition manufacturer? This is the first time a firearm producer has developed an FX firing version from the very beginning of the development of the weapon. So many special units in the world have adopted the FX for force on force training it is a must to have a compatible system. From the very beginning, B&T cooperated directly with SNC Technologies in Canada so that their MP9FX works as well as any other kit in production. It is a dedicated unit produced in training blue for safety. With a FX unit, units can really train the way they plan to operate. This is impossible with all the other PDWs on the market today.

This brings up a problem with all the new PDWs and calibers that are promoted in the world. These are namely the 5.7mm from FN Herstal and the 4.6mm from Heckler & Koch. When their engineers developed these systems, the concept of force on force training was not addressed. Many units or agencies use Simunition but found they had to forgo their real world scenario training if they adopted the new caliber. This could be a reason why these new calibers have not been nearly as successful as the manufacturers would have liked because of this faux pas.

B&T also came up with a clever idea when it comes to training with the MP9 by producing a red, non-firing manipulation gun called the MP9R. This is a non-gun and, like the MP9FX, cannot be made to fire live ammunition. The MP9R is ideal for rehearsals, immediate action drills, weapon retention, defensive tactics training or any one of a number of ways when an instructor or an operator has to point the weapon perhaps in the direction of other persons, like when explaining a firing stance. Simply put, no one has ever been shot or killed with a red non-gun.

The magazines are translucent in color so the operator can visual cue how many rounds are remaining in the magazine. This could be critical under stress when making tactical reloads. Most operators, if they are honest with themselves, would find if difficult to count how many they have fired, especially when firing full automatic bursts. If for some reason the operator does not want these clear magazines, black ones are available. The extremely durable plastic material lends itself to many years of tough use. It can be easily disassembled for cleaning and is impervious to chemical and any cleaning fluids. The MP9 comes with two magazines: one 15-round magazine, and another 30-round magazine as standard. Other magazines are also available in 20 and 25-round capacities. Custom size magazines are available as well as magazines in unique colors; for example blue when using Simunition FX or CQT ammunition

The MP9 employs a rather ingenious delayed blowback, short recoil operation featuring a rotating barrel. At the moment of firing, the barrel is solidly locked to the telescoping bolt via eight locking lugs with both parts moving rearward for a short distance. The barrel is then suddenly stopped and rotated free of the bolt, after a brief delay caused by resistance from the opposing torque of the bullet’s rotation. The bolt continues its rearward travel alone, completing the cycle of extracting and ejecting the fired casing, recocking the internal hammer and disengaging the sear. At this point the bolt is stopped and then begins to move forward under pressure from the recoil spring, chambering a round from the magazine. As it slams shut, the bolt forces the barrel to rotate into the locked position, ready for the next shot. This helps to limit the recoil impulse, and to reduce the cyclic rate, which is 800-900 rounds/min. This firing system, while not requiring a gas system, is very reliable and will continue firing even while the weapon is fouled. The Mean Rounds Between Failure (MRBF) of the MP9 is over 5,000 whereas all the other submachine guns on the market are much lower. As a result of this method of operation, the MP9’s perceived recoil is much reduced as compared to other 9mm submachine guns. Thus, it is capable of delivering greater accuracy in automatic fire than other submachine guns. At five meters (16.40 ft) distance, a good operator using a good stance can fire a 30-round burst and keep all 30 rounds in a 5 cm (1.97 in) group.

The cocking handle of the MP9 is quite similar in design to that of the Colt M4 and is located at the rear of the upper receiver. This is another nice safety feature as it will keep the hands of the operator away from the muzzle; especially critical when under stress.

The MP9 has a round post for a front sight that is adjustable for elevation by turning it with a screwdriver. There is no need to have a special sight adjustment tool that no one seems to have when it comes time to adjusting the point of impact. The top of the upper receiver has a molded M1913 Picatinny rail that allows the mounting of a variety of optical sights. Other submachine guns on the market require a special mounting system for what is becoming a must these days. The MP9’s open sights, however, were found to be quite adequate for most of the uses that this gun is bound to encounter. These are a ghost ring type design but the ghost ring sights are backup sights. B&T believes that subguns need to have an optic and approached Aimpoint some four years ago with a proposal for a very small optic and an open purchase order for what was recently introduced as the Aimpoint Micro T-1. After much R&D, Aimpoint developed what was considered an ideal match for the MP9. The trigger mechanism gets overall high marks for safety and simplicity. All the operator needs to do is pull the trigger back to fire. This system is not too unlike the Glock trigger design. This trigger incorporates an automatic safety that prevents the hammer from falling unless the trigger is actually pulled and thus acts as a drop safety. For the TP9, there is also a manually activated cross bolt trigger safety that any left or right handed operator can fire.

Suppressor are important for a weapon like this for a variety of reasons such as command and control, firing at night with or without night vision devices because it effectively masks muzzle flash, which also masks the location of the operator. A suppressor will reduce recoil and adds ease and safety to training, enhances friend or foe recognition and even increases accuracy. Many readers saw the suppressors used in Afghanistan when clearing the caves near Tora Bora. If an operator fired his weapon without a suppressor in any enclosed area he will not be able to hear what orders were being given by the team leader.

A PDW Competitor?

When B&T came out with the MP9 the idea was to make a submachine gun for a niche market of close protection, law enforcement and special military use. One of the surprises to B&T was how several NATO countries requested samples of the MP9 to evaluate as a possible PDW in lieu of a weapon chambered for any of the new calibers such as 5.7mm and 4.6mm. It seems that more than a few countries are not convinced that the new calibers are the wave of the future. This seems to be based on lack of proven terminal ballistics, readily available 9mm ammunition (to include new high performance armor piercing 9mm) or probably, and most likely, the logistical problems with introducing a totally new caliber into the organization.

Another point is that the enemy has changed when the original requirement for an armor piercing capable PDW was written in the late 1980s. In those days, the cold war was still going strong and NATO planners were concerned about in the event of war with the Warsaw Pact armies disrupting NATO command and control, logistics and communications centers using Spetsnaz Commando or what the Soviets called “Diversionary” troops. These special operators would wear body armor that consisted of many layers of a textile ballistic material and even titanium plates. On April 1, 1991 the Warsaw Pact alliance officially disbanded and many former members applied for membership into NATO and the EU. For ten years planners vacillated trying to predict when and where the next war will be. September 11 answered that question and the current profile reveals that the present enemy does not wear a bullet proof vest but a bomb vest. If the bad guys do not wear body armor then the operator does not need armor piercing ammunition. If the operator does need armor piercing capability then there is 9mm AP rounds that can defeat 3A body armor at 50 meters. If you are going to engage a target beyond that distance the operator is much better off using a short barrel assault rifle. The sizes of assault rifles have come down. For example, an HK G36C, when in the folder position,is exactly 500mm (19.69 in) long. The length of the FN P90 is exactly 500mm long. There is no need for an operator to compromise on the terminal ballistics. If size is an issue, the MP9 is a good choice. If range is an issue then a short rifle is a good choice and the need for a PDW as we have come to believe it must be reevaluated.

Available in politically correct SF version
(TP9 US BATF classified as pistol)

For those readers who are unaware, the US firearms market is the “Holy Grail” for most of Europe’s manufacturers. It is a huge, single and dynamic market that represents the potential to make any manufacturer or product a household word if successful. It is safe to say that if Glock was not as successful as it was in the US their world position would be much different than it is today. Many of the well known manufacturers have wholly owned manufacturing facilities in the US. SIG, FN Herstal and Berretta are making weapons in the US and now HK has announced its plans to build a facility in South Carolina. Americans don’t seem to have prejudice for ‘Made in the USA’ over European made products in the firearms industry. Even the US military is using almost exclusively European designed or produced products. The Beretta 92 is called the M9, The FN MINIMI is called the M249 SAW, the MAG is called the M240B, the SIG 228 is called the M11 and even the current M16 is made by the FN Herstal factory in Columbia, SC. Colt, however, still has the M4 contract but FN won the SCAR contract for the US Special Operations Command.

The B&T/DSA Connection

In 2005, B&T entered into a relationship with DS Arms (maker of the SA-58 rifle, the only US made FAL) to develop a BATF approved tactical pistol version of the MP-9. DS Arms and B&T have worked together for the last 10 years, and B&T was able to create a BATF approved pistol version of the MP-9 that is legal for importation into the US. The new pistol was designated TP-9, short for Tactical Pistol, and was introduced at Shot Show 2007.

Based on the design, available ammunition, ergonomics, training possibilities and flexibility, any professional user would be well served by taking a closer look at this weapon. It is not for everyone, but depending on the mission it could be a good tool in completing the mission and keeping people safe in what is becoming a more and more unsafe world.

DS Arms is the exclusive US importer for B&T products and the TP-9 pistol. DSA carries most of the items in the B&T product line, and stocks B&T rail systems and tactical accessories. For a list of available products and pricing, as well as more info on the new TP-9 pistol, check out DSA’s website at www.dsarms.com. DSA also carries a host of B&T accessory items for the TP-9 pistol. DS Arms celebrated its 20th year anniversary in 2007.

If you are interested in purchasing a TP-9 pistol or accessory items, please have your dealer contact the following distributors: Ellett Brothers, RSR Group, Sports South, and Zanders Sporting Goods. Law Enforcement or agency sales inquiries should be made directly to DSA at (847) 277-7258.

Garrison Precision Machine, LLC has recently introduced a noninvasive rate reducer in the patent-pending VSF upper. The idea here involves adding weight to the bolt by attaching a rod to another weight in a separate enclosure on top of the upper. It is as unconventional in appearance as the TASK conversion. It has the added benefit of raising the sight line to allow a better cheek weld on the stock. It is available with standard barrel or 10” barrel with K-grip. Both styles come with a scope rail mounted on top and the charging handle relocated to the left side of the upper. The VSF also allows use of any stock of your choice, or no stock at all. There is no modification to the lower, so you can compete with the same lower in different classes with nothing more than a quick upper change. The VSF equaled the performance of the TASK, allowing simple one shot bursts, if you can call one shot a burst. MSRP is between $425 and $495 depending on configuration.

Another rate adjuster is the AutoWerkes Drop In Rate Reducer (AW DIRR). This unit mounts below the bolt in the rear of the receiver and adds weight to the bolt from behind. The patent-pending AW DIRR has a spring-mounted lever that acts on the bolt as it recoils, there-by slowing it down. Its advantage over the TASK is there is no modification to the receiver, and the advantage on both the TASK and the Garrison on price. The AW DIRR took a little more practice to get one shot at a time off, but it is entirely possible. If you are not looking to compete, or just don’t want to spend the money on the others, this conversion will allow you to maintain the look of your M11/9, while lowering the cost of feeding the little beastie. MSRP is $175.

At this point in our story, we come to what some consider a bane, others pure joy: the rate increaser. There are several ways to accomplish this feat. The first two involve increased backpressure. The 10” barrel increases the rate somewhat by keeping pressure in the barrel longer. The same is accomplished with a sound suppressor. The third is the patent-pending Tactical Innovations Mac Jack. This is a piece of high tech plastic, which is inserted between the bolt and the rear of the receiver (just like the standard buffer), causing the bolt to short-stroke. It allows the bolt to come far enough back to engage the sear, but not much farther. Some (or most) folks will ask, “Why?” Then they shoot it, and then they want to know where to buy one. When you combine the MacJack with the 10” barrel or suppressor, you really have a screamer. Several friends of mine have told me they achieved 1800+ rpm with the Mac Jack, but their unJacked M11/9s also run 300+ rpm faster than mine. Don’t even think about one or two shot bursts. It sure is a fist full of fire-breathing fun, and for $25, it is by far the most affordable in this article.

The SWD M11/9 has really gained in popularity in the last 2 years, owing much to JLM & Sons’ buying the remaining inventory from Wayne Daniels in 1998. Approximately 1500 NIB M11/9’s went on the market in just a few months time. The M11/9 has the ability to become a real champ with just a few accessories, and with a rate adjuster, it becomes much more than a bullet hose.

Contact info:

Discount Distributors
http://www.ammoman.com
12 Stoney Hill Lane
Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054
(856)778-7702

Urbach Precision Mfg
1529 Axe Dr.
Garland, TX 75041
(972)864-0848

Top Ends, Inc.
Jim Weaver
6935 Wildwood Tr
Thomasville, NC 27260

Garrison Precision Machine, LLC
http://garrisonprecisionmachine
.freeyellow.com/gpm.html
PO Box 72665
Louisville, KY 40272-0665

AutoWerkes Mfg
http://www.autowerkes.net
87 Deer Meadow Ct.
Weldon Springs, MO 63304-7718
(636)936-0602

Tactical Innovations, Inc.
Craig Wheatley
http://www.tacticalinc.com
PO Box 3
Glen Burnie, MD 21060

The reasons for this evolution are fairly straightforward, and still certainly valid for today’s tactical personnel. Users learned that the 9mm submachine gun was simply incapable of dealing with hard targets such as individuals wearing body armor or vehicles due to the limited terminal performance of the 9X19mm Parabellum cartridge. In addition teams armed only with submachine guns were in a bad way against their opponents armed with assault rifles, especially when moving over land to and from target locations. Outgunned basically, a transition from pistol-caliber submachine guns to rifle-caliber weapons offered the operator far greater capabilities against soft and hard targets at 2-4 times the maximum effective range of the typical pistol-caliber sub gun.

While some have questioned the use of rifle-caliber weapons in the Close Quarters Battle role many special operations units have already transitioned to 5.56mm M4 Carbine variants for this role as far back as the early 1990’s. Issues with bullet performance at close range, over penetration and ricochet against building materials have to some extent been successfully addressed with relatively recent developments in the design of new cartridges and projectiles. Today many units are even carrying 5.56mm CQB weapons that can be effectively suppressed with advanced and durable sound suppressors and subsonic 5.56X45mm ammunition loaded with extremely heavy projectiles in excess of 150 grains.

This trend towards rifle-caliber CQB weaponry, mostly in 5.56X45mm caliber, has made its way also into federal law enforcement and to a lesser degree some state and local agencies as well. Many teams have traded in or disposed of their trusty MP5’s for a varying assortment of .223 weapons. The proliferation of the M16/M4 weapons system throughout U.S. military and law enforcement communities clearly provides the impetus to the adoption of what were once considered only perimeter weapons to “inside” guns firing rifle ammunition. For reasons of unit price but more notably simple familiarization and availability, HK fared rather poorly against the gas-operated M16/M4 weapons until the advent of the new G36 weapons system.

The Gay Sechs und Dreizig (G36) Arrives

HK’s contenders since the early 1970’s were the HK33 rifle, HK33K Carbine and miniature HK53 “Submachine Gun” as it has sometimes been called due to its size, only 2 inches longer than the 9mm MP5. The FBI Hostage Rescue Team utilized the HK33K for many years during the 1980’s as perimeter guns while the 9mm MP5’s performed the inside CQB duties. GSG 9 and the British SAS adopted the HK53 for missions where compact 5.56mm firepower and performance was required, in the case of the Germans against vehicles where the 9mm MP5 had proven less than effective. HK53’s have been issued with select special operations units due to their near identical operation and handling characteristics compared to the MP5 sub gun. However, as good as the roller-locked HK rifles were, units who were already using some variant of the M16 still often overlooked them.

Americans favor rifles wherein the bolt locks open on the last round fired. The roller-locked HK rifles do not. No degree of technical justification can change that. HK33’s and HK53’s also require special blank ammunition to operate the delayed blowback bolts and muzzle devices for firing frangible ammo. They are also not supported by the military supply system or aftermarket accessory industry like countless variants of Eugene Stoner’s creation. Higher unit costs of HK33’s and HK53’s and support parts and tools also made the adoption of the roller-locked HK 5.56mm rifles a costly venture, one out of the financial pockets of most organizations.

With the arrival of the new HK G36, driven by the German military’s need for a lightweight, affordable and conventional 5.56mm rifle for their forces operating with NATO in Bosnia, many if not all of the issues that held back the roller-locked HK33 and HK53 disappeared.

In 1990 the G36 development began at HK. In 1995 the German Bundeswehr (Armed Forces) officially adopted the G36. Within the same year the newly formed German Special Operations Unit, KSK, arrived on HK’s doorstep in Oberndorf with a request to make the G36 rifle shorter. 90 days later the first G36K Carbines rolled of the assembly lines fitted with 12.5 inch barrels. Not looking to be outdone by its competition HK responded to a requirement released by the GSG 9 in 1999 for an even smaller, sub- machine gun sized 5.56mm weapon. This user request drove the development of the latest variant of the G36 weapons system, the new G36 C. Ironically the unit that first placed confidence in the MP5 in the mid-1970’s, GSG 9, would drive the development of a weapon that could be the potential successor to the MP5, and one chambered for a rifle round.

Full circle

With all the tactical advantages of the rifle-caliber CQB weapon there was a price to pay in the important area of size, weight and most importantly maneuverability in the close confines of the typical CQB structure. Fully loaded and outfitted with tactical light, sound suppressor and reflex sight today’s M4 carbine or HK53 for example can easily exceed 8 pounds or more. The excessive overall length of the weapon makes quick movement through the tight confines of CQB targets more difficult than can be managed with shorter, lighter submachine gun. The MP5 is famous for it’s overall “shootability”. The MP5 is fast and easy to be accurate with due to its unique roller-locked breech and closed bolt design, rifle-like configuration and excellent sights and trigger. The short overall length of the MP5 pays huge dividends in a weapon that can swing laterally quickly and effortlessly from target to target like a 20 gauge trap gun does compared to a larger, heavier 12 gauge- for instance. In the eyes of most professional operators only the handgun is faster that the MP5 for engaging multiple targets spread throughout a room.

Today, in fact for the past 10 years, rifles have shrunk in size to meet this growing worldwide demand for compact rifle-caliber weapons. In 1989 there were less than 6 Miniature Assault Rifles, today there are more than 30 from numerous different countries around the world. For the purposes of this article a Mini Assault Rifle is defined as a rifle-caliber weapon with a barrel length under 12 inches, an overall length of under 30 inches and weighing less than 7 pounds. These weapons are often seen in VIP protection details, during vehicle operations, by special police units and during hostage rescue missions.

The Mini Assault Rifle (MAR) today provides the handiness and fast action of the submachine gun but with the ballistic and terminal performance approaching that of full size assault rifles. Providing muzzle velocities from 2,100 to up to 2,600 feet per second or more the terminal performance of a 5.56mm projectile from the MAR even at these reduced velocities is deadly effective, even against hardened targets and targets at ranges out to and exceeding 300 meters. The shooter can now fight to, from and inside the target with the same small handy weapon. Once inside, the operator is not handicapped by an overly long or large weapon resulting in fast and surgical target engagement. The Mini Assault Rifle of the late 1990’s appears destined to be the submachine gun of the late 1970’s.

The G36 C. The MP5 replacement?

In many cases and for many potential users the answer may be yes. The HK G36 has already proven itself to be a truly modern, reliable and clean shooting gas-operated weapon. Already issued to the armies of Germany and Spain the G36 has done extremely well in the shrinking world small arms market. The modular receiver design allows various interchangeable barrel assemblies to be fitted to it by the user unit using only simple tools. Barrel lengths include the 18.9 inch rifle barrel, 18.9 inch light support weapon barrel with heavy profile, the new 15.4 inch intermediate barrel with 1/9 inch twist, 12.5 inch carbine barrel and the latest G36 tube, the 8.9 inch G36 C barrel.

The G36 is small and handy. In fact at just over 6 pounds the G36 C is a full inch shorter than the 9mm MP5A3 with their buttstocks extended. With the stocks closed the C is more than 1.5 inches shorter than the MP5A3. The use of advanced polymer materials and side folding stock make for a lightweight and highly portable weapon. To shorten the G36 C, one inch was removed from the folding buttstock and a shortened yet effective 4-prong flash hider was created to tame the muzzle blast common with short barreled rifle-caliber weapons. The right side folding stock allows the weapon to be carried covertly under a light jacket in a special concealed shoulder carrying rig. Spent cases are ejected through the skeletonized stock for use when fired from the confines of a vehicle compartment or aircraft cockpit.

Even with the shortened barrel the G36 C provides @ 2,400 fps muzzle velocity from 55 grain M193 and 62 grain M855 ammunition with muzzle energies ranging from 675 to 775 foot pounds. For comparison, standard 9mm ball ammunition fired from the MP5 steps out at @ 1,200 f.p.s. and provides a modest 383 foot pounds of energy on target. The MP5 can also not defeat most soft or hard body armor using conventional projectiles nor will it reliably perforate vehicle body panels as will the 5.56X45mm cartridge.

Where the MP5 was lacking in areas of user friendliness, the designers of the G36 C listened intently to the comments of the prospective users. The highly desired bolt catch never available on the 9mm MP5 is standard equipment on the G36. Like every G36 operating control, to include the safety/selector lever, magazine release, cocking handle and forward assist, the bolt catch button is also fully ambidextrous. It can even be switched off for those who prefer the bolt to close on an empty magazine. A common complaint of the MP5 has been the location and shape of the safety/selector levers. Hard to actuate without adjusting the grip of the firing hand, the G36 provides a much-improved rendition that pleases most every user regardless of hand size or flexibility.

The clean shooting short stroke gas piston system utilized in the G36 and the C variant brings almost no carbon fouling into the receiver of the weapon. This saves on cleaning time and reduces potentially fatal stoppages, the worst event that can occur in the middle of a CQB mission. This unique feature also guarantees reliability even after prolonged shooting sessions or under adverse conditions. As a result of HK endurance and reliability testing it has been proven that G36’s will run without incident, without cleaning or lubrication for more than 15,000 rounds.

Like the MP5, options abound

The G36 C provides the user with a host of options. Realizing that every unit and in fact many individual shooters desire specific options for the intended mission, the G36 offers modular sight systems, molded-in threaded hard points for accessory and a rail attachment on the forearm and five optional trigger groups.

The G36 C comes standard fitted with a long Picatinny rail “carrying handle” with adjustable iron sights. This rail provides a long landing strip for almost any assortment of sights and targeting devices, used alone or in tandem. Being quick detachable, the rail can be removed and optional optical, folding iron and dual sights installed with no special tools. Tritium night sights of course are available as options.

Tactical lights, lasers and vertical foregrips can be arranged on the G36 C at the discretion of the shooter on one or three sets of molded-in threaded hard points positioned on the left, bottom or right sides of the detachable ventilated forearm. Accessory polymer MIL-STD-1913 rails can be attached to the hard points with Allen screws. These rails then accept most any accessory designed to fit this now universal mounting rail, including those in the U.S. SOPMOD accessory kit for the M4 Carbine.

Tough act to Follow

Will the new HK G36 C totally replace the venerable MP5 in the CQB role? It is highly unlikely considering the Government issue abundance and universal familiarity of the current M4 and M4A1 Carbines. However, time will tell if the advantages of a sub gun size 5.56m CQB weapon can win out over issue carbines available to most users at less than half the unit price of one G36 C.

By Jim Schatz

In April of 1980 Heckler & Koch responded to solicitation number N00164-80-R-0052 from the Naval Weapons Support Center (NWSC) located in Crane, Indian for the design and fabrication of a Joint Service Submachine, then referred to as the JSSAP Gun. This advanced new 9mm submachine gun was developed for the U.S. Armed Services under the established usr requirements compiled by the Joint Service Small Arms Program (JSSAP) office. The JSSAP gun was intended to bring a modern submachine gun into the ranks of military units, especially those special operations units tasked with close quarters battle in anti-terrorist and hostage rescue missions. Heckler & Koch’s involvement in this program brought about a family of unique submachine guns that would never actually enter series production. However, this does not mean they were not used operationally. A handful of well positioned readers can attest to this fact and many informed experts claim the 9mm submachine gun the Heckler & Koch “SMG” as it would be called, may have been the world’s most flexible smg even today.

Background. An unfilled tactical need arises.

Submachine guns, while used extensively in most of the major conflicts of this century, in many ways were never taken seriously by frontline military personnel. In most cases smg’s like the M3 “Greasegun” and Thompson were utilized as bullet hoses for close range engagements and were often carried by heavy weapon crewmen, unit leaders, armored vehicle personnel, MP’s, etc.- those persons unable or unwilling to carry the full size service rifle of the day. Having said this, the submachine gun has always had its own niche in special “commando” units requiring greater firepower and portability in exchange for reduced combat range.

With the advent of modern terrorism in the 1970’s and the propensity of “T’s” to take hostages in confined spaces like aircraft, buses, ships and buildings the popularity of the submachine rebounded. This is partially due to the sub gun’s quick handling characteristics in tight spaces, diminutive size, reduced range and the hazards to innocents afforded by the pistol caliber cartridges these weapons characteristically fire. The success of the German GSG 9 rescue of hostages held on a Lufthansa airliner in Mogadishu, Somalia in October 1977, and later the highly publicized hostage rescue at the Iranian Embassy in London in May of 1980 by the British SAS put the smg on the map the modern world to see.

The right tool for the job

Any auto mechanic or surgeon knows that it takes more than one instrument to perform a given procedure or operation. This same rule holds true in the world of armed combat. An assault rifle is not always the best weapon for the task at hand, nor is a handgun. In the 1970’s and even today, the inventories of the world’s most elite special units are comprised of a host of small arms that can be drawn from by the operator for the specific mission.

The world-renowned MP5 submachine gun is used by more elite military and police units in the world than any other weapon of its type. By 1980 more than 500,000 MP5’s had already been produced and fielded in countless countries around the world. Units like GSG 9, the British Special Air Service and America’s own Delta Force and SEAL’s teams make all three of the MP5 models available to their shooters for any given mission that may arise. The full size MP5A3 with retractable buttstock and its many variants is the workhorse, responsible for most of the CQB and protection work. However if you’re a climber, swimmer, pilot or the first guy into the breach, you may need one hand free to perform other tasks. In this case the stockless MP5K is a far better choice as it allows for acceptable full auto fire at close ranges with one hand. Although to effectively fire a 4 1/2 pound machine pistol with a cyclic rate of fire of 900 rounds per minutes does require a great deal of practice and acquired skill. For times where the covert engagement of a target is required or where the reduction of muzzle flash in explosive environments is an absolute must, a sound suppressed submachine gun, like the HK MP5SD, is often the first choice. Wouldn’t it be great if all of the capabilities were available in one gun? Enter the SMG.

The JSSAP Gun. Enter the HK54A1

The general concept and goal of the U.S. program was to challenge the industry to create a modular or “family” submachine gun that could be reconfigured by the operator without tools to perform the missions of all three MP5 models described above. Not only would this reduce the sheer number of weapons within a unit but the “one gun does all” concept would insure that the right gun is on station when needed. The level of proficiency can also be elevated to new heights when the shooter need only train with one sub gun and not three. A cost savings? Yes, but in most cases during the past 25 years the cost of equipment and weapons and funding for their procurement was of little or no issue to the elite units of the world. The shooters from the world’s best anti-terrorist and hostage rescue units expend more ammo and ordnance in just one month than the purchase cost of the weapon through which the rounds are fired.

The HK54A1 and the SMG’s that would follow it had to be deployable in all operational and environmental conditions found around the globe. The weapon had to function reliably in temperatures ranging from 140 degrees F to -50 degrees F. The JSSAP Guns were to be carried into combat by swimmers and high altitude parachutists and be fully functional upon arrival. All parts were to be fully interchangeable and supportable by current levels of maintenance. The weapon and sound suppressor were to have a minimal service life of 10,000 rounds, fire in all attitudes (up, down, even sideways) and direct no propellant gas “blowback” into the shooter’s face during operation. In the sound suppressed mode it should be impossible to discern the visual “flash” and the report or mechanical noise of the weapon beyond 30 meters and provide at least 30 dB sound reduction when fired in the sound suppressed mode. The HK54A1 was to be accurate enough to allow first round hits on an E-type kneeling silhouette target at 100 meters with iron sights.

Using their protocol for assigning acronyms internally, HK calls the MP5 the HK54 (5 for submachine gun, 4 for caliber 9X19mm Luger) even today some 35 years after the first gun rolled out of the stamping presses in Oberndorf. The MP5 designation was one assigned by the German government when it adopted the weapon for governmental use. The A1 suffix denotes the modifications incorporated into the basic HK54 to meet the technical and performance requirements of the JSSAP solicitation. For about $180,000 of Uncle Sam’s money, HK designed and produced fully tested hand-built HK54A1 prototypes to prove the concept of the JSSAP Gun. Actually HK spent a great deal of its own IR&D funds on the initial design and testing of the HK54A1 prior to the release of the competitive JSSAP solicitation in 1980.

The HK54A1 pictured herein looks very much like the MP5SD we know today. In an attempt to use available production tooling and MP5 parts the “A1” was essentially a product-improved MP5 and little more. It was certainly a gun far too large and cumbersome to be used in the one handed role of the MP5K. The weapon was a delayed blowback operated submachine gun using HK’s famous roller locking system chambered for the widely available 9X19mm Luger cartridge. (It is interesting to note in HK’s proposal to the USG that it was mentioned that “the HK54A1 could be converted to caliber .45 ACP if required”). The 7-pound weapon with retractable buttstock included an integral sound suppressor, a 3-round burst mode, which can be fired at a sustained rate of 1,000 rounds per minute. Unique features of the HK54A1 included the means for the operator to selectively vent propellant gases from the ported barrel in order to reduce the velocity of supersonic ammunition below the subsonic threshold (1,088 fps at sea level) and for suppressed fire without the need for special subsonic ammunition not always available “away from home”. The HK54A1 could utilize a 30-round stick magazine but was also designed to use low profile 50-round drum magazines for increased “firepower”. A forward assist for silent loading, a bolt catch to hold the bolt open on the last round fired, an ambidextrous magazine release lever in the trigger guard, an ambidextrous safety/selector lever and sling mounting points made the weapon usable for left and right handed shooters.

A unique bolt lock positioned on the trigger group beyond the sustained fire position locked the bolt in a forward position to prevent movement of the bolt and thus offered the user nearly silent operation. The A1 had adjustable tritium sights and a hinged trigger guard to allow firing while wearing heavy cold weather or diving gloves. Complete specifications of the HK54A1 are included in the Comparison Table accompanying this article.

With all of it’s unique features, the HK54A1 was still produced mainly from stamped, folded and welded sheet steel like most HK’s of the day. While not perfect for the intended roles of the JSSAP Gun the HK54A1 met most of the operational requirements listed above and thus caught the attention of the U.S. Government. This successful demonstration of the weapon’s performance and HK’s abilities to meet difficult technical challenges led to a fully funded R&D program for the “SMG” in 1983 after a second proposal was submitted to the NWSC Crane in February.

SMG

While there were various models of the first SMG prototype with different features, the basic SMG was a 9mm weapon with semi and fully automatic modes of fire, a removable retractable buttstock and a threaded barrel for a removable sound suppressor. Without the buttstock the SMG was less than 14 inches in overall length and weighed 6.70 pounds unloaded without a magazine. This placed the SMG only slightly closer to the size and weight of the stockless MP5K (at 12.8 inches long and 4.40 pounds) than the full size MP5A3. Thus the goal of building a one-gun-does-all modular “family” submachine gun was at least partially achieved with the basic layout of the new SMG design.

Like the HK54A1 that came before it, the SMG was produced mainly from sheet metal components except the pistol grip and vertical foregrip. The weapon fired from a closed bolt but unlocked breech, a departure from the delayed blowback roller-locked bolt of the MP5 and HK54A1 that came before it. A notable departure for HK was the use of a simple blowback operation in the SMG. This was an attempt to reduce the complexity and cost of the weapon. The SMG was comprised of a lower receiver and a separate upper receiver with a user removable barrel. Using a simple barrel wrench to unscrew the locking nut this fundamental change represented an important departure for an HK long gun where barrels were usually pressed and pinned in place and considered a factory job to remove or replace.

A combination mechanical (spring) and hydraulic buffer reside in the removable backplate and, along with a “timing device” incorporated in the trigger group, help reduce the rate of fire of the SMG to a more manageable 500 rounds per minute – one half that of the HK54A1 “bullet hose”. The rectangular one-piece machined metal bolt assembly contains an inertia firing pin which can be disassembled for cleaning as well as a firing pin safety to prevent the firing pin from reaching the chambered round during rough handling or drops. A fixed but oversized trigger guard provides ample room for gloved fingers and the trigger can accommodate an add-on winter trigger for times where mittens are preferred over gloves.

The curved double column magazine for the SMG is produced from folded sheet metal and provides a capacity of 30 rounds. Ambidextrous operating controls abound on the SMG. The unique centrally located cocking handle, similar in design and location as that found on the Thompson or UZI submachine guns, reciprocates with the bolt and could be used to lock the bolt open or to release the open bolt by simply rotating the cocking handle 90 degrees. Two adjacent square buttons, located rearward of the magazine well on the plastic pistol grip, act as ambidextrous bolt catch release (top) and magazine release (bottom). The texturing of the two buttons is different to provide the user with a tactile feel to differentiate between the two controls during “blind” actuation of these buttons. These controls are very well positioned on the weapon allowing actuation with the non-firing thumb or firing index finger without wasted motion of the hands.

The ambidextrous combined safety/selector lever is typical of the HK MP5 but is positioned for easy reach and rotation into the firing modes without having to adjust the firing grip. A forward assist for silent loading (without letting the bolt slam forward) is provided on the SMG on the receiver above the right side safety/selector lever. The sliding buttstock with a hard plastic contoured buttplate can be retracted, extended or completely removed from the receiver simply by depressing a round button protruding behind the rear sight assembly. Ambidextrous sling attachment points for the typical and much copied HK multi-purpose combat carrying sling are provided on both sides of the receiver.

The sights of the SMG are extremely interesting if not overly complicated for a pistol caliber submachine gun. While weapon number 006 pictured in this article does not contain a gas relief valve for reducing the velocity of supersonic ammunition to subsonic levels, the weapon is set up to utilize both types of ammunition. The front sight is the stereotypical HK round hood with a fixed tritium dot front sight post inside.

The rear sight is in itself a technical marvel. A single peep aperture positioned on an elevating ladder is flanked by a pair of “Betalite” (tritium) capsules providing the user with an effective “3-dot” arrangement. The rear sight is sandwiched between two drums, obviously inspired by the design of the HK21E machine gun rear sight. The drum to the left is used to make course windage adjustments and requires no tools to do so. The right drum is actually two concentric drums, one inside the other. The outer drum is pushed inward onto a caming surface calibrated for the flight profile of supersonic 124-grain NATO ball ammunition. When the outer drum is pulled to the right, a different caming surface within the sight assembly adjusts the height of the rear sight for the different trajectory of subsonic ammunition. The elevation drum is marked for ranges from 25 to 150 meters and even has an “M” position that grossly elevates the rear sight aperture by nearly one full inch. In this position the line of sight is raised for firing the weapon wearing a gas mask, protective equipment which prevents the shooter from establishing a normal and proper cheekweld on the forks of the buttstock. (Note: When using the M setting the range is established for 25 yards and closer. The top of the front sight hood serves as a rough front sight “post”). Both rear sight drums provide tactile indents to allow the user to “find” the 25-meter setting without the need to look at the sight. The rear sight can also be battlesight zeroed using nothing more than a Phillips head screwdriver. As if the SMG’s iron sight arrangement was not enough, the weapon also incorporates two welded scope mounting platforms that allow a scope or reflex sight to be quickly attached to the weapon by means of an HK scope mount shorter than but similar to that used on the HK21E and MSG90 sniper rifle.

The sound suppressor for the SMG actually has two different designs. Both are sealed units with metal baffles of “wipeless” design. Both suppressors encompass the barrel via a tubular extension and are secured to the weapon via the threads located around the base of the short 5.8-inch barrel. An aluminum sound suppressor from HK, basically a variation of the MP5SD suppressor, was developed for the SMG as was a far heavier stainless steel sound suppressor employing more advanced-machined steel baffles designed by Mickey Finn.

Numerous samples of the SMG were delivered to the Naval Weapons Support Center in Crane Indiana in 1984 for complete and extensive testing. Though minor problems were encountered, the overall performance of the SMG was very good indeed. It was the conclusion of the final test report that with minor changes prior to production, the SMG would serve well the special operators in the U.S. who needed the capability of three submachine guns in one tactically flexible weapon. HK was informed of the desired changes and shortcomings of the SMG and was asked to produce additional test samples for further testing. In 1985 HK delivered the new and improved SMG II to Crane.

SMG II. Twice as good?

Thinking back to the original design goal of the JSSAP Gun described earlier in this article, the SMG and to a greater extent the HK54A1 did not fully meet these requirements. Clearly, as is the case with most new hardware developments – cars, VCR’s and computers – it simply takes repeated design, prototype fabrication, testing, rework and retesting to optimize a mechanical device such as a firearm from prototype to finished product. The SMG II incorporated all of the ideas, changes and corrections deemed necessary by the testers and actual users involved in the JSSAP program testing. The SMG II became the modular one-gun-does-all submachine gun for which the program set out to obtain.

With the SMG II, the basic model with a retractable buttstock and without a sound suppressor is a 14-inch long weapon – a full 7 inches shorter than the MP5A3. By simply adding a sound suppressor to the basic weapon, the operator could create an “MP5SD” from the same platform. For missions where a small one-handed “MP5K” was required, the sound suppressor and buttstock were removed and the “telephone booth clearing” full auto SMG II “pistol” was created by the operator in the field or in route to the target.

The SMG II being based on the SMG was very similar in operation and design though there were a number of important changes and additions. To reduce the weight and production cost of the weapon, the magazine, backplate and entire lower receiver were produced from plastic. The 3-round burst mode of the HK54A1 had returned in the SMG II, as did the gas relief valve. Located on the receiver just forward of the flared magazine well this lever had two positions, “L” for low and “H” for high. Pulling out the front captured locking pin and sliding the plastic vertical foregrip forward off of the receiver revealed a small gas cylinder mounted parallel with and under the barrel that resembles the CO2 cartridges commonly used in airguns. When the gas relief valve was set in the “L” position a port opened in the barrel that allowed a measured amount of propellant gases to escape into this “holding tank”. By diverting this gas away from behind the projectile in the bore the exit velocity of the projectile is effectively lowered. A supersonic ball round fired in the SMG II with the gas port open departed the weapon below the speed of sound and thus eliminated the telltale “crack” of a supersonic projectile. Once the projectile left the bore in route to the target the gas remaining within the cylinder exits from the muzzle.

When the gas relief valve is placed in the “H” position the gas port is closed and all available gas is used to propel the projectile to the target at full velocity. This setting was used when firing subsonic ammo, when the sound suppressor was not being used or where the maximum terminal energy of the projectile on target was the primary concern of the user. Thus, unlike the MP5SD and HK54A1, the SMG II could be fired with or without the sound suppressor attached and used effectively with supersonic or subsonic ammunition with just the flick of a switch. It is interesting to point out at this point that the bolt lock feature of the HK54A1 was dropped from both of the SMG models because it did not reduce the sound signature of the weapon beyond a level provided by the sound suppressor. In other words beyond 30 meters the mechanical noise of the bolt was less than the noise of the departing projectile and escaping residual gases. Eliminating this feature lessened the complexity of the weapon and thus its cost. It also insured the user always had an immediate second shot available should the first round fired with the bolt lock engaged not perform as intended on its target.

One of the more noticeable changes from the SMG to the SMG II was the rear sight. Gone was the over-engineered and unnecessarily complicated rear sight. In its place the HK designers mounted the proven MP5 diopter rear sight assembly but added two tritium dots to the ears of the rear sight base for low light use in conjunction with the front tritium sight. While functional many American shooters found the sight line too low to use comfortably, unable to push the face far enough down on the stock to properly align the sights.

A spring détente was added to the receiver to prevent the sound suppressor from turning loose during firing and the three locking pins in the SMG II were retained in much the same way as the captured receiver pins of the U.S. M16 rifle to prevent loss. Other than minor changes made to facilitate production and durability, the SMG and SMG II were for the most part identical.

A better mousetrap? So where are the guns?

There were less than 20 SMG’s and 20 SMG II’s made in the 1980’s as part of the JSSAP program, each one basically a handmade prototype. At the conclusion of all this testing, the potential users, especially the Navy Special Warfare community, had already acquired a quantity of MP5’s after being introduced to the merits of the gun by foreign users such as the SAS and GSG 9. When it was time to ante up and procure sub guns, most users opted to stay with and purchase additional MP5’s rather than the SMG II. It was in 1986 that HK developed the “Navy” specific or “N” model MP5-N, MP5SD-N and MP5K-N for the Navy SEAL and SDV teams and Special Boat Units. Navy model MP5’s and variations of the basic MP5 were adopted by most of this nation’s military and law enforcement special units. The combination of little or no interest in a submachine gun for conventional military units and a less than enthusiastic demand from the spec ops community for the SMG II meant the gun was destined to go nowhere fast. Or did it?

A particular American organization, which will remain nameless, saw the tactical advantage of the one-gun-does-all concept that the SMG II offered, approached HK about building sixty SMG II’s for operational deployment. It did not appear that the gun would enter a series production so sixty SMG II’s were fabricated by HK as handmade prototypes at a unit cost of @ $2,800 each. Up until two years ago, these weapons were still in operational use and well liked by the shooters. However the chronic lack of availability of spare parts for the guns and the move to 5.56mm weapons for the CQB role, which was once the exclusive domain of the submachine gun, forced the weapons into mothballs and ultimately into the smelter.

Shooting the SMG

The accuracy of the SMG is on par with that of the basic MP5. The controllability of the MP5 in bursts longer than 3 rounds is hard to beat. Though the standard vertical foregrip of the SMG helps control the weapon in sustained fire, the delayed blowback roller-locked bolt system employed in the MP5 is believed by many to help reduce the felt recoil of the weapon and thus make it easier to control the weapon in long bursts. This may be true to an extent but one would also have to consider the longer length of the MP5, its barrel and sight radius as features that make the MP5 simply “feel” more controllable to fire in the sustained fire mode. The fact is when timed and firing short bursts, the results on the target – round placement and group size – between the roller-locked MP5 and the simple blowback operated weapons like the SMG are generally indistinguishable. The rate reduction system in the SMG II which reduces the cyclic rate of fire to @ 500 rounds per minute certainly aids in the weapon’s sustained fire control.

Firing the weapon in the fully automatic mode of fire with one hand, like the MP5K or any machine pistol for that matter, is difficult and down right ineffective as far as hits are concerned beyond engagement ranges of 20 yards or more. However, it is the range band from one side of an airliner or bus to the other wherein the MP5K model or stockless SMG II would reign supreme.

The well-designed and positioned operating controls of the SMG II are a plus to ease and speed reloads. The low sight line of the SMG II makes it all but impossible to fire the weapon using the iron sights. Using the optical sight on the HK QD mount solves that problem. Firing the weapon suppressed, especially left handed, is somewhat disconcerting due to the amount of gas blowback from the ejection port. The use of goggles eliminates this as a concern however. Reliability, as in all HK’s, is excellent.

Nothing ventured nothing gained

While HK’s hopes to get the SMG type-classified in the U.S. military and produced at their new Chantilly Virginia production site all but evaporated at the close of the JSSAP program in the mid-1980’s, the money spent by HK and the lessons learned were not in vain. In the late 1980’s HK had continued work on the “family” sub gun concept to the point where the SMG II’s successor, and the new UMP’s predecessor, entered the test lab at HK’s factory in Oberndorf, Germany. The MP2000 took the concept of modularity and lightweight materials to the next level for a submachine gun. Though only a few were built as prototypes for internal testing, the 9mm MP2000 had all of the features and capabilities of the SMG and SMG II, and more. The 5-pound MP2000 included the bolt lock like that of the HK54A1 and gas relief valve similar in concept to that of the SMG II and was modular allowing the gun to be “built up” by the user for the specific task at hand. After a great deal of extensive testing at HK the MP2000 was also dropped from further consideration as a series production gun though the U.S. Navy did order ten MP2000’s for testing for possible use by their SEAL teams. This purchase order was never filled.

In 1998 HK announced the debut of the new UMP45 submachine gun. It was a distant relative of the MP5 with all the influence from experience, testing, design and production know-how of the prototype guns that appeared before the UMP, including the HK54A1, SMG, SMG II and MP2000. While no longer envisioned as a one-gun-does-everything concept, the new HK Universal Machine Pistol does make use of polymer materials in most components of the weapon, weighs only 4.5 pounds unloaded and is available in the more potent calibers of .45 ACP and .40 S&W.

A family of submachine guns seldom seen by more than just a few fortunate individuals and true operators, today the SMG remains HK’s most successful failure.