MP 40
The MP 40, a German submachine gun of World War II, stands as an icon of a pivotal era, instantly recognizable with its distinctive folding stock and often-misunderstood heritage. More than just a weapon, its design philosophy and widespread impact profoundly shaped military tactics and inspired future firearms development. Join us as we explore the fascinating story of this groundbreaking 'machine pistol'. The MP 40 was a groundbreaking weapon, introducing mass-production techniques and design features that influenced firearms for decades. Despite its iconic status, the MP 40 was often outmatched by contemporary Soviet submachine guns, leading to shifts in German combat doctrine. The legendary 'Schmeisser' nickname is a misnomer, as Heinrich Vollmer, not Hugo Schmeisser, was the primary designer of the MP 40.
AI Summary
The MP 40, a German submachine gun of World War II, stands as an icon of a pivotal era, instantly recognizable with its distinctive folding stock and often-misunderstood heritage. More than just a weapon, its design philosophy and widespread impact profoundly shaped military tactics and inspired future firearms development. Join us as we explore the fascinating story of this groundbreaking 'machine pistol'.
- The MP 40 was a groundbreaking weapon, introducing mass-production techniques and design features that influenced firearms for decades.
- Despite its iconic status, the MP 40 was often outmatched by contemporary Soviet submachine guns, leading to shifts in German combat doctrine.
- The legendary 'Schmeisser' nickname is a misnomer, as Heinrich Vollmer, not Hugo Schmeisser, was the primary designer of the MP 40.
The Iconic MP 40
The MP 40, short for Maschinenpistole 40 or 'Machine Pistol 40', is perhaps one of the most recognizable firearms from World War II. Chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge, this German-developed submachine gun became a defining symbol of the Axis forces on both the Eastern and Western Fronts.
Designed in 1938 by Heinrich Vollmer, the MP 40 drew inspiration from its predecessor, the MP 38. Its innovative features and robust construction made it a formidable tool for infantry, paratroopers, and armored vehicle crews throughout the conflict.
Interestingly, the Allies often mistakenly called the MP 40 the 'Schmeisser' — after the famous firearms designer Hugo Schmeisser. However, Schmeisser had no direct involvement in the MP 40's design, though he did hold a patent for its magazine, leading to the lasting confusion.
Between 1940 and 1945, an estimated 1.1 million MP 40s were produced by Erma Werke, including several variants. Its reach extended far beyond the war, seeing extensive post-war use by various fighting forces globally, a testament to its enduring design.
Evolution of a Weapon
The MP 40 wasn't born in a vacuum; it was the culmination of a design lineage focused on simplicity and efficiency. It descended directly from the MP 38, which itself evolved from the MP 36 prototype, initially crafted from machined steel.
Heinrich Vollmer played a pivotal role, refining Berthold Geipel's MP 36 design into the MP 38, which was then adopted by the German Army in 1938. The MP 40 was a further simplification, driven by the pressing need for rapid mass production as war loomed.
The most significant change from the MP 38 to the MP 40 was a shift from expensive, time-consuming machined parts to widespread use of stamped steel and electro-spot welding. This innovative approach was crucial for churning out hundreds of thousands of weapons quickly and affordably.
Engineered for War
At its core, the MP 40 is an open-bolt, blowback-operated automatic firearm. While it fires only in full-automatic mode, its relatively low rate of fire — approximately 500-550 rounds per minute — allowed skilled soldiers to achieve single shots with controlled trigger pulls.
A key innovation was its telescoping return spring guide, which also served as a pneumatic recoil buffer. This clever design helped manage recoil and improved reliability, making the weapon more controllable and reducing wear on internal components.
\text{Rate of Fire} = 500-550 \frac{\text{rounds}}{\text{minute}}Early MP 38s had a fixed cocking handle, but the MP 40 featured a separate, more robust handle. This handle doubled as a safety, allowing the bolt to be locked in either the forward (uncocked) or rearward (cocked) position by pushing it into specific notches — a vital feature to prevent accidental discharges.
The MP 40 also incorporated several practical features, such as a resting bar beneath the barrel, made from aluminum, steel, or Bakelite. This allowed soldiers to steady the weapon when firing from armored vehicles, like the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track, enhancing accuracy on the move.
Perhaps its most famous feature was the forward-folding metal stock—a pioneering design for a submachine gun. This innovation allowed for a much more compact weapon during transport, though in the heat of combat, it sometimes proved less durable than traditional fixed stocks.
Despite its many strengths, the MP 40 had a significant weakness: its 32-round magazine. Unlike more reliable staggered-feed designs, the MP 40 used a double-column, single-feed system. This design increased friction, often leading to feeding failures, especially when dirt or debris was present.
A common mistake by soldiers was using the magazine as a handhold, which could cause the feed lips to shift out of alignment and induce malfunctions. German troops were specifically trained to grip the handguard or the magazine housing to avoid these critical feeding issues.
On the Front Lines
At the start of World War II, German infantrymen primarily carried either the Karabiner 98k rifle or the MP 40. The submachine gun was initially issued to specific roles — officers, NCOs, paratroopers, and vehicle crews — rather than as a general infantry weapon.
However, brutal urban combat, particularly in battles like Stalingrad, exposed a tactical disadvantage. German forces, with their bolt-action rifles and limited numbers of MP 40s, found themselves outgunned at close range by Soviet troops widely equipped with high-capacity PPSh-41 submachine guns.
This experience led to a strategic shift, and by the war's end, the MP 40 was sometimes issued to entire assault platoons to increase close-quarters firepower. However, starting in 1943, the revolutionary StG 44 assault rifle began to supersede both the Karabiner 98k and the MP 40 as the standard German infantry weapon.
A Legacy Beyond War
As World War II concluded, hundreds of thousands of MP 40s were captured or surrendered, and many were subsequently redistributed globally. They found their way into the hands of paramilitary forces, resistance movements, and the armies of developing nations for decades.
Its reliability and simple design meant the MP 40 remained in service with some armies, like Norway's Home Guard, until the 1990s. Even more astonishingly, some surviving examples have reportedly seen limited use by both Russian and Ukrainian forces during the recent conflict in Ukraine.
The Variants
While the standard MP 40 was most common, two notable variants emerged. The MP 40/I was an attempt to boost firepower on the Eastern Front, featuring a dual side-by-side magazine holder that doubled the ammunition capacity to 64 rounds. However, the added weight and reliability issues limited its success.
The MP 41, designed by Hugo Schmeisser in 1941, combined the MP 40's upper receiver with the traditional wooden stock and lower receiver of an MP 28/II submachine gun. It saw limited service, mainly with SS and police units, and was supplied to German allies like Romania.
However, production of the MP 41 was short-lived. Schmeisser's employer, Haenel, was sued by Erma Werke for patent infringement, leading to the cessation of MP 41 manufacturing later that same year.
Enduring Influence
The MP 38 and MP 40 left an indelible mark on firearms design, influencing numerous later weapons. Its concepts, particularly the telescoping bolt and extensive use of stamped parts, became blueprints for future generations of submachine guns.
Beyond direct copies, many other weapons adopted specific elements, demonstrating the MP 40's innovative impact on the global arms industry:
American M3 'Grease Gun': Designers studied the MP 40 for construction details. The Soviet PPS-43: Its folding stock design was directly inspired by the MP 40. AKS-47: The folding stock on this iconic rifle also shows a clear lineage to the MP 40. Vigneron submachine gun: This Belgian weapon could even use MP 40 magazines.
Collecting a Piece of History
For enthusiasts and collectors in the United States, original MP 40s are highly sought-after war trophies. Many were brought back by U.S. servicemen after 1945, though proper registration under the National Firearms Act was required for automatic weapons.
Due to strict regulations, original civilian-transferable MP 40s are rare and command high prices, often tens of thousands of dollars. These historical artifacts represent a tangible connection to World War II.
After the 1968 Gun Control Act banned the commercial import of complete machine guns, a unique market for 'tube guns' emerged. These were reassembled from imported MP 40 parts kits onto newly manufactured receivers, offering a more accessible, albeit less historically significant, option for collectors and reenactors until further restrictions in 1986.
Today, modern semi-automatic variants and cosmetic replicas, such as those chambered in .22LR or 9mm by German Sporting Guns GmbH, allow enthusiasts to own a piece of the MP 40's legacy without the complexities of automatic firearm regulations. These replicas offer a chance to experience the look and feel of this iconic weapon.
Article
MP 40
The MP 40 (Maschinenpistole 40) is a submachine gun chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge. Developed in Nazi Germany, it saw service with the Axis forces during World War II and extensive use post-war globally with various fighting forces.
Designed in 1938 by Heinrich Vollmer (with inspiration from its predecessor, the MP 38), it was heavily used by infantrymen (particularly by platoon- and squad-leaders), and by paratroopers, both on the Eastern and Western Fronts as well as by the crews of armoured fighting vehicles. Its advanced and modern features made it a favorite among soldiers and popular in countries from various parts of the world after the war.
The Allies often referred to the MP 40 as the "Schmeisser", after the firearms-designer Hugo Schmeisser (1884-1953). In 1917, Schmeisser had designed the MP 18, which was the first mass-produced submachine gun. He did not, however, have anything to do with the design or development of the MP 40, although he held a patent on the magazine.
The MP 40's variants included the MP 40/I and the MP 41. Erma Werke produced an estimated 1.1 million MP 40s between 1940 and 1945.
Development
MP 40
MP-40 on display for the Springfield Armory National Historic Site Archives
The Maschinenpistole 40 ("Machine pistol 40") descended from its predecessor, the MP 38, which was in turn based on the MP 36, a prototype made of machined steel. The MP 36 was developed independently by Erma Werke's Berthold Geipel with funding from the German Army. It took design elements from Heinrich Vollmer's VPM 1930 and EMP. Vollmer then worked on Berthold Geipel's MP 36 and in 1938 submitted a prototype to answer a request from the Heereswaffenamt (Army Weapons Office) for a new submachine gun, which was adopted as MP 38. The MP 38 incorporated the simpler bolt design of Hugo Schmeisser's M.K.36,III as well as Schmeisser's magazine, but otherwise more closely followed Geipel's MP 36 design. The MP 38 was a simplification of the MP 36, and the MP 40 was a further simplification of the MP 38, with certain cost-saving alterations, most notably in the more extensive use of stamped steel rather than machined parts.
Design
MP 40
MP-40 front sight and muzzle
The MP 40 submachine guns are open-bolt, blowback-operated automatic arms. The only mode of fire is automatic, but the relatively low rate of fire permits single shots with controlled trigger pulls. The bolt features a telescoping return spring guide which serves as a pneumatic recoil buffer. The cocking handle was permanently attached to the bolt on early MP 38s, but on late-production MP 38s and MP 40s, the bolt handle was made as a separate part. It also serves as a safety by pushing the head of the handle into one of two separate notches above the main opening; this action locks the bolt in either the cocked (rear) or uncocked (forward) position. The absence of this feature on early MP 38s resulted in field expedients such as leather harnesses with a small loop that were used to hold the bolt in the forward position.
The MP 38 receiver was made of machined steel, but this was a time-consuming and expensive process. To save time and materials, and thus increase production, construction of the MP 40 receiver was simplified by using stamped steel and electro-spot welding as much as possible. The MP 38 also features longitudinal grooving on the receiver and bolt, as well as a circular opening on the magazine housing. These features were eliminated on the MP 40.
A soldier of the 1st SS Cossack Cavalry Division of the German Army with an MP 38 in 1943
One feature found on most MP 38 and MP 40 submachine guns is an aluminum, steel, or Margolit (a variation of Bakelite) resting bar under the barrel. This was used to steady the weapon when firing over the side of open-top armored personnel carriers such as the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track. A handguard, also made of Margolit, is located between the magazine housing and the Margolit pistol grip. The barrel lacked any form of insulation, which often resulted in burns on the supporting hand if it was incorrectly positioned. The MP 40 also has a forward-folding metal stock, the first for a submachine gun, resulting in a shorter overall weapon when folded. However, this stock design was at times insufficiently durable for hard combat use.
Although the MP 40 was generally reliable, a major weakness was its 32-round magazine. Unlike the double-column, staggered-feed magazine found on the Thompson M1921/1928 variants, the MP 40 uses a double-column, single-feed version. The single-feed insert resulted in increased friction against the remaining cartridges moving upwards towards the feed lips, occasionally resulting in feed failures; this problem was exacerbated by the presence of dirt or other debris. Another problem was that the magazine was also sometimes misused as a handhold. This could cause the weapon to malfunction when hand pressure on the magazine body caused the magazine lips to move out of the line of feed, since the magazine well did not keep the magazine firmly locked. German soldiers were trained to grasp either the handguard on the underside of the weapon or the magazine housing with the supporting hand to avoid feed malfunctions.
Usage
MP 40
At the outbreak of World War II, the majority of German soldiers carried either Karabiner 98k rifles or MP 40s, both of which were regarded as the standard weapons of choice for an infantryman.
However, later confrontations with Soviet troops such as the Battle of Stalingrad, where entire enemy units were armed with PPSh-41 submachine guns, the Germans found themselves out-gunned in short range urban combat, which caused a shift in their tactics, and by the end of the war the MP 40 and its derivatives were sometimes issued to entire assault platoons. The soldiers of US Army were impressed with the MP 40's 9mm caliber. The 9mm didn't have as powerful recoil as the .45 ACP did. As the war progressed, Many American soldiers who were equipped with the .45 ACP Thompson or the M3 Grease Gun would swap for a captured MP 38, MP 40 or MP 41 whenever their submachine gun was in need of repair. Supplies of .45 ACP became difficult in long haul transportation from port cities to the front. Starting in 1943, the German military moved to replace both the Karabiner 98k rifle and MP 40 with the new, revolutionary StG 44. By the end of World War II in 1945, an estimated 1.1 million MP 40s had been produced of all variants.
Post-war use
During and after the end of World War II, many MP 40s were captured or surrendered (upwards of 200,000) to the Allies and were then redistributed to the paramilitary and irregular forces of some developing countries. Many were also sold in the black market as well and used in criminal gangs. The Norwegian army withdrew the MP 38 from use in 1975 but used the MP 40 for some years more. In particular, the Territorials (Heimevernet) used it until about 1990, when it was replaced by the Heckler & Koch MP5.
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, some surviving guns saw use by both Russian and Ukrainian forces.
Variants
MP 40/I
The MP 40/I (sometimes erroneously called MP 40/II) was a modified version of the standard MP 40 with a dual side-by-side magazine holder (for an ammunition total of 64 rounds on hand), designed for troops on the Eastern Front to counter the Soviet PPSh-41's larger 71-round drum magazine capacity. However, the design proved unsuccessful due to weight and reliability issues. In addition to the dual mag magazine well, the MP 40/I’s had a smaller buttpad, increased cutout of the receiver tubing for the larger magwell and a shortened ejector.
MP 41
An MP 41 with wooden stock
In 1941, Hugo Schmeisser designed the MP 41, which was an MP 40 upper receiver with a lower receiver and stock assembly of an MP 28/II submachine gun. It saw limited service, being issued primarily only to SS and police units. The MP 41 was also supplied to Germany's Axis ally Romania.
Later in 1941, rival company Erma Werke sued Haenel, at which Schmeisser was Chief Designer, for patent infringement. Production subsequently ceased on the MP 41.
Influence on later weapons
MP 40
The MP 38 and MP 40 also directly influenced the design of later weapons, including the Spanish Star Z45, the Yugoslavian Zastava M56, and the semi-automatic German Selbstladebüchse BD 38 replica.
Details of the MP 40 have also been adopted in other submachine guns, which otherwise differ significantly from a technical point of view:
• The designers of the American M3 "Grease Gun" examined British Sten guns and captured MP 40s for usable construction details. • The folding stock became the model for those on later weapons, such as the Soviet PPS-43 and the AKS version of the AK-47. • The MP 40 magazine can also be used in the Belgian Vigneron submachine gun.
Users
MP 40
Simone Segouin, a French partisan, posing with an MP 40 in 1944
During World War II, the resistance and the Allies sometimes captured MP 40s to replace or supplement their own weapons. The MP 40 was used for several decades following World War II by many countries around the world in armed conflicts. Some found their way into guerrilla groups such as the Viet Cong or African guerrillas.
Current
• Syria: Used against Israel and used during Syrian Civil War. • Russia: Limited use during the Russian invasion of Ukraine • Ukraine: Limited use during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Former
• Albania: Kept in reserve as late as 1988 • Algeria: The National Liberation Army used MP 40s supplied by Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. • Austria • Bosnia and Herzegovina • Bulgaria • Chad • Chile: Cuba supplied some to the Salvador Allende Government • Croatia • Czechoslovakia • Finland: Around 160 were delivered together with German vehicles during the Continuation War; after the war they were used by prison administration before being retired in the 1970s. • France: French rebels used captured guns during World War II. MP 40s were also carried by the Free French Army in World War II and the Post War French Army in French Indochina and French Algeria especially by paratroopers. • Greece • Guatemala: MP 38/40 supplied in 1954 from Czechoslovakia, still in service with the police at the end of the Guatemalan Civil War. • Hungary • Indonesia • Israel: Used during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and by Unit 101 before replaced by the Uzi in 1954. • Iran: Used in small numbers by the 55th Airborne Brigade and Iranian Imperial Guards. • Italian Partisans: Used examples captured from German soldiers. • Jordan • Kosovo Liberation Army • Nazi Germany: Used by the Wehrmacht, Feldgendarmerie, Gestapo, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm, and Hitler Youth at the end of war. • Netherlands: Post war, used by KNIL during the Indonesian National Revolution and the Papuan Volunteer Corps during West New Guinea dispute. • Norway • Poland: Captured MP 40s were used by Polish rebels during World War II. • Romania • Soviet Union: Captured MP 40s were used by Soviet partisans and Worker-Peasant Red Army. After the war the MP 40 along with other weapons were sold to other countries in the Eastern Bloc. • South Vietnam: Used by the South Vietnamese Popular Force. • Spain: Copied as the Star Model Z-45. • United States: Captured MP 40s used by United States during World War II and by Special Forces and their Civilian Irregular Defense Group program at the beginning of the Vietnam War. • United Kingdom: Captured MP 40s used by the British during World War II. Used by British Commandos and other British clandestine units in specialist operations. • Vietnam: Captured from the French Far East Expeditionary Corps and used by the Viet Minh, the Viet Cong and the People's Army of Vietnam. • Yugoslavia • Zaire • Zimbabwe: Used by ZIPRA and ZANLA.
Civilian ownership in the United States
MP 40
During the Allied occupation of Germany starting in 1945, US servicemen shipped home thousands of captured firearms as war trophies, including MP 40s. This practice required proper registration of automatic weapons in accordance with the National Firearms Act before they could be imported, but this was curtailed later in the occupation, meaning a relatively small number of civilian-transferable original German MP 40s remain in circulation and are valued at around $20,000-37,500 as of 2021, with some selling for almost $50,000.
After the commercial importation of complete machine guns was banned by the Gun Control Act of 1968, MP 40 parts kits (the disassembled parts of the gun excluding the receiver tube) were imported and reassembled onto receivers manufactured in the United States by Charles Erb, Wilson Arms, and others. These remanufactured legally transferable machine guns, colloquially called "tube guns", are (depending on quality of construction and condition) generally valued at 50-75% of the price of original German MP 40s, as they do not have their historical background. As such, they are commonly used for recreational range shooting and WW2 historical reenactments, because the associated wear and tear (within reasonable limits) will not significantly diminish their value, as it would on original collectible examples. Manufacture of new tube guns ceased following the passage of the Firearm Owners Protection Act in 1986.
There are several semi-automatic variants and cosmetic replicas of the MP 40 available for civilian ownership in the US. Beginning in 2014, American Tactical Imports began importing an MP 40 replica manufactured by German Sporting Guns GmbH chambered in .22LR, and since 2016 has also imported a pistol variant chambered in 9mm.