Submachine Guns

Firearms — Subcategory

Overview

A submachine gun (SMG) is an automatic firearm firing pistol-caliber ammunition from a detachable magazine. SMGs combine the automatic fire capability of a machine gun with the compact size and pistol-round ammunition of a handgun — making them ideal for close-quarters combat (CQB), urban warfare, vehicle crews, and special operations where a full rifle is too long or heavy. The trade-off is limited effective range: pistol-caliber rounds lose velocity and energy quickly, making SMGs ineffective beyond 100–150 meters.

Development

MP 18 (1918) — The First SMG

The MP 18 (Maschinenpistole 18) was developed by Hugo Schmeisser for German Stormtrooper units:

• 9mm Parabellum; 32-round snail drum magazine (later box magazine)
• ~400 rounds per minute
• Designed for trench clearing and infiltration — scenarios requiring short-range automatic fire
• Too late to significantly affect WWI outcomes but established the SMG concept

World War II SMGs

The SMG came of age in WWII, with all major powers fielding purpose-designed or improvised SMGs:

Thompson Submachine Gun ("Tommy Gun")

• .45 ACP; 20- or 30-round box or 50/100-round drum
• Developed 1919; adopted by Prohibition-era gangsters first; US military in 1928
• Heavy; expensive; reliable; effective to ~50 meters
• Used by US forces throughout WWII; the iconic American SMG

German MP 40

• 9mm; 32-round box magazine; ~500 rounds per minute
• Stamped metal and plastic construction; lighter and cheaper than machined designs
• The standard German infantry SMG; often mislabeled "Schmeisser" (Schmeisser had little involvement)

British Sten Gun

• 9mm; 32-round side-feeding magazine; minimal parts
• Designed for mass production; could be made in small workshops
• Infamous for accidental discharges; beloved for simplicity and reliability (when clean)
• Produced in enormous numbers; airdropped to resistance fighters across Europe

Soviet PPSh-41

• 7.62×25mm Tokarev; 71-round drum or 35-round box magazine; 900 rounds per minute — the highest rate of fire of any WWII SMG
• Mass-produced; entire Soviet platoons were armed exclusively with PPSh-41s
• Used by Chinese forces in Korea

PPS-43

• 7.62×25mm; 35-round box; stamped metal; designed to be producible under siege conditions in Leningrad
• Even simpler than the PPSh; excellent reliability

Post-WWII SMGs

• Israeli Uzi (1954) — Wrap-around bolt design; extremely compact; adopted widely
• HK MP5 (1966) — The definitive modern SMG; 9mm; roller-delayed blowback; exceptional accuracy; the weapon of SWAT teams, GSG 9, and SAS; famous from the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege MP5
• Heckler & Koch HK MP7 (2001) — Fires 4.6×30mm armor-piercing round; designed to defeat body armor; bridges SMG and PDW categories

Decline and Niche Role

As assault rifles became shorter and lighter (M4, SIG 553, HK416), the SMG's advantage (compact size) narrowed. Modern SMGs survive in:

• Law enforcement (where rifle penetration risks are unacceptable in populated areas)
• Close protection details (compact, concealable)
• Special operations (where pistol-caliber penetration is sufficient for the scenario)

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This article is a stub. Contributions covering specific SMG models, battles, and tactics are welcome.

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