Erma MP40 submachine gun

8 Responses to Erma MP40 submachine gun

1. docjim505 says:

   April 30, 2011 at 6:05 am

   Got Thompson?
2. R. says:

   April 30, 2011 at 7:12 am

   The Thompsons everyone likes were too expensive to make. This was probably 50% cheaper to make. Not to mention the drum magazines are often less effective than stick, in terms of weight fractions and ammo stored per volume.

   Looks surprisingly nice for a wartime SMG. Then maybe I’ve seen one Sten too many.
   • docjim505 says:

     May 1, 2011 at 9:03 am

     Oh, no question about the expense (Tam over at View from the Porch had an interesting post some weeks ago about the 1911: because of all the machining required by the century-old design, it is quite expensive to make well relative to modern designs like the Glock).

     However, the Thompson is one of those classic American designs, like the Peacemaker, the Winchester ’73, the 1911, the Garand, and the BAR. I’m given to understand, too, that the weight makes for a very controllable automatic weapon and they are about as reliable as a brick.

     Finally, if it runs out of ammo, it’s heavy enough to knock the other guy’s skull into far left field.
     • Oleg Volk says:

       May 1, 2011 at 9:05 am

       Due to the long stock and considerable drop, I found Thompson less controllable than M3 “grease gun”. However, semi-auto Thompson might be a different beast all together…and I’ll have a chance to find out very soon.
     • R. says:

       May 2, 2011 at 6:56 am

       Grease gun.

       I really wish I’ll get my collectors and a weaponmaking permit. I’m not a metalworker, but I learn pretty quickly and could probably make a 9mm Grease-gun like smg in a few days, having a mill, maybe a lathe and some access to sheet metal bending machinery.

       BTW, no muzzle breaks for the Thompson? Everyone and their mother likes to put muzzle breaks onto SMG’s.

       Also, shooting SMG’s is supposedly about aiming low and walking the bullets over the body. Or so my hard core commie grandfather says, and he has the trophies to prove it (not killed anyone personally, but military/militia competitions)

       No question about the classic value. The round magazine Thompson is imho the coolest submachinegun ever.
       • n_c says:

         May 3, 2011 at 6:33 am

         If you do the calculation on the ratio of gas to bullet momentum for pistol calibers, much less out of a long barrel you quickly come to the conclusion the ports on SMGs were more for show than any dramatic reduction of climb.
3. Andrew says:

   April 30, 2011 at 10:53 am

   Is this a real WW II smg, or modern device?
   • Oleg Volk says:

     April 30, 2011 at 10:55 am

     It’s the original gun.