Development of ammunition for the Swedish submachine gun m/45b.

We have already told about different questions and troubles for the different submachine guns of Sweden. The earlier models of guns became obsolete. The only remaining type of ammunition for submachine guns was the cartridge 9 mm m/39 which is equal to 9 mm Luger. It was used for both m/45 and m/45b and the pistol m/40. This was a conventional 9 mm Luger cartridge with soft jacket of copper over a lead core. Bullet weight is 7,5 gram (116 grain). 1947 Sweden started to seal the bullet and primer with paint. Prior to 1947 there was no seal. The m/39 pistol round has a blue seal for the bullet and the primer.

The pistol round m/07 was still under production but only for the pistol m/07. The same system of seal was used.

During the war in Korea, soldiers started to use so called ”bullet proof” west by introducing different types of lighter materials. This type of west became less heavy than the harnesk type from steel which was used during the Great war. When a bullet strikes a ”bullet proof” west the point of impact is deformed and the penetration ability is reduced.

Swedish ammunition factories constructed a 9 mm bullet which was strong and less likely to deform on impact. The lead core was covered by a jacket of steel, thicker in the front. To reduce friction towards the barrel the steel was covered by a alloy of brass. This cartridge is called m/39B and can be recognized by its red seal for the bullet and primer. This bullet has very good penetration capability. US Army has shown interest in this ammunition and which have been sold to US recently even with an increased load. It has been prohibited in US for civilian use. 9 mm m/39B has been called cops killer by US police because its penetration capacity through a bullet proof west.
The non - corrosive primer were introduced to the Swedish armed forces 1950.
The Swedish army stopped using the 9 mm m/39b 2003.

Probably the best magazine in the world for 9 mm Luger. M/45 36 shot.

1945 a new 36 shot magazine was developed. It turned out to be one of the very best magazines in the world until now. It is wider behind and more narrow to the front. This construction allows the cartridges to move freely up and down independent of dust and below zero conditions. Magazines with parallel sides are very likely to jam under cold conditions. This, both Germans with MP40 and British with Sten-Gun, found out the hard way. The m/45 magazine has double rows of cartridges and it is very easy to load by hand. With the help of a special tool a magazine can be loaded in 6 seconds.
Above: Loading device for m/45 magazine. It loads a full magazine in seconds. Note the 36 shot clip for the rounds.

Six hits on the handle and the magazine is fully loaded. Each row of rounds falls down in line of the device by the gravity.

Above: Clips of old type for 9 mm m/39 for submachine gun m/45. (Clip to the right has green painted dummy rounds.)

The rounds were put on 36 round clips with small locks in the both ends of each row of 6 rounds. These locks were smaller then the primer pockets. There were some accidents when a loaded clip was dropped on a hard surface. The lock hit the primer and there was an accidental discharge.  when the round exploded. The clips were later altered to be with wider locks.

Above to the left old type of clip. Above to right the new type of clip with wider locks for the rounds at each row.