Best submachinegun of World War II?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Best submachinegun of World War II?

Posted: 11/20/2003 8:21:10 PM EDT

Sten gun

Thompson

ppsh41

MP40

Beretta 1938A

What can I say? There aren't a ton of pictures of that Beretta around.

Posted: 11/20/2003 8:22:13 PM EDT

[#1]

Tikka-Koski (also known as Suomi)

Posted: 11/20/2003 8:25:38 PM EDT

[#2]

I would say the Thompson
and the MP40 a close second

Posted: 11/20/2003 8:30:34 PM EDT

[#3]

Nope, Beretta BM 38/42.

The German troops in Italy would gladly trade their MP-38s and MP-40s for what Machine Gun News once called the best subgun of WWII.

Variants of this weapon were used by the West German Army up until 1969.

Galil Uzi used Beretta BM 38 magazines as the model for his UZI. The Beretta mag will fit and work in the UZI and vice versa!

It was a wonderful weapon!

The Beretta 38/42 was manufactured from 1943 until 1975!

Eric The(Impressed)Hun

Posted: 11/20/2003 8:34:44 PM EDT

[#4]

Posted: 11/20/2003 8:43:43 PM EDT

[#5]

The only two on your list that actually belong there are the Thompson and Beretta. The Suomi was another gun that the Germans and Russians used all the exampels they could lay their hands upon in prefrence to the MP40 or any of the PPS/PPSh family.

The only other possible contender for this title is the Owen.

Posted: 11/20/2003 8:53:14 PM EDT

[#6]

What about the M3? The "Greasegun"? It was pretty rough looking, but it was cheap and easy to manufacture, rugged, easy to clean, and when that was my issue weapon in the early 70's, I never had a failure to fire. That ugly hunk of junk just kept on like the Energizer Bunny.

Posted: 11/20/2003 10:48:14 PM EDT

[#7]

Uh, HELLO? The Sterling?

Posted: 11/21/2003 1:08:42 AM EDT

[#8]

Dont know. Ive only shot a Thompson, so I'd just be repeating what Ive read or been told.

Posted: 11/21/2003 1:33:08 AM EDT

[#9]

Again, what's "Best" mean?

As far as accuracy/cost/reliability, I'd say the Beretta & Stirling rule the roost and they're not even on the list.

Whatever.

Posted: 11/21/2003 3:37:29 AM EDT

[#10]

Having only shot the Thompson and the Sten it's Thompson hands down. It's point and shoot characteristics are second to none.

Posted: 11/21/2003 4:23:34 AM EDT

[#11]

While the Thompson looks nice and is a true "American" gun it had some serious drawbacks during the war. It was expensive to make, jammed regularly if not kept clean,they were heavy and it was hard to control on full auto. I'd love to have one but they're not the perfect sub-gun. Now if it just comes down to which one do you "like" then I'd go MP-40. It's got an underfolder stock so it's compact, in 9mm it's controlable in full auto and you can find 9mm anywhere in the world. Second choice would be the "Pep-pah-sha", PPSH-41, that 71 rnd. drum mag could sure come in handy.

Posted: 11/21/2003 4:54:35 AM EDT

[#12]

I found it interesting that some SF units deployed have Stens secured with bungi cords to the inside of their Hummers for quick access.
The quote i read basicaly said they were prefered for their reliability, and easier to get to and employ while inside a vehicle.

Posted: 11/21/2003 5:37:40 AM EDT

[#13]

Peter Weeks in "Infantry Weapons", Ed Ezell in "Small Arms of the World", and Roy Dunlop in "Ordnance Went Up Front" all agree that the Beretta was the most highly regarded sub gun of the war, by all the combatants that used it or had it used against them.

The Sterling did not exist during the war, and its grand-daddy, the Patchett, only saw extremely limited service during the Arnhem operation (per Peter Laidler in "The Guns of Dagenham").

Posted: 11/21/2003 5:57:58 AM EDT

[#14]

Growing up my dad was a judge and had some interesting toys. This included at one time a 1928 thompson, M3, mp40 and a c96 30 luger select fire broomhandle.

The Thompson is cool, but feels like it weighs as much as an m1 but still has terrible climbe even with a cuts comp. The m3 is a bush beater, if a bush moves, mow it down. Sights were better on my Red Rider bb gun. Although not on the list or realy fit, the c96 was my fav! Riiiiiip! Esp with the shoulder stock!

For this discussion the mp40 is just great. I can not say about battle conditions, but you could write your name on a wall with it.

I have never shot a sten, I've been told it is on par with a mp40.

Dad's older brother was in in Italy in WWII and claims all the italian auto weapons the 38's and the 34 pistols were so so.

I would love to shoot a ppsh. If I got the chance I would bet it would be my pick. the 7.62 is a nasty little round.

Posted: 11/21/2003 6:05:32 AM EDT

[#15]

Quite right, it was the Lanchester (manufactured by Sterling) that I was thinking of.

Posted: 11/21/2003 9:20:51 AM EDT

[#16]

No one had mentioned the Stg 44, or would we consider this too little too late to be part of the poll? Out of the choices I'd pick up the Thompson.

Posted: 11/21/2003 9:35:17 AM EDT

[#17]

Not sure if the STG-44 was considered a "submachinegun". Anyone know?

Posted: 11/21/2003 9:37:20 AM EDT

[#18]

The 88mm the Germans had on theirs.

Oh, I thought you said "submarine" gun.
Nevermind.

Posted: 11/21/2003 9:44:27 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Not sure if the STG-44 was considered a "submachinegun". Anyone know?

Nope, not pistol caliber.

Created a new category, the Sturmgewehr.

Posted: 11/21/2003 9:46:20 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Not sure if the STG-44 was considered a "submachinegun". Anyone know?

I'd say it was the first assault rifle. It fired a mid power rifle cartridge, not a pistol caliber cartridge, so I don't think it would technically be considered a submachinegun.

Posted: 11/21/2003 9:47:34 AM EDT

[#21]

I voted mp-40.

I always liked those german guns from ww2 era.

Posted: 11/21/2003 9:55:06 AM EDT

[#22]

the tommy. more power.

the ppsh-43. easiest/least exspensive to manufacture.

mp-38/40. smooooth as silk.

reising, solothurn, beretta. traditional handling and reliable.

suomi. ask simo haya about it.

Nope, not pistol caliber.

the 7.92 x 33 round is described on its' design drawings as "pistole patrone".

Posted: 11/21/2003 10:03:35 AM EDT

[#23]

I voted for the Thompson but I'm pretty ignorant on the technical aspects of the other guns

. I'd take it in the M1A1 Saving Private Ryan flavor of course

Posted: 11/21/2003 10:15:55 AM EDT

[#24]

I've shot the 1928,STEN and the MP38/40,And would have say the STEN as a fighting weapon.Simpler to make,shoots ok for what it is and with the side feed you can get a lot lower to the ground.But if we were talking which would I would pick to have for grins...Thompson 1921 or 28

Posted: 11/21/2003 10:33:33 AM EDT

[#25]

The Owen would be in the running...

Posted: 11/21/2003 10:50:00 AM EDT

[#26]

Of the 4 subguns I've fired, Uzi, CZ26, Sten, M1A1, the M1A1 was the most controllable.

Seems the British Commandos in WWII refused to give up their Thompsons for Stens. This should be a clue.

Posted: 11/21/2003 11:02:45 AM EDT

[#27]

I do so like the Thompson SMG.A chunk of iron to be sure,but it will do the damage with those 230 gr.fmj's.Grip it,lean in,hose'r down.A man that can use the Thompson can be very artistic indeed.That mass absorbes a ton of heat and recoil.Easy to get 2-3 shot bursts.A real pleasure to do business with.Col.Thompson had a winner then ....and now!

Posted: 11/21/2003 1:24:19 PM EDT

[#28]

I voted PPSH, I was issued a grease gun and wasn't very fond of it. I have fired a Sten and it was ok but the side magazine was awkward to me. Fired a tommy gun too, damn that thing was heavy, I wouldn't like to tote that chunk of steel across europe. The berettas were nice from what I heard and the MP 40s were very good but from what I recall the PPSH help save russia arse from the german hordes and is still in service in one form or another to this day.
However if I were to pick one for my own and not which was possibly the best of WWII I would choose the MP40, it just look cool.

Posted: 11/21/2003 1:35:36 PM EDT

[#29]

If you mean the best made, I'd go with the MP-40. If you mean the most battle worthy, one that was effective and reliable, I'd go with the ppsh41. It was dependable and sought after by Germans on the Russian front. As the Russians like to say, "Better is the enemy of good enough." Russian arms developed in WWII were not always the prettiest, but they worked.

Posted: 11/21/2003 1:55:23 PM EDT

[#30]

Another vote for the PPSh41. Not pretty, but cheap, fast/easy to manufacture & effective. 71rnd drum & MAC10 level of fire (~900rpm). 7.62x25 shoots flat & penetrates better than 9x19.

DK-Prof has a point re the M31 Suomi, which the Soviets copied the PPSH41 drum mag from.

Another fav, though nowhere near the 'best' smg is the Lanchester. It has a certain panache with the Lee-Enfield style stock, 50rnd horizontal mag, bronze mag well & bayonet lug.

Posted: 11/21/2003 2:04:04 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
The 88mm the Germans had on theirs.

Oh, I thought you said "submarine" gun.
Nevermind.

I remember once watching a Hill Street Blues episode on Danish T.V., and laughing my ass off when the subtitles indicated that the police officers were looking for a guy who had used a "submarine gun" in a robbery.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Best submachinegun of World War II?

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