MP38 Submachine Gun

MP38 Submachine Gun. Blued metal construction receiver with a ribbed top cover and a two piece bolt mechanism. The stock and trigger box are a pressed alloy construction and have a green protective coating. Receiver top stamped MP38, 27 and 1938. Black plastic ribbed pistol and fore grip. It is fitted with a folding tubular steel butt. Complete with a detachable 32 round box magazine and a leather sling accessioned separately as REL/12458.001.

This gun is a very early example of the MP38. The type is probably the most famous and well recognised military submachine gun in the world. It has gone into history under an entirely incorrect name as the "Schmeisser" but in fact Hugo Schmeisser had nothing at all to do with its design and manufacture. It was designed by Vollmer and manufactured by the Erma-Werke as a private venture. The gun was adopted in 1938 and originally used by tank crews and mechanised infantry units. It was a leader in submachine gun design and featured the first successful folding stock design. It was soon realised that the gun was expensive to manufacture and was replaced in 1940 by the MP40 which was made mainly from stampings.