Weapon History
The MP40 (Maschinenpistole vierzig) was a German 9 mm submachine gun widely used by the Wehrmacht, Waffen-SS, and Fallschirmjäger during World War II. Designed by Heinrich Vollmer and produced by Erma Werke, it evolved from the earlier MP38, with simplified stamped-steel construction for faster, cheaper mass production.
It operated on a straight blowback, open-bolt system and was chambered for the 9×19 mm Parabellum cartridge, feeding from a 32-round detachable box magazine. The cyclic rate averaged about 500–550 rounds per minute, offering controllable automatic fire. The folding metal stock made it compact for paratroopers and vehicle crews, and it featured a distinctive under-slung magazine well and smooth tubular receiver.
Lightweight (around 3.97 kg loaded), reliable when clean, and easy to handle, the MP40 became an iconic weapon of German forces. However, its magazine design and open-bolt mechanism could cause stoppages if contaminated with dirt. Despite these flaws, its simplicity, ergonomics, and controllable recoil made it one of the most influential SMGs of the era, inspiring many postwar designs such as the Uzi and Sterling.
It operated on a straight blowback, open-bolt system and was chambered for the 9×19 mm Parabellum cartridge, feeding from a 32-round detachable box magazine. The cyclic rate averaged about 500–550 rounds per minute, offering controllable automatic fire. The folding metal stock made it compact for paratroopers and vehicle crews, and it featured a distinctive under-slung magazine well and smooth tubular receiver.
Lightweight (around 3.97 kg loaded), reliable when clean, and easy to handle, the MP40 became an iconic weapon of German forces. However, its magazine design and open-bolt mechanism could cause stoppages if contaminated with dirt. Despite these flaws, its simplicity, ergonomics, and controllable recoil made it one of the most influential SMGs of the era, inspiring many postwar designs such as the Uzi and Sterling.
Weapon Technical Specification
| Type | Submachine Gun | Magazine Capacity | 32 Rounds |
| Action | Full-automatic | Muzzle Velocity (m/s) | 1,312 |
| Cartridge (mm) | 9x19 | Rate of Fire (rpm) | 500 - 550 |
| Projectile Weight (grains) | 115 | Weapon Weight (kg) | 3.97 |
Weapon Showcase
