I recently ordered a 9mm replica of the MP40. I got it home, opened up the manual and flipped to the section on disassembly. It read "Disassembly of the MP40 is an easy matter, please ask your specialist dealer to demonstrate it for you" no pictures, no instructions. Thank you for this video, excellent as always.
+Major Tom Millions of German citizens would later be terror-bombed and exterminated from the sky by Allied bomber planes though (like the most famous example of Dresden, although this was done all throughout major cities in Germany), so it wouldn't have been as destructive as that anyway.
"We are going to scourge the Third Reich from end to end. We are bombing Germany city by city and ever more terribly in order to make it impossible for her to go on with the war. That is our object; we shall pursue it relentlessly." - Arthur Travers "Bomber" Harris [Radio address (28 July 1942), as quoted by Sir Courtauld Thomson, in a House of Lords debate on bombing policy (9 February 1944)]
Nah. It looks like someone took the MP 35 and asked themselves "how can we make this simpler and cheaper to manufacture?". The MP 35 in turn looks like a modified MP 18, so it's pretty much a WW1 weapon.
@@KaptenN the mp18 is like barely a ww1 gun tho. it was rarely used because it was more of a prototype, and produced a little too late for it to be used all that much. calling the mp40 a ww1 gun is almost like calling the AK a ww2 gun
@@aversiac-2 Well, it kinda is. Kalashjnikov did start development during WW2. It's WW2 tech and the MP 40 is basically WW1 tech, is what I mean. It was just modified a bit.
Back in the 80s my dad was in the Norwegian homeguard servicing as a medic. He was still issued a Mp40 until somewhere around 89-91 where he got an Mp5.. Back in those days gun safes were not really all that common around here and it was not a necessity to have your service weapon locked down.. So the Mp40 hung by its sling on a nail on my parents bedroom wall. Magazine was in it but the ammunition was locked down somewhere else.. One "funny" episode was when i was around 7-8 and got pissed off at the neighbours kids.. I stormed in to the bedroom and got the gun. And i ran around the neighborhood waving this gun around and scaring the crap out of the children.. Funnily enough there were absolutely NO consequences afterwards.. If something like this would have happened today my father would probably be locked up.. Ah i miss the 80s...
Ian's voice is so soothing you don't even have to be interested in guns to listen to him. His videos are like a haven of peace and sanity in a fucked up world.
I've always thought it to be quite the opposite, the sound always has me on edge. I only listen because of the amazing quality of his information/videos. I think either Australian or middle English are the most soothing. Bloke on the range actually has a very soothing speaking voice.
To be fair to those (correctly) pointing out these are not exactly forgotten: they may be widely recognised, but there is SO many misconceptions about these weapons. Really enjoyed this episode
And your british Brother ( the Sten) works just fine without misconceptions? I just think at the Assassination try from the czech guys that wanted to kill the asshole HEIDRICH.... The Sten, one of them were carrying has jammed and did Not shoot, through this shit HEIDRICH had enough time to shoot the Guy. Then the second Guy throw a granade at the Mercedes. A few days later the Nazi piggy died in a Hospital XD All i want to say, your guns at WW2 was not really practical, and pretend to jam the whole time. The german guns are also, but they did shoot at the right time ;-)
That wouldn't be somewhat appropriate, I assume. AK46 was way more different from AK47 than AKM (starting with StG-alike upper receiver)... As Ian mentioned - all the changes in transition from MP38 to MP40 were about production technology, not the design itself. Clearly AK-AKM resemblance...
Dude, seriously? Whole design was torn apart and made anew - and you're saying it's still the same rifle? Time frame doesn't any matter, really... I know, it sounds convincing since Kalashnikov have managed to re-design his rifle in just about a year - well, it was that time in Russia... It took JMB 4 years to re-design M1907 into M1911 - but we all can see difference, obviously. However, modern M1911s are not much different from the original...
I just love the look of Bakelite plastic. It's no longer particularly good for gun production since it's such a primitive plastic, but it just looks exactly as retro as it is. It comes from a cool chemical reaction too. Bakelite is actually really interesting stuff. It's formed from a type of chemical reaction called a condensation reaction, specifically between phenol and formaldehyde (in real Bakelite plastic you also use lignin powder from wood to add strength.) The reaction starts as just adding formaldehyde to some phenol crystals, then adding some acetic acid (concentrated vinegar) with constant stirring, then, finally, a small amount of hydrochloric acid is added, and just a few seconds later this totally clear solution starts to form some color, then literally instantly **poof** it goes totally opaque and milky, and then **pop** this lump of malleable plastic just snaps out of the solution out of nowhere! It's great! Periodic Videos and Nile Red both have great videos making Bakelite and you can see it for yourself. Periodic Videos: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Vlh0YDRmZ0I.html Nile Red (pt. 1): m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-phNLecfyWS8.html Nile Red (pt. 2): m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-z-l2_WDqW1A.html
Same goes for pretty much all of the WW2 German stuff. Too bad they were an embodiment of evil. Bastards ruined and ended not only the lives of millions, but also the reputation of many cool designs as well.
Mikkel Fabricius "Lemme just pull apart this armored casemate over here and show you guys the cannons inner workings" 32 minutes later... "Ahh, got it, sorry the internals are a little rusty'
When I was in the Portuguese Army in the eighties one of my duties was the delivery of Priority Military Mail in many units. I remember that in the Army High Studies Institute there were a MP-38 and a Sten (without magazine) hanging on the wall. In the 6th floor there was a Vickers machine gun with tripod. I always took a couple of minutes to admire these beauties. Comparing them with my G3 was like comparing a Omega with a CASIO G-Shock... Well, the Sten not quite so! 😀
9:00 the split knurling (and also the angle on the knurl) is not for the gun operator, but it make machining easier, as the amount of area to knurl is reduced and the angle on the knurl make the tool run smoother, both of these means you can knurl faster and you tooling lasts MUCH MUCH longer
The book The Schmeisser Myth, by author Martin Helebrant (Collector Grade Pub.) says that when the steel muzzle flap (Mundungsschoner) was replaced with the rubber muzzle cap (Mundungskappe), the muzzle nut had a groove cut into the knurling to help grip the rubber cap. (Page 266, and figure 367)
Each of the guns shown has the forward sling loop on the left side of the weapon, meaning that the barrels have been removed. The sling loop was always factory installed on the right side in order to avoid the sling interfering with the bolt handle. The groove in the muzzle nut was added so that the standard 98K rifle buna rubber muzzle cap could be used. The double stack, single feed magazine and the Vollmer telescoping recoil spring housing were patented. These might not have been the best designs, but Haenel was paid royalties on every gun delivered.
My grand grandpa was partisan in Yugoslavia. He probably used the same MP 40 you had shown in the video. It was ( and it still is ! ) one of most famous weapons in the Balkans. It is known as "Šmajser" after it's manufacturer Schmeisser.
For whatever reason, Schmeisser was the pejorative term for this gun among a lot of the enemies of the Reich during the war. However, Schmeisser had nothing to do with it whatsoever although he was instrumental in earlier German SMG designs. Not this one though.
I finally bought an MP40 after wanting one all these years. I used to prefer the late war models due to the iconic look of the magwell reinforcing ribs, but after learning more about the guns I have come to prefer the early MP40's and the MP38's. They are a lot more sleek and feel high-quality. The one I bought is an early production MP40; 1940 exactly, actually. Production code is 660 which is Steyr before they went over to the much more well known 'bnz'. The gun looks really sleek and the finish is beautiful, reminiscent of the glossy finish on early K98K's. This will look good beside my K98 and MG-34. Now I'm onto buying my final grail gun which is the MG-42, and after that I'll have to find something new to desire I guess.
The lug under the barrel that Ian points out at 4:40 also works in conjunction with the front sight when used in AFV firing ports (MP Stopfen). The muzzle has to be pushed up and then down to get it through the port. This ensures that the gun cannot be pulled straight back through the port in the event of the shooter losing his footing.
TBF, that happens frequently when there is little to no cross-pollination between the firearms and automobile/train/aircraft industries. Stamping just wasn't a familiar technique to gun designers at the time.
@@hailexiao2770 It might have been well known to the designers, but they found that stamped guns were a tough sell to military officers who were accustomed to the 98 Mauser.
My grandfather was in Metz , France (95th infantry division, part of The Iron Men of Metz) and multi Gold Star recipient, he never talked much about the war but he did say that the MP40 was highly sought after by fellow American GIs
I really love that Ian is presenting us some more known guns from time to time, as although i know the MP40, I didn't know most stuff he talked about. Keep up the good work! :)
@steffenwurster352 the magazines are far better designed in the mp5. The mag is the big negative of the mp40. The MP5 is more modular, and being closed bolt it's less exposed to the elements.
It may be interresting for you, in Soviet Union MP 38 and MP 40 were usually named Schmeisser (Шмайсер),but for the last two decades we have a tendency to call them mith original name. My grandfather was on war, and he was colling those MPs "Schmeisser"
The book The Schmeisser Myth, by author Martin Helebrant (Collector Grade Pub.) explains how the MP 38 and 40 got the incorrect name. It was the British that captured one early in the war and described it as "being of the Schmeisser type".
These are honestly very cool and versatile looking weapons. Simple, compact and effectively nasty at they're job. I've always personally admired these particular guns, they're badass
I've always loved these guns, such a cool design with the underfolder stock. I just wish they had a selector switch to make semi auto fire an option, but that's just me nitpicking. Thanks again Ian!
I'd been led to believe by "older gentlemen" that with some skill, the trigger could be manipulated well enough to accomplish single round discharges. They, however also said due to accuracy issues there was little point in the exercise. To be fair, I've no personal experience by which to verify or deny.
I really enjoyed watching the video on the MP 40 subgun. I have one of these and enjoy taking it out to burn a little powder a couple times a year. I also have a semi auto only copy for the MP 40 (ATI MP40 P) that I fire more often than the MP 40 piece. I'm able to save a little ammo shooting the ATI model, however I reload my own 9mm ammo so I can tailor what ever works for myself. Keep up the good videos I really enjoy watching them.
Just got my GSG MP40p 2 days ago. Wish mine was open bolt and had the folding stock, but still it's an awesome gun and it's cool to see where some of it's design aspects came from.
This was such an awesome review! Thank you Ian!! My Dad used to play with these as a kid in Italy from '38 to '43. I wanted to get him a replica in .177 cal but...his wife ... :( Awesome review!!!! Thank you very much for this; passing it along to Dd who...is now 85. :) and going strong!
I remember a video on Tank Museum channel about a captured, half built Panther tank, which was then completed by the Brits. You could tell apart parts was made by the Germans from parts made by the Brits.
Just seen this review and the section about the cocking handle brought back a bad memory for me. . Our squadron lost one of our guys on "Operation Granby" when the cocking lever on his S.M.G ( L2a3) slung over his shoulder caught on the door of his truck picked up a round and shot himself in the head.
Very nice. I was never super clear on the differences between the 38 and 40, other than the 40 being simplified. The 40 has a reputation for being controllable and fairly accurate, based on demos i have seen. It is certainly well made. The bolt handle safety mod is a great idea, simple and effective. That recoil spring system is ingenious too. I think i heard somewhere that it has a buffering effect and keeps the cyclic rate down to a usable level. Great video as always. Thank you
The only way to decock the Nerf Longshot is to shoot yourself in the hand. I think this is an amazing safety feature that should be used in all firearms.
So i was gonna ask about the MP 40 double mag configuration, that i have seen in a game (Red Orchestra 2) and if it was actually a real thing, seeing as i had never heard of it before. Just to make sure i didn't look stupid for asking about it, i googled it real quick. The first pic shows up is from your website with a whole article on it. :D Love the work you do. Keep it up
The MP38/MP40 "Schmeisser" is as sexy and instantly recognisable as the C96 Mauser "Broomhandle", the Colt Peacemaker, and the Colt M1911, it's one of those guns that everyone knows
I do want you to know that I'm being honest to each and every Russian citizen regarding what Duane G. Shelton said about Nikolai Lenin/Vladimir Ilyitch Ulianov. "Lenin, he wanted the power. He got it." This was back then in 1917.
One of the first ever used firearms, the "Arquebus" (haakbus, in Dutch) had a hook on the same place on the barrel, and for a similar reason... To absorb the recoil, by hooking it on the wall of a castle...
I very much enjoyed this video as I do all that I view and am constantly amazed by your knowledge of firearms. German firearms craftsmanship has always amazed me and it’s frightening to think what they could have done with a more cogent war strategy/leadership and where we might all be today. Thank you.
Love these videos, I would love it even more if you tested the oldschool weapons.
7 лет назад
Another use for the locking bolt on the MP-40 was as a drop safety. Dropping the gun on its butt also allowed it to fire because inertia from the hit could allow the bolt to open far enough to strip a round and fire it. This can be seen in the movie "The Dirty Dozen" When the German sentry shoots the character Pinkly and is shot and killed in turn you can see his weapon discharge when the actor drops it. Fortunately he was using blanks. The problem with the MP-38 / 40 magazine was also the bane of the British Sten and American M-3 and M3a1 double stack single feed magazine. The Thompson had a reputation for reliability due to its double stack double feed magazine. Surprising they didn't discover and correct it earlier. Post war sub guns i.e. Sterling, Uzi, MP-5, Karl Gustaf M-45 and the like are known for their reliability because of their Double stack double feed magazines.
I once read in an issue of shotgun news where the author had toured the Finnish FBI's collection of confiscated firearms, and lo and behold, an enterprising farmer made a lower receiver for one of these out of wood, replacing the bakelite...
Very interesting. My dads friend was a camera man for one of the big 3 news organizations. He bought a MP- 38 in Europe ( about 1958 ) . He pointed out the different things, as you so well pointed out . I happened to like the underfolding stock ( most do not ) Thanx for showing how to field strip, great video. It was a trip down memory lane , my dad , his good friend, myself and a piece of history.
One thing that puzzles me about the MP40 is the massive distance between the trigger and magwell. While a lot of SMGs of the time had this, usually out of necessity/simplicity, the MP40 design seems to go out of its way to maximise the distance between trigger on magwell. There's a pretty big transfer bar going from the trigger to the sear. You'd think you'd want the trigger close to the magwell to make the weapon as functionally short as possible, but for some reason they went out of their way to not do that.
If I was issued one of these I would have a lot of comfort in knowing I had a very well made and well thought out gun. This is some of the best hands on information on this family of guns I have ever seen.
Pretty sure it was the Mausers that were dropped, not the MP 40s... Subguns were more widespread in the Red Army than the Heer. This was mostly a matter of doctrine, as the Germans only equipped their squad leaders with MP 40s. The Soviets, on the other hand, saw the immense value of the PPSH-41 - especially since its high-velocity/low bullet weight ammo gave it more effectiveness at range than the MP 40 or Thompson, it was a more versatile all-round weapon. The Germans actually had a program for storing submachineguns (foreign and native) within their units for when they were needed - like forest fighting or urban combat.
Dunno, i have on occasion read Simonov's "The Alive and the Dead" and i clearly remember one (Stalingrad i believe) episode, where squad commander reprimands one of his soldiers for not checking thoroughly the mag spring on his trophied MP40 and loading it with 32 instead of 28-30 rounds, despite knowing that mags are quite shit. Which nearly got him killed in the previous fight.
Soviets liked MP40s for: small size and weight - almost all frontline scouts were using such loadout: a knife, a handgun, an MP40 and a couple of grenades. ammo - easy to find, as well as the gun itself rate of fire - more controllable than PPSh Germans liked PPSh for: huge drum mags with lots of ammo to be found possibility to convert it into 9mm SMG to be used with MP40 mags crazy rate of fire
Well, yeah, my mistake. MP40 is 4,8 and PPSH is 5,3 with a drum mag. Anyway, MP40 had a folding stock and that was an advantage for scouts. I may check Drabkin for additional info.
Yesterday I was thinking about the differences in MP38 and MP40, because i didn't know any. Today I wake up and first thing I see on youtube is this video.
The hook is probably copied off a medieval german 'Hakenbüchse'. A early blackpowder gun wich had a similar hook, to reduce the recoil while having it hooked over the battlement. Greetings from Germany:)
Mr. McCallum, I have seen a few videos of yours over the last couple of Years, but over the last 2 Months (the Q) I have watched a ton...I am a Huge History Nerd and major gun guy (US Military), but as I have had nothing but time, I have ventured off the beaten path. I grew up loving the looks of the MP-38/40...but never knew the difference. I had looked off and on, but never really in depth...but this video really showed the progression of this weapon...You have been a huge help during this incredibly boring time...I'm finally going to venture out tomorrow for some Cordite therapy on my new Remington 700 Hunter .308. Semper Fi
TV needs to die. It needs a 1 ounce Foster slug blasted through its head, _yesterday._ Ian can do what he wants over here because he's the man calling the shots.
I could see this happening, but I can't imagine him on discovery or history with the wonderfully entertaining disfunctional family model of reality tv.
Fuck TV. It is dieing and it's not dieing fast enough for me. You get about four minutes of content for every five minutes of commercials. And most of the commercials are either for insurance or leaking butthole medication.
Cody Brown I was referring to the MP41 it seems, with similar looks to the MP40 but with a wooden stock, rather than the synthetic one. Same downwards facing magazine etc.
Whenever I see MP38s and MP40s, I'm reminded of the movie, "Tobruk" starring Rock Hudson and George Peppard. In that movie, the character played by Peppard has a squad of men impersonating Afrika Corp soldiers in North Africa, where they are all equipped with MP40s. I could never figure the sensibility of such weaponry given the vast combat distances there are in desert warfare.
to be serious, dunno if wanted, they gave him an already retrofitted one, then gave the now-retrofitted to the next guy they took the weapon from to retrofit etc soldiers don't have "their own" gun unless they're doing some kind of special operations like precision shooting
He would be issued the next gun on the rack for his position. Most likely the standard rifle for his country or submachine gun if he was a squad leader.
Sam H guns were not taken out of service they simply armed new troops with the updated version as they came into service you only got a new gun if your old one wore out, then you turned the old one into the armourer and he would either rebuild it himself or if it was to damaged he'd send it back to the armory and they'd either rebuild it or junk it out! Same as modern armory works in the modern military. The war movies would have you believe that every other German soldier was armed with one but in fact most regular soldiers had to settle for a 98k bolt action rifle these were generally issued to non com's and squad leaders not the grunts!
@Tom Walsh Plenty available. He was on the Russian front. In fact, in a book about the 8th PD there is a mannequin in a panzerjager uniform with a PPsh. He was a panzerjager
Hey Ian, do you think you'll ever have a chance to do a video on the MP40/I with that odd sliding dual magazine setup? Are there even any still around?
