POTD: World War I Submachine Gun – The Legendary MP18
Sam.S 08.05.24
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! One of the earliest legitimate submachine guns was MP18, which Bergmann Waffenfabrik had Hugo Schmeisser design. It was released during World War I for German assault troops and it used a 9mm Parabellum ammunition that could be fed by 32-drum magazine. Its blowback operation opened the bolt at approximately 500 rounds per minute. Though only small numbers saw action in WWI, subsequent submachine gun designs were heavily influenced by MP18. Post-WWI German police forces used these weapons, which were also distributed to various groups. Furthermore, its design became more advanced with the development of the improved MP28 and this would cast an influence on similar gun-making in other countries as well. However, despite being innovative, there were still problems with the MP18 such as risks of accidental discharge that required addressing in later models. The advent of this weapon marked an important step forward in infantry armament bridging a gap between pistols and rifles in close-quarters combat scenarios.
“This is a fine example of a WWI era German M.P.18 I SMG manufactured by the Theodor Bergmann factory. The model was designed by Hugo Schmeisser in 1917 and first appeared in early 1918 and was only used on a limited basis during WWI. After WWI however they were considered significant war items and were specifically banned/restricted under the Treaty of Versailles. It is a straight blow back type weapon firing the standard 9 mm Luger cartridge. It has a heavy tubular receiver and barrel jacket with a heavy round bolt that used a fixed firing pin. The various parts and assemblies were all subcontracted out to smaller companies, with the Bergmann factory doing the final assembly and testing.”
Lot 1572: World War I Era German Bergmann M.P.18 I Submachine Gun – Desirable World War I Era German Fully Automatic Class III/NFA C&R Registered Theodor Bergmann M.P.18 I Submachine Gun with Sling and Drum Magazine. (n.d.-al). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved August 5, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/79/1572/world-war-i-era-german-bergmann-mp18-i-submachine-gun.
