While researching the Sten book, we dropped several old Stens butt first on the hardwood floor of the range hut while loaded with blanks just to test the security of the through-bolt forward safety and the rear slot safe position. The cocking handle just stayed where it was. On both guns, the butt frame welds broke! The real safety 'problem' was if the trigger to sear spring broke. Then the gun would fire until the mag was empty. Incidentally, that long spring was taken/adapted from the old pre and post war Sturmey-Archer cycle 3-speed hub change mechanism. Another useless piece of info from Harold Turpins papers
That test for the video was slightly different Vince. That showed that if an UN-modified gun was dropped from over 9" or so, then the gun wouldnt(?) fire but the inertia would simply cause the breech block to cock on the sear. Under 2" drop and the breech block wouldn't catch the next round in the magazine. But between 3" and 9", the gun MIGHT fire. I say 'might' as whether it will or not depends on whether the forward momentum of the breech block will chamber and have sufficient momentum to punch the cap. Getting a bit technical now but the further the block travels the more stored energy and all that momentum stuff.............
It shows that the Sten wasn't all the pure unsafe bullshine that has been said of it.
That’s interesting information Peter. I was thinking there must be only a narrow window where the breech block can strip a round and not travel far enough back to engage the sear. Your test confirmed my suspicion.
The term “Safety” has always bothered me. It’s the convention but it just seems wrong to use it on a gun. Loaded guns are never safe and should be treated accordingly. I can’t tell you how many times I have sold a pistol to someone who said they wanted a safety because they have small children in the house. Yes, they really believed putting on the “safety” would make a gun safe. Sorry to go off on a tangent.
I had a Long Branch Sten among a few...and shot it for some time. I don't know how many times I heard the unsafe stories, loading it and throwing it in a house and it would go off...so I cocked it and proceeded to pound the butt on a wood floor for all to see. It didn't go forward nor did it break nor damage the butt. The cocking handle CAN be caught by webbing or a snag and have it pick up a round and fire though, we did see that sort of thing happen with the blowbacks...with API...
I don't think that you will find the drawings of anything to do with the Sten except for the general arrangement drawing. This is because they have been 'blocked'. The reason is that a group of 'scandinavian' biker gangs in the 70's were feeling that their bikes didn't show them off in their usual teetotal, churchgoing, philanthropical and clean living way of life - so they were going to enhance their image by making sub-machine guns, using the original drawings. The MoD were requested by the Danish Police to block the drawings - which they did!
There was also a case in the US where a publisher was charged with releasing critical drawings. And if you do it in the UK........... Well......., it'd be likened to cannibalism......
PM
