Sten Gun Use

[Combover]

Well Mr.Laidler, I'm a re-enactor myself and try at every turn to dispell these myths as the utter nonesense that they are. I hear this gubbins from so many other re-enactors, that I feel i'm facing an uphill struggle.

I even had one German re-enactor tell me off for daring to dispell his Sten bashing myths in front of a member of public. He couldn't back up what he said with any scientific theory or hard evidence. Funny that.

[colonel blimp]

Might I make a suggestion chaps............ For those who regularly encounter these buffoons (and sorry to say it, but the re-enactors seem to be the worst offenders.....) who STILL try to pass on this sheer bull manure about the Sten gun, then please feel free to copy the few pages from the Sten Gun book by that what's 'is name bloke. Just pages 303 to 310 should suffice.

To be fair it will be the reenactors who are, in the main, the worst offenders as they're usually the ones who talk to the public at shows and take on board the old soldier's tales about the Sten's cheapness/nastiness, danger to squad members etc. Who here would like to contradict a 70 year old in full flow in front of his audience ? In seemingly good faith (and failing memories) they pass this stuff on to us and, let's be honest, names such as the "Woolworth's gun" "Plumbers abortion" etc., by implication, do nothing to dispel that image.

It seems, speaking to many over the years who either loved or hated the Sten (or who confuse it with the Sterling!), that many old soldiers are just repeating tales they've "heard" that were probably as much BS when they heard them in the mess in the 1960's as they are now. Unfortunately these tales 'have' to considered perceived wisdom as they come from "time served men" - the little para as a case in point above - I wonder how many people have ever told him he's talking rubbish ?

However, plaudits to all sides on here for trying to educate or ascertain to the truth - an excellent pair of topics forming up here and thanks to Peter for the tale of a skinny 9 year old armed with a Sten ... as a junior school teacher, that's made my day

Take care all

Paul

[Claven2]

One of the problems is that there are less and less of us around who have actually used Stens and we often get shouted down by those whose only knowledge is received wisdom.

So true! Heck, I'm probably the ONLY person I know under 40 who has fired one, and only then because I used to manufacture reproduction Stens. They are actually VERY reliable guns. So simple that there is not much to go wrong with them. They look tinny and cheap, which is where most of the prejudice is likely comming form. The MP40 was also cheaply stamped from metal, I guess a bakelite hand grip makes it more respectable??? The operating mechanism in an MP40 is also VERY similar to that of Sten except without the semi-auto feature.

[Peter Laidler]

Hey, hold on chaps! I'm just saying it as I see and hear it. But believe me, I hear it from those who tell me with monotonous regularity! And guess what, - I tell 'em in no uncertain terms, to their face, in front of the group, using the politest Officer language that I can muster.

In fact I show them, with blank that it WILL NOT fire twice. I throw one onto the floor..... it CANNOT fire twice and it won't even fire ONCE if you have done your drill correctly. I pull them up in their tracks when they berate the new/modified SA80 (No, it wasn't H&K that solved the problems, it was US that identified the problems. H&K put all the answers into one neat modification package) and still they tell me the usual guff that the Bren was too accurate. No it wasn't, it wasn't even as accurate at the most mediocre rifle of the time.

But back to the skinny little 9 year old, Colonel........... I let him fire the Boys and the Barratt too. The Boys didn't take his shoulder off. It gave him a bit of a whack but nothing that an 18 year old soldier couldn't take for his breakfast.

I'll make you an offer............ Come and see us, bring a group and we'll spent a bit of classroom time together - with lunch thrown in too. Can't say fairer than that can I? Well, what are you waiting for.......

[Beerhunter]

They look tinny and cheap, which is where most of the prejudice is likely comming form.

I have EXACTLY the same prejudice against modern Domestic Broadband Routers from people who's Networking background is talking to "The Man the Pub".

They say that because something looks cheap and nasty in their opinion (because it has plastic case), it can't be any good at ADSL/WiFi/Anything.

I guess that thing that gets me so ANNOYED is being told my business/profession/calling by people whose only training and experience is reading Internet Forums. DOUBLE GRRRRR!

[Topfmine]

It would make good reading to produce a book or add a section on the forum about gun myths or other military myths. There seems to be quite at lot of stories floating about.

[browningautorifle]

I have also heard the same story modernized to include the C1 (sterling) SMG.

I had that very discussion with a good friend last night. He told me they used to take out the trigger mech of the sub machine gun C1 and throw it through a window for house clearing...I told him "Yes, I've heard that one"...he's a good friend, just a bit mis aligned. No need to call him down. He was just wrong. Too many reasons to list here.

[Brian Dick]

I've been lucky enough to fire plenty of Mk.2's and own a Mk.5. My Sten Mk.5 and Thompson M1A1 will stay with me for a long, long time as they are the only transferable MG's I own that aren't for sale. They are both outstanding weapons and plenty accurate for their intended purpose.

[Peter Laidler]

Annanuvverfing............... All that sheer horse shi.........., manure that it swings high and right - or left, depending on who you're talking to and what day of the week it is. If it just sits in a wooden frame and jumps around a bit, magazine after magazine after magazine......... hundreds and hundreds of rounds and a little 9 year old boy can hold it, then that's another myth that must be put to bed as soon as they spout it.

Get youirself a decent gun and 10 decent magazines that function well with that gun and it's as good as you need, just providing that you ain't hoping to win any marksmanship prizes

[Bruce_in_Oz]

And, if Stens were such utter c**p, what were the Germans doing, making a clone; the " Geraet Potsdam".

Was it purely for "counter-clandestine" purposes? I doubt it.

They even "refined" it to become the MP-3008

There's a part of one for sale here: Gerät Potsdam Magazine Housing - BRP CORP Store