Sten SMG: Pinnacle of Simplicity

[usabaker]

I Ran across this looking for something else. A bit of light reading on the Easter Sunday. Happy Easter to all..

Link to article --> https://militaryhistoria.com/sten-sm...-Jwvqqovf6FwqB




https://militaryhistoria.com/sten-sm...-Jwvqqovf6FwqB

[browningautorifle]

I had a couple, my first was a 1942 Long Branch I bought from a Warrant Officer that claimed he "Found" it hanging in a tree in Germany back in the '50s. Possible, there was enough stuff still around over there at the time. It worked perfectly.

[usabaker]

claimed he "Found" it

I find it funny that we Military Folks seem to always "Find" things lying about

[Lee Enfield]

The Sten MkII is not "simplicity", rather it is an example of extremely intelligent design.

If you were to class subguns into generations, one could argue that a STEN MkI is a Gen 1.5 subgun, but a MkII has leapt the MP40 and PPSh into a Gen 2.5.

In reality a MkIII Sten is a MkI* converted to modern production methods, truely analagous to the relationship between an MP38 and an MP40

[Peter Laidler]

If you had a solid tube Mk2 - or better still, a Mk5 Sten and 10 good magazines the worked in YOUR gun, that was all you needed. It was as safe as the other SMG's too. In that fired when you wanted it to and wouldn't fire when you didn't want it to, contrary to some ill informed writings.

But If I had to carry one in action again, it'd be a trusty L2A3 Sterling. The Rolls Royce of SMG's

[eb in oregon]

Just the other week I finished a semi-auto SBR for a friend. The Sten is agriculturally simple and an excellent example of efficiency on a budget. It's magazines sort of stink, but it works.

[Daan Kemp]

Sten magazines were based on the Lanchester SMG because the Lanchester was in production already. The Lanchester in its turn was based on the German MP28, thus magazines also. MP38/40 magazines in turn were based on the MP28 magazines as production existed. In theory [and practice?] the Sten magazines should be able to use MP38/40 magazines. The Sten magazines were used as the basis for the US M3 SMG?
Is my reasoning correct?

[eb in oregon]

Sten magazines were based on the Lanchester SMG because the Lanchester was in production already. The Lanchester in its turn was based on the German MP28, thus magazines also. MP38/40 magazines in turn were based on the MP28 magazines as production existed. In theory [and practice?] the Sten magazines should be able to use MP38/40 magazines. The Sten magazines were used as the basis for the US M3 SMG?
Is my reasoning correct?

"Based on" does not entail interchangeability and I don't believe any of the magazines can be used in another gun. The M3 SMG had it's own magazine not interchangeable with anything I know of. The Sten magazines are almost impossible without a loading tool. Out of two one would take 10 and the other 12 without having bloody fingers. Hardest loading magazine I've ever seen.

[browningautorifle]

Hardest loading magazine I've ever seen.

Agreed, I had to do it sitting in the bush one day after going through six mags quick...loader was elsewhere.

Lanchester and Sten mags would interchange, many times the Sten mag was issued when Lanchester mags were short supply. Sten mags would also fit and operate in Sterling(SMG C1,9mm), I did that one too to see.

[Daan Kemp]

"Based on" does not entail interchangeability

I agree. However, it would be nice is someone with all four SMG could review it in practice. I recollect sometime [IIRC} on this forum the interchangeability was mentioned and how well the different magazines worked in the various SMG, or not.

Pictures of the various magazines look convincingly the same. I know, they only look.