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The MP40 was a revolutionary weapon as it was made almost entirely out of stamped sheet metal parts, with plastic furniture. It was an economical weapon to produce, reliable, compact and capable of producing a high volume of fire. This approach to weapon design highly influenced the British Sten, and the American M3 "Grease Gun". The MP40 was a much-prized war trophy, the British forces in particular preferring MP40s over their Sten guns, the ammunition being interchangeable.
Unlike the impression given by films (particularly ' Where Eagles Dare'), television series and pulp novels, MP40s were typically only issued to platoon and squad leaders, the majority of soldiers carrying Karabiner 98k rifles. The MP40 was often called the Schmeisser, after weapons designer Hugo Schmeisser . Although the name was evocative, Hugo Schmeisser himself did not design the MP40, the weapon instead being produced by engineers at Erma . Schmeisser helped design the MP41, a wooden-stocked version of the MP40 which was issued to police units.
The MP40 had a length of 833 mm, though its retracting stock could allow the weapon to shorten to 630 mm. The odd 'spur' near the end of the barrel was designed to allow the troops to hook the MP40 onto the firing ports of armoured personnel carriers and half-tracks.
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