Haenel / Schmeisser MP-41 submachine gun, right side.
Haenel / Schmeisser MP-41 submachine gun, left side.
Receiver markings of MP-41, showing characteristic “Patent Schmeisser” inscription.
Characteristics
Specification | Value |
---|---|
Full text name | MP.41 Schmeisser |
Caliber cartridge | 9mm Luger - 9x19 Luger / Parabellum |
Action type | manual |
Trigger type | sa |
Overall length, mm | 660 |
Barrel length, mm | 250 |
Weight empty, kg | 3.87 |
Magazine capacity, rounds | 32 |
Cyclic rate of fire, rounds/min | 500 |
The MP-41 (M.P. 41) submachine gun was developed by Hugo Schmeisser, son of the Louis Schmeisser who developed the first practical machine gun, the MP-18.At the time of development of MP-41, that is, in 1941, the company C.G.Haenel, at which Schmeisser was chief designer, manufactured MP-40 submachine guns for German army. It is possible that Schmeisser decided to develop a submachine gun which was better suited for infantry use than the MP-40. For this reason, he combined the receiver, action and magazine of MP-40 with the wooden stock and selective-fire mechanism of MP-28. Haenel company produced more than few MP-41 submachine guns, which were mostly purchased by SS troops, which had their own supply chains. However, late in 1941 Erma company filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Haenel, and as a result, Haenel company was forced to close the production of MP-41. Only 26 700 guns of MP-41 pattern were made during the war, and most were issued to SS, SD and police troops.
The MP-41 (M.P. 41) submachine gun is blowback operated, selective-fire weapon which fires from open bolt. It uses bolt with telescoped return spring guide, borrowed from MP-40 along with receiver and magazine. The wooden stock and trigger unit with cross-bolt button fire mode selector were taken from MP-28.