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Weapon Details: Submachine gun 43/44   (Created: 23.01.2014, Changed: 12.08.2022)

Weapon Details | Pictures (492) | Market monitoring (568) | Ammunition (6) | Attachements (9)
 
 

Weapon Details (Top):

Weapon: Submachine gun 43/44 Manufacturer: Suomi Finnland, Hispano Suiza Genf Calibre: 9mm Para First Issued: 1943 Number of Pieces: 27668 Overall Length: 860 mm Weight (unloaded): 5080 g Barrel Length: 315 mm Rifling Dir.: R Grooves: 6 Rate of fire: 800 rounds per minute Magazine Capacity: 50 Rounds Permission required:

Description:

In November 1942, the Swiss Confederate Military Department (EMD) approved the application of the War Technology Department (KTA) to purchase 5,000 Suomi submachine guns in Finland. Already in December 1942 the first 100 pieces of this tested and proven weapon were delivered to Switzerland. The delivered weapons corresponded to the Finnish model Suomi MP M-31. It is a rarity in Swiss weapons history that a weapon was adopted so quickly for the army without modifications; certainly a consequence of the Second World War, which was at its height. In February 1943, a licence agreement was signed with the Finnish arms manufacturer Tikkakoski, which enabled production in Switzerland. The company Hispano-Suiza in Geneva was commissioned to manufacture further Submachine gun 43/44. The original model produced in Finland (Tikkakoski Armoury) was introduced as MP 43 and had a curved visor with a scale of 100 to 500 meters. 5'200 units are said to have been imported from Finland until 1945. These were to complement the expensive and complicated Sub machine gun 41/44. After that the MP was produced as MP 43/44 under license by Hispano-Suiza in Geneva. In total the numbers 100'001 to 124'470 were produced, production ended in 1951. From 1945 on (from approx. number 100'101 on), the stocks were reinforced with two reinforcing mandrels across the stock. The first MP's (up to ca. number 101'500) had the front bevelled barrel jacket of the MP 31, afterwards a barrel jacket with straight end and bayonet mount was mounted. Some literature mentions the gun number 100'392 for the end of the slanted barrels; this is demonstrably wrong, the author has guns in the range 101'0xx and 102'28x with slanted barrels. The MP 43/44 produced under licence have a folding sight with two settings (100m and 200m). In the regulations (cf. Attachement), submachine guns which do not have a device for attaching a bayonet are referred to as "submachine gun 43"; submachine guns which have a device for attaching a bayonet are referred to as "submachine gun 43/44". This designation is not correct, since the first MPs manufactured by Hispano Suiza did not have a bayonet mounting device either. In the regulations (see Attachement) the differences between the "submachine gun 43" and the "submachine gun 43/44" are described as follows: - MP 43 MP 43/44 Manufacturer - Suomi, Finland Hispano Suiza, Switzerland Frontsight inserts - labeled ../... labeled .-/-/none/+/+. Handguard locking lever - adjustable by screw not adjustable Rear sight - adjustable from 100 - 500m selectable 100 or 200m Threads - imperial metric Trigger group safety screw - Sicherungsschraube im Kopf der Befestigungsschraube Sicherungsschraube gegen das Gewinde der Befestigungsschraube Verschlussmutter - mit Ventil und Zollgewinde ohne Ventil und mit metrischem Gewinde The guns have an unlocked mass bolt, firing is from open bolt; fire selection is by means of a 3-position sliding safety device (secured, single fire, full automatic fire). Switzerland only used the four-row 50-shot bar magazines. The Finnish drum magazines (first 40 rounds, then 71 rounds) and the Finnish bar magazines (20, 36 or 40 rounds) were not introduced; however, the Finnish magazines can be used on Swiss firearms. According to various sources, Swiss police forces are said to have used the Finnish 71-shot drum magazines for their Submachine gun 43/44. A total of 5'200 MP 43 were imported and 22'468 MP 43/44 were produced under licence. For instructional purposes, some cutaway models or instructional models of the Submachine gun 43/44 were made. All genuine cutaway models known to the author have numbering in the form 100xxx/yy and a straight barrel end without bayonet holder. These models come directly from Swiss Army stocks. On the market are other models with higher numbers (without additional slash and three more digits). It is possible that these are so-called collector's editions of cutaway models, which were manufactured later. Known numbers of cutaway models of Submachine gun 43/44: 100105/319 Collection of the author (Picture) 100108/322 Collection of the author (Picture) 100111/325 Collection Ernst Grenacher (9411160) 100114/328 Kessler Auctions (Schnittmodell einer Maschinenpistole, CH...) 100143/357 Collection Ernst Grenacher (9209180), left cut open 102041 Kessler Auctions (Schnittmodell der MP 43/44, Kal. 9 mmP. ...), presumably collector's item, condition too good The Submachine gun 43/44 were in service in the Swiss Army until the end of the 80's and was liquidated by the KMV in the 90's. The prices of KMV were as follows in 1992: The submachine gun (Hispano), including carrying strap and 1 magazine cost CHF 500. The machine pistol (Suomi), incl. carrying strap and 1 magazine cost CHF 600. The machine pistol (Suomi) as cutaway model, incl. strap and 1 magazine cost CHF 400 An additional magazine (50 rounds) cost CHF 1. A leather magazine pouch with 4 * 50 shot magazine cost CHF 10 A replacement stock was available for CHF 5 The spare part bag could be bought for CHF 10 (only underhand) The Submachine gun 43/44 gained sad notoriety when the two criminals Ernst Deubelbeiss and Kurt Schürmann used it for their machinations. On June 24, 1951, the two stole a total of 15 Submachine gun 43/44 (4 Hispano Suiza and 11 Suomi) and almost 10,000 rounds of ammunition (9,685 rounds to be exact) from the Zurich-Höngg armory (Picture). Some of these Submachine gun 43/44 were shortened and modified by Ernst Deubelbeiss, who worked in an armament company in Geneva during WW2, so that they could be hidden under a coat. The barrel and barrel jacket were shortened, and the stock was replaced with a pistol grip (Picture). The magazines were color-coded on one side so that they could be inserted into the weapon in the dark without twisting; this simple and effective measure was later adopted by the Kapo Zurich for its weapons. The weapon was used in the failed post office robbery in Reinach AG; after the shooting, a total of 108 empty cartridge cases were counted.

MP 43 44 Suomi M31 Hispano Suiza

 
 

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Ammunition (Top):

Pistolenpatrone 41 Manipulier
9mm Parabellum (Luger), kommerziell
Pistolenpatrone 41 (9mm Pist Pat 41)
Pistolenpatrone 41 Versuch
Pistolen-Markierpatrone 77
Pistolenpatrone 14 (9mm Pist Pat 14)
 
 

Attachements (Top):

Reglement: Die Maschinenpistolen, Ausgabe 1943 (PDF, 2.5 MB, Source: Scan by swisswaffen.com)
MP 43/44 Hispano Suiza - Stückliste - Mai 1944 (PDF, 1.2 MB, Source: Scan by swisswaffen.com)
Die Maschinenpistole Mp. 43/44 - Anleitung für Waffenmechaniker - 1. Dezember 1965 (PDF, 2.3 MB, Source: Scan by swisswaffen.com)
Reglement: Die Maschinenpistolen, Ausgabe 1955, Nachdruck 1972 (PDF, 5.6 MB, Source: Scan by swisswaffen.com)
Reglement: Die 9mm Maschinenpistole 1943/44, Ausgabe 1987 (PDF, 1.1 MB, Source: Scan by swisswaffen.com)
La mitraillette 9mm 1943/44 (mte 9mm 43/44) - 1987 - 53.104f (PDF, 1.6 MB, Source: Scan by swisswaffen.com)
Kriegsmaterialverwaltung - Antrag auf Maschinenpistole MP 43/44, November 1992 (1) (PDF, 168 KB, Source: Scan by swisswaffen.com)
Kriegsmaterialverwaltung - Antrag auf Maschinenpistole MP 43/44, November 1992 (2) (PDF, 167 KB, Source: Scan by swisswaffen.com)
MP4344-Prospekt Hispano Suiza Maschinen-Pistole 43_44.pdf (PDF, 2.3 MB, Source: Scan by swisswaffen.com)
 
 

Pictures (Top):

Full size (1.3 MB) Submachine gun 43/44

 

Full size (1.8 MB) From Top: Swiss MP 43 produced by Suomi, adjustable curved sight Swiss MP43/44 produced by Hispano-Suiza, flip sight Swiss MP43/44 produced by Hispano-Suiza, flip sight, bayonet mount	Full size (1.3 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.6 MB) From Top: Swiss MP 43 produced by Suomi, adjustable curved sight Swiss MP43/44 produced by Hispano-Suiza, flip sight Swiss MP43/44 produced by Hispano-Suiza, flip sight, bayonet mount	Full size (1.5 MB) Top: MP 43 produced by Suomi, curved sight. Bottom: MP 43/44 produced by Hispano-Suiza, flip sight.	Full size (1.2 MB) Top: diagonal muzzle Bottom: straight muzzle with bayonet mount
Full size (1.1 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.7 MB) Four MP 43/44 in transport box
GER: Submachine gun 43/44 Suomi, schussunfähig
Full size (1.5 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.6 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (2.1 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.6 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.6 MB) Submachine gun 43/44
Full size (2.2 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (4 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (3.9 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (3.1 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (2.6 MB) Submachine gun 43/44
Full size (3.7 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (3.1 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (2.5 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (3.4 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (2.8 MB) Submachine gun 43/44
Full size (2.9 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.9 MB) GER: Lauf zu Submachine gun 43/44, schussfähig	Full size (1.8 MB) GER: Lauf zu Submachine gun 43/44, Patronenlager überkalibrig aufgebohrt	Full size (3.2 MB) GER: Links: Lauf zu Submachine gun 43/44, schussfähig Rechts: Lauf zu Submachine gun 43/44, Patronenlager überkalibrig aufgebohrt	Full size (3.2 MB) GER: Oben: Lauf zu Submachine gun 43/44, Hispano Suiza Unten: Lauf zu Submachine gun 43/44, Suomi
Full size (1.6 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (2.9 MB) GER: Verschluss zu Submachine gun 43/44, Stossboden abgeschliffen	Full size (1.6 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (3.7 MB) Submachine gun 43/44
Submachine gun 43/44
Full size (1.5 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (2.8 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.5 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.6 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (2.2 MB) Submachine gun 43/44
Full size (1.6 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.2 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.5 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (2.9 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.2 MB) Submachine gun 43/44
Full size (2.2 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (2.3 MB) Submachine gun 43/44
Submachine gun 43/44, Hispano Suiza, 1st version with angled barrel jacket, from police stock
Full size (180 KB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.9 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.6 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.9 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1.4 MB) Submachine gun 43/44
Full size (2.1 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (2 MB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (824 KB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (963 KB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (671 KB) Submachine gun 43/44
Full size (886 KB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (636 KB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (1008 KB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (976 KB) Submachine gun 43/44	Full size (2.1 MB) Submachine gun 43/44