The Maschinenpistole 40 or MP-40 is an iconic design that speaks volumes to gun-lovers around the world. Be it from history books, video games, or movies several of us have come to love what was one of the first practical submachineguns. Commonly mistakenly referred to as the “Schmeisser” the grease-gun looking 9mm is just one of those guns that most any gun nut has wanted to hold.
Despite a service history of nearly 50 years there haven’t been many options for the average American to get their hands on one. German Sport Guns, or GSG has offered up versions in .22lr in the past, but the quiet and soft .22lr left many of us simply longing more for the real deal in 9mm. Wandering around the showroom floor at SHOT in 2016 I saw a couple variants of the MP-40 on display at the American Tactical Imports booth. Like a fat kid running after the ice cream truck I pounced on it and then eagerly looked for an ATI rep to tell me more.
I was both excited and disappointed to hear that it was merely a teaser and that negotiations had only begun to set a release date for the US market. This week that date finally hit and I bum-rushed my local FFL to pick mine up. Having never handled a real MP-40 I don’t know where the inconsistencies are between this civilian-legal semi-automatic model firing from a closed bolt and the open-bolt original. Quite frankly I don’t care. It’s not the kind of gun one purchases for practicality, not for any specific purpose other than to simply enjoy. Our fist look, fresh from the box is in the video below.
Specifications as always are taken directly from importer’s product page. This is one of the occurrences when we are happy to say importer because these MP-40s are German made!
- Overall Length 24.5″
- · Height 7″
- · Frame Construction – Zamak 5 with Polymer Accents
- · Weapon Weight W /Magazine (Unloaded) 126 oz
- · Caliber 9x19mm
- · Barrel length 10″
- · Detachable 25 round magazine – All Metal
It is a little disappointing that Zamak is used for the receiver instead of stamped steel, but with next to no other options on the market I’ll take it! Another note of excitement is that ATI is currently working on a 922(r) stock for those wanting to turn their MP-40 into a proper short-barreled rifle.
The local range require us to shoot this pistol in the rifle bays which may make testing a bit of a challenge. Regardless I’ve got the included magazine ready for the next possible chance to get out there and enjoy some MP-40!
