MP40 submachine gun

weapon

Also known as: Maschinenpistole 40, burp gun

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Last updated

June 17, 2026

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The MP40, also known as the Schmeisser, was a German submachine gun developed during World War II. It was a simplified weapon, partly made from sheet-metal stampings, making it inexpensive and easy to produce in large quantities. The MP40 fired pistol-caliber ammunition at a rate of 450 to 550 rounds per minute, which was considered an optimal rate for controlled fire. It featured a box magazine and a wire shoulder stock that could be folded against the receiver, making it more portable. The MP40 was effective at close quarters, with a typical effective range of about 200 yards. It was widely used by German forces and became known to Allied soldiers as a "burp gun".12

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small arm
The submachine gun
…way with the MP38 and MP40. Known to the Allies as “burp guns,” these weapons operated at 450 to 550 rounds per minute, the optimal rate for controlled fire. Also, they were fed by a box magazine, which did not jam as often as a drum, and had a wire…
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…way with the MP38 and MP40. Known to the Allies as “burp guns,” these weapons operated at 450 to 550 rounds per minute, the optimal rate for controlled fire. Also, they were fed by a box magazine, which did not jam as often as a drum, and had a wire…
Read More