Thread: Best SMG?

The small versions of the Uzi are the best. Anything bigger - and I'll use a compact assault rifle, to a much greater destructive effect.

Is there a difference between a "submachinegun" and a "machine pistol?" Or is the machine pistol just the German word for submachinegun, "machinenpistole" traslated directly into English?

Would Glock 18 or Berreta 93 qualify as submachineguns?

I think I prefer a submachine gun that can be shouldered and fires from a closed bolt. Something like MP5 or P90. I've shot a Tommygun, the 1928 version I believe. It's heavy, not very ergonomic, hard to wield due to the bulk, basically not very impressed by it. Then again I have never been in combat with it nor do I ever plan to. It might have some intangibles that could change my mind should I find myself in a fire fight.

Originally Posted by leibstandarte10

Sorry, but I'd much have a P90 or an MP5 than a Thompson. Thompson is old, ungainly, heavy, inaccurate, and firing a round with little accuracy and a very short range (all compared to P90 and MP5).

I dunno man, the Tommy gun is one tremendously effective OVERALL package.

With the long bbl the .45 acp is pretty accurate, and is a HELL of a lot more powerful than it is from sidearms and their short 5" barrel. Because of the slower ROF of the .45acp weapons- and subsequently lower recoil impulse- the Tommy gun is much easier to control in short full auto bursts than the higher ROF(and lighter) 9mm weapons.

The Tommy gun is an absolutely fantastic SMG, even now. A true masterpiece.

I'd still rather have a rifle though.

Oh there's no doubt that it's one of the greatest SMG's- for its time. It's now outclassed by later designs.

Originally Posted by leibstandarte10

Oh there's no doubt that it's one of the greatest SMG's- for its time. It's now outclassed by later designs.

Really besides the HK series of SMGs, i don't know how true that is. The HKs are the best ever, period.......but barring HK weapons, the Tommy gun is pretty much still about as good as you could get. Especially if you modernized one with light weight alloys and composite stock, etc.

As for Thompsons, you have to keep in mind the many variations. Perhaps the most inaccurate was the M1A1 that was heavily mass produced with very few moving parts. At short to medium range it could give great covering fire but that's about all.

The classic 1928A1 was an extraordinarily controllable weapon even with only its 10-inch barrel. An old (really old) episode of "You Asked For It" (with Art Baker as the host) had FBI agents demonstrating the "art" of the Thompson by drawing pictures or written the initials Y A F I in sheet metal panels.

If I recall my Thompson history correctly, the 1921 model fired too fast, up to 1000 RPM, for controllability and accuracy. The 1928 model had a buffer added to cut the rate down to 550 to 600 RPM. That's when the forward pistol grip started to give way to a straight forearm because you do NOT hold a Thompson down. The rate of 600 RPM or less allows it to return from recoil between shots and all you do is let it bounce in your hand.

An ex-Marine I worked with years ago recalled having to lengthen out the shoulder strap of his SMG so he could hold the gun down with his foot. But that was with a Reising SMG (the M-55 I think) that was much less the weight of a Thompson and the one I fired required me to hold on to the magazine so it wouldn't fall out of the chincy spring lock. A really lousy gun but the semi-auto model (I think it was the M-50) was adopted by the California Highway Patrol for a few years as part of their mobile arsenal.

As for accuracy of a .45 ACP I surprised even myself one day at the old Torrance Police Range several years ago. I got tired of shooting at targets only 25 or 50 yards away with my accurized 1911 and the range master allowed me to go up to the 200 yard range to shoot at the steel gongers.

I held the top of my rear sight even with the bottom of my front site and held the top of the front sight on the 6X6 that was holding the 18-inch diameter steel plate. I hit it only twice out of ten shots but the other eight were right around it. It took a while for the bullet to get there. After firing my gun was almost back down on the bench by the time the bullet kicked up dirt or "gonged".

Remember, that was with a PISTOL. Even at that range I would not want to be on the receiving end.

So I would imagine a Thompson with a 10-inch barrel (or longer as the 1927 and 1927A1 semi-auto carbines) can be very serious at 100 yards, or maybe even more in the hands of a skilled shooter.

Forgive me if I'm off a bit on my model numbers but I'm old, it's late, I don't feel like confirming them through the Internet and I'm BORED TO DEATH WITH THE WINTER OLYMPICS. So I'm here trying to think of something to say because you are really a neat bunch of guys to chat with.