SUBMACHINE GUNS OF THE WORLD Volume 1

SOUTH AFRICA - ALBANIA - ALGERIA - GERMANY - ARGENTINA - AUSTRALIA - AUSTRIA - BELGIUM - BURMA - BRAZIL - BULGARIA - CANADA - CHILE - CHINA - SOUTH KOREA - CROATIA - DENMARK - EGYPT - SPAIN - ESTONIA - UNITED STATES - FINLAND - FRANCE

The first submachine guns were developed during the Great War. After 1918, the weapon was of only moderate interest to the military, who failed to grasp its utility — with the exception of trench "clearing" operations. Several conflicts, such as the Chaco War and the Spanish Civil War, nonetheless allowed its capabilities to be assessed.

Things changed at the start of the Second World War, when the Germans made massive use of submachine guns. As the conflict evolved, differentiated armament became essential. This led to the creation of new, simple models, easy to manufacture in large numbers and at moderate cost.

From 1945 to the end of the 20th century, submachine guns were modernised, though they sometimes disappeared from military inventories in favour of assault rifles. New models were developed with advanced technology, used primarily by law enforcement agencies or special units.

Over more than a century, approximately 700 models of submachine guns have been created, and it is these weapons that we invite you to discover.