Armaguerra OG-43

Societa Anonima Revelli Manifattura Armi Guerra · Submachine Gun · Out Of Production · 1943

Also known as: OG-43, Mitra Oliani Giovanni

Overview

The Armaguerra OG-43 was an Italian 9x19mm Parabellum submachine gun designed by Giovanni Oliani and built in small numbers by Societa Anonima Revelli Manifattura Armi Guerra (Armaguerra) of Cremona in the Italian Social Republic during World War II. Of advanced stamped sheet-metal construction, it fired from an open bolt in both semi-automatic and full-automatic modes; the bulk of its L-shaped bolt and recoil spring were housed in a cylinder above the barrel, and the magazine housing doubled as the pistol grip. It fed from double-stack detachable box magazines of 10, 20, 30 or 40 rounds and used a forward-folding metal stock, with adjustable iron sights set for 100 or 200 meters.

Specifications

Weight (empty)3180 g (112.2 oz)
Overall Length720 mm (28.35")
Folded Length470 mm (18.50")
Action TypeBlowback
Firing MechanismOpen Bolt
Trigger TypeSingle Stage
Magazine Capacity40 rounds
Magazine TypeDetachable Box
Muzzle Velocity480 m/s (1575 fps)
Effective Range150 m (164 yd)
Maximum Range200 m (219 yd)
Rate of Fire500 rpm
Barrel RiflingRight Hand
Frame MaterialSteel
Barrel MaterialSteel
Stock MaterialSteel

Calibers

Features

Variants

Service history

Operators

Conflicts

Production

Production years: 1943-1945

Produced in small numbers in the Republic of Salo; exact figures unknown. The successor OG-44 was approved but never entered series production.

Origin

Country of origin: Italy

Designer: Giovanni Oliani

Discontinued: 1945

Notes

Manufactured only in small numbers. The refined OG-44 variant used a more conventional fixed wooden stock attached to the pistol grip, was slightly heavier, and measured about 787 mm overall; its construction was approved by the Ministry of War but full production never began before the war ended. Muzzle velocity (~480 m/s) and rate of fire (~500 rpm) are approximate figures from period sources.

Background

The OG-43 was one of the earliest submachine guns to route its magazine up through the pistol grip - a compact layout that would later make the Israeli Uzi and Beretta Model 12 famous nearly two decades afterward.