Husqvarna m/40
Husqvarna Vapenfabrik · Pistol · Discontinued · 1940
Also known as: Pistol m/40, Swedish Lahti, Husqvarna M40
Overview
The Husqvarna m/40 was a Swedish licensed copy of the Finnish Lahti L-35 pistol, chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum and manufactured by Husqvarna Vapenfabrik from 1940 to 1946. A locked-breech recoil-operated pistol designed by Aimo Lahti, it retained the L-35's bolt accelerator for reliable cycling in cold and dirty conditions but simplified the design by omitting the loaded-chamber indicator. It served as the standard Swedish service pistol for decades.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1220 g (43.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 245 mm (9.65") |
| Barrel Length | 120 mm (4.72") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 350 m/s (1148 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 456 J (336 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Locked Breech, Concealed Hammer, Bolt Accelerator
Service history
Operators
- Swedish Armed Forces · adopted 1940 · as Pistol m/40
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 84,000 · Production years: 1940-1946
Approximately 82,480 military m/40s plus around 850 civilian models
Origin
Country of origin: Sweden
Designer: Aimo Lahti
Discontinued: 1946
Notes
Roughly 84,000 m/40 pistols were produced. Later examples suffered frame cracking when fired with hot submachine-gun ammunition, prompting a recall in the 1980s; Sweden eventually replaced it with the Glock 17.
Background
The Lahti's bolt accelerator - a small lever that gives the breechblock an extra kick on recoil - was designed so the pistol would keep cycling reliably in the deep cold of Nordic winters, where lesser pistols froze up.