Lanchester SMG
Sterling Armaments Company · Submachine Gun · Out Of Production · 1941
Also known as: Lanchester Mk I, Lanchester Mk I*
Overview
The Lanchester is a British submachine gun adopted in 1941, named after George Herbert Lanchester who led its development at the Sterling Armaments Company. It is a near-direct copy of the German Bergmann MP28/II, hurriedly put into production after the Battle of Britain when the RAF identified a need for a submachine gun to defend its airfields. Built around a milled steel receiver with a brass magazine housing and a wooden stock derived from the Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III rifle, the Lanchester was heavy, expensive, and exceptionally rugged compared to the contemporary Sten.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4340 g (153.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 851 mm (33.50") |
| Barrel Length | 203 mm (7.99") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 50 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 379 m/s (1243 fps) |
| Effective Range | 150 m (164 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 600 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame 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, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Bolt Safety Notch, Manual Safety
- Features: Brass Magazine Housing, Lee Enfield Wooden Stock, Bayonet Lug, Fixed Stock, Select Fire
Variants
- Lanchester Mk I — Tangent Sight
- Lanchester Mk I* — Simplified Flip Sight
Service history
Operators
- Royal Navy · adopted 1941 · as Lanchester Mk I
- Royal Air Force Regiment · adopted 1941
- Royal Canadian Navy
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 100,000 · Production years: 1941-1943
Estimates vary; roughly 75,000-100,000 produced by Sterling Armaments, W. W. Greener and Boss & Co. Sterling accounted for the majority (~75,000).
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: George Herbert Lanchester
Discontinued: 1943
Notes
Produced in Mk I, Mk I* (simplified two-position flip sight) and Mk I** (Mk I* fitted with a bolt safety stop from 1944) versions. Its 50-round box magazine was interchangeable with the German MP28/II. Although requested by the RAF, the Royal Navy became the principal user.
Background
Named for engineer George Herbert Lanchester of the famous Lanchester Motor Company, the gun cost roughly £14 to make against the Sten's £2 - so reliable and over-engineered that the Royal Navy kept it in service into the 1970s, decades after the war it was rushed out to fight.