Madsen M/45
Dansk Rekyl Riffel Syndikat / Dansk Industri Syndikat · Submachine Gun · Out Of Production · 1945
Also known as: Madsen Model 1945, Madsen M-1945, DISA M/45
Overview
The Madsen M/45 is a Danish 9x19mm submachine gun developed in 1945 by Dansk Industri Syndikat as the first model in the Madsen submachine gun series. It used a simple blowback action firing from an open bolt, fed from a 32-round detachable box magazine, and was fitted with a folding steel stock. The design was refined the following year into the widely exported clamshell-receiver M/46.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3150 g (111.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 795 mm (31.30") |
| Folded Length | 530 mm (20.87") |
| Barrel Length | 200 mm (7.87") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 32 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 380 m/s (1247 fps) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 480 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Steel |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Grip Safety
- Features: Folding Stock, Open Bolt Operation
Variants
- Madsen M/46 - Successor
Service history
Operators
- Royal Danish Army
Production
Production years: 1945-1946
Initial pre-series model of the Madsen submachine gun line; exact production figures not published
Origin
Country of origin: Denmark
Discontinued: 1946
Notes
The M/45 was a short-lived initial model produced in limited numbers; its layout and lessons led directly to the M/46, M/50 and M/53 that followed. Detailed M/45-specific figures are sparse, so several specifications reflect the closely related Madsen SMG family.
Background
The M/45 kicked off a Danish submachine gun family famous for its clamshell construction, where the whole receiver hinged open into two sheet-metal halves for cleaning; that money-saving trick, introduced with the follow-on M/46, made the Madsen one of the cheapest SMGs of its day to build.