Madsen M/53
Dansk Industri Syndikat A/S (DISA / Madsen) · Submachine Gun · Out Of Production · 1953
Also known as: Madsen Model 1953, Madsen SMG, M/53
Overview
The Madsen M/53 is a Danish blowback, open-bolt submachine gun chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum, the final iteration of the Madsen M/46-M/50-M/53 series built by Dansk Industri Syndikat (DISA). Like its predecessors it uses a distinctive hinged clamshell receiver of two pressed-steel halves joined by the barrel nut, a folding wire stock and a grip safety. The M/53 differed chiefly in feeding from a curved magazine rather than the straight box of earlier models, and could mount an optional barrel shroud with a bayonet lug. The baseline gun fires full-automatic only, while the M/53 Mark II added a fire-mode selector. The Madsen SMG was inexpensive and saw export sales across Latin America and Asia.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3200 g (112.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 800 mm (31.50") |
| Folded Length | 530 mm (20.87") |
| Barrel Length | 200 mm (7.87") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Trigger Type | Full Auto Only |
| Magazine Capacity | 32 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 390 m/s (1280 fps) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 550 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel 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, Hinged Clamshell Receiver, Curved Magazine, Optional Bayonet Lug Barrel Shroud
Variants
- Madsen M/53 Mark II — Select Fire
Service history
Operators
- Brazilian Army
- Indonesian Armed Forces
Production
Production years: 1953-1960s
Exported to Asian and South American countries; Brazil produced a licensed Madsen SMG variant (in .45 ACP). Limited overall production.
Origin
Country of origin: Denmark
Notes
Specifications vary slightly across the M/46, M/50 and M/53 patterns; figures here reflect the standard 9mm M/53 (folding stock, 32-round curved magazine). Effective range and muzzle velocity are typical 9mm SMG estimates.
Background
The Madsen SMG family is best known for its two-piece pressed-steel clamshell receiver, which hinges open like a book about the barrel nut for cleaning - a clever, cheap manufacturing trick that gave an otherwise conventional blowback gun an unmistakable silhouette.