Reising M50
Harrington & Richardson · Submachine Gun · Out Of Production · 1941
Also known as: Reising Model 50, M50 Reising, Reising Gun
Overview
The Reising M50 is an American .45 ACP submachine gun designed by Eugene Reising in 1940 and manufactured by the Harrington & Richardson Arms Company of Worcester, Massachusetts, from late 1941. Conceived as a lighter, cheaper, and handier alternative to the Thompson, it was unusual among submachine guns in firing from a closed bolt with a delayed-blowback action, which gave it good single-shot accuracy. The weapon was hurriedly adopted by the United States Marine Corps in 1941 and first saw combat with Marine Raiders and paratroopers on Guadalcanal in 1942. There, its tight tolerances, complex internals, and poorly made magazines proved disastrous in jungle conditions, with sand, mud, and corrosion causing frequent stoppages. Many Marines discarded their Reisings, and by early 1943 the USMC cancelled further combat issue, relegating the gun to stateside guard duty, training, and police use.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3100 g (109.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 895 mm (35.24") |
| Barrel Length | 280 mm (11.02") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 20 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 280 m/s (919 fps) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 550 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .45 ACP · primary — also known as .45 Auto, 11.43x23mm, .45 ACP, 11.43mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Closed Bolt System
- Features: Closed Bolt Operation, Delayed Blowback Action, Cooling Fins Barrel, Cutts Compensator, Select Fire, Wooden Full Length Stock, Top Cocking Action
Variants
- Reising M55 — Folding Stock Paratrooper
- Reising M60 — Semi Automatic Carbine
- Reising M65 — Training 22lr
Service history
Operators
- United States Marine Corps · adopted 1941 · as M50 Reising
- United States Coast Guard · adopted 1942 · as M50 Reising
- Canadian Army · adopted 1942 · as Reising
- Soviet Red Army (Lend-Lease) · adopted 1942 · as Reising
- United Kingdom · adopted 1942 · as Reising
- American law enforcement agencies
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
- Guadalcanal Campaign (1942-1943)
- Bougainville Campaign (1943-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 100,000 · Production years: 1941-1945
Approximately 100,000 produced across the M50, M55, M60, and M65 models by Harrington & Richardson; figures vary by source. The USMC authorized around 4,200 per division before cancelling combat issue in early 1943.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Eugene Reising
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
The Reising's bolt is cocked by drawing back a finger lever in a slot on the underside of the wooden fore-end rather than a conventional reciprocating charging handle, an arrangement intended to keep dirt out but which complicated handling. The M50 mounted a Cutts compensator and cooling fins on the barrel. Magazine quality was a major weakness: the stamped 12- and 20-round magazines were prone to rust and feed failures, and parts were not always interchangeable between guns. Total production across all models is estimated at roughly 100,000 units.
Background
Eugene Reising's submachine gun was meant to be the anti-Thompson: light, cheap, and accurate from a closed bolt. Instead it became one of WWII's most infamous failures. On Guadalcanal, frustrated Marines reportedly hurled their jamming Reisings into the rivers and streams rather than carry them, replacing them with rifles 'liberated' from newly arrived Army units by moonlight.