Rofsten
Royal Ordnance Factory Fazakerley · Submachine Gun · Prototype · 1944
Also known as: ROF Sten, ROFSTEN
Overview
The Rofsten was a British prototype submachine gun developed in 1944 at the Royal Ordnance Factory Fazakerley in Liverpool. A refined derivative of the Sten, it was a 9x19mm blowback, open-bolt weapon feeding from the standard 32-round Sten magazine, but built from well-finished machined steel rather than crude stampings. Its bolt rode on twin guide rods and was cocked by a retracting ring at the rear end cap, and a three-position selector on the left of the lower receiver offered safe, semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Only a single prototype was made before the project was cancelled.
Specifications
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 32 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Rate of Fire | 900 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| 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: Internal Plunger Bolt Lock, Three Position Selector Safe
- Features: Machined Steel Receiver, Twin Guide Rod Bolt, Retracting Ring Cocking, Three Position Fire Selector, Ergonomic Pistol Grip, Conical Flash Hider, No5 Bayonet Catch, Standard Sten Magazine
Production
Estimated total produced: 1 · Production years: 1944
Single experimental prototype built at ROF Fazakerley; project cancelled due to funding constraints
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Discontinued: 1944
Notes
The name is a contraction of 'ROF' (Royal Ordnance Factory) and 'Sten'. Despite its superior manufacturing quality, the prototype reportedly suffered reliability problems attributed to its very high cyclic rate. Most dimensional specifications (weight, overall length, barrel length) are undocumented for the surviving one-off prototype.
Background
Built at ROF Fazakerley in 1944 as a post-war replacement for the wartime Sten, the Rofsten was everything the Sten was not: precisely machined and ergonomically refined. Ironically, its polished engineering pushed the cyclic rate to around 900 rounds per minute, causing reliability issues, and the single prototype was shelved before it ever reached service.