Sterling L2A3

Sterling Armaments Company · Submachine Gun · Discontinued · 1953

Also known as: Patchett Machine Carbine, Sterling Mk 4, L2A3, L34A1, C1 SMG

Overview

The Sterling L2A3 (Sterling Mk 4) is a British submachine gun that served as the standard-issue submachine gun of the British Armed Forces from 1953 to 1994, replacing the legendary Sten gun. Designed by George William Patchett at the Sterling Armaments Company in Dagenham, Essex, the Sterling operates on a simple blowback principle firing from an open bolt in either semi-automatic or full-automatic modes at a cyclic rate of 550 rounds per minute. Chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum, the weapon feeds from a distinctive curved 34-round box magazine that inserts from the left side of the receiver, a design choice that allows the shooter to maintain a lower profile when firing from a prone position. The Sterling features a tubular steel receiver with a perforated barrel sleeve for heat dissipation, a side-folding metal stock that reduces the overall length from 690mm to 483mm, and remarkably simple construction that made it economical to produce. Adopted by over 50 nations throughout the Commonwealth and beyond, the Sterling earned a reputation for exceptional reliability in adverse conditions, particularly in desert and jungle environments. It saw combat in the Falklands War, the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and numerous conflicts across Africa and Asia.

Specifications

Weight (empty)2720 g (95.9 oz)
Weight (loaded)3470 g (122.4 oz)
Overall Length690 mm (27.17")
Folded Length483 mm (19.02")
Barrel Length198 mm (7.80")
Height133 mm (5.24")
Width32 mm (1.26")
Action TypeBlowback
Firing MechanismOpen Bolt
Trigger TypeSelect Fire
Magazine Capacity34 rounds
Magazine TypeDetachable Box
Muzzle Velocity390 m/s (1280 fps)
Muzzle Energy567 J (418 ft·lbf)
Effective Range200 m (219 yd)
Rate of Fire550 rpm
Barrel RiflingRight Hand
Rifling Twist254 mm (10.00")
Number of Grooves6
Frame MaterialSteel
Barrel MaterialSteel
Stock MaterialSteel
FinishBlued

Calibers

Features

Variants

Service history

Operators

Conflicts

Production

Estimated total produced: 400,000 · Production years: 1953-1988

Approximately 400,000 produced in the UK; additional licensed production in Canada, India, and Chile

Origin

Country of origin: United Kingdom

Designer: George William Patchett

Discontinued: 1988

Notes

The Sterling's origins trace back to the Patchett Machine Carbine, developed during World War II as a potential replacement for the Sten gun. George Patchett began work on the design in 1942, and early prototypes were tested in combat during the 1944 Arnhem campaign. The weapon went through extensive trials against competitors including the BSA machine carbine and Australian variants before being officially adopted as the L2A1 in 1953, with the definitive L2A3 (Mk 4) entering service shortly after. The left-side magazine insertion was a deliberate design choice allowing prone firing with the magazine acting as a monopod. The suppressed L34A1 variant (Sterling Mk 5) featured an integral suppressor with a ported barrel that reduced the muzzle velocity to subsonic levels, and was used by Australian and New Zealand SAS units during the Vietnam War. The weapon gained unexpected pop-culture fame when modified props based on the Sterling were used as Stormtrooper blasters (the E-11) in the original Star Wars trilogy. Production ceased in 1988 when Sterling Armaments went bankrupt, and the weapon was replaced in British service by the SA80 rifle family. Licensed production continued in Canada (C1), India (SAF Carbine), and Chile (PAF).

Background

Modified Sterling props were used as the iconic E-11 Stormtrooper blasters in the original Star Wars trilogy, making it one of the most recognizable fictional weapons in cinema. George Patchett began the design in 1942, and early prototypes were combat-tested during the disastrous 1944 Arnhem campaign before the weapon was officially adopted nearly a decade later.