TZ-45
Giandoso · Submachine Gun · Discontinued · 1944
Also known as: BA-52
Overview
The TZ-45 is an Italian blowback, open-bolt submachine gun developed late in the Second World War. Chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum, it was built largely from stamped sheet-metal parts welded to a tubular receiver, with a retractable wire stock reminiscent of the American M3 'Grease Gun'. Its most distinctive feature was a grip safety on the magazine housing that had to be squeezed before the weapon could fire. Fewer than 6,000 were produced in Italy before the war's end.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3200 g (112.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 851 mm (33.50") |
| Folded Length | 546 mm (21.50") |
| Barrel Length | 230 mm (9.06") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 40 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 366 m/s (1201 fps) |
| Effective Range | 150 m (164 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 600 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic, Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Grip Safety
- Features: Retractable Wire Stock, Sheet Metal Construction, Tubular Receiver, Magazine Housing Grip Safety
Variants
- BA-52 — Licensed Production
Service history
Operators
- Italian Social Republic · adopted 1944
- Nazi Germany · adopted 1944
- Burmese Army · adopted 1952 · as BA-52
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 6,000 · Production years: 1944-1945
Fewer than 6,000 built in Italy by the Giandoso brothers' workshop in Gardone Val Trompia; an additional approximately 5,400 were produced in Burma from 1952-1955 as the BA-52.
Origin
Country of origin: Italy
Designer: Tonon, Aldo Zorzoli
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
The magazine-housing grip safety was an unusual feature intended to prevent accidental discharge if the weapon was dropped. The TZ-45 accepted Beretta Model 38 magazines in 20-, 30-, or 40-round capacities. It was not well regarded and suffered from reliability problems, but the design was later sold to Burma and produced under license as the BA-52.
Background
The 'TZ' designation comes from the initials of its two designers: Tonon, a lieutenant colonel in the National Republican Army, and Aldo Zorzoli, a gunsmith. The design outlived its troubled Italian service when Burma licensed it as the BA-52, keeping examples in front-line and support use into the early 1990s.