Special regards to the CG Factory Museum in Eskilstuna
were most of the pictures were taken and Claes-Goran Ros

Please note the tilted magazine due to the semi rim cartridges

9 mm Browning Long = Swedish designation Pistolptr. m/07

Please note the tilted magazine port on the picture below and above.

Above: Here is a comparison between m/37 and m/37-39.

Above: Pistol m/07 made by FN for the Swedish Army 1910. Calibre 9x20 mm Browning long.

1939 the war came closer and the demand for weapons were urgent in Sweden. The total number of m/37 submachine guns in the Swedish Army in 1939 was as low as 900!

Now Sweden bought 1800 submachine guns from Germany. This was the Bergman model 1935.

This submachine gun was unlike earlier Bergmann submachine guns not designed by Hugo Schmeisser. This is model 1935/1 and it was made with both long and short barrels. The prototypes for this gun were made in Denmark 1932. This invention became Bergmann M34/1 which after some modifications became M1935/1. It was made by the Walther Zella Mehlis plant for Sweden. Later during WW2 the same gun was made by Junker and Ruh. It was used by SS during WW2.

Together with this submachine gun 1500 Walther pistols model HP were bought. These weapons used the German cartridge m/08 equal to 9 mm Luger cartridge! This new cartridge was named m/39 in Sweden.

Above you can see the Swedish Submachine gun m/39 field stripped.

Below you can see one drawing of the same gun. Pictures from the Swedish Army.

Sweden bought both a long and short model from Carl Walther Z-M.

Constructed by Theodor Bergmann
German model MP35
9x19 mm (Luger)

Submachine gun m/37-39  produced by HVA G-F

Above: The mechanism of the Submachine gun m/37-39

a) m/37 fires 9x20 mm Browning while m/37-39 fires the 9x19 mm Luger cartridge.

b) Magazine is straight on m/37-39 and takes 50 cartridges and is inserted at 90 degree into the gun.

c) The 9 mm Luger cartridge is more powerful and an extra notch for 300 m was added to m/37-39. (M/37 has only two for 100 m & 200 m.)

The Submachine gun m/37-39

Above Kp 31 (private collection)

Above: Submachine gun m/37-39F (F for Finland)   (private collection)

Secrete Submachine guns made for Swedish Secrete Service

A small number were produced by “Husqvarna Vapen Fabrik” (HVA Gun Factory) for more secrete purposes.

They were some produced without the name of the manufacturer.

1943 the Swedish government started to give military training to selected refugees from Norway and Denmark. It went faster to establish something called “Police units” from Norway due to the connections with the Norwegian exile government in London. These units were equipped with handguns like Submachine gun m/37-39 and pistols m/40 without any marks. These weapons were named “Neutral” guns at the factory. Later investigations have shown that these guns were ordered by a company called Skandiastal AB (which means Scandia Steel Co.). This company was a dummy company owned and run by the Swedish Secrete Service called “C-bureau” during WW2.

Here is such a Husqvarna Submachine gun m/37-39 from Norway without the name of manufacturer.

Crown Prince Olav returning to Oslo in Norway 13th of May 1945
Resistance fighter Max Manus, as body guard in the front seat, armed with a Husqvarna m/37-39

Above: Submachine gun m/40

January 25, 1940, The Royal Swedish Army ordered 500 Thompson Model of 1928 A Submachine Guns from an authorized agent of the Thompson Automatic Arms Corporation, the AB UNO Lindholm & Co.

Documents show that they had an option for another 3000 guns but it was never used.

Sweden was one of the first countries in Europe to adopt the Thompson.

The 500 kpist m/40 or Model of 1928 Thompson’s are what is referred to in Auto-Ordnance sales literature and  catalogues as the Model of 1928A which isn’t fitted with a compensator. The lack of a compensator is almost unique for the Swedish Thompson. It is a very rare configuration.

Even more odd is that they are actually Thompson 1921 and not 1928! It is clearly visible on the remaining m/40 submachine guns that they are stamped 1921 and later re-stamped to 1928A. The digit 1 has been changed to 8A!

Picture from Armémuseum of re-stamped Thompson 1921 to 1928A

Kpist m/40’s were issued primarily to the 1st Military District with Headquarters in Kristianstad in Southern part of Sweden. Infantry regiments I6 Nothern Skanska, I7 Southern Skanska and I16 Hallands Infantry Regiments were issued the kpist m/40.

The Swedish weapon kpist m/40 has an adjustable rear sight in meters! The front handle follows the barrel.

Each gun was supplied with four 20 shot stick magazines and one 50 shot drum magazine.

Colonel (ret.) Stellan Bojerud reports that kpist m/40 was used on May 21, 1940 when a meeting took place in Storlien in Sweden between German GOC (General Officer Commanding) Norway, Colonel-General Nicolaus von Falkenhorst and Swedish Supreme Commander General Olof Thornell. The meeting was held in von Falkenhorst’s railway car on the Norwegian side of the Storlien Border Station. In an effort to impress the Germans the body guards of General Thornell were all armed with Thompson Submachine Guns.

This cartridge (11 mm patron m/40) was a stranger in the Swedish armed forces and was never produced here.

Kpist m/40 became soon surplus for Swedish military needs. It was eventually issued to second line units. It is known a Landstormen Infantry Regiment (I181) based on the island of Oland, was issued the kpist m/40. After that, nobody knows for sure what happened to these guns. According to Major (ret.) Carl-Olof Bjorsell the Swedish Thompson’s were sold to Israel during 1950:s.

Sir Winston Churchill in the famous 1940 pose with a drum-magazine model of 1928 Thompson.

The British were the first to use the Thompson in combat in World War II. It was favoured by the British Commandos. W.E. Fairbairn and Billy Sykes taught the "Steel hand from the sea" as they were called by Churchill,  how to use the Tommy Gun.  

Sweden was one of the first countries to buy the Thompson M1928 and use it as Kpist m/40.

Below: Russian Ppsh41

Picture below: Stengun Mk2 more pictures here >>>> 

Above: Test model 44 HVA by Husqvarna G-F (No 6 out of 10 produced)

Above: Here we can see the first variations of the Swedish Submachine guns m/45.

On top the first m/45 using the magazine of m/37-39. The m/45 was constructed by Gunnar Johnsson on the CG G-F. Note that there is no support for the magazine.

Bottom - the first trial with the new 36 shot magazine. This is called FM45 JohVI constructed by Gunnar Johnsson on the CG G-F. Note the new type of magzine tied to the stock and the first support for magazine.

The Swedish submachine gun m/45b is very easy to handle. It is very accurate out to 200 m and it is easy to handle during full automatic fire, due to the rather slow rate of fire. If a full 36 shot magazine is fired full auto it is only the third shoot which tends to slip out of a B2 (PPC target) at a distance of 50 m. The rest of the bullets will easily find their way into the target.

As you can see on the picture the recoil of kpist m/45 is insignificant in full auto.

The gun is very easy to control.
A trained soldier can easily shoot 36 shots full auto in a man size target at 25 meters.

Note two empty brass in the air.

Author, many years ago, with Carl Gustaf submachine gun m/1945b under full automatic fire.

Note 3 brass in the air.

This gun is very easy to control during full auto. You have to think about the 3^rd shot only then it is just to spray     

Below:  French MAS in 9 mm Luger. Only two were made. Most likely for testing.

Above you can see the Submachine gun Carl Gustaf m/1945S with the m/37-39 50 shot magazine. The 70 shot drum magazine (see below) for the m/37-39 could also be used. On top of the picture together with mag-loader are a loose sun protections for the front and rear sight.

This is the last basic accepted military submachine gun in Sweden until now.

To strengthen the recoil buffer two details were added:

- an extra hook on top of the receiver

- a support for its lowest point

Here are these two details clearly visible

Around 1970 it was normal, that soldiers called to stand guard at the Kings castle in Stockholm, only changed the shroud for the barrel for the m/45B as you can see on this picture above. This version is called Kpist m/45C
Here CG m/1945C with the long bayonet m/1915 from the navy.

  Some modells with bayonet for export to some countries in Africa were also made, but they are rare. 
Picture Claes Goran Ros

Depress the middle bottom of the receiver cap (buffer). 
Turn the buffer slightly counter clockwise and cap will come off.

See the drawing.

Remove barrel jacket and barrel

To reassemble, carry out in reverse the steps outlined above.

We have already told about different questions and troubles for the different submachine guns of Sweden. The earlier models of guns became obsolete. The only remaining type of ammunition for submachine guns was the cartridge 9 mm m/39 which is equal to 9 mm Luger. It was used for both m/45 and m/45b and the pistol m/40. This was a conventional 9 mm Luger cartridge with soft jacket of copper over a lead core. Bullet weight is 7,5 gram (116 grain). 1947 Sweden started to seal the bullet and primer with paint. Prior to 1947 there was no seal. The m/39 pistol round has a blue seal for the bullet and the primer.

The pistol round m/07 was still under production but only for the pistol m/07. The same system of seal was used.

During the war in Korea, soldiers started to use so called ”bullet proof” west by introducing different types of lighter materials. This type of west became less heavy than the harnesk type from steel which was used during the Great war. When a bullet strikes a ”bullet proof” west the point of impact is deformed and the penetration ability is reduced.

Swedish ammunition factories constructed a 9 mm bullet which was strong and less likely to deform on impact. The lead core was covered by a jacket of steel, thicker in the front. To reduce friction towards the barrel the steel was covered by a alloy of brass. This cartridge is called m/39B and can be recognized by its red seal for the bullet and primer. This bullet has very good penetration capability. US Army has shown interest in this ammunition and which have been sold to US recently even with an increased load. It has been prohibited in US for civilian use. 9 mm m/39B has been called cops killer by US police because its penetration capacity through a bullet proof west.

After several years of trial finally a blank cartridge was constructed. The bullet is made out of red plastic with a cavity inside the bullet. This blank cartridge shall be used with a special barrel, which replaces the ordinary barrel for live ammunition, The barrel intended only for blank firing of blank shots and indoor cartridges has a calibre of 5,3 mm. The plastic bullet is compressed into the barrel which causes the gas pressure to reach a level enough for the bolt to open and eject the spent case and to complete the loading cycle.

For blanks a bullet trap is attached at the front of the barrel. This is to protect the training soldiers during exercises

The indoor bullet is black with a bullet of steel at the tip. This bullet of steel is round and welded into the plastic and weights 0,5 gram (7,8 grain). This round bullet fits to the inside of the blank firing barrel. The bullet trap is of course removed using indoor ammo.

The non - corrosive primer were introduced to the Swedish armed forces 1950.

The Swedish army stopped using the 9 mm m/39b 2003.

Accessories for the m37-39 -  Note on the picture:
Red triggerguard protection for guard service
Sight protection
Brass collector bag

M/37-39 50 shot magazine seen from the side.

This 50-crtgs magazine will also fit Carl Gustaf m/45S

Above: 50 shot stick magazine to the left and 70 shot drum magazine to the right for m/37-39

A special red safety hatch for the ejection port was issued for guard service. This devise was issued for m/45 and m/45B. The hatch blocks the forward movement of the bolt by mistake. The safety hatch should be applied before loading and be applied until the gun was cleared. If the gun should be used a fast pull on the strap connected to the safety hatch would remove it.

The defence forces have stopped using the submachine guns nowadays because of the distribution of the assault rifle Ak5 became complete. 

Nowadays the introduction body armour among soldiers all over the world has made the use of this type of guns with 9 mm ammunition obsolete, even so the ammunition m/39B.

The home guard are still equipped with these guns. It is still in some use by the police forces but mainly as submachine gun m/45D. (You could read about it above in this text.)

The machine gun m45 has become a popular gun for competitions in Sweden and recently in the Baltic states. The gun has high precision.

Very qualified shooters in civilian shooting clubs have been allowed to buy the m/45B for competitions.

Military at K3, Karlsborg

Colonel (retired) Axel Ekfeldt, Vapenmuseet i Eskilstuna

Ammunitionsregister för armén

Soldatinstruktion for Infantry, 1943

Eldhandvapen, Per Arvidsson ISSN 91-87158-04-3

Automatkarbin 4  (Ak 4) M7742-101035 SoldR Mtrl Ak 4, Swedish Defence forces

Ian Hogg & John Weeks, Military small arms of the 20th century,

Töjhusmuseet, Köpenhamn

Smith & Smith / Small arms of the world.
A&W Visual library 1960

Ian Hogg & John Weeks, Military small arms of the 20th century,