The first Husqvarna m/1940

Page 2

Different slides of pistol m/1940

Different series and foreign pistols.

Pistols of Swedish Military Secrete Service.

Wooden shoulder stocks and holsters for m/1940 and Lahti

 Finland used Lahti pistols with wooden shoulder stocks.

The Lahti VKT L-35 was used by Finland. It was quite popular to use.

Here is a Lahti L-35 with wooden shoulder stock produced during the beginning of WW2.

 There were some tests made with Swedish made shoulder stocks but they never used in any numbers. They are very rare

First tried was a very similar to the L-35 wooden stock.

Later on another more Luger style wooden stock was tried - see below.

This is the ultra rare shoulder stock for pistol m/1940 with leather holster. You can clearly see the differences compared to the wooden stock from Finland above.

Even larger picture (128 Kb) HERE>>>

Here are two different standard
Army-holsters for m/40.
Normal cowhide and pigskin.

There are three basic types of standard holsters for m/40.

Ø      The brown cow hide leather army holster normally from cow but pig skin also occurs.

Ø      The black leather Air-force holster

Ø      The white leather holster for parades.

Standard holsters for m/40 with two magazines, cleaning rod and magazine loader.

 The Swedish Defence forces kept the weapons hidden in the deep Swedish forest in 12 ton safes in case of attack from another country.

When an officer collected his pistol m/1940 from such a depot it came together with the holster and a plastic bag, which contained two magazines, one charger, lanyard and a cleaning rod.

There was no oiler in this plastic bag. The oiler came separately.

 Here is such a plastic bag with its contents removed together with a holster for the Air-force. Note the new type of magazines.

 There are two types of holsters for the Air-force, which used black holsters:

Ø      Without pocket for cleaning rod. Here without brass press-button.

Ø      With pocket for cleaning rod. Here with brass press-button.

Both holsters have hooks of metal for Sam Brown belt.

When I made my military service during the 1960-70:s I used both m/07 and m/40 pistols. The m/1940 is although it’s very clumsy much easier to shoot with than m/1907.

I remember that when I fired armour piercing ammunition m/39b, which was used at that time with pistol  m/1940, it easily penetrated the old Swedish helmet from steel at 20 yards, something that the m/1907 or any other handgun like .357 Magnum was unable to do with any other ammunition. Unfortunately the m/1940 would break rather fast with that ammunition.

There occurred many cracks in the slides of the m/1940. To fulfil the demand a number of m/07 was brought out again to service. They remained in service until 1993 when they were replaced by assault rifle Ak5 (FN FNC) and Pistol 88 (Glock 17).

 Pistol 88 is today used with armour piercing ammunition m/39b.

1988 the commander for the navy bought a number of Glock 17 which were accepted as 9 mm Pistol 88. 1991 the commander for the air force bought a smaller number of Glock 19. This pistol was accepted as 9 mm Pistol 88B for the pilots.

1993 when all pistols m/40 became obsolete the commander for the army followed the other armed forces and bought a number of Pistol 88 for use with guards and international services under the command of UN. There are no plans to by it for the ordinary army.

The pistol m/1940 was never very popular among the soldiers. It was too big and too heavy. However it was working well in cold climate and shoots rather good.

The pistol has a nickname in Sweden:
Husqvarna Gun factory used also to produce lots of iron ranges, which at that time were found in many kitchens all over Sweden, so of course this big, heavy pistol became the “Iron Range”.

"The real Iron Range"

Husqvarna Gun factory used also to produce iron ranges. Here is one of those old stoves. Note the text at the bottom of the lid to the right:

 "HUSQVARNA VAPENFABRIK"

However these pistols have been and still are popular with the civil Swedish pistol association (SPSF) which still use them for special competitions in a special division (A1)  were both m/1940 and Lahti L-35, m/1907, m/1939 or Walther P38, Luger 7.65 or 9 mm and Glock 17 & 19 are allowed.

After an accident on the 23rd of January 1991 the Commander of the Swedish Army prohibited all shooting with these guns and all these (about 50 000) pistols from the armed forces were sent for destruction.

One of the gun collectors’ associations in Sweden SVEVAP had arranged that the best examples should be sold to collectors. The author got a gun permit from the local police on a pistol m/40 with original wooden shoulder stock (test sample) but even so the army refused to sell any pistol. Even an officer who was equipped with the pistol m/40 and applied and got gun permit for his own pistol was refused to keep it.
All pistols m/40 used by officers in the army were recalled for destruction and they were not replaced.

All these collectors’ items together with a part of the Swedish history were sadly sent for destruction.

1993 pistol m/1940 was officially declared obsolete.

The first Husqvarna m/1940

Page 2

Different slides of pistol m/1940

Different series and foreign pistols.

Pistols of Swedish Military Secrete Service.

Wooden shoulder stocks and holsters for m/1940 and Lahti.

References:

Jimmy Johansson
Bengt Johansson
Axel Ekfeldt
Thomas Broborn
Arne Tell, Magazine Vapen
Lars Junberger, Magazine NP
Different Swedish army manuals 1933-1977
Smith & Smith / Small arms of the world.  A&W Visual library 1960