MP-41 Prototype Finished, German WWII Submachinegun
 

I would like to post a few pics of my Heritage Armoury MP-41.

Canadian made (albeit based on an AGM MP-40), solid Walnut stock, and boy is it gorgeous. This is the "production" stock now pictured.

Why the MP-41? Well - it's sexier. There were nearly 30,000 MP-41s produced by Schmiesser during World War II. It was designed to replace the MP-40 and make the basic MP-40 system more at home for general infantry use in the Wehrmacht.

The complaints about the real MP-40 were that improperly gripping the gun around the magazine caused misfeeds (there's a soldier improperly gripping it in the historic Stalingrad picture on the AGM box!), and the folding stock was often not strong enough to withstand hard combat. The MP-41 was not adopted by the Wehrmacht but the relatively large amount of the submachinegun that were produced went to the Waffen SS for frontline use.

I find the same problems that inhibited the real MP-40 also carry over to the AGM MP-40. The folding stock sucks. The pins fall out and it falls to pieces, and it has a HUGE amount of play when you shoulder it. I'm not sure if misfeeds will also occur with long stints of holding it by its magazine but it seems plausible considering the relatively weak parts.

The other thing I hate about the AGM MP-40 is the stupid selector switch. The REAL MP-40 was full auto only, and the AGM's selector plate is cheap plastic which often breaks.

The MP-41 here disposes of all of the selector components and simplifies the action to full auto only. This, of course, is a bit ironic because the MP-41, unlike the MP-40, was select fire! However, I'm glad to be rid of the selector assembly.

The MP-41 is sturdy and hefty. Solid walnut with a steel buttplate and grip grooves that promote proper holding of the rifle. There is a bit of weight reduction in the barrel area and the lower receiver frame but the stock makes up for it!

My impression is Latvian SS, however the MP-41 could be useful for anyone doing SS, Volkssturm, or Partisan impressions.

If you are interested in one, send me a PM and I can forward details about it.

PS: I am working on getting metal thread protectors for the muzzle.

Updated pics (production):

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...-41/MP-414.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...-41/MP-411.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...-41/MP-413.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...-41/MP-410.jpg

Very nice! Good job.

Good lord, awesome sauce right before me eyes!

I need to get into this WW2 stuff.
Lee I'm still a commin!
Funds pending =/

I've debated and talked with Lee getting into this WW2 stuff, and my one day dream was to make an MP-41.
You sir have won my heart =/.. bastard.
Awesome you're in London too, woo!

Care to give a rough time count on how long it took? :)

Well I found some raw ten quarter thick walnut and had it dressed down to 2" thick.

This was very hard to cut into a stock shape and required about 1/2 hour with a router and template to get perfect.

Then it was inletted with a router.

Then rounded with a rotary tool and sanded.

The metal frame of the MP40 requires extensive cutting and grinding and the barrel lug needs to be ground down too.

All said I probably spent 4 full days in the shop for the prototype. The next ones will not take as long.

I have enough wood for one more stock which I plan on keeping as a demo. If anyone wants one made for them they can send their MP-40 for conversion to me.

It might be easier this way instead of trying to do it yourself!

DANG dude nice job!

I thought about this at work...

If you removed the select fire for the MP-41, how do you de-compress your spring when done?

I'd really consider getting this done, but am curious :P

On the note of making ww2 airsoft guns, I think we need a Lee Enfield made. I know I will be signing up on the order list for that!

I built one. Search for it :). It has since been passed on to another member who is finishing it.

Impressive!

I know they also designed a MP40 Mk2, there is a copy at the French War Museum in Paris:

MP 40/II — experiment with two side by side 32-round magazines. The MP 40/II was tested in 1942. This version of the MP 40 has a two-magazine receiver that slides horizontally to use the additional magazine when the first becomes depleted. This design was intended to counter the superior firepower of the Russian PPSh-41, but made the weapon heavy and unbalanced in the field, and did not work well.

There has historically been debates on this type of thing in my field of work (gunsmithing) but the numerous studies on springs in the firearms field (mainly magazine springs) clearly conclude that leaving a spring compressed DOES NOT weaken it in any way. However, I do decompress mine by lightly pulling the trigger until it pops. But I am a hypocrite.

cool!!!!!but i like MP18 more!~lol~

Updated the pics.

Updated!

PM'ed ^^