A submachine gun (SMG) is a magazine-fed automatic carbine designed to fire handgun cartridges. The term "submachine gun" was coined by John T. Thompson, the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun, [1] to describe its design concept as an automatic firearm with notably less firepower than a machine gun (hence the prefix "sub-").

This is a list of submachine guns. It includes Submachine guns (SMG), Machine pistols (MP), Personal defense weapon systems (PDW), and "compact submachine gun-like weapons" not easily categorized.

submachine gun, lightweight automatic small-arms weapon chambered for relatively low-energy pistol cartridges and fired from the hip or shoulder. Most types utilize simple blowback actions.

A submachine gun is a type of gun that shoots many bullets, usually pistol bullets, when one holds down the trigger. A submachine gun is smaller than a machine gun and can easily be carried by one person.

Submachine guns of the world detailed through pictures and text.

Oct 11, 2023 · Wikipedia defines a submachine gun as: “a magazine-fed, automatic carbine designed to shoot handgun cartridges.” The term submachine gun was coined by John T. Thompson, the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun. In modern parlance, they’re frequently referred to as “subguns.”

Sep 25, 2021 · What’s a Sub-Machine Gun? The definition of a submachine gun is often regional. In the western world, I’d say the most common definition is a compact firearm capable of selective fire that utilizes a pistol or non-rifle round.

Dec 6, 2024 · Thompson submachine gun, submachine gun patented in 1920 by its American designer, John T. Thompson. It weighed almost 10 pounds (4.5 kg) empty and fired .45-calibre ammunition. The magazine was either a circular drum that held 50 or 100 rounds or a box that held 20 or 30 rounds.

Jul 18, 2022 · The submachine gun was largely replaced worldwide militarily by the modern assault rifle. The best known of these were Mikhail Kalashnikov's (1919-2013) AK-47 assault rifle and its derivatives and copies, and the American M16 and its derivatives.

Jun 26, 2023 · Submachine guns offered troops and squads a portable source of firepower. Their small size allowed them to lay down suppressive fire alongside larger, heavier weapons like belt-fed machine guns and automatic rifles. These guns also offered a …