The Madsen M-50 or M/50 is a submachine gun introduced in 1950. It was produced by the Danish company Dansk Industri Syndikat of

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

, Denmark. The company was colloquially known as ''Madsen'' after its founder Vilhelm Herman Oluf Madsen.

Overview

This firearm was a modified variation of the M/46. The only major improvement was the simplified retracting handle. Introduction of the M/50 occurred on November 7, 1950, at Mosede, Denmark, until 1953. The M/50 is made of stamped sheet metal. It is an open bolt design which means it fires when the bolt is in the locked back open position with a fixed

firing pin A firing pin or striker is a part of the firing mechanism of a firearm that impacts the primer in the base of a cartridge and causes it to fire. In firearms terminology, a striker is a particular type of firing pin where a compressed spring ...

. The M/46 and M/50 share a unique design: the firearm is stamped from two pieces of sheet metal which are shaped with an integral rear pistol grip and magazine housing. The two pieces fit together like a clam shell with the hinge at the rear of the pistol grip. The firearm is held together with a barrel locking nut which is threaded onto the fore section of the two receiver halves. The pistol grip is hollow, providing storage space for a magazine loading tool. The folding stock is made of tubular steel covered with leather and folds onto the right side of the firearm. The M/50 fires in full-auto only. It also features a safety lever (also known as grip safety), unusually placed in front of the forward magazine housing. To fire the M/50 the operator must grip the magazine housing and hold down the safety lever.

Users

* * * (produced under license as the INA Model 953 in

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) * *Gander, Terry J.; Hogg, Ian V. ''Jane's Infantry Weapons 1995/1996''. Jane's Information Group; 21 edition (May 1995). . * * * * * * * * * * *: the M-50 underwent intensive trials in 1951–1952 against the BSA model 1949 and the Sterling submachine gun. The latter was eventually selected. * In use with

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serving alongside

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units * ;Non State Users *

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References

{{reflist *Nelson, Thomas B. ''The World's Submachine Guns.'' International small arms publishers: Cologne, Germany, 1963.

External links

Madsen M1946 / M1950 / M1953
at Modern Firearms Submachine guns of Denmark 9mm Parabellum submachine guns Products introduced in 1950