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The Kulsprutepistol m/45 (Kpist m/45), also known as the Carl Gustaf M/45 and the Swedish K SMG, is a 9×19mm Swedish
submachine gun A submachine gun (SMG) is a magazine (firearms), magazine-fed automatic firearm, automatic carbine designed to fire handgun cartridges. The term "submachine gun" was coined by John T. Thompson, the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun, to descri ...
(SMG) designed by Gunnar Johansson, adopted in 1945 (hence the m/45 designation), and manufactured at the
Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori Carl Gustafs stads gevärsfaktori (English: Rifle Factory of Carl Gustaf's Town) was a Swedish firearms manufacturer based in Eskilstuna, Sweden. History Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori ("Rifle Factory of Carl Gustaf's Town") was founded in ...
in
Eskilstuna Eskilstuna () is a Urban areas in Sweden, city and the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden. The city of Eskilstuna had 69,948 inhabitants in 2020, with a total population of 107,806 inhabitants in Eskilstuna municipality ...
, Sweden. The m/45 was the standard submachine gun of the Swedish Army from 1945 to 1965. It was gradually replaced in Swedish service by updated
Automatkarbin 4 The Automatkarbin 4 (Ak 4; ) is a license-built Swedish version of the West German Heckler & Koch G3 battle rifle. It was adopted as the service rifle of the Swedish Armed Forces in 1965, replacing the bolt-action m/96 Mauser, the self-loading ...
battle rifles and
Automatkarbin 5 The Ak 5 (, English: Automatic Carbine 5) is a license-built Swedish version of the Belgian FN FNC assault rifle, with certain modifications, mostly to adapt the weapon to the partially subarctic Swedish climate. The Ak 5 is the current service r ...
assault rifles. The last official user of the m/45, the Swedish Home Guard (Hemvärnet), retired it from service in April 2007. The m/45 SMG was developed in 1944–45, with a design borrowing from and also improving on many design elements of earlier submachine guns. The sheet metal stamping techniques used in making the German
MP 40 The MP 40 () is a submachine gun chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge. Developed in Nazi Germany, it saw extensive service in the Axis powers , Axis forces during World War II. Designed in 1938 by Heinrich Vollmer with inspiration ...
, the British
Sten The STEN (or Sten gun) is a British submachine gun chambered in 9×19mm which was used extensively by British and Commonwealth forces throughout World War II and during the Korean War. The Sten paired a simple design with a low production co ...
, and the Soviet
PPSh-41 The PPSh-41 () is a selective-fire, open-bolt, blowback submachine gun that fires the 7.62×25mm Tokarev round. It was designed by Georgy Shpagin of the Soviet Union to be a cheaper and simplified alternative to the PPD-40. The PPSh-41 saw ...
and
PPS-43 The PPS (Russian: ППС – "Пистолет-пулемёт Судаева" or "Pistolet-pulemyot Sudayeva", in English: "Sudayev's submachine-gun") is a family of Soviet submachine guns chambered in 7.62×25mm Tokarev, developed by Alexei S ...
were studied in detail. Two designs were tested in 1944, one from Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori and one from
Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag or simply ''HVA''; ) was a Swedish firearms manufacturing company established in 1689 in the town of Huskvarna by lake Vättern. History The tradition of weapon forging in Huskvarna can be traced all the way bac ...
and the prototype from Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori was chosen for further development. The first production version was adopted in 1945 as the Kpist m/45. The Danish Hovea M/49 SMG, although similar in appearance, is not a version derived from the m/45. The Hovea was a development of the failed test contender (fm44) from Husqvarna.


Features

The standard m/45 is a fully-automatic-only weapon without any option for semi-automatic fire. It weighs unloaded, and loaded with a 36-round box magazine. It is long with the stock extended, and long with the stock folded. The m/45 is an
open bolt A firearm is said to fire from an open bolt or open breech if, when ready to fire, the bolt and working parts are held to the rear of the receiver, with no round in the chamber. When the trigger is actuated, the bolt travels forward, feeds a car ...
design with a fixed firing pin. The relatively slow cyclic rate of fire (550–600 rds/min) and low recoil of the bolt-mechanism actuation (straight blowback) makes it easy to control during full automatic fire. Single shots are also easy to achieve (with very little training) by letting go of the trigger before another round is cycled. The m/45 is fairly accurate up to 200 meters. Accessories include a special sub-calibre barrel (painted silver) for firing blanks and low-powered gallery ammunition. When firing blanks, a cone shaped blank firing adapter must be attached to the threaded muzzle of the sub-calibre barrel (and secured by a clip) to ensure the mechanism has adequate pressure for its
blowback operation Blowback is a system of operation for Semi-automatic firearm, self-loading firearms that obtains energy from the motion of the cartridge case as it is pushed to the rear by expanding gas created by the ignition of the propellant charge. Several bl ...
. Other accessories include night sights (wartime use only) that attach to the fixed day sights (f: protected post, r: L-type), a brass catcher for collecting spent cartridges (peacetime use only, for reloading and recycling), a quick-detachable (by attached cord) ejection port cover (painted bright red) for guard duty which secures the bolt from accidental firing, and a magazine loader that loads a magazine from a cartridge tray in seconds. The m/45 was also issued with a standard cleaning kit containing a threaded cleaning rod, threaded jag and a container for the jag, lubricant and cleaning patches. The standard sling issued was made of leather, attached to the rear left receiver and left barrel-sleeve sling bars. The 36-round straight detachable staggered row box magazine is wider at the rear than at the front, the extra space allows the tapered 9mm Parabellum cartridges to feed more efficiently. The trapezium design makes the magazine very reliable in dusty environments and sub-zero temperatures, because magazines of parallel-side design are more likely to jam under adverse conditions. The magazine was used post-war by Finland in the m/31 Suomi under the designation m/54, a distinguishing feature of the variation m/55 (made by Lapua) is a steel wire carrying loop mounted at the bottom front edge. The basic design idea of the m/45 magazine was also used for the magazines of the Czech model 23 and model 25 and the French MAS submachine guns. The m/45 has no safety switch. Instead the m/45 is put in "safe" by sliding the cocking handle into a short side-slot above the main (lock) slot. In the example US Army photograph, this short safety side-slot is visible behind the rear L-sight. When the m/45 is unloaded the bolt is locked in place in the bolt-forward position by pushing the cocking handle inwards, engaging a hole in the lower left receiver wall.


Variants

* First production: The SMG models Kpist m/45 and Kpist m/45S (integrated suppressor, never used in Sweden) feature a detachable (via removable clip) magazine support. It accepts the kpist m/37-39 50-round "coffin" magazine and the later standard 36-round box magazine. The m/45 has a dark gun metal finish. * General production: The m/45B model features a fixed magazine support, smaller holes in the barrel shroud, a strengthened bolt buffer (in the receiver-rear), and a hook securing the buffer cap in place. Early m/45B models have the same metal finish as the m/45 but most have a dull green lacquer finish. Over time, most first production m/45s were converted by permanently riveting the magazine support to the receiver. * UN/ONU and ceremonial: The m/45C is an m/45B with a bayonet mount on the barrel sleeve which was used for parade and guard duties. During the
Congo Crisis The Congo Crisis () was a period of Crisis, political upheaval and war, conflict between 1960 and 1965 in the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville), Republic of the Congo (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The crisis began almost ...
in the 1960s, the Swedish UN forces used the C version extensively. The standard m/45 and m/45B have no bayonet mount. * Police: The Swedish Police used the m/45 as a reinforcement weapon, issued to specially trained police officers under exceptional circumstances like terrorist attacks and armed robberies. Unlike the military model it was equipped with a selector switch for full auto or semi-auto fire. The police model designation was m/45BE (E = (single-shot)) and BET (T = (tear gas)). The BET model was later locked to semi-auto with a screw to the selector switch. The police model has an all black finish, in contrast to the slate grey phosphate and enamel green of the military versions. In the mid to late 1970s the BE version was retrofitted with a modified stock (m/75) with a removable upper cheekpiece allowing the operator to wear a visored riot protection helmet ( m/69). The BET model was only used to fire a
tear gas canister Tear gas, also known as a lachrymatory agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial self-defense spray, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce ...
( m/74). To be able to fire the canister, a special blank cartridge (9mm lös ptr m/T) had to be used. A red sticker on the left side of the weapon reminded the operator that only blank ammunition could be used. The BET also had a high front sight and an adjustable rear sight (30, 45 and 60 meters). The m/45 BET was replaced by Heckler & Koch MZP-1 (HP 40) in the early/mid 1990s because it was regarded unfashionable and also because new tear gas canisters became hard to obtain since they contained the hazardous substance: Freon-12.


Manufacture and use

The Swedish Army list price of the Carl Gustaf m/45 in the late 1970s was around 600
Swedish kronor The krona (; plural: ''kronor''; currency sign, sign: kr; ISO 4217, code: SEK) is the currency of Sweden. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use for the krona; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usual ...
. The Carl Gustaf m/45 was replaced as main infantry weapon in the Swedish Armed Forces during the mid-1960s with the
Automatkarbin 4 The Automatkarbin 4 (Ak 4; ) is a license-built Swedish version of the West German Heckler & Koch G3 battle rifle. It was adopted as the service rifle of the Swedish Armed Forces in 1965, replacing the bolt-action m/96 Mauser, the self-loading ...
battle rifle in
7.62×51mm NATO The 7.62×51mm NATO (official NATO nomenclature 7.62 NATO) is a rimless, straight walled, bottlenecked, centerfire rifle cartridge. It is a standard for small arms among NATO countries. First developed in the 1950s, the cartridge had first be ...
, but remained in use for auxiliary troops like artillery gun crews, supply- and engineering troops and the like until starting in 1986 being replaced with the 5.56mm
Ak 5 The Ak 5 (, English: Automatic Carbine 5) is a license-built Swedish version of the Belgian FN FNC assault rifle, with certain modifications, mostly to adapt the weapon to the partially subarctic, subarctic Swedish climate. The Ak 5 is the current ...
assault rifle. On 2 April 2007 the kpist m/45 was officially declared obsolete when it was retired from the
Home Guard Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense. The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting ...
who were the last users in the Swedish Armed Forces. In addition to Sweden, several other countries have used the weapon, with versions of the weapon being produced in Egypt and the United States.


Licensed production in Egypt

The m/45 has been manufactured under license in Egypt as the ''Port Said'' and the ''Akaba''. The tooling needed for production, as well as technical assistance, was sold by Sweden to Egypt during the 1950s. The ''Port Said'' looks and functions exactly as the m/45 (first version while the Akaba is a modified and simplified version). The ''Akaba'' has no barrel jacket and a slightly shorter barrel and the folding butt stock has been replaced by a telescoping wire butt stock similar to the one used on the US M3A1. The simplified sights of the ''Akaba'' were moved to the front (unprotected post) and back (protected peep) of the receiver.


Use by the United States in Southeast Asia

During the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
, the
US Navy SEALs The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the United States Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main funct ...
used the m/45 extensively. One of the gun's qualities which appealed to the US Navy was that the m/45 can fire almost immediately out of the water (over the beach). It also saw use by CIA operatives and advisers. In US service it was largely known as the "Swedish-K" or "K-Rifle". The US Navy was so impressed by the m/45 that when Sweden embargoed the export of weapons to the United States in 1966,
Smith & Wesson Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. (S&W) is an American Firearms manufacturer, firearm manufacturer headquartered in Maryville, Tennessee, United States. Smith & Wesson was founded by Horace Smith (inventor), Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson as the ...
was given the task of producing a copy. This was designated the Smith & Wesson M76. However, by the time the M76 was ready for combat deployment, the US Navy interest had largely evaporated. Many of the m/45s used by US forces and agencies were devoid of markings, implying clandestine use ("sanitized").


Illegal production in South America

In 1975, the
Revolutionary Coordinating Junta The Revolutionary Coordinating Junta or JCR (''Junta Coordinadora Revolucionaria'' or ''Junta de Coordinación Revolucionaria'') was an alliance of leftist South American guerrilla organizations in the mid-1970s. The JCR was composed of the Chilea ...
, a Cuban-backed far-left internationalist organization, established a clandestine military factory in
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
. Although it was easy to produce explosives, there was a severe lack of materials to make firearms. In order to revert this, a Bolivian engineer, nicknamed "Comrade N", aiming to design "a submachine gun with the characteristics of an Uzi, but easier to build and disassemble and using 9mm ammunition" came out with the JCR-1. It was presented by the Argentinian People's Revolutionary Army through its newspaper as a lightweight and concealable weapon. Approximately 5,000 units were manufactured, though only a few hundred could be assembled until the
Argentine Army The Argentine Army () is the Army, land force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of Argentina. Under the Argentine Constitution, the president of Argentina is the commander-in-chief of the Armed For ...
dismantled the factory in late 1975.


Users

* *: ex-Zairan ''Port Said''s *: Manufactured locally under license as the ''Port Said'' and ''Akaba''. *:
Estonian Defence League The Estonian Defence League (, 'Defence League') is a voluntary paramilitary national defence organization of the Republic of Estonia, under management of the Ministry of Defence. Its aim is to guarantee the preservation of the independence and s ...
*: Manufactured locally under license. * : ''Port Said'' variant used by Iraqi insurgents *: The
Irish Army The Irish Army () is the land component of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Defence Forces of Republic of Ireland, Ireland.The Defence Forces are made up of the Permanent Defence Forces – the standing branches – and the Reserve Defence Forces. ...
used the Carl Gustaf until it was replaced by the
Steyr AUG The Steyr AUG () is an Austrian bullpup assault rifle chambered for the 5.56×45mm NATO intermediate cartridge, designed in the 1960s by Steyr-Daimler-Puch, and now manufactured by Steyr Arms GmbH & Co KG. The AUG was adopted by the Austri ...
. *: ''Port Said'' variant * * * * :
Civilian Irregular Defense Group program The Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG, pronounced , ; ) was a military program developed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Vietnam War, which was intended to develop South Vietnamese irregular military units (militia) from ...
and
ARVN The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN; ; ) composed the ground forces of the South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. Its predecessor was the ground forces of the Vietnamese National Army ...
* * : used ''Port Said'' variant


See also

*
Madsen M-50 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, Denmark. Overview This firearm was a modified variation of the M/46. The only major improvement was the s ...
* New Nambu M66 * Smith & Wesson M76


References


External links

* (
Forgotten Weapons Forgotten Weapons is a website and channel appearing on YouTube, Utreon, Full30 and Floatplane, created and presented by Ian McCollum. Forgotten Weapons covers the history of antique, obscure, and historically important firearms. Videos Forgo ...
) {{DEFAULTSORT:Carl Gustaf M 45 9mm Parabellum submachine guns Submachine guns of Sweden Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1945