ForgottenWeapons
patreon
Voere SAM-180 - Semiautomatic American 180 SMG Made in Austria? (Ad-free)
🕑 Added 2025-04-16 12:00:16 +0000 UTCThe American 180 is a .22LR machine gun that fires at a high rate (1300 rpm more or less) from a super-high-capacity magazine (177 rounds). Conceptually it was designed by Richard Casull in the 1960s, but he only produced about 70 of his original M290 design. He sold the rights to the design, and in 1972 an Austrian company called Voere bought a license to it.
Voere thought that a fast-firing .22 with a substantial magazine could be paired with a then-cutting-edge laser sight and offered to elite police and military units for counter terrorism work. This was spurred by the 1972 Munich Massacre, in which the German police response to a terrorist attack on the Olympic Games was badly bungled. It led to the formation of GSG-9, and a number of gun designs including the Walther WA-2000 and H&K PSG-1.
Well, in addition to marketing to the police, Voere also made a semiautomatic version for civilian sale, and these were imported into the US. Today we are looking at one of those, the SAM-180.
Comments
Stuart Morrow
That's the hammer-fired equivalent of the Silverman pistol
John Arpin
If I remember correctly, a tactical unit in the Philadelphia Police Department (nicknamed "Rizzo's Raiders") were issued the full auto version (with laser sights) for a while.
Stuart Morrow
I don't see how that firing mechanism would have a wall.
Guido Schriewer
the angy bee(hive in those numbers)! cool blast from the past. I like the looks of the darn thing. semi or full... I wouldn't mind one of those
Rick Notkin
I read about the MG way back. It was suggested that it might be useful in prison riots.
