ForgottenWeapons
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Sten MkIII: A Children's Toy Company Makes SMGs (Ad-free)
🕑 Added 2024-06-05 12:00:01 +0000 UTCLines Brothers was a company in the UK that made sheet metal childrens' toys prior to the war. When production of the Sten guns began, Lines Bros was a parts subcontractor. Their engineers analyzed the design alongside the machinery the company had available and redesigned a version of the Sten that they could make very quickly and cheaply in-house, by replacing the tube receiver with a rolled and spot-welded piece of sheet steel. Their first order came in January 1942, to a whopping 500,000 guns, which were designated the MkIII.
The Sten MkII and MkIII were produced simultaneously, and Lines Brothers was the only producer of the MkIII. Ultimately they got three contracts, although the second one was cancelled before it was completed and the third was never begun. A total of 876,794 MkIII Stens were made by September 1943. Once submachine gun production caught up with British needs, the MkII was found to be the superior of the two designs and only it remained in production.
Many thanks to the Royal Armouries for allowing me to film and disassemble these submachine guns! The NFC collection there - perhaps the best military small arms collection in Western Europe - is available by appointment to researchers:
https://royalarmouries.org/research/national-firearms-centre/
You can browse the various Armouries collections online here:
https://royalarmouries.org/collection/
Comments
BRG
https://medium.com/war-is-boring/the-world-war-ii-sten-gun-was-cheap-and-dirty-42767cfe2513
BRG
You wicked piece of vicious tin!Call you a gun? Don’t make me grin. You’re just a bloated piece of pipe. You couldn’t hit a hunk of tripe. But when you’re with me in the night, I’ll tell you, pal, you’re just alright! —“Ode to a Sten Gun,” by S.N. Teed
Forgotten Weapons
Nope, I have not done one. I did take it to the range at Morphy's, but the one magazine with he gun didn't run reliably. You might have seen a social media photo from that day, but there was not a range video.
Lance Thundercock
Say, you did a video on the Ingram Model 6 some years ago, but I could have sworn that you did a range video with it also, did that get taken down or something?
GaryG
My first thought, actually, was the myth that M16s were made by Mattel during the Vietnam war. lol.
GaryG
Any idea what the cost per gun for Mk3 vs Mk2? And production time for Mk3 vs Mk3. Awesome content, btw. 🤙
Glenn Miller
Great series on the Stens, thanks!
Mrgunsngear
Very cool series of guns and now videos...
Alvin Plummer
Comments are blocked on the standard video on YT. Good call, Ian!
Guido Schriewer
heck that gets even worser. 1500 subguns in 24hours?! (or did they work 12 hour shifts.. still that would make 1000!). why they didn't went with fullauto only to simplify further... semi to full ok. but that adds parts.
Christian D. Orr
https://www.patreon.com/posts/96241812?utm_campaign=postshare_creator
