Sten vs MP40

This is a table-top review and comparison of two of the most recognizable SMGs of WWII: the Sten and the MP40. We will start by laying out the historical foundation of the two and then move through a point-by-point comparison. Which one would you have carried in WWII?

Photo Sources:
Wikipedia
German War Machines
Britanica
USHMM
wikimedia
guns fandom

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[Twirlyhead]

I've always liked the fact that the Sten can be fired in a prone position without requiring you to be a contortionist.

[Jackr]

The sten solved a problem for a financially stressed British govt. The thompsons they purchased from the US pre war were expensive. So the Brits looked into producing a sub machine gun that would get the job done at a low cost to mass manufacture. And here you get the Sten. Which, did its job. It wasn't meant to be pretty, or finely crafted. It fired when you wanted it to, it was easy to maintain, and cheap to produce.

[losonsrenoster]

Fun fact: 12000 STENs were produced in bicycle workshops, using material from hospital beds, by the Polish underground.

[davec]

Its like comparing a BIC razor to an electric shaver. The sten was meant to be cheap and nasty.

[CoffeeFreak]

The German version of the STEN was the MP3008 and the magwell was in the vertical position. It used the MP40 magizine.

[ronschramm]

The original concept of the MP38/MP40 was to arm the squad leader with a higher rate of fire weapon to support the MG 34/42. The 98K armed rifleman and the sole MP38/40 were there to do that and provide the attacking formation. The battle unit concept early in the war centered around the LMG.

[markanderson]

The later versions of the Sten worked pretty well and mostly solved the jamming issues. The Canadian versions were supposed to be pretty good as well. Just don't hold it by the magazine!

[SteffiReitsch]

I wish he had also included the Amerikan M3 "grease gun" submachine gun in the comparison.

[JohnRWMarchant]

The Sten gun answered the requirement for a cheap fairly lightweight weapon for CQB and Commandos, hence the side magazine. The UK was not the only country with side Magazines, Germany also had them in the MP 18, FG 42 and MP 3008 but they fell out of favour. Side magazines allow the user to get closer to the ground and engage almost flat. The Sterling L2A3 Sub machine gun also had side magazines and it was a pretty good weapon for what it was designed for. The UK already had a sub machine gun in the likes of the Lanchester, but like the Thompson machine gun it was expensive to produce and also used some wood in its construction and wood was very much a material in demand in aircraft still. Gravity also plays a part in having a side magazine as well, not just the magazine falling out but how it is fed.

So for what it did and the requirements placed on its manufacture and cost it fitted the bill, even if it was very rudimentary and not the prettiest weapon going it did the job more or less. America also had the same problem and thus came up with the M3 sub machine gun (Grease Gun) which at the time cost $15 to make, the Sten cost $10 to make. The Thompson at the time cost around $45 to make and sold for around $200.

[robertskrzynski]

The cheapest Sten Guns were produced in Northern Ireland for 12 shillings and six pence at the time $3 and 6 cents. Also a toy designer and manufacturer one the Lines Brothers helped to simplify the design before it went into manufacture.

[seanmurphy]

The Sten might be *easier* than the MP40 for maintenance, but the MP40 is still *easy* to disassemble and maintain. It is also much more accurate and comfortable to shoot, so I always find it weird when people say they prefer the Sten.

[ronaldhowdeshell]

Another piece that would be interesting to match up would be the American M3 "Grease Gun." I am a big fn of German arms, and the MP40 is a beautiful piece of equipment. Having said that, I agree with the assessment of the advantages offered by the Sten.

[jeremysmith]

For historical context, the Stop Order which allowed the British to assemble and evacuate at Dunkirk was following the battle of Arras in which British Matilda Mk I and ii tanks engaged the Wehrmacht and although didn't halt the advance, they did delay the advance and make Hitler have concerns over the level of resistance to come. He didn't want his spearhead troops to advance to far ahead of the follow up troops and get cut off so he ordered a Halt. This allowed time for the evacuation. Without this the British might have lost 350, 000 men killed or prisoners, which could have been the end of the war right then. Not a massive battle in terms of numbers but gigantic in terms of historical impact, effectively enabling the British, and commonwealth and free French allies, to continue to fight on, and the rest as they say is history.

[rubennasser]

Having tried both, the MP40 is MUCH nicer to shoot...

[williamashbless]

Can’t remember the source(sure it was YT), but that hook-like object under the muzzle was a stop to prevent the barrel from sliding off the top of a half track and firing directly into the armor and then ricocheting inside the passenger compartment.

Not sure how accurate that version is. Just food for thought.

[seduttoridaincubo]

Otto Skorzeny liked very much the Sten, and asked for something similar to be produced for German army, but was not taken seriously. So he used a british cipher to ask for some boxes of Sten submachines pretending he was a partisan, and british army pleased him launching them by parachute.

[neilfarrow]

Excellent video, thanks. I've spoken to three people who had used the STEN in actual combat. 1st person: It was adequate - barely, but you could soon get something better. 2nd person: It was treacherous - it would go off at the wrong time - even if just left propped up against a wall. 3rd person: it wasn't as good as the American or German guns, but, oh yes, it WAS an effective weapon [said with a murderous glint in his eyes].

[deejayimm]

Gotta love the Germans.
Even when they are building a "cheap" mass-producible gun, it's still over-complicated.
I wonder what it's like to live in a world that cares that much about quality....
I grew up in the US, all our shit comes from China.

[garrisonandrew]

Threaded muzzle for a blank firing adaptor for training.

[WALTERBROADDUS]

MP-40 for me. At least till the Sterling comes.