Machine Pistol
Specifications
- Type
- Automatic Handgun / Submachine Gun
- Origin
- Europe
- Era
- 20th century – present
- Notable Users
- Special forces, security details, vehicle crews
- Epoch
- Modern Age
History
The machine pistol is a compact, fully automatic firearm that bridges the gap between the pistol and the submachine gun. Capable of firing 900–1,200 rounds per minute, weapons like the Glock 18, Beretta 93R, and Stechkin APS sacrifice accuracy for overwhelming close-range firepower. The Mauser C96 with its selector switch was among the earliest, seeing action with Winston Churchill at the Battle of Omdurman (1898). Modern machine pistols serve primarily in personal defense roles where concealment and compactness matter more than precision.
Significance
The machine pistol answers the question 'what if we made a handgun fully automatic?' The answer turns out to be: uncontrollable recoil, a magazine emptied in two seconds, and accuracy measured in hopes and prayers. It creates as many problems as it solves, which is why most armies use them sparingly.
More from the Modern Age
12 weapons
54 Weapons. Five Epochs. One Poster.
The Machine Pistol is one of 13 weapons from the Modern Age featured on the poster.
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