[ Danish M.1941 Suomi ]
Hi guys, thanks for tuning in to another video on ForgottenWeapons.com.
I'm Ian McCollum, and I am here today at the
Shooters Outpost Museum in Hooksett, New Hampshire,
taking a look at a very cool, very scarce submachine gun.
This is a Suomi, but it is not a Finnish Suomi,
although the name would indicate otherwise.
This is a Danish Model of 1941
licensed production copy of the Suomi.
Now before World War Two, of course the Suomi went into production in 1931.
I should say like the KP/-31,
because "Suomi" actually means Finland, so this thing was called "The Finland".
Anyway, the KP/-31, as adopted by the Finnish military, went into production in 1931,
and it was made by the Tikkakoski factory in Finland.
And they were very much interested in making export sales,
and they marketed the thing fairly widely, especially around the Baltic.
And they got a few purchases, but really not a whole lot.
The biggest single sale was to Estonia for just under 500 guns.
But they also interested some other countries, Germany was interested, Bulgaria was interested.
And eventually by the time World War Two kicks off
the interest in submachine guns, for obvious reasons, picks up.
Unfortunately, by that point Finland is less interested in exporting guns,
because it really kind of needs them for itself.
So ... during the 1940s, during World War Two,
there are a number of export contracts for Suomi submachine guns,
but not that many, and not for very large numbers of guns.
What does happen, however, is that a couple of countries
decide to purchase the licence rights to manufacture the Suomi themselves.
Most notably Switzerland does it as the MP43/44,
... it's a long story, they end up needing it because their own MP41 gun,
designed by Major Furrer, took forever to actually put into production.
I have a separate video on the Swiss MP41/44, if you're interested you can check that out.
But in order to take up the slack, Switzerland ... bought the licence rights to make Suomis, and did.
Sweden got the rights to make the Suomi, in fact they did that rather a bit earlier in 1937.
The Swedish version was originally chambered for 9x20 semi-rimmed or 9mm Browning,
because that's what they were using at the time.
However, very shortly after that they decided to standardise on 9mm Parabellum,
and they revised their Suomi design to be 9mm Parabellum.
And they would manufacture those under licence.
And then the Danes actually also got ... licensed production of the Suomi.
So, these were manufactured starting in 1941,
or they were the Model of 41, it's unclear whether production started in '41 or '42.
It ... is essentially a straight up copy of the Finnish Suomi,
with changes to the sling swivels, the front sight, and the stock. Let me show you.
If we take a look at the left side of the receiver we have a number of markings here.
This crown HV is a Danish government property mark.
This is a manufacture date of 1942, and a designation of Model of 1941.
It's also worth pointing out that on Finnish Suomi submachine guns
they will be marked Suomi, and typically Tikkakoski, on the side of the rear sight.
That is not present here, because of course this wasn't made in Finland.
At the very back of the receiver we have the serial number, this one is 433.
Now this is mechanically identical to a standard Finnish Suomi,
and basically all the parts will interchange.
It will take all of the standard Finnish magazines,
like the 50 round quad stacks,
and the 71 round drums.
However, the reason that I don't have one of those in the gun here is because
Denmark actually made and used a 20 round double-column stick magazine with these.
And unfortunately I don't have one of those to show you.
But that would be the appropriate, correct magazine to go with this.
The rear sight, just like the Finnish guns, is a 500 metre tangent sight.
It is interesting that it is a very long tangent sight that is only graduated up to 500.
I mean, 500 is really ... optimistic as it is for a submachine gun like this.
On the Finnish guns there's just a bare front sight out here.
One of the few differences with the Danish m/41 pattern
is the addition of these front sight protector wings.
It is also worth pointing out that Tikkakoski came up with its own
improved pattern of the Suomi in 1942
that was never actually adopted, but it was a developmental idea.
And several of the concepts on this Danish gun were also incorporated
in Tikka's 1942 pattern, including front sight wings.
One very small addition that you again will not see on the Finnish guns
is actual selector markings on the selector lever there.
So this is in the ... full-auto position, that's semi-auto, and that is the safe position.
The Finnish guns don't have any markings on this lever.
We have a triangular sling swivel on the front end of the gun,
which is rather different than the Finnish pattern.
And the Finns had a sling bar in the back of the stock, where the Danes put on an actual swivel.
Then lastly, and most significantly, the style of the stock changed.
The Danish production gun has a much more aggressive pistol grip design to it,
the Finnish guns came kind of straight back and didn't have this extra bit.
And frankly I think this is a really good idea,
this is another element that you will see added to Tikka's 1942 developmental gun.
Again never adopted, but ... it's something they clearly thought was worthwhile.
This just helps make the thing a little bit more controllable,
gives you a better grip on it when you're shooting.
So that is the Danish m/41 pattern of Suomi submachine gun.
About 1,400 of these guns were manufactured in Denmark.
They were definitely made by the Madsen Company,
or as it should be pronounced in Denmark, "Massen" Company.
... The reference material I have (which is, by the way, Michael Heidler's book on the Suomi)
suggests that they were also manufactured by the Hovea Company,
although I can't find any further details. [See also Palokangas.]
And I can't find any markings on this particular gun that might indicate which company made it.
However, the guns were manufactured for the Danish Army.
The German occupiers of Denmark at the time were willing to allow
the Danish Army to continue to exist and also to arm itself.
But this didn't last forever. So they're making these guns in '42, I think they started in '41.
And the production continued into 1943 at a relatively slow rate,
until basically in the latter half of 1943,
Germany decided that they didn't really trust the Danish armed forces any more,
that they might go ahead and like try helping the Allies invade in Europe.
And so a secret German operation was launched to
surprise disarm the Danish military in the latter half of 1943.
And at that point production of the Model 1941 Suomi here ended.
So, these are very scarce guns, it's really cool to get a chance to take a look at this one.
Hopefully you guys enjoyed the video.
Thanks for watching.