[ MP28,II at the Range ]
Hi guys, thanks for tuning in to another video on ForgottenWeapons.com.
I'm Ian McCollum, and I am out here at the range today, courtesy of Morphy's, with
a German MP28,II.
This is essentially Hugo Schmeisser's updated and improved version of the Bergmann MP18.
Hugo Schmeisser was working with the Bergmann Company during World War One.
They had a bit of a disagreement at the end of World War One
when Bergmann decided to license ... essentially this to SIG in Switzerland for production
during the period when Germany couldn't manufacture submachine guns
because of the Versailles Treaty.
And Schmeisser and his brother, Hugo and Hans Schmeisser,
went to work for the Haenel Company instead.
And what they did there, among other things, was to develop their own improved version of the MP18.
So where the MP18 used the 32 round Luger "snail" drums,
the MP28 used a brand new box magazine.
Schmeisser had developed this magazine actually for ... a conversion update of the MP18s,
and then he went on to use essentially the same magazine style for his MP28.
Now, those of you who are observant may notice that this is actually a Sten gun magazine.
And that's true because this is ... the magazine that I have available
that runs reliably in this particular gun.
And ... it is indicative of a relevant point,
which is the MP18 magazine, Schmeisser's, which became the MP28 magazine,
... went on to become the German MP38 and MP40 magazine,
which formed the basis for the British Sten gun magazine.
Like, this one magazine design from approximately 1918 to 1920,
goes on to influence a tremendous number of different influential guns.
So I got 30 rounds here, this is in 9mm Parabellum.
And I am curious to see how it handles compared to an MP18.
It's a very front heavy gun, this is kind of a classic first-generation submachine gun.
Beautiful wood stock, finely milled components, all of it's milled.
It's a round tubular receiver, but it's not just stamped sheet tubing,
it is a milled round tube receiver.
So let's give it a try.
Oop. Dud round.
One of the other things that Schmeisser did on the MP28
that was not on the MP18 was to include a selector lever.
So down here on the bottom of the trigger guard, we have full-auto and semi-auto.
I suppose I should actually demonstrate that in semi.
It's not usually impressive, because it's just a really big, semi-auto, pistol-calibre carbine.
The safety on this is the locked open notch here in the receiver.
You can lock the bolt handle into that,
and it very effectively prevents the gun from firing accidentally or intentionally.
So, let's set that back to full-auto
and put the rest of the magazine through it.
I'm going to go back to left handed here because I am left handed,
and it's easier for me to control something like this left handed.
Alright, so shooting and handling.
It is a relatively low rate of fire, it is a relatively smooth-firing gun.
There's a fair bit of a kerchunk on the first round, especially if you're not really anticipating it.
But what I'm finding on this is the first ... couple of rounds bounce a little bit.
And then it's like, "Ah, right, OK, that's how much force I have to put in to control this gun."
And after about 3 rounds I can smooth it out very nicely, and hold it wherever I want.
These things are heavy. The MP18s and the MP28s are both remarkably, surprisingly, heavy guns.
Not quite Thompson heavy, but they're heavy, and it's all balanced forward.
So you can use that to your advantage in controlling it
once you start shooting, but it's something you kind of have to get a little bit of practice at.
So really only one magazine in, and I'm definitely starting to get the hang of this better.
As for a comparison to the MP18: very, very similar.
Comparing this to an MP18 with a Schmeisser magazine, essentially indistinguishable.
There are differences, there are mechanical differences in how the recoil spring is set up.
And they make the MP28 an easier gun to disassemble,
and a more efficient gun to manufacture.
But as far as my experience, it really doesn't change
the shooting or the handling between the two guns.
Oop, and I'm out.
Alright guys, it's been a lot of fun getting to shoot one of these,
it really is very similar to the MP18.
This essentially is an MP18 modified and improved for better manufacturing,
and improving a few of the user features.
Namely, having that selector switch is useful.
The ... large diameter recoil spring makes this gun easier to disassemble, which is not a trivial thing.
The little tiny main spring in an MP18
is legitimately a pain in the butt to try and reinstall.
So I have a full video on the history and the mechanics of the MP28.
I'll link to that one at the end of this, but back when I filmed that video
I didn't have access to take it out and try it.
So thanks to Morphy's for the opportunity to do that.
Hopefully you guys enjoyed a chance to see one of these on the range.
That nice slow rate of fire, classic first generation, beautifully-milled submachine gun.
Thanks for watching.