Above: Beretta Model 1918, the first practical submachine gun.
The idea of submachine guns came from the Central Powers wanting to make pistols like the C96 Mauser and Luger P-08 from semi-automatic guns to fully automatic guns. The first submachine gun was developed by the Italians in 1918 called the Beretta Model 18 when they tried to make a semi-automatic rifle. The Germans then developed their fist submachine gun in 1918 called the Maschinenpistole 18/I or better known as the Mp-18 which was developed by Theodor Bergmann. America had also developed a submachine gun in World War 1 but it never made it to Europe as the war ended before it made the trip. Around 60,000 casualties where caused by machine gun and submachine guns.
Each submachine gun had a unique build to it. The Beretta was designed with a clip on the top of the gun. This way gravity would move the bullets into the gun instead of a spring in the clip. The ammunition type was 9mm rounds and had a magazine capacity of 25 rounds. The Mp-18 had a 32 capacity "snail" drum magazine that used a spring unlike the Beretta. It was latter modified to have a straight magazine. It took an ammunition type of 9mm parabellum. Finally, though it never made it to the war, the Thompson or persuader had a different type of magazine than the others, a belt-fed magazine. It had a .45 ACP bullet type and shipments where about to be made but the Armenstance went into effect the day they were to be shipped.
Each submachine gun had a unique build to it. The Beretta was designed with a clip on the top of the gun. This way gravity would move the bullets into the gun instead of a spring in the clip. The ammunition type was 9mm rounds and had a magazine capacity of 25 rounds. The Mp-18 had a 32 capacity "snail" drum magazine that used a spring unlike the Beretta. It was latter modified to have a straight magazine. It took an ammunition type of 9mm parabellum. Finally, though it never made it to the war, the Thompson or persuader had a different type of magazine than the others, a belt-fed magazine. It had a .45 ACP bullet type and shipments where about to be made but the Armenstance went into effect the day they were to be shipped.
WW1 German soldier using an MP-18 submachine gun.
A Thompson Persuader.