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{{Short description|WWII German submachine gun}}
{{Redirect|MP40|the locomotive|MPI MPXpress}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Good article}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name               = Maschinenpistole 40
| image              = [[File:MP 40 AYF 2.JPG|300px]]
| caption            = A ''Maschinenpistole 40'' made by Erma Werke in 1943 with the stock unfolded.
| type               = [[Submachine gun]]
<!-- Type selection -->| service            = {{ubli|1939–1945 ([[Nazi Germany]])|1940–present (other countries)}}
| wars               = {{plainlist|
*[[World War II]]
*[[Continuation War]]
*[[Guerrilla war in the Baltic states]]
*[[Greek Civil War]]
*[[Indonesian National Revolution]]
*[[First Indochina War]]
*[[1948 Arab–Israeli War]]
*[[Algerian War]]
*[[Malayan emergency]]
*[[Vietnam War]]
*[[West New Guinea dispute]]
*[[Rhodesian Bush War]]
*[[Lebanese Civil War]]
*[[Guatemalan Civil War]]
*[[Yugoslav Wars]]
*[[Iraq War]] (limited)
*[[Syrian Civil War]] (limited)
*[[Russo-Ukrainian War]] (limited)<ref name="Zoria">{{cite news |last1=Zoria |first1=Yuri |title=WWI and WWII firearm relics still used in Russo-Ukrainian war |url=https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/02/26/wwi-and-wwii-firearm-relics-still-used-in-russo-ukrainian-war/ |access-date=3 September 2025 |work=Euromaidan Press |date=26 February 2024}}</ref>
}}
| designer           = {{ubli|[[Heinrich Vollmer]]|Berthold Geipel}}
| number             = 1,100,000 (estimated)
| spec_label         = 
| length             = {{convert|833|mm|in|abbr=on}} stock extended/{{convert|630|mm|abbr=on|1}} stock folded{{sfn|Myatt|Ridefort|1992|p=107}}
| width              = 
| height             = <!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->
| action             = [[Blowback (arms)|Straight blowback]], [[open bolt]]{{sfn|Fowler|2005|p=98}}
| image_size         = 300
| origin             = [[Nazi Germany]]
| is_ranged          = yes
<!-- Service history -->| used_by            = See ''[[#Users|Users]]''
| design_date        = 1938
| manufacturer       = {{ubl|[[Steyr-Mannlicher]]{{sfn|Medal Net}}|[[Erma Werke]]|[[C. G. Haenel|Haenel]]}}
| unit_cost          = {{ubli|{{Reichsmark|57|link=yes}} (1940)|€{{Inflation|DE|{{#expr:57/1.95583<!--RM replaced by DM at 1:1, then by euro at 1:1.95583-->}}|1940|r=-1}} current equivalent}}
| production_date    = 1940–1945 (MP 40)
| variants           = {{ubl|MP 36|MP 38|MP 40|MP 40/1|MP 41|}}
<!-- General specifications -->| weight             = {{convert|3.97|kg|lb|2|abbr=on}}{{sfn|Hogg|2001|p=16}}{{sfn|Fowler|2005|p=98}}
| part_length        = {{convert|251|mm|abbr=on|1}}{{sfn|Myatt|Ridefort|1992|p=107}}
| cartridge          = [[9×19mm Parabellum]]{{sfn|Myatt|Ridefort|1992|p=107}}
| rate               = 500–550 rounds/min{{sfn|Myatt|Ridefort|1992|p=107}}
| velocity           = {{convert|400|m/s|0|abbr=on}}{{sfn|Myatt|Ridefort|1992|p=107}}
| range              = {{convert|100-200|m|abbr=on}}{{sfn|Fowler|2005|p=98}}
| max_range          = {{convert|250|m|abbr=on}}{{sfn|Fowler|2005|p=98}}
| feed               = 32-round detachable box [[Magazine (firearm)|magazine]], 64-round with dual magazines{{sfn|Fowler|2005|p=98}}
| sights             = Hooded front blade
}}

The '''MP 40''' ({{lang|de|Maschinenpistole 40}}) is a [[submachine gun]] chambered for the [[9×19mm Parabellum]] cartridge. Developed in [[Nazi Germany]], it saw service with the[[Axis powers | Axis]] forces during [[World War II]] and extensive use post-war globally with various fighting forces.

Designed in 1938 by [[Heinrich Vollmer]] with inspiration from its predecessor the MP 38, it was heavily used by [[infantry]]men (particularly by [[platoon]]- and [[squad]]-leaders), and by [[Fallschirmjäger (World War II)|paratroopers]], on the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern]] and [[Western Front (World War II)|Western]] Fronts as well as by the crews of [[armoured fighting vehicle]]s.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/PXt3KWpcW2g Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200710160348/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXt3KWpcW2g Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web |title=MP 40 - Role & Tactics|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXt3KWpcW2g |website=YouTube | date=7 July 2020 }}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MP40 Sub Machine Gun {{!}} ParaData |url=https://www.paradata.org.uk/article/mp40-sub-machine-gun |access-date=2021-03-27 |website=www.paradata.org.uk |archive-date=9 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109151218/https://www.paradata.org.uk/article/mp40-sub-machine-gun |url-status=dead }}</ref> Its advanced and modern features made it a favorite among soldiers and popular in countries from various parts of the world after the war.

The [[Allies of WWII | Allies]] often referred to the MP 40 as the "Schmeisser", after the firearms-designer [[Hugo Schmeisser]] (1884-1953). In 1917 Schmeisser had designed the [[MP 18]], which was the first mass-produced submachine gun. He did not, however, have anything to do with the design or development of the MP 40, although he held a patent on the magazine.{{sfn|Rottman|2012|p=9}}

The MP 40's variants included the MP 40/I and the  MP 41. [[Erma Werke]] produced an estimated 1.1 million MP 40s between 1940 and 1945.{{cn|date=February 2025}}

==Development==
[[File:MP-40 Right Side SPAR1570 JAN. 9. 2008.jpg|alt=|left|thumb|MP-40 on display for the Springfield Armory National Historic Site Archives]]
The ''Maschinenpistole 40'' ("Machine pistol 40") descended from its predecessor the MP 38, which was in turn based on the [[MP 36]], a prototype made of [[Machining|machined]] [[steel]].{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=13}} The MP 36 was developed independently by [[Erma Werke]]'s Berthold Geipel with funding from the [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German Army]]. It took design elements from [[Heinrich Vollmer]]'s VPM 1930 and [[ERMA EMP-35|EMP]]. Vollmer then worked on Berthold Geipel's MP 36 and in 1938 submitted a prototype to answer a request from the ''[[Heereswaffenamt]]'' (Army Weapons Office) for a new submachine gun, which was adopted as MP 38. The MP 38 incorporated the simpler bolt design of Hugo Schmeisser's [[Maschinenkarabiner 36|M.K.36,III]] as well as Schmeisser's magazine, but otherwise more closely followed Geipel's MP 36 design.<ref name="mp40.nl">{{cite web |url=https://www.mp40.nl/index.php?page=mp36-2 |title=The Prototypes |work=mp40.nl |accessdate=2019-04-05 }}</ref> The MP 38 was a simplification of the MP 36, and the MP 40 was a further simplification of the MP 38, with certain cost-saving alterations, most notably in the more extensive use of [[Stamping (metalworking)|stamped]] steel rather than machined parts.{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=13}}

==Design==
[[File:Maneesi univormunäyttely 20 saksalainen vuoristojääkäri MP-40.JPG|left|thumb|MP-40 front sight and muzzle]]

The MP 40 submachine guns are [[open-bolt]], [[blowback (firearms)|blowback]]-operated [[Automatic firearm|automatic]] arms. The only mode of fire is automatic, but the relatively low rate of fire permits single shots with controlled trigger pulls.{{sfn|Peterson|2011|p=314}} The bolt features a telescoping return spring guide which serves as a pneumatic recoil buffer.{{sfn|Peterson|2011|p=314}} The cocking handle was permanently attached to the bolt on early MP 38s, but on late-production MP 38s and MP 40s, the bolt handle was made as a separate part.{{sfn|Bishop|2002|p=259}} It also serves as a safety by pushing the head of the handle into one of two separate notches above the main opening; this action locks the bolt in either the cocked (rear) or uncocked (forward) position.{{sfn|Bishop|2002|p=259}} The absence of this feature on early MP 38s resulted in field expedients such as leather harnesses with a small loop that were used to hold the bolt in the forward position.{{sfn|World Guns}}

The MP 38 receiver was made of machined steel, but this was a time-consuming and expensive process.{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=17}} To save time and materials, and thus increase production, construction of the MP 40 receiver was simplified by using [[Stamping (metalworking)|stamped]] steel and electro-[[spot welding]] as much as possible.{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=17}} The MP 38 also features longitudinal grooving on the receiver and bolt, as well as a circular opening on the magazine housing. These features were eliminated on the MP 40.{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=17}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-198-1394-06A, Russland, Soldat mit MP.jpg|thumb|A soldier of the [[Russian Liberation Army]] with an MP 38 in 1943|alt=]]
One feature found on most MP 38 and MP 40 submachine guns is an aluminum, steel, or Margolit (a variation of [[Bakelite]]) resting bar under the barrel. This was used to steady the weapon when firing over the side of open-top [[armored personnel carrier]]s such as the [[Sd.Kfz. 251]] [[half-track]]. A handguard, also made of Margolit, is located between the magazine housing and the Margolit pistol grip.{{sfn|Hobart|1975|pp=95–98}} The barrel lacked any form of insulation, which often resulted in burns on the supporting hand if it was incorrectly positioned.{{sfn|Hobart|1975|pp=95–98}} The MP 40 also has a forward-folding metal stock, the first for a submachine gun, resulting in a shorter overall weapon when folded.{{sfn|Hogg|Weeks|1977|p=90}} However, this stock design was at times insufficiently durable for hard combat use.{{sfn|Hogg|Weeks|1977|p=90}}

Although the MP 40 was generally reliable, a major weakness was its 32-round magazine.{{sfn|Hogg|Weeks|1977|p=33}} Unlike the double-column, staggered-feed magazine found on the [[Thompson submachine gun|Thompson M1921/1928 variants]], the MP 40 uses a double-column, single-feed version.{{sfn|Hogg|Weeks|1977|p=33}} The single-feed insert resulted in increased friction against the remaining cartridges moving upwards towards the feed lips, occasionally resulting in feed failures; this problem was exacerbated by the presence of dirt or other debris.{{sfn|Hogg|Weeks|1977|p=33}} Another problem was that the magazine was also sometimes misused as a handhold.{{sfn|Dunlap|1966|pp=80–81}} This could cause the weapon to [[Firearm malfunction|malfunction]] when hand pressure on the magazine body caused the magazine lips to move out of the line of feed, since the magazine well did not keep the magazine firmly locked.{{sfn|Dunlap|1966|pp=80–81}} German soldiers were trained to grasp either the handguard on the underside of the weapon or the magazine housing with the supporting hand to avoid feed malfunctions.{{sfn|Dunlap|1966|pp=80–81}}

==Usage==
[[File:MP40.ogv|thumb|left|U.S. Army Signal Corps instructional film from 1943|alt=]]
At the outbreak of World War II, the majority of German soldiers carried either [[Karabiner 98k]] rifles or MP 40s, both of which were regarded as the standard weapons of choice for an infantryman.{{sfn|Neil|2015|p=65}}

However, later confrontations with Soviet troops such as the [[Battle of Stalingrad]], where entire enemy units were armed with [[PPSh-41]] submachine guns, the Germans found themselves out-gunned in short range urban combat which caused a shift in their tactics, and by the end of the war the MP 40 and its derivatives were sometimes issued to entire assault platoons.{{sfn|Priestley|Cavatore|2014|pp=105–108}} Starting in 1943, the German military moved to replace both the Karabiner 98k rifle and MP 40 with the new, revolutionary [[StG 44]].{{sfn|Priestley|Cavatore|2014|pp=105–108}}{{sfn|Neil|2015|p=65}} By the end of World War II in 1945, an estimated 1.1 million MP 40s had been produced of all variants.{{sfn|Willbanks|2004|p=82}}

===Post-war use===
During and after the end of World War II, many MP 40s were captured or surrendered (upwards of 200,000) to the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] and were then redistributed to the paramilitary and irregular forces of some developing countries.{{sfn|Ingram|2001|p=75}} The Norwegian army withdrew the MP 38 from use in 1975 but used the MP 40 for some years more. In particular, the Territorials ([[Home Guard (Norway)|Heimevernet]]) used it until about 1990, when it was replaced by the [[Heckler & Koch MP5]].{{sfn|World Guns}}

During the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]], some surviving guns saw use by both Russian and Ukrainian forces.<ref name="Zoria" />

==Variants==
===MP 40/I===
The MP 40/I (sometimes erroneously called ''MP 40/II'') was a modified version of the standard MP 40 with a dual side-by-side magazine holder (for a theoretical ammunition total of 64 rounds), designed for special operations troops on the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]] to compensate for the Soviet PPSh-41's larger magazine capacity. However, the design proved unsuccessful due to weight and reliability issues. Authentic versions, in addition to the dual mag magazine well, also have a smaller buttpad and shortened ejector.<ref>[https://www.forgottenweapons.com/the-ww2-double-magazine-mp40-i/ The WW2 Double-Magazine MP40/I]</ref>

===MP 41===
[[File:German MP wooden stock.jpg|thumb|An MP 41 with wooden stock|alt=]]
In 1941, Hugo Schmeisser designed the MP 41, which was, in reality, an MP 40 upper receiver with a lower receiver of an [[MP 18|MP 28/II]] submachine gun. It saw limited service, however, and was issued only to [[SS]] and police units in 1944. The MP 41 was also supplied to Germany's [[Axis Powers|Axis ally]] Romania.{{sfn|Axworthy|1991|p=42}}

Later in 1941, rival company Erma Werke sued [[C. G. Haenel|Haenel]], at which Schmeisser was Chief Designer, for patent infringement. Production subsequently ceased on the MP 41.<ref>{{Cite web|title=MP41|url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30029383|access-date=2020-07-05|website=Imperial War Museums|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-10-27|title=MP.41 Schmeisser|url=https://modernfirearms.net/en/submachine-guns/germany-submachine-guns/mp-41-schmeisser-eng/|access-date=2020-07-05|website=Modern Firearms|language=en}}</ref>

== Influence on later weapons ==
The MP 38 and MP 40 also directly influenced the design of later weapons, including the Spanish [[Star Model Z-45|Star Z45]], the Yugoslavian [[M56 submachine gun|Zastava M56]], and the semi-automatic German ''Selbstladebüchse BD 38'' replica.

Details of the MP 40 have also been adopted in other submachine guns, which otherwise differ significantly from a technical point of view:

* The designers of the American [[M3 submachine gun|M3 "Grease Gun"]] examined British [[Sten|Sten guns]] and captured MP 40s for usable construction details.  
* The folding stock became the model for those on later weapons, such as the Soviet [[PPS-43]] and the AKS version of the [[AK-47]].
* The MP 40 magazine can also be used in the Belgian [[Vigneron submachine gun]].

==Users==
<!--READ FIRST: This section is for cited entries only. Please do not add entries into this list without a citation from a reliable source. All entries without a citation will be removed. Thank you.-->
[[File:"Nicole" a French Partisan Who Captured 25 Nazis in the Chartres Area, in Addition to Liquidating Others, Poses with... - NARA - 5957431 - cropped.jpg|thumb|[[Simone Segouin]], a [[French Resistance|French partisan]], posing with an MP 40 in 1944]]

During World War II, the [[Resistance during World War II|resistance]] and the Allies sometimes captured MP 40s to replace or supplement their own weapons.<ref name="Sakaida">{{cite book |page=59 |title=Heroines of the Soviet Union 1941-45 |first=Henry |last=Sakaida |isbn=1841765988 |date=May 20, 2003 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P4XvCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT59 |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]] |editor-last=Hook |editor-first=Christa}}</ref><ref name=Cornish>{{cite book |page=29 |title=Soviet Partisan 1941-45 |first=Nik |last=Cornish |editor-first=Andrei |editor-last=Karachtchouk |date=June 20, 2014 |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]] |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BmKHCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT29 |isbn=9781472801456}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=200,000 Heroes: Italian Partisans and the American OSS in WWII |first=Leon |last=Weckstein |year=2011 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CjmGZwEACAAJ |publisher=Hellgate Press |pages=233 |isbn=9781555716981}}</ref> The MP 40 was used for several decades following World War II by many countries around the world in armed conflicts. Some found their way into guerrilla groups such as the [[Viet Cong]] or African guerrillas.

Its operators have included:

===Current===
* {{flag|Syria}}: Used against Israel<ref name="syria">{{cite book |author=Campbell |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_7MODAAAQBAJ |title=Israeli Soldier vs Syrian Soldier: Golan Heights 1967–73 |publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]] |others=illustrated by Johnny Shumate |year=2016 |isbn=9781472813305 |series=Combat |page=10}}</ref> and used during [[Syrian Civil War]].<ref name="SYR">{{cite web |last1=B |first1=Eric |title=MP40 sub-machine gun in Syria |url=https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/04/06/mp40-sub-machine-gun-syria/ |website=thefirearmblog.com |access-date=12 February 2025 |language=en |date=6 April 2017}}</ref>
* {{flag|Russia}}: Limited use during the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]]<ref name="Zoria" />
* {{flag|Ukraine}}: Limited use during the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]]<ref name="Zoria" />

===Former===

*{{flagcountry|People's Socialist Republic of Albania}}: Kept in reserve as late as 1988{{sfn|Ezell|1988a|page=31}} 
*{{flag|Algeria}}: The [[National Liberation Army (Algeria)|National Liberation Army]] used MP 40s supplied by Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Algerian War, 1954-62|series= Men-at Arms 312|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]|place= London |year=1997|isbn=978-1-85532-658-3|first= Martin |last=Windrow|pages=10&37}}</ref>
* {{flag|Austria}}{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=66}}
* {{flag|Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina|name=Bosnia and Herzegovina}}{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=64}}
* {{flag|Bulgaria}}{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=28}}{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=66}}
* {{flag|Chad}}{{sfn|Ezell|1988a|page=92}}
* {{flag|Chile}}: Cuba supplied some to the [[Salvador Allende]] Government{{sfn|Ezell|1988a|page=97}}
* {{flag|Independent State of Croatia|name=Croatia}}<ref>{{cite book |title=World War II Croatian Legionaries: Croatian Troops Under Axis Command 1941—45 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5dzoDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT17 |first=Vladimir |last=Brnardic |isbn=978-1-4728-1767-9 |page=17 |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]] |date=November 17, 2016 |editor-last=Aralica |editor-first=Višeslav}}</ref>
* {{flag|Czechoslovakia}}{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=66}}
* {{flag|Finland}}:<ref>{{Cite web |title=FINNISH ARMY 1918 - 1945: MACHINEPISTOLS PART 2 |url=https://www.jaegerplatoon.net/MACHINEPISTOLS2.htm |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=www.jaegerplatoon.net}}</ref> Around 160 were delivered together with German vehicles during the [[Continuation War]]; after the war they were used by prison administration before being retired in the 1970s.
* {{flag|France}}:{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=66}} [[French Resistance|French rebels]] used captured guns during World War II. MP 40s were also carried by [[French Army]] in [[French Indochina]]<ref name="Indochina">{{cite book|title=The French Indochina War 1946–54|series=Men-at-Arms 322|first= Martin |last=Windrow|isbn=9781855327894 |date=15 Nov 1998|page=12|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]}}</ref> and [[French Algeria]]<ref name="Algeria">{{cite magazine|language=fr|magazine=Gazette des Armes|issue=220|date=March 1992|title=L'armement français en A.F.N.|pages=12–16|url=http://fr.1001mags.com/parution/gazette-des-armes/numero-220-mars-1992/page-12-13-texte-integral|access-date=8 October 2018|archive-date=8 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008174853/http://fr.1001mags.com/parution/gazette-des-armes/numero-220-mars-1992/page-12-13-texte-integral|url-status=dead}}</ref> especially by paratroopers.
* {{flag|Greece}}{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=66}}<ref name="mcnab2002">{{cite book |last=McNab |first=Chris |title=20th Century Military Uniforms |year=2002 |edition=2nd |publisher=Grange Books |location=Kent |isbn=1-84013-476-3|page=124}}</ref>
* {{flag|Guatemala}}: MP 38/40 supplied in 1954 from Czechoslovakia,<ref>{{cite book|title=Checoslovaquia, Guatemala y México en el Período de la Revolución Guatemalteca: Ibero-Americana Pragensia - Supplementum 32/2013|last=Perutka|first= Lukáš|date= September 2014|publisher=Karolinum Press|isbn=978-80-246-2429-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IoM3BQAAQBAJ&pg=PA110|page=110|language=es}}</ref> still in service with the [[National Civil Police (Guatemala)|police]] at the end of the [[Guatemalan Civil War]].<ref name="Honduras">{{cite magazine|title=Police Small Arms Arsenals in the Northern Central American Triangle|date=4 December 2015|volume=7|issue=5|url=http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=3259|magazine=Small Arms Defense Journal|first=Julio A. |last=Montes}}</ref>
* {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Hungary (1920–46)}}<ref>{{cite book |last=Tibor |first=Rada |title=A Magyar Királyi Honvéd Ludovika Akadémia és a Testvérintézetek Összefoglalt Története (1830-1945) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPu-swEACAAJ |volume=II |year=2001 |chapter=Német gyalogsági fegyverek magyar kézben |trans-chapter=German infantry weapons in Hungarian hands |publisher=Gálos Nyomdász Kft. |location=Budapest |isbn=963-85764-3-X |language=hu |page=1114}}</ref>
* {{flag|Indonesia}}{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=77}}
* {{flag|Israel}}: Used during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and by [[Unit 101]] before replaced by the [[Uzi]].{{sfn|Katz|1988|p=9}}
* {{flag|Iran|1964}}: Used in small numbers by the 55th Airborne Brigade and Iranian Imperial Guards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://silahreport.com/2021/06/21/iranian-submachine-guns-1941-1979/|title=Silah Report Podcast V33: Iranian Submachine Guns (1941-1979)|date=21 June 2021}}</ref>
* {{flagicon image|Flag of Italian Committee of National Liberation.svg}} [[Italian resistance movement|Italian Partisans]]: Used examples captured from German soldiers.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gianluigi |first1=Usai |last2=Riccio |first2=Ralph |title=Italian partisan weapons in WWII |date=January 28, 2017 |publisher=Schiffer Military History |isbn=978-0764352102 |pages=184–185}}</ref>
* {{flag|Jordan}}{{sfn|Ezell|1988a|page=227}}
* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Kosovo Liberation Army.svg}} [[Kosovo Liberation Army]]{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=69}}
* {{flag|Nazi Germany}}:{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=20}} Used by the [[Wehrmacht]], [[Feldgendarmerie]], [[Gestapo]], [[Waffen-SS]], ''[[Volkssturm]]'', and [[Hitler Youth]] at the end of war.
*{{flag|Netherlands}}: Post war, used by [[KNIL]] during the [[Indonesian National Revolution]] and the [[Papuan Volunteer Corps]] during [[West New Guinea dispute]].<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=February 2013 |title=Kiprah Tempur Pasukan Belanda |trans-title=Dutch Troops Combat History |language=ID |magazine=Angkasa Edisi Koleksi No. 82: Kisah Heroik Pertempuran Laut Trikora |location=Jakarta |publisher=[[Kompas Gramedia Group]] |pages= 90}}</ref>
* {{flag|Norway}}{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=68}}
* {{flag|Poland}}:{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=56}} Captured MP 40s were used by [[Home Army|Polish rebels]] during World War II.
* {{flag|Romania}}{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=23}}
* {{flag|Soviet Union}}: Captured MP 40s were used by [[Soviet partisans]] and Worker-Peasant Red Army. After the war, the MP 40 with other weapons, were sold to others countries in the [[Eastern Bloc]].<ref name="Sakaida"/><ref name=Cornish/><ref>{{cite book |page=15 |title=Sub-Machine Gun: The Development of Sub-Machine Guns and their Ammunition from World War 1 to the Present Day |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=562NZwEACAAJ |date=January 15, 2012 |first1=Anthony G. |last1=Williams |first2=Maxim |last2=Popenker |isbn=978-1847972934 |publisher=Crowood Press UK}}</ref>
* {{flag|South Vietnam}}: Used by the [[South Vietnamese Popular Force]].<ref name="Vietnam"/>
* {{flag|Spain}}: Copied as the [[Star Model Z-45]].{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=64}}
* {{flag|United States}}: Captured MP 40s used by United States during World War II and by [[Special Forces (United States Army)|Special Forces]] and their [[Civilian Irregular Defense Group program]] at the beginning of the [[Vietnam War]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Green Beret in Vietnam 1957–73|series=Warrior 28|first=Gordon L.|last= Rottman|date= 25 Jul 2002|isbn=9781855325685|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]|page=41}}</ref>
* {{flag|United Kingdom}}: Captured MP 40s used by the British during World War II.
* {{flag|Vietnam}}: Captured from the [[French Far East Expeditionary Corps]] and used by the [[Viet Minh]], the [[Viet Cong]] and the [[People's Army of Vietnam]].<ref name="Vietnam">{{cite book|title=Personal firepower|first=Edward Clinton|last= Ezell|publisher=Bantam Books|year=1988|series=The Illustrated history of the Vietnam War 15|oclc=1036801376|url=https://archive.org/details/personalfirepowe00ezel|url-access=registration|pages=[https://archive.org/details/personalfirepowe00ezel/page/42 42]–44|isbn=9780553345490}}</ref>
* {{flag|Yugoslavia}}{{sfn|de Quesada|2014|p=66}}
* {{flag|Zaire}}{{sfn|Ezell|1988a|page=450}}
* {{flag|Zimbabwe}}: Used by [[Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army|ZIPRA]] and [[Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army|ZANLA]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Modern African Wars (1): Rhodesia 1965–80|series=Men-at-Arms 183|first1=Peter|last1= Abbott|first2= Philip|last2= Botham |date=15 Jun 1986|isbn=9780850457285 |publisher = Osprey Publishing|page=10}}</ref>

== Civilian ownership in the United States ==
During the [[Allied-occupied Germany|Allied occupation of Germany]] starting in 1945, U.S. servicemen shipped home thousands of captured firearms as [[War trophy|war trophies]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://history.army.mil/books/wwii/Occ-GY/ch18.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071215023011/http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/Occ-GY/ch18.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 December 2007|title=Chapter XVIII: The Occupation Troops|website=history.army.mil|access-date=2018-01-05}}</ref> including MP 40s. This practice required proper registration of automatic weapons in accordance with the [[National Firearms Act]] before they could be imported, but this was curtailed later in the occupation, meaning a relatively small number of civilian-transferable original German MP 40s remain in circulation and are valued at around $20,000-37,500 as of 2021, with some selling for almost $50,000.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lot 1566: German - MP 40|url=https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/71/1566/german-mp-40|access-date=2021-03-19|website=www.rockislandauction.com}}</ref>

After the commercial importation of complete machine guns was banned by the [[Gun Control Act of 1968#Import_restrictions|Gun Control Act of 1968]], MP 40 [[parts kit]]s (the disassembled parts of the gun excluding the receiver tube) were imported and reassembled onto receivers manufactured in the United States by Charles Erb, Wilson Arms, and others.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=3953 |title=MP 40 Road Test |last=Iannamico |first=Frank |date=1 December 2017 |website=Small Arms Review |publisher= |access-date=29 July 2022 |quote=}}</ref> These remanufactured legally transferable machine guns, colloquially called "tube guns", are (depending on quality of construction and condition) generally valued at 50-75% of the price of original German MP 40s, as they do not have their historical background.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://machinegunpriceguide.com/html/subguns.html |title=Submachine Guns |last= |first= |date=April 2022 |website=Machine Gun Price Guide |publisher= |access-date=29 July 2022 |quote=}}</ref> As such, they are commonly used for recreational range shooting and WW2 [[historical reenactment]]s, because the associated wear and tear (within reasonable limits) will not significantly diminish their value, as it would on original collectible examples. Manufacture of new tube guns ceased following the passage of the [[Firearm Owners Protection Act#Ban_on_new_automatic_firearms|Firearm Owners Protection Act]] in 1986.

There are several [[Semi-automatic firearm|semi-automatic]] variants and cosmetic replicas of the MP 40 available for civilian ownership in the U.S. Beginning in 2014, American Tactical Imports began importing an MP 40 replica manufactured by [[German Sport Guns GmbH|German Sporting Guns GmbH]] chambered in [[.22 Long Rifle|.22LR]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.guns.com/2014/01/19/mp40-22lr/|title=ATI's GSG MP40, the quintessential bad-guy gun|last=Grant|first=Jim|date=2014-01-19|work=Guns.com|access-date=2018-01-05|language=en-US|archive-date=6 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106064504/http://www.guns.com/2014/01/19/mp40-22lr/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and since 2016 has also imported a pistol variant chambered in [[9×19mm Parabellum|9mm]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/02/24/breaking-news/|title=BREAKING NEWS: ATF Approve ATI MP40 9mm Pistol (Pistol Version of German WWII MP40 Submachine Gun) - The Firearm Blog|last=Johnson|first=Steve|date=2016-02-24|work=The Firearm Blog|access-date=2018-01-05|language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of World War II infantry weapons]]
*[[List of submachine guns]]
*[[List of World War II firearms of Germany]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

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==External links==
{{Commons category multi|MP40|MP41}}
*[http://www.mp40.nl/ Website dedicated to the MP 38, MP 40 and MP 41]
*[http://world.guns.ru/smg/de/mp3-mp40-e.html Gunworld article on the MP 40] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604034121/http://world.guns.ru/smg/de/mp3-mp40-e.html |date=4 June 2012 }}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5eKWnZx6RE The Schmeisser MP41: A Hybrid Submachine Gun]

<!--[http://sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=1969 MP38(L): The German Experimental Light-Weight Machine Gun] at Small Arms Defense Journal (same text by same author as above, useful in case the above goes dead) -->
{{WWIIGermanInfWeapons}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mp 40}}
[[Category:9mm Parabellum submachine guns]]
[[Category:Erma Werke firearms]]
[[Category:MP 38 derivatives]]
[[Category:Simple blowback firearms]]
[[Category:Submachine guns of Germany]]
[[Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1940]]
[[Category:World War II infantry weapons of Germany]]
[[Category:World War II submachine guns]]