Good evening everyone. This time we will talk about the further development and fate of Estonian machine pistols after the decommissioning of Tallinn-Arsenal (Post about It), about which I already made a post. Let’s go!
FURTHER FATE OF ESTONIAN PPs
The money from the sale of Tallinn-Arsenal was used to buy more modern PPs. The Estonian army leadership had already started choosing a new, more modern PP in 1935. In 1935-1936, Estonia purchased and tested almost all PPs available in the world at that time, such as:
1)American “Thompson” (model unknown),
2)Japanese so-called “automatic carbine” ( no information about it),
Vollmer-Erma E. M.P. (“Vollmer-Erma”)
Star (“Star”)
Steyr-Solothurn S1-100 (MP34) (“Steyr-Solothurn”),
Swiss SIG ‘Neuhausen’ (MKMO)
Finnish Suomi (“Suomi”).
Based on these tests, in early 1937, the Finnish “Suomi” with 9x19mm cartridge was recognized as the best.
"Tallinn Arsenal also decided to participate in the test, announcing in 1935 that they were going to improve their Tallinn-Arsenal. This was supported by Captain Ernst Tivel and other heads of the Armament Department of the Ministry of Defense. But only two years later, in 1937, Arsenal announced that two prototypes were completed and ready, one for the old 9x20SR cartridge and the other for the 9x19 Parabellum. The differences from the Tallinn-Arsenal were shorter 30/35 magazines and longer barrels. In May 1937, the head of Arsenal announced the completion of the preliminary design from the new submachine gun. However, the realization of the project was delayed.
Based on the experiments of the previous years, the positions were clear and the FN 1935 was selected as the new military pistol and the Suomi - as the best submachine gun. Already on July 20, 1937, a contract was signed for the purchase of 360 pieces at a price of 3650 Finnish marks, or 296 Estonian kroner per piece, which corresponded to the proceeds from the sale of the old Tallinn-Arsenal . In addition, 125 Suomi were ordered by the Defence League. Since after the contract was signed, Estonia still insisted on a number of changes and additions, their production was delayed, and the Suomi did not arrive in Estonia until September 1938.
However, further development of the new Tallinn-Arsenal submachine gun continued. In August 1937, after some revisions and approvals, the Armament Department ordered the production of a test submachine gun. The new submachine gun was ready by January 1938 at a cost of 1500 kroner. it was tested according to the same program as before with foreign weapons. During the 745 rounds fired, not a single failure was recorded, and in some parameters the Arsenal was even found to be superior to the Suomi.
CONSTRUCTION FEATURES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GUN
The gun itself is an M1938 machine gun
Photo taken from the Estonian National Archives ERA. 489.13.824 L18 ( copied many times on the internet).
CONSTRUCTION FEATURES
The Arsenal submachine gun of 1938, chambered for the 9x19 cartridge, had a semi free-floating bolt with bolt delay and even the ability to change the rate of fire, which is quite unique. The barrel was easy to change, the sight was also side-adjustable, and the cocking handle remained stationary during firing. The rate of fire was 700 rounds per minute with the bolt brake. It is not known what kind of brake was used, whether it was a buffer or a retarder, as in APS, or something else. History, alas, has not preserved it. And 900 rounds per minute without brake. This pistol also had a bolt delay, which kept the bolt in the rear position after the magazine was emptied. It had both single shot and burst modes. The trigger was pre-cocked to ensure accuracy of fire, and in the first case (single shot mode) the trigger was pre-cocked. The gun also had a stabilizer and bayonet mount (but I have not found any pictures of the bayonet).
The picture is to avoid too much text. Estonian artillerymen
CHARACTERISTICS
Caliber: 9×19
Weight without magazine: 4,6 kg
Weight with loaded magazine: 5,22 kg
Total Length: 970 mm
Barrel length 350 mm
Magazine capacity: 25(2BR), 30 (2-3BR), 40(3-4BR)
Rate of fire: 700 rounds per minute with brake and 900 rounds per minute without brake, work this switch in game will be like Johnson machine gun
Initial bullet velocity: 415 m/s
FURTHER DESTINY
Despite successful trials and good reviews, Arsenal did not receive an order. The Finnish Suomi had already been ordered and was due to arrive soon, and in early October 1938 plans for further submachine gun purchases were canceled.
An order for a new Arsenal submachine gun appeared again in the spring of 1940. The Armament Department planned to order 300 Arsenal submachine guns from Arsenal. In response in 1940. “Arsenal” replied that it could produce 300-500 submachine guns of the newest type at a price of 355 crowns per piece with a delivery period of 15 months. Production drawings of the new weapon were also available. The order for the 1938 Arsenal was essentially decided by early summer, but the summer events changed everything. In mid-August 1940 the order was canceled, due to the annexation of Estonia to the USSR. There is information that all prototypes were exported to the USSR (but it is not certain). There are no physical samples of the Pistol-Pulemotor survived to this day, and there is little information about it. I had to dig through the Internet, and even climb foreign sites to find details.
TOTALS
To summarize, we can say that Estonian gunsmiths were able to develop their own machine guns quite well for such a small country as Estonia. Even though there were only 2 of them. At the same time, Estonia started to introduce PPs into the army relatively early, earlier than many leading countries. Estonian Pistols - Machine guns have a short, but still quite interesting history.
And as for the game application… I think that as an event weapon or as an event/premium squad the USSR will do. With a 40 round magazine it would go pretty well for 3-4 BR. Why for USSR? Because:
There is information that all prototypes were exported to the USSR (but it is not certain).
