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MP18,I

The German MP18 (Maschinenpistole 18,I) was the first submachine gun used in combat. Designed by Hugo Schmeisser, it entered service in 1918, and about 5,000 were built. It fired the 9 x 19 parabellum cartridge from the 32 round drum magazine (Trommel magazine TM) originally designed for the Long Luger pistol 08. Firing rate was about 450 rounds per minute. The TM was loaded after winding up the band spring with the winding handle, and then using a special loading tool. As the TM was originally designed to fit into a Luger pistol grip, there was a risk that the TM could be pushed too far into the shorter magazine slide of the MP18, so a special collar was fitted over the strait section of the TM.

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