Collecting

Pistola-metralhadora 9mm m/942 Steyer, 1942 (617)

Product Description

In 1929, Rheinmetall purchased Waffenfabrik Solothurn, a small factory in Switzerland, with the scope of continuing its development of an smg designed by Louis Stange in 1919. The result was the ‘S1-100’, which was a finely made, reliable and accurate SMG. However, WF Solothurn did not have the industrial capacity to manufacture in quantity. Hence, Rheinmetall established a relationship with Waffenfabrik Steyr in Austria, and set up a new firm in Zurich, Steyr-Solothurn Waffen AG, which would market the guns designed by its Solothurn subsidiary but manufactured by Steyr in Austria. The S1-100 was adopted by the Austrian Police in 1930 and designated ‘MP 30. The Austrian Army adopted an improved version in 1934 under the designation MP 34. The S1-100 was also exported in small quantities.

Portugal frequently sourced its weaponry from Austria and Germany. It first purchased the S1-100 in 7.65mm Para, designated the ‘Pistola-metralhadora 7.65mm m/938 Steyer’. Later, in 1942 when Austria was part of the German Reich, Portugal purchased more S1-100 SMGs. However, this time it would take them chambered for the 9mm Para cartridge. Portugal designated its new SMG ‘Pistola-metralhadora 9mm m/942 Steyer’. This was the most refined version of the S1-100 and it has rightfully earned the title of the ‘Rolls-Royce of SMGs’. The build and finish are impeccable.

The Portuguese guns bore the country’s coat of arms and the date ‘1942’ on the chamber. The crest was repeated on the left side of the wooden stock. The guns were inspected by the Heeres Waffenamt. Over the course of the last three decades, we have had the opportunity to examine many of the Portuguese surplus weapons acquired by major UK dealers. These included the m/938 and m/942 sub-machine guns. We have observed two variations in the placement of the markings. However, the Waffen Amt number is always ‘189’. This was the mark used by the Army inspectors at Steyr’s Warsaw plant. Hence, unlike the pre-war versions of the S1-100, the MP 34 supplied to Portugal in 1942 was manufactured in Poland. The highest serial number we have observed is below 3,000 and it may well be that that was the amount delivered to Portugal.

This SMG is one of the first MP 34 ‘Pistola-metralhadora 9mm m/942 Steyer’ delivered to Portugal. It has a 3-digit serial number. The gun retains most of its original finish while all the parts are matching numbered. The bolt was retro marked with a different number by the Portuguese. Excellent original condition throughout.

Product Specifications