A submachine gun (SMG) is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I (1914–1918), but the zenith of its use was World War II (1939–1945) when millions of weapons of this type were manufactured. Today the submachine gun has mostly been replaced by the assault rifle for military use. (The assault rifle uses an intermediate-power cartridge with more power than a pistol but less than a standard rifle or battle rifle.) Even in roles where it has been most used such as vehicle crews and personal defence (PDW), the SMG has been made redundant by weapons like the Colt M4. A major factor is the common use of body armour, where pistol calibers are insufficient for penetration - therefore the SMG is predominant in the civil security sector and is becoming obsolete in military use.
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Famous quotes related to submachine gun:
“He’s leaving Germany by special request of the Nazi government. First he sends a dispatch about Danzig and how 10,000 German tourists are pouring into the city every day with butterfly nets in their hands and submachine guns in their knapsacks. They warn him right then. What does he do next? Goes to a reception at von Ribbentropf’s and keeps yelling for gefilte fish!”
—Billy Wilder (b. 1906)