The Hyde-Inland M2 was the highest-rate United States submachine gun design submitted for trials at Aberdeen Proving Ground

Aberdeen Proving Ground

Aberdeen Proving Ground is a United States Army facility located near Aberdeen, Maryland, . Part of the facility is a census-designated place , which had a population of 3,116 at the 2000 census.- History :...

 in February, 1941. Work was undertaken by General Motors

General Motors

General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...

 Inland Manufacturing Division to develop workable prototypes of Hyde's design. The design was designated U.S. Submachinegun, Caliber .45, M2 as a substitute standard for the M1 submachine gun

Thompson submachine gun

The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...

 in April, 1942. As Inland's manufacturing capacity became focused on M1 carbine

M1 Carbine

The M1 carbine is a lightweight, easy to use semi-automatic carbine that became a standard firearm for the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and was produced in several variants. It was widely used by U.S...

 production, the US Army contracted M2 production to Marlin Firearms

Marlin Firearms

Marlin Firearms Co., formerly of North Haven, Connecticut, is a manufacturer of high power, center fire, lever action, and .22 caliber rimfire rifles. In the past, the company made shotguns, derringers and revolvers...

 in July, 1942. Marlin began production in May 1943; but Marlin's original contract for 164,450 M2s was canceled in 1943 upon adoption of the M3 submachine gun

M3 submachine gun

The M3 was an American .45-caliber submachine gun adopted for U.S. Army service on 12 December 1942, as the United States Submachine Gun, Cal. .45, M3. The M3 was designed as a more cost-effective alternative to the Thompson, optimized for mass production...

. The M2 is chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge and used the same 20 or 30 round magazine as the Thompson. Its cyclic rate of fire is 525 rounds per minute. Only 400 at the most were manufactured and none were issued by any branches of the United States military.

Design

The M2 is a simple blowback operated design, although it was difficult to make. The receiver was built from a steel forging and a seamless tubular section, which took extra time and effort to machine and finish, causing the US Army to adopt the M3, instead. The bolt was shaped unusually, having a large diameter at the rear, and being slender in the front. Unlike the M3 it had a fixed wooden stock, and wooden furniture.

See also

• List of U.S. Army weapons by supply catalog designation SNL A-52
• List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces
• M3 submachine gun
  M3 submachine gun
  The M3 was an American .45-caliber submachine gun adopted for U.S. Army service on 12 December 1942, as the United States Submachine Gun, Cal. .45, M3. The M3 was designed as a more cost-effective alternative to the Thompson, optimized for mass production...
  
  
• United Defense M42
  United Defense M42
  The United Defense M42 was an American submachine gun in World War II. It was produced from 1942 to 1943 by United Defense Supply Corp. for possible issue as a replacement for the Thompson submachine gun and was used by agents of the Office of Strategic Services .-History:The M42 was developed by...
  
  

External links

• Springfield Armory Collection: M2 submachine gun
• http://www.nfatoys.com/tsmg/web/obsolete.htm
• The Great Arsenal of Democracy