Smith & Wesson M76
Encyclopedia
The Smith & Wesson M76 submachine gun was produced by Smith & Wesson
from 1967 to 1974. It is a clone of the Carl Gustav M/45
.
government blocked the sale of firearms to the United States because it opposed the Vietnam War
. This created a problem for the Navy SEAL Teams, which had wanted Swedish-made M/45 submachine guns to use in covert operation
s in Southeast Asia
.
Noting this, Smith & Wesson began to produce the M76, an M/45 clone, which was ready for production in 1967; unfortunately, by that time the US Navy did not have much use for it, and the M76 was produced only in limited quantities, and mainly for the police and civilian market.
However, in 1968 Smith & Wesson engineers, researching the possibility of a gun that could electronically fire caseless ammunition
, created a prototype weapon similar to the M76, but with some alterations included so that it could fire the caseless ammunition. Visually it was identical to the standard M76, except for a structure in front of the trigger guard that served as a housing for two 12-volt batteries. Although the gun worked quite well, the ammunition proved susceptible to damage from rough handling and the elements, and the project was scrapped.
The standard version ceased general production in 1974.
, which banned any newly manufactured automatic weapons from being registered for civilian ownership, MK Arms went out of business.
Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
from 1967 to 1974. It is a clone of the Carl Gustav M/45
Carl Gustav M/45
Kulsprutepistol m/45 , also known as the Carl Gustav M/45 and the Swedish K SMG, is a 9 mm Swedish submachine gun designed by Gunnar Johnsson, adopted in 1945 , and manufactured at the Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori in Eskilstuna, Sweden. The m/45 was the standard submachine gun of the...
.
History
In 1966, the SwedishSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
government blocked the sale of firearms to the United States because it opposed the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. This created a problem for the Navy SEAL Teams, which had wanted Swedish-made M/45 submachine guns to use in covert operation
Covert operation
A covert operation is a military, intelligence or law enforcement operation that is carried clandestinely and, often, outside of official channels. Covert operations aim to fulfill their mission objectives without any parties knowing who sponsored or carried out the operation...
s in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
.
Noting this, Smith & Wesson began to produce the M76, an M/45 clone, which was ready for production in 1967; unfortunately, by that time the US Navy did not have much use for it, and the M76 was produced only in limited quantities, and mainly for the police and civilian market.
However, in 1968 Smith & Wesson engineers, researching the possibility of a gun that could electronically fire caseless ammunition
Caseless ammunition
Caseless ammunition is a type of small arms ammunition that eliminates the cartridge case that typically holds the primer, propellant, and projectile together as a unit...
, created a prototype weapon similar to the M76, but with some alterations included so that it could fire the caseless ammunition. Visually it was identical to the standard M76, except for a structure in front of the trigger guard that served as a housing for two 12-volt batteries. Although the gun worked quite well, the ammunition proved susceptible to damage from rough handling and the elements, and the project was scrapped.
The standard version ceased general production in 1974.
MK760
In 1983, Mike Ruplinger and Kenneth Dominick started a company called MK Arms and acquired the rights to the Smith & Wesson M76. They began producing copies of it with the designation MK Arms MK760, and the US Navy, which still had some original M76s in its inventory, began purchasing replacement parts from MK Arms. MK Arms also produced carbine and pistol configurations of the MK760. In 1986, due to the Firearm Owners Protection ActFirearm Owners Protection Act
The Firearm Owners' Protection Act , , codified at et seq., is a United States federal law that revised many statutes in the Gun Control Act of 1968.-Federal Firearms License regulatory reform:...
, which banned any newly manufactured automatic weapons from being registered for civilian ownership, MK Arms went out of business.