Schmeisser's MP-18,I - The First True Submachine Gun
This video explores the Schmeisser MP18,I, widely recognized as the first true submachine gun. It details its development in late 1915 for trench warfare, its simple blowback action, and a slow rate of fire. The description highlights its primary shortcoming: the unreliable 32-round Luger snail drum magazines, necessitated by wartime material shortages. Despite limited frontline combat in World War I, the MP18,I profoundly influenced future firearm designs. The video also touches upon its post-war transfer to German police organizations after the army was prohibited from using submachine guns.











