AUSTEN SMG

History

With Japan's looming threat to Australia and its allies in the US and UK, along with other pressing issues, it fell to local ingenuity and industry to defend against invasion. This is the backdrop for the birth of the Austin submachine gun, a hasty, mass-produced friendly piece based largely on the British line of STEN submachine guns just shipped in from abroad. The name "AUSTEN" is nothing more than a shortened version of the word "Australian STEN".

This type of work started in 1941.

To facilitate development (and subsequent mass production), key components of the STEN Mk II have been retained, including the base, barrel assembly, and trigger group. In addition to this is the two-barrel front folding stock, internal bolt and pistol grip of the German MP38/MP40 submachine gun.

A fore grip was also added to control fire, this one under the front of the receiver. Amalgam became a crude but potent product, and the origins of STEN and MP38 are obvious to the careful observer. Even the side-mounted STEN magazine was retained, as was its recoil mode of operation. The weapon uses a selected firing mechanism that allows for single-shot and fully automatic fire as needed. Total weight is 4kg, length is 732mm with extended stock (552mm when folded).

The manufacture of Austin pistols was taken over by Diecasters Ltd in Melbourne and Carmichael Ltd in Sydney. Production extended from 1942 to 1945.

AUSTEN is equipped with the widely accepted and available 9x19mm Parabellum pistol round, a proven short to medium range manual stopper. The weapon's rate of fire is 500 rounds per minute, which is good enough for hand-to-hand combat. The muzzle velocity was reported to be 1,200 feet per second.

Each magazine contains 28 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

The first production model was called the AUSTEN Mk I, of which approximately 19,914 units were produced, making it the definitive brand in the range. In practice, despite its looks, the gun is generally well-received, although it does not surpass the competing (and quite excellent) Owen submachine gun in popularity or available production numbers, whose top-mounted vertical magazine is less prone to hooking live.

Over time, an attempt to improve the Mk I came with the AUSTEN Mk II, but these were only differentiated by the greater use of die casting and the addition of bayonet lugs on the muzzle. In the face of nearly 20,000 Mk I units, only 200 examples of the Mk II came.

A limited number of dedicated suppress Austins were also produced for the combined Australian/New Zealand/Dutch/UK Special Forces "Z Special Forces".

The Austin submachine gun lived on in World War II history for its taciturnity, especially until the conflict ended in 1945. At this point, the Owen submachine gun had proven itself in countless bush engagements and became readily available alongside a variety of other small arms from Australia's allies.

In addition to their use in World War II, some Austin guns managed to find their way into South Africa and served during the Rhodesian Bush War (1964-1979).

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes