Reising Model 50 (M50/M55)

History of the Reising Model 50 (M50/M55)

Before the introduction of various classic American WWII guns such as the M1 Thompson, M1 Garand, and M1 Carbine, the United States used many lesser-known firearms that proved usable or showed promise. This opened up areas for all kinds of talented gunsmiths to expand their products and expertise, and try to meet the U.S. military's vast inventory needs.

Of course, the lesser-known guns fell short of American standards in some respectsthey were too refined on the battlefield, too expensive to manufacture in the numbers needed, or flawed in their overall design to serve. For the Reising Type 50 (M50) series of submachine guns, the bane was their complex internal layout and functionality, which resulted in many interruptions in the heat of battle.

Therefore, in the hands of the American front, the weapon has a relatively short service life.

Reising's design (credits to Eugene Reising, who worked with legendary gunsmith John Browning) began in 1940, before the United States was drawn into World War II. That same year, Reising patented his new gun and worked with a Harrington & Richardson Arms Company to manufacture her, which would be named "Reising" after her life.

The gun uses a breech mechanism that requires multiple internal functions to function properly in sequence each time the trigger is pulled. The inner workings are mounted in a metal frame that is further integrated into a service rifle-style wooden body that includes the pistol grip and shoulder rest. The frame is partially exposed on the top of the wooden fuselage, allowing the use of sights and ejection ports. The barrel features fins to prevent overheating and is supported along its entire length by a wooden body that continues forward as the forearm that supports the hand.

A long Katz compensator covers the muzzle end of the barrel. The magazine is fed through a floor chute just below the cartridge case and in front of the trigger assembly. The trigger is conventional and is located in an elongated trigger ring under the rear of the receiver and in front of the pistol grip. A cocking lever sits in an invisible slot below the front end. The weapon is designed for the .45 ACP cartridge, the same used in the Colt M1911 semi-automatic pistol and M1 Thompson, loaded from a 12- or 20-round detachable magazine.

The gun is 35.75 inches long, has an 11-inch barrel, and weighs 6 pounds 12 ounces. This is a select fire weapon with semi-automatic and fully automatic modes. Optionally attach adjustable shoulder straps for easy transport.

Production of the Reising began in late 1941, and the model was commissioned by the US Marine Corps as the "M50" (the US Army rejected the Reising due to maintenance claims after a court case). Manufacturing continued until the end of the war in 1945 under the brand name Harrington & Richardson Arms Company (Worchester, MA).

Features include a rate of fire of 550 rounds per minute and the .45 ACP cartridge is a proven personnel interceptor, while the gun has an elegant overall look.

While the M50 is a viable weapon in a controlled environment, its complex internal layout is seriously unsuitable for frontline military use. It soon became apparent through U.S. naval operations at Guadalcanal and Bougainville that the inevitable dirt and debris on the battlefield could impede movement and general dirt caused by breech action, in addition, keeping the weapon at its least Can not be used when convenient. The problem with this weapon proved so stubborn that many service members happily abandoned their Reising in favor of another weapon that became usable as the battle went on.

With the proliferation of other more advanced guns (mainly the M1 Carbine), Reising was no longer used on the front lines for safety and security reasons and was exiled to the United States during the war. In this role, without the abuse inherent in a battlefield setting, Reisings performed as expected.

During the brief period in which "Paramarines" (Navy paratroopers) were used by the US military, Reising attempted to sell a lighter, shortened and improved version of its Type 50 as the "Type 55". The Model 55 resulted in the use of collapsible wire and a shortened barrel assembly, without the Katz compensator. The wire rest folds on the left side of the body, while the pistol grip is ergonomically designed with a vertical appearance. The result was a 31-inch long gun with a rate of fire reduced to 500 rounds per minute. All other aspects of Reising's design remain the same, including the complex inner workings.

As such, this weapon is not really an improvement over the original, but instead inherits all of its existing limitations. Like the Model 50 before it, the Model 55 is no longer a commercial or military success.

That being said, the U.S. military eventually abandoned its Special Navy paratroopers before the war ended in February 1944.

A pair of semi-automatic firing models appeared in the Type 50 series, including the M60 and M65. As a carbine, the Model 60 was used for the .30 carbine cartridge. The Model 65 is a training version of this carbine, rim firing cartridges for the .22 Long Rifle.

The Reising M50 and M55 were in service until 1953, with approximately 100,000 produced by 1945. Stocks of Reising submachine guns were also sold to the UK and sent to the Canadian Army. The Soviet Union received the model under a Lend-Lease agreement.

Other operators are Iceland and the Philippines.

Specification

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