EMP 44

Lore & Background

The EMP 44 was an all-metal submachine gun firing from an open bolt. Its receiver was made from welded steel tubing, similar to the British Sten gun, and its flash suppressor was formed like the muzzle brake of the Soviet PPS-43. The stock was assembled from pipes welded together, reflecting the design philosophy of the Primitiv-Waffen-Programm, which sought to imitate the Sten and, to a lesser extent, the PPSh-41.

The weapon was probably designed in 1942, with the sole known exemplar bearing serial number 15 and a manufacture date of February 1943. One theory suggests that most prototypes were cannibalized for their dual feed mechanism, which was then installed on the MP40/I.

Erma, the main producer of the MP 40, submitted the EMP 44 in 1944. It failed acceptance tests, but the primary reason for rejection was that newer weapons like the MP 44/STG 44 were already being produced to replace both the MP 40 and the Karabiner 98k.

Reader's Guide

The EMP 44's significance lies in its embodiment of the Primitiv-Waffen-Programm's goals during the Second World War. As a simplified, all-metal design, it attempted to reduce production costs and material usage, mirroring the approach of the British Sten gun. However, its crude construction, particularly the pipe-welded stock, led to its rejection by the Heereswaffenamt. The weapon's failure to pass acceptance tests was compounded by the fact that the German army was already transitioning to the MP 44/STG 44, a more advanced design intended to replace both the MP 40 and the Karabiner 98k. The legacy of the EMP 44 is thus tied to its role as a prototype that never entered service, with its dual feed mechanism possibly finding use in the MP40/I. It remains a footnote in submachine gun history, illustrating the pressures and compromises of wartime production.

Did You Know?

• The EMP 44 was produced by Erma Werke in 1943.
• It has two sliding 32-round MP 40 magazine wells.
• The sole known exemplar has serial number 15.
• Its flash suppressor was formed like the PPS-43 muzzle brake.