M2 Hyde
A .45 ACP blowback submachine gun with superior accuracy and mud resistance.
The M2 Hyde, formally designated the U.S. Submachine gun, Caliber .45, M2, was a United States submachine gun developed from George Hyde's 1935 patent. It was designed as a substitute standard for the M1 Thompson and was produced in limited numbers by Marlin Firearms. The M2 was notable for its superior performance in mud and dirt tests and for achieving the best accuracy in full-automatic firing among submachine guns tested at the time.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- United States
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Wars
- World War II
- Designer
- George Hyde, Frederick Sampson
- Manufacturer
- Marlin Firearms
- Production Date
- 1942–1943
- Weight
- 9 lb 4 0z (4.19 kg)
- Length
- 32 in. (813 mm)
- Part Length
- 12 in. (305 mm)
- Caliber
- .45 ACP
- Action
- Blowback
- Rate
- 570 rounds per minute
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The M2 Hyde originated from a design by George Hyde, patented in 1935. Work on prototypes was undertaken by General Motors' Inland Manufacturing Division, with the first model submitted for trials in April 1942 as the Hyde-Inland 1. Trials at Aberdeen Proving Ground showed the design outperformed the M1 submachine gun in mud and dirt tests, and its full-automatic accuracy was better than any other submachine gun tested at the time. An improved version, the Hyde-Inland 2, was designated the M2 as a substitute standard for the M1 Thompson in April 1942.
Production was contracted to Marlin Firearms in July 1942 after Inland's capacity was diverted to M1 carbine production. Marlin began manufacturing in May 1943, but their output failed to match the performance of the trials prototypes. The original contract for 164,450 M2s was canceled in 1943 upon adoption of the M3 submachine gun. Approximately 400 M2s were produced, and none were issued by any branch of the United States military.
The M2 used a simple blowback operation, though it was difficult to manufacture. The receiver combined a steel forging with a seamless tubular section, requiring extensive machining and finishing. This complexity led the Army to adopt the M3, which used a stamped sheet metal receiver. The bolt had large-diameter rear and slender front sections, similar to the Thompson and Suomi designs. The M2 featured a fixed wooden stock, wooden handgrip, and handguard, unlike the all-metal M3 with a collapsing wire stock.
Reader's Guide
The M2 Hyde's significance lies in its brief role as a substitute standard for the Thompson during World War II, despite never reaching service. Its design demonstrated that a blowback submachine gun could achieve superior accuracy and reliability in adverse conditions, outperforming the Thompson in mud and dirt tests. However, the M2's manufacturing complexity—requiring a forged and machined receiver—proved a critical drawback. The Army's shift to the stamped-sheet-metal M3 submachine gun, which was cheaper and faster to produce, rendered the M2 obsolete before it could be fielded. The cancellation of Marlin's contract after only about 400 units were made left the M2 as a footnote in submachine gun development. Its legacy is that of a technically excellent design that was overtaken by the demands of mass production, illustrating the trade-off between performance and manufacturability in wartime small arms.
Did You Know?
- None of the approximately 400 M2s produced were issued by any U.S. military branch.
- The M2 used the same 20- or 30-round magazines as the Thompson.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the M2 Hyde?
The M2 Hyde is a .45 ACP blowback submachine gun developed from George Hyde's 1935 patent and formally designated in April 1942. It was conceived as a potential replacement for the M1 Thompson.
What made the M2 Hyde stand out in military testing?
During evaluations, the M2 Hyde recorded the best full-automatic accuracy of any submachine gun tested at the time. It also outperformed its competitors in mud and dirt reliability trials.
Who manufactured the M2 Hyde?
Prototype units were produced by General Motors' Inland Manufacturing Division, while limited production runs came from Marlin Firearms. Overall output remained small compared to the Thompson.
What magazine does the M2 Hyde use?
It feeds from standard 20- or 30-round Thompson magazines in .45 ACP. This gave it compatibility with existing Thompson ammunition and magazine supply chains.
Why didn't the M2 Hyde replace the Thompson as the standard SMG?
Despite its accuracy and dirt-tolerance advantages, the M2 Hyde was only manufactured in limited numbers by Marlin. The M1 Thompson's entrenched wartime production infrastructure and existing demand kept it as the primary issue weapon.
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