Firearms / Sub machine guns / M3 Grease Gun
M3 Grease Gun
General Facts
- TYPE
Sub machine gun - ORIGIN
United States - NICKNAMES
PAM-1 (Argentine model)
PAM-2 (Argentine model)
Type 36 (Chinese production) - DESIGNED
1942 - DESIGNER
George Hyde - PRODUCTION
1943 - 1947 (USA)
1955 - ? (Argentina) - PRODUCERS
Argentina - FMAP
China
United States - Guide Lamp
United States - Ithaca - QUANTITY
About 680.000 - UNIT COST
$20 during World War 2 - CHARACTERISTICS
Very cheap to produce
Very reliable
Automatic fire is easy to control
Limited accuracy and range
Low rate of fire
Introduction
The M3 sub machine gun is was developed in the USA during World War 2 as a cheaper alternative for the Thompson sub machine gun. The nickname 'Grease Gun' comes from the resemblance to the mechanic's tool.
Design
The M3 has a very simple design as it is a blowback operated weapon that fires from the open bolt position. The M3 has a fairly conventional design with the magazine inserted halfway the weapon acting as the forward grip as well. The buttstock is a retractable wire frame, making the M3 a very compact weapon.
Firepower
The M3 fires the .45 from a 30 round magazine. The M3 is fully automatic only. The low 450 rpm rate of fire makes it very controllable and allows for short bursts. The maximum effective range is about 100 meters.
Users
The M3 was adopted in December of 1942 and served with US front line forces until 1957. The M3 was issued as late as the early 1990's to US non combat personnel. Surplus M3's were exported to South America, Asia and Africa.
M3 Grease Gun
The M3 Grease Gun is a simple sub machine gun optimized for mass production. It fires the .45 round at a low rate of fire. The M3A1 is an improved model that is lighter and more reliable. Among the various small improvements the removal of the cocking crank is most obvious. The M3 was also produced in 9x19mm using Sten magazines for US special operations forces in Europe in both a normal version and one with silencer. In Argentina the 9mm model was produced as the PAM-1, which was later upgraded as the PAM-2 with a grip safety.
| Type | Sub machine gun |
|---|---|
| Caliber | .45 ACP |
| Magazine | 30 rounds |
| Operation | Blowback |
| Fire selector | 0-F |
| Rate of fire | 450 rpm |
| Barrel length | 203 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | ? |
| Muzzle velocity | 280 m/s |
| Stock | Retractable |
| Length | 757 mm / 591 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.63 kg |
| Sights | Iron sights, fixed rear peep sight and blade foresight |
| Remarks | - |
| Type | Sub machine gun |
|---|---|
| Caliber | .45 ACP |
| Magazine | 30 rounds |
| Operation | Blowback |
| Fire selector | 0-F |
| Rate of fire | 450 rpm |
| Barrel length | 203 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | ? |
| Muzzle velocity | 280 m/s |
| Stock | Retractable |
| Length | 757 mm / 591 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.47 kg |
| Sights | Iron sights, fixed rear peep sight and blade foresight |
| Remarks | - |
Thompson
The M3 Grease Gun was developed as a cheaper alternative to the proven Thompson sub machine gun.
FMBP-48
The Portuguese FMBP-48 uses several design features of the M3 Grease Gun and looks somewhat similar.