Unfortunately, by this, the lips of the magazine became critical to the feed of the ammunition. For some reason, co-designer Harold Turpin simply copied the magazine of the German MP40 without alteration, and had adapted it for the Sten. The main flaw of the Sten lay in its magazine. Another useful advantage for the Resistance movements was that the Sten had been designed to fire standard German 9mm ammunition, thus allowing captured enemy rounds to be employed without problem. It would be employed in every theatre of war and was particularly favoured by the French Resistance Fighters because it could be easily dismantled and hidden away in a shopping basket or small suitcase. In addition, when mass-produced, the cost worked out at a very inexpensive ВЈ2.50 per gun. The Gun itself had a singular tube skeleton butt, a removable barrel and fixed sights. The simple blow back bolt was not only simple but was a highly effective system for automatic fire. The Sten Mark II was possibly the most versatile of the several Sten models. Even so the first model, the Mark 1, was still considered to be far too complicated and was quickly replaced by the Mark 11, the production of which would ultimately result in over two million guns being produced by the ending of hostilities in 1945.

The finish was rough, with no wood being used in the stock or hand-grips and all other components kept to the basic minimum. The Sten, however, would utilise cheap steel pressings, low grade metal, and had no fancy refinements at all. The Sten introduced an entirely new concept into the manufacture of SMGs as previously all such guns had been manufactured using traditional gunsmithing methods (often with the body and trigger housing being machined from the solid) an expensive and time-consuming operation. The Sten took its name came from the initials of designers, Major R Vernon Shepherd and Harold Turpin (S and T), and Enfield (EN) where it was built. Contributor: Alan Chanter ww2dbaseIn January 1941 the design department of the Royal Small Arms factory at Enfield, Middlesex, produced the prototype of what was to become the best-known SMG of World War II.

Ww2 sten mark 2