<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mike Irwin:
The device is called the Kraummerlauf (sp?). It wasn't used with the MP-40 submachine gun, but with the MP-44. I've got a photograph of one around here somewhere.
It was designed to be attached to the barrel of the regular gun with a special clamp. It couldn't be fired fully auto, for obvious reasons.
Anyway, two barrel types were supplied, one in a 45 deg. bend, and one close to 90 deg., may have been 75, but may have been 90.
They were also fitted with special prismatic sights so that you could see what you were shooting at.
They were, I believe, primarily designed for armored crews to use in getting rid of troops that got inside the tank's machine gun perimiter.
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abriged version of what it says in the book, military small arms of the 20th century, sixth edition page 149.
the krummlauf attachment used with the mp44, mirror sighting device.
there were three versions, the mp44(p) bent at a 30 degree angle, the mp44(k) bent at a 90 degree angle and the mp44(v) wich was at a 40 degree angle. only the first one, mp44(p) was ever fully developed. it is reported that 10,000 of them were made.
the idea was this: have holes on the outer side of the curved attachment to allow gas pressure to escape and allow the bullet to make the turn, this reduced velocitys to around 948fps making the weapon uneffective, also the bullet was very unstable as it left the device and it was possible only at close ranges to be effective with it.
the british also develpod a similar device for the sten gun, but abandoned the project before ever finishing hte final development.
it seems like a kinda dumb idea to me. but i am not one to talk.
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[This message has been edited by m_d_atwood (edited July 16, 2000).]