EPK M1939 (Pyrkal) | |
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![]() EPK M1939 Light Machine Gun | |
Type | Light machine gun |
Place of origin | Kingdom of Greece |
Service history | |
Used by | Greece |
Wars | World War II |
Production history | |
Designer | Pyrkal staff |
Designed | 1939 |
Manufacturer | Pyrkal |
Specifications | |
Mass | 4.15 kg (9.1 lb) (unloaded) |
Length | 900 mm (35 in) |
Barrel length | 400 mm (16 in) |
Cartridge | 7.92x36 mm EPK |
Caliber | 7.92 mm |
Action | gas operated |
Rate of fire | 720 rounds per minute |
Muzzle velocity | 823 m/s (2,700 ft/s) |
Effective firing range | 750 m (820 yd) |
Feed system | 30-round detachable box magazine |
Sights | Iron |
The EPK machine gun was designed by EPK, a Greek defense company (in English, "Greek Powder and Cartridge Company", GPCC) later known as Pyrkal.
The gun's creation is connected to EPK's ambitions to become a major producer of infantry weapons. Following a proposal to the Greek government in 1937 the development of a modern machine gun of EPK's own design began, as well as construction of a small number of prototypes in 1939. The whole project, including the building of infrastructure for massive production of the gun, was underway when war with Italy broke out on October 28, 1940, subsequent events prohibited its completion. A total of no more than (probably) 10-15 were built, their fate (except for one given as a present to a member of the Greek Royal Family) remains unknown. Later publications suggested that this 7.92 mm weapon exhibited characteristics at the time closer to those of a submachine gun; others, though, including Pyrkal itself, have argued that the weapon was a very advanced design for its time, featuring pioneering elements of a whole class of future assault rifle. Its construction was close to the Thompson submachine gun with ergonomics and weight compatible with the present day Ultimax 100 light machine gun. For the feed system the weapon has a 30-round detachable box magazine that must be placed on the side of the weapon.
A submachine gun (SMG) is a magazine-fed automatic carbine designed to fire handgun cartridges. The term "submachine gun" was coined by John T. Thompson, the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun, to describe its design concept as an automatic firearm with notably less firepower than a machine gun. As a machine gun must fire rifle cartridges to be classified as such, submachine guns are not considered machine guns.
The Thompson submachine gun is a blowback-operated, selective-fire submachine gun, invented and developed by United States Army Brigadier General John T. Thompson in 1918. It was designed to break the stalemate of trench warfare of World War I, although early models did not arrive in time for actual combat.
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Hugo Schmeisser was a German developer of 20th century infantry weapons.
The MAB 38, Modello 38, or Model 38 and its variants were a series of official submachine guns of the Royal Italian Army introduced in 1938 and used during World War II. The Beretta Modello 38 was first issued to Italian police units stationed in Africa. The Italian army were impressed and decided to adopt a version to be used by elite troops and military police, but requested a modified variant which had no bayonet and a different recoil compensator. The MAB 38 was widely used and saw service on all fronts. The guns were also used by the German, Romanian, and Argentine armies of the time.
The MP34 is a submachine gun (SMG) that was manufactured by Waffenfabrik Steyr as Steyr-Solothurn S1-100 and used by the Austrian Army and Austrian Gendarmerie and subsequently by units of the German Army and the Waffen SS, in World War II. An exceptionally well-made weapon, it was used by some forces well into the 1970s.
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The United Defense M42, sometimes known as the Marlin for the company that did the actual manufacturing, was an American submachine gun used during World War II. It was produced from 1942 to 1943 by United Defense Supply Corp. for possible issue as a replacement for the Thompson submachine gun and was used by agents of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). However, its usage was limited, and the Thompson continued to see service until the end of the war, alongside the M3 submachine gun, which was designed around the same time as the M42.
The Hellenic Arms Industry is the main arms manufacturer of Greece. Its creation is linked to a desire of Greek governments for "complete self-sufficiency" of Greece in the areas of personal and other weapons.
Pyrkal, founded in 1874, is one of the oldest defense industries in Greece and the main producer of ammunition and explosives in the country. Throughout its history, it has been one of the largest Greek companies. Moreover, since its foundation, it has been a crucial supplier during all the military conflicts the nation faced, and historically a well-established exporter to five continents.
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The M3 is an American .45-caliber submachine gun adopted by the U.S. Army on 12 December 1942, as the United States Submachine Gun, Cal. .45, M3. The M3 was chambered for the same .45 ACP round fired by the Thompson submachine gun, but was cheaper to mass produce and lighter, at the expense of accuracy. The M3 was commonly referred to as the "Grease Gun" or simply "the Greaser," owing to its visual similarity to the mechanic's tool.
The 7.92×36mm EPK was an experimental rifle round intended for the Pyrkal light machine gun, designed by EPK, a Greek defense company. The round is essentially a 6.5mm Mannlicher cartridge case shortened to 36mm and necked up to chamber a 7.92 mm bullet. It was designed in the mid 1930's.
The M49 submachine gun is a Yugoslavian submachine gun chambered in 7.62×25mm Tokarev, designed for use with the Yugoslav People's Army. While externally similar to the PPSh-41, as well as being able to interchange magazines, the M49 is actually very different in both construction and design. More similar in nature to the Italian Beretta Model 38, the M49 features a one-piece tube receiver which contains the bolt, recoil spring and buffer mechanism. Constructed of machined parts as well as simple tubing, the receiver assembly incorporates a ventilated barrel shroud to protect the operator from being burned during periods of rapid-fire, as well as a simple muzzle brake to steady the weapon.
The Lmg.-Pistole Mod. 1941/44 – also known as Furrer MP 41/44, MP41/44 and LMG-Pistole – was the first submachine gun manufactured in Switzerland for the Swiss Army. The weapon used a complicated toggle-operated short recoil mechanism for its operation and it corresponds to that of the Furrer M25, which is why it is also called Lmg.-Pistole.
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