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Reising Submachine Gun

From Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games
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Reising M50 (full stock variant) - .45 ACP. Fitted with Cutts compensator and 20 round double stack magazine.
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Reising M55 (folding stock variant) - .45 ACP. Fitted with 20 round double stack magazine.
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Reising M60 (full stock 16" barrel semi-auto carbine variant) - .45 ACP. Fitted with 12 round single stack magazine.

Adopted in early 1942 by the USMC, due largely to a shortage of the Thompson Submachine Gun, the Reising was never especially popular with the Marines since it proved to be a maintenance intensive weapon (something not always possible in the primitive Pacific theatre). It was so unpopular on Guadalcanal that Lt. Col. Merritt Edson, commanding officer of a Marine Raider battalion, ordered all Reising submachine guns issued to his unit to be dumped unceremoniously into a river, so that his men might draw better weapons. (However, this was due to a maintenance error where the individually-fitted Reisings were disassembled en masse and acquired mismatched parts. The replacement Reisings were ordered to be maintained individually and problems were greatly reduced. Dumping the mismatched guns avoided persistent problems.)

One major design flaw in the weapon is the fact that the operating mechanism is a paddle in a slot on the underside of the forestock. If an unfortunate firer's finger slipped into this slot during full auto fire, breakage of bone could potentially result. This slot was also prone to accumulation of dirt or mud in the field, and even when clean made cocking the weapon awkward.

It eventually fell to the wayside though some examples remained in service with various rear echelon units and police forces.

It was favored by some due to its closed bolt operating function, which made it more accurate than the open bolt submachine guns of the time, at the cost of overheating quicker and requiring more maintainance. The Reising was also lend-leased to USSR but has not seen much action.

Specifications

(1941 - 1945)

  • Type: Submachine Gun
  • Caliber(s): .45 ACP, .22 LR (M65)
  • Weight: 3.1 kg (6.83 lb) (M50), 2.8 kg (6.2 lb) (M55)
  • Length: 895.35 mm (35.250 in), 565.15 mm (22.3 in) stock retracted (M55)
  • Barrel length(s): 279 mm (11.0 in) (M50)
  • Capacity: 12 and 20-round box magazines, 30-round aftermarket magazines also exists
  • Fire Modes: Safe/Semi-Auto/Full-Auto

The Reising Submachine Gun and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Film

Title Actor Character Note Date
Guadalcanal Diary Lt. In landing party M50 Model 1943
Guadalcanal Diary Hanging from bunk on troop ship M55 Model 1943
Marine Raiders (film) Robert Ryan Capt Dan Craig M50 model 1944
Go for Broke! German officer M55 mocked up as MP40 1951
The Planters Wife Jack Hawkins Jim Frazer M50 model 1952
The Day of the Wolves Various M50 model 1971
U-571 David Keith Maj. Coonan M55 model 2000
Flags of our Fathers Himself Sgt. Mike Strank M55 model, real life war photo 2006

Television

Title Actor Character Note Date
The Pacific Jon Seda John Basilone M50 model, 20 round magazine 2010
Combat! Eric Braeden and other German soldiers Various M55 mocked up as MP40 1962-1965

Video Games

Game Title Appears as Mods Notation Release Date
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault "M55 Reising" Reising M55 2004
Men of War (Video Game) Reising M50 2009
Days Gone "M50 Reising" Reising M50 2019
Enlisted Reising M50 2021
Reising M55
Marauders "M50 Reising" Compensator, suppressor, 20-round mag Reising M50; 12-round default mag, semi/full auto fire selector 2022