MP40 submachine gun bullet (22.6 mm)

The MP40 (Maschinenpistole 40) was an automatic submachine gun used extensively by Nazi Germany troops (usually by officers and paratroopers) during World War II. Designed by Heinrich Vollmer of Erma, in order to provide soldiers with an assault weapon, mainly mechanized infantry units and paratroopers, it was manufactured until the end of the conflict. Excellent weapon for close-range combat (urban areas, forests, etc.), it was, however, ineffective in combat in open terrain due to its limited range. This was one of the reasons that motivated the design of the Stg-44, the predecessor of modern assault rifles.