Sten Mk II

Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 July 2009 17:48 Written by Administrator Friday, 03 July 2009 00:07

The Sten Mk II was a British submachine gun designed and introduced during the Second World War. The Sten was a typical wartime expedient and is notable for having a simplistic design and very low manufacturing costs.

Externally, the Sten has a bad finish—in fact it appears as if it has been thrown together from scrap metal. However, the weapon is very effective and reliable. Only occasionally did it malfunction because of a little flaw in the feed mechanism.

About four million Sten guns were made during the war. Its construction was so simple that many units were manufactured by British school children in metal work classes.

With its small dimensions, rugged construction and low manufacturing costs, the Sten was very effective and several versions of the weapon were introduced subsequently. However, all the versions retained the feed problems and ugly appearance.

Though the Sten was lethal at close ranges, its effectiveness decreased drastically with distance. Its bullets didn’t have enough firepower and there were reports of the bullet failing to penetrate German trench coats at a distance of 70 meters.

Despite the low stopping power, the Sten gun provided firepower when it was needed. In addition, the gun was also manufactured in large numbers which made a huge difference.