Pistols, Rifles, Machine Guns and Crew Served Weapons of Partitioned Poland and the Polish 2nd Republic

[dastier]

3mk, thanks for posting the photo.

[dastier]

I posted this photo courtesy of Len S. even though I have covered the wz.91/98/25 carbine already. I want to draw your attention to the bayonet attached to the carbine - it is a very rare Polish wz.71/98 bayonet which has been covered in this forum in the following thread:

Polish bayonet Wz. 71/98...

I encourage members and guests to view this thread. I believe this to be one of the earliest bayonets manufactured in the nascent 2nd Republic.

[3mk]

Heres some info about the Mors machine gun.

The word ''Mors'' itself means death in Latin. The gun was designed by Piotr Wilniewczyc and Jan Skrzypiński from 1936-1938, engineers Modzelewski, Podsękowski, Dworzyński & Potyński also joined in on helping design the gun. 3 prototypes were built, the Mors 1, Mors 2, and Mors 3, each with some changes made. On 03.06.1939 it was designated as the Wz.39 Mors. The first lot was ordered in March 1939. More were to be purchased but production was halted because of the war. By September 1939 39 Mors machine guns were produced, 3 being the Mors 1, Mors 2, and Mors 3 prototypes. Soldiers who got the Mors Rkm also received a special ammunition belt which held 4 magazines for the gun.

Caliber: 9mm
Weight without magazine: 4.26kg
Magazine weight: 165g
Over all length: 965mm
Barrel length: 295mm
Rate of fire: 500-550 rounds/minute
Capacity: 25 rounds
Action: Blowback
Muzzle velocity: 400m/s

In the 1980's 2 were found in Russia, one was given to the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw its serial number being 38.

[dastier]

Well to stimulate some discussion about the Mors...

I wondering if the Polish designers Piotr Wilniewczyc and Jan Skrzypiński borrowed from the design of the German Bergmann MP18/28 submachine gun? There is at least a superficial resemblance.

[3mk]

Check this out guys, a good detailed video of the wz.39 Mors.

[dastier]

Great video Emil. Looking forward to your English summary.

In the meantime to ease with the waiting, here are pics of a Mors replica I found online. Anyone know what these cost and if they are exportable?

First photos of the Pistolet maszynowy wz.39 Mors in the Wojsko Polskie Museum, Warsaw. (shown next to a Karabin samopowtarzalny wzór 38M (Kbsp wz.38M)




And the replica...




Even better if someone can report on shooting one.

[Scout]

First photos of the Pistolet maszynowy wz.39 Mors in the Wojsko Polskie Museum, Warsaw. (shown next to a Karabin samopowtarzalny wzór 38M (Kbsp wz.38M)

Interesting guns - also the rifle.

I nunderstand that:
In 1934 Polish engineer Jozef Maroszek designed a prototype of a semiautomatic rifle for the Polish Army. Production was authorized at the end of 1935. In 1938 testing of the carbine ended.

But where does it fit into the picture in regards to the 'Polish BAR' - the wz1928?

Was it used alongside the 1928 or meant as a substitute?

[dastier]

We will have to wait for someone to do the research and post.

The Wojsko Polskie may have decided upon the Karabin samopowtarzalny wzór 38M (Kbsp wz.38M) as a future replacement for the Kbk wz.29 carbine just as the semi auto M1 Garand replaced the M1903 Springfield bolt action rifle in the U.S. Army.

Interesting guns - also the rifle.

But where does it fit into the picture in regards to the 'Polish BAR' - the wz1928?

Was it used alongside the 1928 or meant as a substitute?

Speculation on my part but I don't believe the Kbsp wz.38M would replace the rkm.28. The Polish designers were working on a quick change barrel for the rkm.28 - to have a high rate of sustained fire without burning up the barrel.

Who knows what rkm.28 upgrades the designers planned next?

Larger capacity box magazines? Saddle magazines? Belt feeding? Keep in mind the Soviet Degtyarev DP 28 LMG used a pan magazine and similarly a pan magazine was used on the rkm.28 derived aircraft machinegun lot karabin maszynowy obserwatora wz.37

Or the Poles may have decided the rkm.28 was a dead end development wise. Keep in mind that the rkm.28 was an unlicensed copy of the M1918 BAR, which was designed by John Browning for clearing trenches during WW1 using 'walking fire'. It was dated design.

[dastier]

Here's a photo of the Pistolet maszynowy wz.39 Mors disassembled:

[dastier]

For your perusal here are photos of a matching 1938 Radom Vis 35 'Eagle' that sold recently in Canada. (alas not to me )

Note matching serial numbers on frame, slide and barrel; shoulder stock slot and decocking lever; with D/2 inspector stamp on frame and G/2 inspector stamp on magazine floor plate.



























Photographs courtesy of Mark Swiatek.