Madsen M-50

The Madsen M-50 or M/50 is a submachine gun introduced in 1950. It was produced by the Danish company Dansk Industri Syndikat of Copenhagen, Denmark. The company was colloquially known as Madsen after its founder Vilhelm Herman Oluf Madsen.

Madsen Model 1950
Madsen M-50 on display at the Hội An Museum
TypeSubmachine gun
Place of originDenmark
Service history
In service1950–1980s
Used bySee Users
WarsFirst Indochina War
Korean War
Malayan Emergency
Vietnam War
Salvadoran Civil War
The Troubles
Colombian Civil War
Araguaia Guerrilla War
Production history
DesignerDansk Industri Syndikat
Designed1950
ManufacturerDansk Industri Syndikat
VariantsM/46, M/53
Specifications
Mass3.15 kilograms (6.9 lb)
Length795 millimetres (31.3 in) with stock open
Caliber9×19mm Parabellum
ActionBlowback
Rate of fire550 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity380 m/s (1,200 ft/s)
Feed systemMagazine 32 rounds
SightsSingle aperature set for 100 m (110 yd)
References

Overview

This firearm was a modified variation of the M/46. The only major improvement was the simplified retracting handle. Introduction of the M/50 occurred on November 7, 1950, at Mosede, Denmark, until 1953.[1]

The M/50 is made of stamped sheet metal. It is an open bolt design which means it fires when the bolt is in the locked back open position with a fixed firing pin. The M/46 and M/50 share a unique design: the firearm is stamped from two pieces of sheet metal which are shaped with an integral rear pistol grip and magazine housing. The two pieces fit together like a clam shell with the hinge at the rear of the pistol grip. The firearm is held together with a barrel locking nut which is threaded onto the fore section of the two receiver halves. The pistol grip is hollow, providing storage space for a magazine loading tool.[1]

The folding stock is made of tubular steel covered with leather and folds onto the right side of the firearm. The M/50 fires in full-auto only. It also features a safety lever (also known as grip safety), unusually placed in front of the forward magazine housing. To fire the M/50 the operator must grip the magazine housing and hold down the safety lever.[2]

Users
A U.S. Army soldier (right) holds a captured Vietcong M-50 in 1965
Non State Users

References
  1. Peterson, Phillip (18 October 2013). Standard Catalog of Military Firearms: The Collector's Price and Reference Guide. Krause Publications. pp. 76–. ISBN 978-1-4402-3692-1.
  2. Jones, Richard D.; Ness, Leland S. (2010). Jane's Infantry Weapons. pp. 81–82, 87.
  3. Schwing, Ned (5 November 2005). Standard Catalog of Military Firearms: The Collector's Price and Reference Guide. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. pp. 74–75. ISBN 0-87349-902-6.
  4. "Dánský samopal Madsen M 1950" [Danish submachine gun Madsen M 1950]. vhu.cz (in Czech). Vojenský historický ústav Praha. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020.
  5. Hogg, Ian V. (2001). Submachine Guns. Greenhill Books. pp. 49–50. ISBN 978-1-85367-448-8.
  6. Gander, Terry J.; Hogg, Ian V. Jane's Infantry Weapons 1995/1996. Jane's Information Group; 21 edition (May 1995). ISBN 978-0-7106-1241-0.
  7. Fitzsimons, Bernard (1978). The Illustrated encyclopedia of 20th century weapons and warfare. New York: Columbia House. p. 1817.
  8. "WWII German weapons during the Vietnam War". 10 July 2015. Archived from the original on May 24, 2023. A fairly remarkable spread of guns, illustrating the weapons used by, and captured by, US Navy special warfare operators in 1964. The red arrow points to a Mauser C96 which – unusually for Vietnam – still has the boxy wood stock. Next is a LAW shoulder-fired rocket, then a WWII-German MP-40. then two Cold War-era submachine guns; the Madsen M50 and Carl Gustav, then two unknown revolvers. At top is a M16 and some mortar rounds. Finally, the assault rifle far right is a Colt Model 605B, an assault rifle issued in tiny quantities only to specops units. It's issue was so small that it never even received a M__ number.
  9. McNab, Chris (19 March 2013). America's Elite: US Special Forces from the American Revolution to the Present Day. Osprey Publishing. pp. 276–277. ISBN 978-1-78200-316-8.
  10. "This Is Quemoy". YouTube. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  11. Moss, Matthew (29 Nov 2018). The Sterling Submachine Gun. Weapon 65. Osprey Publishing. pp. 15–18. ISBN 9781472828088.
  12. Rottman, Gordon L. (25 Jul 2002). Green Beret in Vietnam 1957–73. Warrior 28. Osprey Publishing. p. 41. ISBN 9781855325685.
  13. "Relatório Sobre a Luta no Araguaia". www.marxists.org. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  14. "Glênio Fernandes de Sá Mililtante Político PCdoB Partido Comunista do Brasil RN Rio Grande do Norte Potiguar Natal Caraúbas Araguaia Guerrilha Guerrilheiro Livro Textos Vídeos Osvaldão DVD Multimídia DHnet - Direitos Humanos na Internet". www.dhnet.org.br. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  15. "Por trás de uma pistola 45: Gênero e guerrilha no Brasil. 1968-1973" (PDF).
  16. "Red Hand Commando - Ulster's elite".
  • Nelson, Thomas B. The World's Submachine Guns. International small arms publishers: Cologne, Germany, 1963.
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