Every Submachine Gun Type Explained in 10 Minutes

From the muddy trenches of World War One to the personal defense weapons carried by today's special forces, the submachine gun has evolved through more generations than almost any other class of firearm. In this video, we walk through every major type of SMG in chronological order, breaking down what each generation got right, what it got wrong, and which weapons defined the era. We cover the German MP18 that started it all, the iconic Thompson, the stamped-steel MP40, the mass-produced Soviet PPSh-41, the desperate British Sten, the American M3 Grease Gun, the clever Israeli Uzi, the wild MAC-10, the legendary HK MP5, the armor-piercing FN P90, and the modern pistol-caliber carbines like the SIG MPX and KRISS Vector reshaping the category today. Each entry gets a breakdown of caliber, rate of fire, service history, design philosophy, and the famous units or moments that put it on the map. Whether you're a firearms enthusiast, a military history buff, or someone who just wants to know why an Uzi looks nothing like an MP5, this is your full tour of one of the most influential weapon categories ever built. Drop a comment with your favorite from the list, and let us know which weapons category you want us to break down next.