WW2 1943 STEN GUN MANUAL MACHINE CARBINE SUBMACHINE NORTHOVER PROJECTOR GRENADES MANUAL OF THESTEN GUN
COMPONENTS, STRIPPING,ASSEMBLING, LOADING,
MK I, II & III
WITH NOTES ON THE NORTHOVER
Lieut. E. W. MANDERS & W. BENTLY CAPPER
JOHN CROWTHER LTD,London, 1943
A very rare original British Army Sten Machine Carbine handbook, published in 1943. This book is a practical guide to the handling and maintenance of this iconic weapon, as used by the allied forces during WW2. Full of fascinating information, it includes details of the mechanism and use of the Mark I, II and III versions of the Sten. The book also includes details of the Northover Projector and its grenades: the No. 76 (S.I.P.) Phosphorus Grenade and the No. 36 H.E. grenade.
The Sten: Up to1941 the British armed forces were purchasing all the Thompson submachine guns they could from the United States, but these did not meet demand. In order to overcome this shortage, the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, was commissioned to produce an alternative.The designers were Major R. V. Shepherd and Harold John Turpin, Senior Draughtsman of the Design Department of the R.S.A.F.The Sten shared design features with the Royal Navy\'s Lanchester submachine gun, which was a copy of the German MP28. In terms of manufacture, the Lanchester was entirely different, being made of high-quality materials with pre-war fit and finish, in stark contrast to the Sten\'s austere execution.The Sten used simple stamped metal components which required minimal machining and manufacturing. Much of the production could be performed by small workshops, with the firearms assembled at the Enfield site. Over the period of manufacture the Sten design was further simplified: the most basic model, the Mark III, could be produced from five man-hours of work. Some of the cheapest versions were made from only 47 different parts. It was distinctive for its bare appearance and its horizontal magazine. The Mark I was a more finely finished weapon with a wooden foregrip and handle; later versions were generally more spartan, although the final version, the Mark V, which was produced from 1944, was built to a higher standard.The Sten was often unreliable, prone to jamming, and inaccurate beyond 30 meters. But it was easy and cheap to produce, costing just fifteen shillings.
The Northover Projector:The Projector, 2.5 inch—more commonly known as the Northover Projector—was an ad hoc anti-tank weapon used by the British Army and Home Guard during the Second World War. It was designed by a Home Guard officer named Robert Harry Northover to act as a makeshift anti-tank weapon, and was put into production in 1940 following a demonstration to the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill.The weapon consisted of a hollow metal tube attached to a tripod, with a rudimentary breech at one end. Rounds were fired with the use of black powder ignited by a standard percussion cap, and it had an effective range of between 100 and 150 yards. Although it was cheap and easy to manufacture, it did have several problems; it was difficult to move and the No. 76 Special Incendiary Grenades it used as one type of ammunition had a tendency to break inside the breech, damaging the weapon and injuring the crew. Production began in late 1940, and by the beginning of 1943 nearly 19,000 were in service.Condition:
In very good condition. The card cover is in very good condition. The binding is very good and secure. The text is in very good condition.
Published: 1943Illustrated card cover with black and white titlingDimensions : 100mm x 150mmPages: 32
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