| Ingram MAC-10 | |
|---|---|
MAC-10 (.45 ACP) with suppressor and without magazine. |
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| Type | Machine Pistol |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1970–1975 |
| Used by | See Users |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Gordon B. Ingram |
| Designed | 1964 |
| Manufacturer | Military Armament Corporation |
| Produced | 1970–present |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 2.84 kg (6.26 pounds) empty w/o suppressor |
| Length | 269 mm (10.7 inches) with stock removed 295 mm (11.6 inches) with stock retracted 548 mm (1 foot 9.6 inches) with stock extended 545 mm (1 foot 9.45 inches) with stock retracted w/suppressor 798 mm (2 feet 7.4 inches) with stock extended w/suppressor |
| Barrel length | 146 mm (4.49 inches) |
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| Cartridge | .45 ACP 9×19mm Parabellum |
| Rate of fire | 1,090 rounds/min (9 mm) 1,145 rounds/min (.45 ACP) |
| Muzzle velocity | 366 m/s (1,201 ft/s) for 9mm 280 m/s (919 ft/s) for .45 ACP |
| Effective range | 50 m (.45 ACP) 70 m (9×19mm Parabellum)[1] |
| Maximum range | 100 m (for .45 ACP) |
| Feed system | 30-round detachable box magazine (.45 ACP) 32-round detachable box magazine (9mm) |
| Sights | Iron sights |
The MAC-10 (Military Armament Corporation Model 10, officially the M10) is a highly compact, blowback operated machine pistol developed by Gordon B. Ingram in 1964.[2]
Contents |
The M-10 was built predominantly from steel stampings. A notched cocking handle protrudes from the top of the receiver, and by turning the handle 90° would lock the bolt, and act as an indicator that the weapon is unable to fire. The M-10 has a telescoping bolt, which wraps around the barrel. This allows a more compact weapon, and balances the weight of the weapon over the pistol grip where the magazine is located. The M-10 fires from an open bolt, and in addition, the light weight of the bolt results in a rapid rate of fire. The barrel is threaded to accept a suppressor, which worked by reducing the discharge's sound, without attempting to reduce the velocity of the bullet. At the suggestion of the United States Army, Ingram added a small bracket with a small strap beneath the muzzle to aid in controlling recoil during fully automatic fire.
The primary reason for the original M-10 finding recognition was its revolutionary sound suppressor designed by Mitchell Werbell III of Sionics. This suppressor had a two-stage design, with the first stage being larger than the second. This uniquely shaped suppressor gave the MAC-10 a very distinctive look. It was also very quiet, to the point that the bolt could be heard cycling, along with the suppressed report of the weapon's discharge. Later-production variants had a "wipeless" suppressor front cap design that was advanced for the time in that its internal metal parts needed only to be cleaned, not replaced, in contrast to the older-technology "wipe" type suppressors. The suppressor also created a place to hold the weapon; this, combined with the weight it added, made the weapon easier to control. During the 1970s the United States placed restrictions on the exportation of suppressors, and a number of countries canceled their orders of M-10s as the effectiveness of the MAC-10's suppressor was one of its main selling points. This was one factor that led to the bankruptcy of Military Armament Company, the main producer, in 1976.[3] The barrel threads were originally intended for this suppressor, but other muzzle attachments can be used including muzzle brakes, barrel extensions, and fore-grips. Also, a single-stage "wipe" type suppressor was marketed by SWD and Cobray[4] in the last years (1983–1986) of the M-10's manufacture. The original Sionics suppressor is 11.44 inches in length, 2.13 inches in overall diameter, and weighs 1.20 pounds.
The term "MAC-10" is commonly used, but unofficial parlance. However, the MAC company never used the nomenclature MAC-10 on any of its catalogs or sales literature—only "M10", but because "MAC-10" became so frequently used by Title II dealers, gun writers, and collectors, it is now used more frequently than "M10" to identify the guns.
While the original M-10 was available chambered for either .45 ACP or 9mm, the M-10 is part of a series of machine pistols, the others being: the MAC-11 / M-11A1, which is a scaled down version of the M-10 chambered in .380 ACP; and the M-11/9, which is a modified version of the M-11 with a longer receiver chambered in 9mm, later made by SWD (Sylvia and Wayne Daniel) and Leinad.
In the United States, full automatic M-10 machineguns are NFA articles, and probably the least expensive (relative; Approximate cost as of Q1 2009 is $3,600 US)[5] automatic weapons on the American market. A large number of incomplete sheet metal frame flats were given serial numbers before the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986, and this made it possible to complete the manufacture of registered M-10s for the civilian market after the 1986 production freeze took effect. There were also a few thousand semi-automatic pistols and carbines that were based on the original M-10 design. These were made in open-bolt and later in closed-bolt designs, in response to ATF rule changes that banned semi-auto open bolt designs (for being supposedly easy to convert to automatic fire), beginning in the early 1980s. Masterpiece Arms manufactures a semi-automatic variant of the M-10 called the MPA-10.[6] It differs from the original M-10 in firing from a closed bolt, as opposed to the open-bolt mechanism of the original M-10. This allows for more accuracy than open-bolt fire. The MPA-10 comes in several versions, including a carbine variant with a 16" barrel, shoulder stock, and an AR-15 forearm. The standard model has 6" barrel (visually identical to the original MAC-10). A highly modified version which has the cocking handle on the side and has a scope mount on top is also available. One model has a 10" barrel and has an AR-15 style forearm.
Lage Manufacturing is making a very popular variant, which are called "MAX" uppers. The company is based in Chandler, Arizona. The "MAX" upper can reduce the original rate of fire to about 600 RPM (.45 ACP) and 700 RPM (9x19mm). The upper adds a picatinny optic rail, a side cocking charging handle, and a forend.
Practical Solutions is currently marketing a drop-in .22LR caliber conversion upper variant for .22LR that includes barreled upper, bolt and magazine.
Alliance Armament is making slowfire uppers that accept unmodified Suomi 36 round stick magazines, 50 round coffin mags, and 71 round drum magazines. They are also producing a 7.62x25 PPSh-41 compatible conversion for the upper, which based on the low cost and high power of the round, should become very popular, especially with subgun competitors.
Besides Military Armament Corporation, MAC-10s and MAC-10 parts have been produced by RPB Industries,[7] Cobray Company/SWD/Leinad,[8] Jersey Arms Works,[9] MasterPiece Arms,[10] Section Five Firearms [11] and Vulcan (Velocity Arms, V-series).
Possibly due to its menacing appearance and the reputation the open-bolt version gathered before the 1982 open-bolt ban, the semi-auto civilian version of the MAC-10, which operates differently than its military counterpart, became a target of the 1994 assault weapons ban. The band enacted various requirements which defined an assault weapon. Not only was the MAC-10 named directly in the ban[12], it also failed two of the requirements, these where: 1. A semi-auto version of an automatic firearm. And 2: A manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded.[13] The imposed weight limit was 50oz (1.4kg), which the MAC-10 exceeded with its weight of 100.16oz (2.84kg).
The BXP is 9 mm submachine gun developed in the mid-1980s by the South African company Mechem (currently a division of Denel, formerly under ARMSCOR) and brought into production in 1988. Due to international arms embargoes of Apartheid South Africa, the country was forced to design and manufacture their own weapons. The weapon was intended for use by security forces. The manufacturing rights shifted from hand to hand several times during the years, passing from Mechem to Milkor Marketing and later to Truvelo Armoury, the current manufacturer (as for 2009).
The Cobra Land Defense Pistol is a semi-automatic stocked pistol of Rhodesian origin manufactured during the Bush War Era as a 'Land Defence Pistol' for farmers and is chambered in the 9mm round. The layout of this weapon is somewhat based on the Uzi submachine gun.[14]
The Pistola Ametralladora Patria is a close copy of the MAC-10 and features a cooling jacket/barrel extension much like the South African BXP. The P.TO. country was developed for the major of the Air Force Argentina, Luis Ricardo Dávila, and protected by national Patent n° 220494/5/6/7 on 20/08/1980. It uses 9mm caliber rounds for easy transportation, and can be operated in either hand.
The Enarm MSM/SMG was a submachine gun of Brazilian origin based on the Uzi and MAC-10 weapons. It was chambered in the 9x19mm Parabellum round and also came with a foregrip. Although the weapon performed well in trials, it was discontinued due to financial reasons.