but since it involved the STEN of the era I thought I would post it here and see if it gets moved or what. Just wanted to share it with everyone.

The STEN Sub machinegun had a reputation for occasionally running away on the operator.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFBuMVcA8KM

When talking about the STEN one of the guys it was issued to, said something like; "its most precise components are an old bedspring and a length of plumber’s pipe!"

I thought that was too funny. The M-3 "Grease-gun" (like inexpensively made STEN) could be produced for less than twenty US dollars. I seem to recall it was between $6 and $12 (USD) for the different Mks of STEN and about $18 for the original M-3, that was pared down to $15 for the M3A1. Toward the end of the Thompson production run, the M1A1 was being delivered for forty-five US dollars with accessories. Down from over two hundred US dollars for the weapon alone in the late 1920’s!

Just for fun, I also found this poem written during WW2 and published in The Maple Leaf Scrapbook, a souvenir book printed in Belgium at cost and given to forces overseas by No. 3 Cdn. P.R. Group, in 1945.

Ode to a Sten Gun
By Gunner. S.N. Teed

You wicked piece of vicious tin!
Call you a gun? Don't make me grin.
You're just a bloated piece of pipe.
You couldn't hit a hunk of tripe.
But when you're with me in the night,
I'll tell you pal, you're just alright!

Each day I wipe you free of dirt.
Your dratted corners tear my shirt.
I cuss at you and call you names,
You're much more trouble than my dames.
But boy, do I love to hear you yammer
When you 're spitting lead in a business manner.

You conceited pile of salvage junk.
I think this prowess talk is bunk.
Yet if I want a wall of lead
Thrown at some Jerry's head
It is to you I raise my hat;
You're a damn good pal...
You silly gat!

The cheap-o STEN, was undoubtly one of the most crude, ugly, simple, but effective sub machineguns of WW2. Even if it did have that little "quirk" of running away in certain circumstances, in some models there were a huge number of them made, I think there were more than 4 million of different versions (Marks) made from 1941 until 1945.

__________________
Happy Trails,
Clint.