I've always found the Sten quite intriguing. I wanted to see if anyone knew how you held the dang thing. It has no grip, I'm guessing you just wrap your thumb and fingers around the wire buttstock? Seems to be a bit unwieldy to me.

I also noticed on several diagrams that the bolt slide is completely exposed, which would allow debris into the cocking system, which wouldn't be too good. I noticed another opening opposite the magazine feed, which I presume would be the casing ejection point? Seems like that would be open for debris also.

I'm no expert at all, but I love to learn about WWII and I'm hoping someone had something to share.

I guess the dust and debris problem is real, as read from another topic, so all that remains is why is there no handgrip?

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"We want to get the hell over there. The quicker we clean up this Goddamned mess, the quicker we can take a little jaunt against the purple pissing Japs and clean out their nest, too. Before the Goddamned Marines get all of the credit."
-General George S. Patton, 5th June 1944

I assume the stock you are referring to is similar to the one above? If so, you would wrap your hand around the small welded piece with the whole thru it. The thumb would go around over the top of the tube stock, trigger finger into the guard, and the middle, ring, and small finger would grasp the small welded on "grip". Hope this helps.

Below is a nifty poem and a few links to the "vicious tin." I would also recommend any of Ian V. Hogg's books on the subject of small arms.



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!


Sten Gun

Modern Firearms - STEN submachine guns

The Sten Gun

http://www.kmike.com/Sten/StenID.pdf (technical manuals PDF file)

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"Don't be a fool and die for your country. Let the other sonofabitch die for his." George S. Patton

That's a bit different stock, but here's what I was talking about...



But now that picture you showed me and the way the hand would be placed, I can see exactly how you would do it. This has got to be the most ingenious design of all out mass-production cheapness ever for a gun. Not the most comfortable, and surely if you held it long enough the blisters would grow, but it amazes me that something so simple can be functional...

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"We want to get the hell over there. The quicker we clean up this Goddamned mess, the quicker we can take a little jaunt against the purple pissing Japs and clean out their nest, too. Before the Goddamned Marines get all of the credit."
-General George S. Patton, 5th June 1944

By the way-If you hold the Sten By the Magazine (as they ALWAYS do in the movies)it would jam. If you didn't, it wouldn't. Well, it would probably jam for a different reason anway...

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Patriotism is where the love of your country comes first, nationalism is where the hate of other countries comes first.-Charles De Gaulle.

Yep your right Joe! The feed lips were weak and were notorious for jamming, and the pressure of pulling towards yourself on the firing of the weapon didn't help matters.

__________________
"Don't be a fool and die for your country. Let the other sonofabitch die for his." George S. Patton

Hi Mate,
I`m aproud owner of a suppressed stengun Mk2,
i love it, they always get attention.
Mine is a genuine SOE one with no markings or serial numbers.

Matt

My Baby,
Its been confirmed as an SOE one as it has no serial numbers or markings besides the Deact proof marks on the weapon.100_0587.jpg

Matt

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You have no idea of what I would do to get one of those

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Patriotism is where the love of your country comes first, nationalism is where the hate of other countries comes first.-Charles De Gaulle.

Nice Sten

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Regards
John

"It is always wise to look ahead, but difficult to look further than you can see" - Winston Churchill