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Lanchester submachine gun
Photo: Rleoster · Wikimedia Commons · CC0
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Lanchestersubmachinegun

Machine Pistols · United Kingdom · 1941
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Lanchestersubmachinegun

Lanchester submachine gun
Lanchester submachine gun Photo: Rleoster · Wikimedia Commons · CC0
* Absolute score — assessed within category · no era adjustment
Firepower
50
Full-Auto Control
40
Magazine Capacity
30
Concealability
60
Accuracy
45
Reliability
70
Ergonomics
50
Rate of Fire
65
Versatility
55
Cost-Effectiveness
75
Origin United Kingdom
ManufacturerSterling Armaments Company
CategoryMachine Pistols
EraWorld War II
In service1941–1945
Operators14 countries
Quantity81,000
Data Quality88%
MASS(Military Archive Scoring System)
52
Machine Pistols MASS Rating
11/36
World War II
116/217
All-Time
Machine Pistols · 10 axes scored
Firepower
50
Full-Auto Control
40
Magazine Capacity
30
Concealability
60
Accuracy
45
Reliability
70
Ergonomics
50
Rate of Fire
65
Versatility
55
Cost-Effectiveness
75
ⓘ Regardless of era, the same scoring system applies to all units in the machine pistols category.
01 / Overview
Lanchester submachine gun
Production
1941–1945
Quantity
81,000
Operators
Conflicts
💰 PERFORMANCE / PRICE ASSESSMENT Methodology ↗
MACHINE PISTOLS · WORLD WAR II
11
PERFORMANCE/PRICE
78
UNIT COST (2025 USD)
—
52
machine pistols category
ⓘ Performance/Price and MASS score are computed across all units in the machine pistols category, regardless of era.
02 / Specs & Design
◎General5MOD.5
  • First Production Year1941
  • Service Entry Year1941
  • Weight (Empty)4.34 kg
  • Weight (Loaded)5 kg
  • Currently In ServiceYes
◈Cartridge & Calibre6MOD.6
▣Operation6MOD.6
◇Ballistics2MOD.2
  • Muzzle Velocity379 m/s
  • Effective Range (point)150 m
◆Barrel & Sights4MOD.4
  • Barrel Length203.2 mm
  • Rifling Grooves2
  • Sight Typeadjustable tangent and flip
  • Iron SightsYes
▤Construction5MOD.5
⬢Features2MOD.2
▲Production & Cost4MOD.4
  • Total Production81,000
  • Production Start1941
  • Production End1945
  • Variants3
◎Additional Dimensions2MOD.2
  • Width60 mm
  • Height200 mm
03 / History
SERVICE LIFESPANStill in Service
  1. 1939First deployment: World War II
  2. 1941Production started
  3. 1945Production ended
85
years in service
4
years in production
81,000
units produced
13
countries operating
ⓘ The producing country still actively operates it. 1 countries retired it.
04 / Conflicts
LANCHESTER SUBMACHINE GUN · CONFLICTS SERVED IN25% win
Total Conflicts
4
Victories
1
Ongoing
0
Losses
0
ⓘ Shown only from conflicts recorded in our database.
05 / Operators
📖 TERMS ON THIS PAGE5terms
A bayonet lug is a metal fitting on the barrel or muzzle of a firearm that provides a mounting point for a bayonet.
A type of firearm action where the breech is not locked and the cartridge case expands to seal the breech, using case expansion and pressure to retain gases.
A firearm feed system where ammunition is stored in a separate container (magazine) that can be removed and replaced, enabling rapid reloading.
Adjustable metal aiming devices on firearms, consisting of a front post and rear notch, used without magnification.
Select fire is a fire selector mechanism on a firearm that lets the shooter choose the firing mode, such as semi‑automatic, burst, or fully automatic.
These terms are listed automatically because they appear on this page.full encyclopedia →
📚 Sources
📖 ENCYCLOPEDIA Browse the Machine Pistols entry →