Stens (Was [WW] At Long Last!!! It Finally Came!!!)

[Soothsprayer <hercubadger@yahoo.com>]

> So far, I only have to laugh at the Sten Gun
> Description ("Reliable"?  Sure, 
> you could rely on it to jam!  And go off if you
> dropped it!  That's about 
> it!!!), but that's about it so far!!!

Hey now, it wasn't that bad. It was designed as a low
cost easily produced fire arm and that's what people
got. If properly taken care of the weapon was shown to
be as reliable as others of the same breed. No better
and no worse.

I'll give you the fact sten's were (in)famous for
going off if dropped. Hair triggers (sears?) have
their disadvantages after all.

Magazine quality seems to have caused many of the
headaches with sten use. Once sten users were properly
educated in checking their magazines for damage the
numbers of malfunctions greatly decreased. Think of it
along the same lines of the M-16. Has to be treated
well else it'll bite you. 

For further information:
http://www2.prestel.co.uk/history/sten/


Under the "nice try" category:
>>>
The following remarks were printed in the 1943
'Handbook on the British Army' which was issued to
American troops in order to accustom them with the
uniforms, weapons and equipment of the British: 

"Sten Machine Carbine.-
This gun is being issued at a rapid rate to air-borne
forces, tank crews, reconnaissance units, etc. It can
be produced rapidly and at small cost. This fact,
together with its light weight, small size, high rate
of fire, and great accuracy, has resulted in its use
for tasks for which the pistol and the 'Tommy gun'
have proved inadequate."
>>>

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