Most common SMG.

I was wondering what the most common SMG would have been for Germany in the early stages of the war. I know the MP-40 was probably most common by the end of the war but what about the beginning?

What would have been most common in:
Poland 1939
France 1940
Crete 1941
Early Barbarossa 1941

I know there was the MP-34, MP-38, MP-40, and a few from occupied countries making up a small margin.

Second question is who would have been most likely to get one of these SMG’s? Were they used as the US used the M1 carbine as a weapon better than a pistol for people who didnt really need one (artillery, drivers, radio ops). Or was it more of a front line weapon for particular people (squad leaders, MG a$$. gunners)?

Thanks for all the help. I would also love to see any reference photos you guys have.

I think the MP.38/40 series was pretty pervasive from start to finish. They would have been issued to infantry squad leaders, and were also prevalent with tank / AFV crews and issue equipment for those. They would have wider issue and use for trench and urban warfare. One sees the MP.28 series and MP.34s in use early (such as Poland) as well. From France on the overwhelming predominate SMG is the MP.38/40 with frontline troops. What is interesting is that it was phased out in 1944 with StG. production, but about 250,000 Beretta MAB.38/42s were ordered to fill in the production gap. I think the Beretta MAB.38/42 was the best SMG of WW2, easily. I've fired all of them I think, other than the really obscure ones.

From period pics one sees them normally used by NCOs / squad leaders / field grade officers. The MP.40 was a good, reliable weapon, and putting bursts on targets out to 100 yds is not a problem, nor is squeezing off single, pretty accurate, aimed shots at that range. I can reliably put single shots or doubles onto a head sized target at 100. If four or five guys were running at 100 and not spread way out I could reliably put a half magazine or a mag dump into all of them at that range. For that reason it's a very good close combat weapon.

Right, looking at the production figures there was no shortage of MP40s, especially in the limited roles in which they were used. Keep in mind that the MP38 was still being produced up to 1941, in more limited numbers. That's a total of 40,576 guns made for the MP38, and 869,792 for the MP40.

After the Italian surrender in Aug. 1943, large quantities of Beretta Models 38, 38A and 38/42 became available to the Germans and were widely used by them, and for the last year of the war the Beretta M38/42 was the only submachine gun still in production for the Germans. There was no better SMG in service by anyone in WWII. Its magazine --the key to reliability-- was far superior to the MP40's.

The early M38 and 30A Berettas in particular were very highly prized for their workmanship and performance. In Italian service they used supercharged ammunition and were capable of rifle-like accuracy at greater ranges than most submachine guns.

M

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1940 and 1941