MAC-10

All you want to know about MAC-10

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MAC-10
MAC-10 with suppressor
Type	Machine pistol
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1970–1975
Used by	United States, Brazil
Wars	Vietnam War
Production history
Designer	Gordon B. Ingram
Designed	1964
Manufacturer	Military Armament Corporation
Produced	1970–
Variants	M-10A1
Specifications
Weight	2.84 kg (empty)
Length	269 mm (10.7 inches) stock removed, 295 mm (11.6 inches) stock closed, 548 mm (1 foot 9.6 inches) stock open. (545 mm (1 foot 9.45 inches) / 798 mm (2 feet 7.4 inches) with suppressor)
Barrel length	146 mm

Cartridge	.45 ACP 9x19mm Parabellum
Rate of fire	1,090 (9 mm), 1,145 (.45 ACP) rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	366 m/s (1,026 fps) for 9mm, 280 m/s (919 fps) for .45 ACP
Effective range	50–70 m
Maximum range	100 m
Feed system	30 (.45 ACP) or 32 (9x19mm) round box magazine
Sights	Iron sights

The MAC-10 (Military Armament Corporation Model 10) is a highly compact, blowback operated, selective fire submachine gun, considered by some to be a machine pistol developed by Gordon B. Ingram in 1964.

It is a simple, low-cost design with few moving parts, making it easy to manufacture and maintain. The M-10 is one out of a series of machine pistols, the others being: the MAC-11 (M-11A1), which is a scaled down version of the M-10 chambered in .380 ACP; and the M-11/9, which is a smaller 9mm version that has a longer receiver with a shorter profile later made by SWD (Sylvia and Wayne Daniel) and Leinad.

The compactness and high rates of fire for these weapons (no less than 1000 rounds per minute for the M-10 and 1600 rpm for the M-11A1) worked against them. Their small size made them difficult to hold, and this, when combined with their high rate of fire, made control challenging; this was a key factor in their never finding much success with the military. Also, their weight makes them uncomfortable to hold. However, they did see limited service in Vietnam with Special Forces.

Besides Military Armament Corporation and SWD, MAC-10s and MAC-10 parts have been produced by RPB Industries,^[1] Cobray Company,^[2] Jersey Arms Works,^[3] Section Five Firearms,^[4] and Powder Springs.^[5]

1 Design
- 1.1 Suppressor
2 Calibers
3 See also
4 References
5 External links
- 5.1 Video

Design

The MAC-10 was built almost entirely from steel stampings. A notched cocking handle protrudes from the top of the receiver, and by turning the handle 90° would lock the bolt, and act as an indicator that the weapon is unable to fire. The MAC-10 has a telescoping bolt, which wraps around the barrel. This allows a more compact weapon, and balances the weight of the weapon over the pistol grip where the magazine is located. The MAC-10 fires from an open bolt, and in addition, the light weight of the bolt results in a rapid rate of fire. The barrel is threaded to accept a suppressor, which worked by reducing the discharge's sound, without attempting to reduce the velocity of the bullet. At the suggestion of the United States Army, Ingram added a small bracket with a small strap beneath the muzzle to aid in controlling recoil during fully-automatic fire.

Suppressor

Probably the biggest reason for the original MAC-10 finding recognition was its revolutionary sound suppressor designed by Mitchell Werbell III of Sionics. This suppressor had a two-stage design, with the first stage being larger than the second. This uniquely shaped suppressor gave the MAC-10 a very menacing look. It was also very quiet, to the point that the bolt could be heard over the report of the weapons discharge.^{[citation needed]} Its "wipeless" design was advanced for the time in that its internal metal parts needed only to be cleaned, not replaced, in contrast to the older-technology "wipe" type suppressors. The suppressor also created a place to hold the weapon; this, combined with the weight it added, made the weapon easier to control. During the 1970s the United States of America placed restrictions on the exportation of suppressors, and a number of countries canceled their orders of MAC-10s as the effectiveness of the MAC-10's suppressor was one of its main selling points. This and additional restrictions on automatic weapons in the USA led to the bankruptcy of Military Armament Company, the main producer, in 1976.^[6] The weapon's barrel threads were originally intended for this suppressor, but many other attachments are used: muzzle brakes, barrel extensions, fake-suppressors, fore-grips, and so on. Also, a single-stage "wipe" type suppressor was marketed by SWD and Cobray in the last years (1983–1986) of the MAC-10's manufacture. The suppressor is 11.44 inches in length, 2.13 inches in overall diameter, and weighs 1.20 pounds.

Calibers

Most MAC-10s, including the original design, are chambered for .45 ACP rounds. In the United States, fully automatic MAC-10 machine pistols are NFA articles, and probably the least expensive (relative; Approximate cost as of Q1 2008 is $3,000 US +/-)^[7] and one of the most common automatic firearms available on the American black market today. A large amount of sheet metal frame flats were given serial numbers before the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986, and this made it possible to continue manufacturing MAC-10s for the civilian market. There are also a limited number of semi-automatic carbines based on the original MAC-10 design. MAC-10 pistols may be easily converted to carbines, and vice-versa, by interchanging commonly available parts.^{[citation needed]}