Reising Submachine Gun

Reising M50 (full stock variant) - .45 ACP. Fitted with Cutts compensator and 20 round double stack magazine.

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Reising M55 (folding stock variant) - .45 ACP. Fitted with 20 round double stack magazine.

Reising M60 (full stock 16" barrel semi-auto carbine variant) - .45 ACP. Fitted with 12 round single stack magazine.

Adopted in early 1942 by the USMC, due largely to a shortage of the Thompson Submachine Gun, the Reising was never especially popular with the Marines since it proved to be a maintenance intensive weapon (something not always possible in the primitive Pacific theatre). It was so unpopular on Guadalcanal that Lt. Col. Merritt Edson, commanding officer of a Marine Raider battalion, ordered all Reising submachine guns issued to his unit to be dumped unceremoniously into a river, so that his men might draw better weapons. (However, this was due to a maintenance error where the individually-fitted Reisings were disassembled en masse and acquired mismatched parts. The replacement Reisings were ordered to be maintained individually and problems were greatly reduced. Dumping the mismatched guns avoided persistent problems.)

One major design flaw in the weapon is the fact that the operating mechanism is a paddle in a slot on the underside of the forestock. If an unfortunate firer's finger slipped into this slot during full auto fire, breakage of bone could potentially result. This slot was also prone to accumulation of dirt or mud in the field, and even when clean made cocking the weapon awkward.

It eventually fell to the wayside though some examples remained in service with various rear echelon units and police forces.

It was favored by some due to its closed bolt operating function, which made it more accurate than the open bolt submachine guns of the time, at the cost of overheating quicker and requiring more maintainance. The Reising was also lend-leased to USSR but has not seen much action.

Specifications

(1941 - 1945)

• Type: Submachine Gun

• Caliber(s): .45 ACP, .22 LR (M65)

• Weight: 3.1 kg (6.83 lb) (M50), 2.8 kg (6.2 lb) (M55)

• Length: 895.35 mm (35.250 in), 565.15 mm (22.3 in) stock retracted (M55)

• Barrel length(s): 279 mm (11.0 in) (M50)

• Capacity: 12 and 20-round box magazines, 30-round aftermarket magazines also exists

• Fire Modes: Safe/Semi-Auto/Full-Auto

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The Reising Submachine Gun and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
Guadalcanal Diary	Lt. In landing party		M50 Model	1943
Guadalcanal Diary		Hanging from bunk on troop ship	M55 Model	1943
Marine Raiders (film)	Robert Ryan	Capt Dan Craig	M50 model	1944
Go for Broke!		German officer	M55 mocked up as MP40	1951
The Planters Wife	Jack Hawkins	Jim Frazer	M50 model	1952
The Day of the Wolves	Various		M50 model	1971
U-571	David Keith	Maj. Coonan	M55 model	2000
Flags of our Fathers	Himself	Sgt. Mike Strank	M55 model, real life war photo	2006

Television

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
The Pacific	Jon Seda	John Basilone	M50 model, 20 round magazine	2010
Combat!	Eric Braeden and other German soldiers	Various	M55 mocked up as MP40	1962-1965

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault	"M55 Reising"		Reising M55	2004
Days Gone	"M50 Reising"		Reising M50	2019
Enlisted	"M50 Reising"		Reising M50	2021