The Sten is a British designed submachine gun manufactured in a number of variants (know as Marks or simply Mks) during the Second World War. The official designation was "Carbine, Machine, Sten" which is due to the British term for what we would now call submachine guns being "Machine Carbine" at the start of the war. It was notable for its very simple design and consequently low production costs which made it an ideal weapon for supplying resistance groups. In total approximately 4.5 million Stens were produced, over 2 million of which were the Mark II, which is the iconic Sten gun.
Using the same magazines as the MP40, the Sten is subject to similar errors; the common habit in fiction of using the magazine as a sidegrip would in real life result in damage to the feed lips of the magazine, and the videogame habit of fully loading the magazine would result in spring failures; like the MP40, soldiers experienced in using the Sten would typically load magazines with 30 or 28 rounds rather than 32. The 50 round Lanchester Mk. I magazine is compatible with the Sten.
Specifications
- Weight: 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) (Mk. II)
- Length: 760 mm (29.9 in)
- Barrel length: 196 mm (7.7 in)
- Cartridge: 9x19mm Parabellum
- Action: Blowback-operated, Open bolt
- Rate of fire: Version dependent; ~500 round/min
- Muzzle velocity: 365 m/s (1,198 ft/s)
- Effective range: 300 m
- Feed system: 32-rd detachable box magazine
- Sights: fixed peep rear, post front
The Sten submachine gun has appeared in the following films and video games used by the following actors:
Sten Mk I*
Film
Television
Anime
Title
|
Character
|
Note
|
Date
|
Akira |
Resistance fighter |
|
1987
|
Sten Mk II
Sten Mk II (Canadian) - 9x19mm
Sten Mk II with wooden stock - 9x19mm
Film
Title
|
Actor
|
Character
|
Note
|
Date
|
Little Partisan (Malý partyzán) |
Josef Šlosar |
Jenda Hanuš |
|
1950
|
|
Czechoslovak soldiers and partisans
|
Attention! Bandits! (Achtung! Banditi!) |
Giuliano Montaldo |
Lorenzo |
|
1951
|
Franco Bologna |
"Cat"
|
|
Italian partisans, fascist policemen
|
Paratrooper |
Alan Ladd |
Steve MacKendrick |
|
1953
|
Leo Genn |
Major John Snow
|
Harry Andrews |
Regimental Sergeant Major
|
|
British paratroopers
|
The Most Wanted Man (L'Ennemi public No 1) |
|
Fallone's henchmen and plainclothes police |
|
1953
|
Grisbi (Touchez pas au grisbi) |
Jean Gabin |
Max |
|
1954
|
Grisbi (Touchez pas au grisbi) |
Paul Frankeur |
Pierrot |
|
1954
|
Grisbi (Touchez pas au grisbi) |
Michel Jourdan |
Marco |
|
1954
|
Grisbi (Touchez pas au grisbi) |
René Dary |
Riton |
|
1954
|
The Bridge on the River Kwai |
Jack Hawkins |
Major Warden |
Canadian model |
1957
|
William Holden |
Commander Shears
|
Geoffrey Horne |
Lt. Joyce
|
Kanal |
|
Polish insurgents |
|
1957
|
Ashes and Diamonds |
Adam Pawlikowski |
Andrzej |
|
1958
|
The Black Battalion (Cerný prapor) |
Zdenek Kryzánek |
Ketham |
|
1958
|
|
French foreign legionaries, VPN soldiers
|
Carve Her Name With Pride |
Virginia McKenna |
Violette Szabo |
Fitted with Mk V front sight |
1958
|
Never So Few |
Frank Sinatra |
Capt. Tom Reynolds |
|
1959
|
Richard Johnson |
Capt. Danny De Mortimer
|
Philip Ahn |
Nautaung
|
|
Burmese soldiers
|
Riff Raff Girls (Du rififi chez les femmes) |
|
The bank security guards |
Canadian model |
1959
|
Yesterday's Enemy |
|
Japanese soldiers |
|
1959
|
Consider All Risks (Classe tous risques) |
Philippe March |
Jean Martin |
|
1960
|
Lino Ventura |
Abel Davos
|
Breathless |
|
Police officer |
|
1960
|
The Guns of Navarone |
Anthony Quinn |
Andrea Stavros |
Prop weapon using natural gas to create muzzle flash. Appears to be built on a Mk II with the barrel sawn off nearly to the shroud. |
1961
|
James Darren |
Spyros Pappadimos
|
Bob Simmons |
German Officer
|
Konga |
|
British soldiers |
|
1961
|
Taxi for Tobruk (Un taxi pour Tobrouk) |
Lino Ventura |
Theo Dumas |
|
1961
|
Charles Aznavour |
Samuel Goldmann
|
Germán Cobos |
Jean Ramirez
|
The Longest Day |
Richard Todd |
British Airborne Major John Howard |
|
1962
|
Behold a Pale Horse |
Gregory Peck |
Manuel Artiguez |
|
1964
|
The Unvanquished (L'Insoumis) |
|
French soldier |
Canadian model |
1964
|
Code Name: Tiger (Le Tigre aime la chair fraîche) |
|
Benitez´s henchman |
|
1964
|
Fantômas |
Louis de Funès |
Fantômas |
|
1964
|
Henri Attal |
The bodyguard of Fantômas
|
|
French Gendarmers
|
Panic in Bangkok (Banco à Bangkok pour OSS 117) |
Kerwin Mathews |
Hubert Bonisseur alias OSS 117 |
|
1964
|
|
Hitman, laboratories guard
|
The Assassination (Atentát) |
Radoslav Brzobohatý |
1st Lt. Král |
Canadian model |
1964
|
Rudolf Jelínek |
Sgt. Strnad
|
Ladislav Mrkvicka |
Sgt. Vyskocil
|
Jirí Kodet |
Sgt. Tousek
|
The Gendarme of St. Tropez |
Louis de Funès |
Ludovic Cruchot |
|
1964
|
008: Operation Exterminate |
Alberto Lupo |
Frank Smith, agent 606 |
Continuity mistake |
1965
|
|
Thugs
|
Battle of the Bulge |
|
American soldier |
|
1965
|
OSS 117: Mission for a Killer (Furia à Bahia pour OSS 117) |
|
Nazis, Indians |
|
1965
|
Fantômas se déchaîne |
Jean Marais |
Fandor |
|
1965
|
Ivory Coast Adventure |
Jean Marais |
Jean-Luc Hervé |
|
1965
|
Robert Dalban |
Pepe
|
|
Various criminals
|
The Majordomo (Le majordome) |
|
|
Fitted to a mannequin; with wooden buttstock |
1965
|
The Last Adventure |
|
The Henchman |
Canadian model |
1967
|
Fantômas se déchaîne |
Jean Marais |
Fandor |
|
1965
|
Cast a Giant Shadow |
Senta Berger |
Magda |
|
1966
|
Yul Brynner |
Asher
|
Stathis Giallelis |
Ram Oren
|
Frank Sinatra |
Vince
|
Judith |
Peter Finch |
Aaron Stein |
|
1966
|
Shraga Friedman |
Nathan
|
|
British paratroopers, Haganah members
|
Funeral in Berlin |
|
|
Fitted with Mk V front sight |
1966
|
How I Won the War |
Michael Crawford |
Lt. Earnest Goodbody |
|
1967
|
The Cobra |
|
Henchmen |
|
1967
|
You Only Live Twice |
|
Spectre Guards |
w/ Mk V front sight |
1967
|
I, Justice (Já, spravedlnost) |
|
Men disguised as U.S. soldiers |
|
1968
|
Pasha (Le Pacha) |
|
Dancers in cabaret |
|
1968
|
Play Dirty |
|
British soldiers |
Canadian model |
1969
|
Mr. Freedom |
|
Freedom agent |
|
1969
|
Machine Gun McCain |
John Cassavetes |
Hank McCain |
|
1969
|
The Eighth (Osmiyat) |
|
Resistance fighters |
|
1969
|
How I Unleashed World War II |
Lech Ordon |
Sgt. Hopkins |
|
1970
|
|
English soldiers and Polish partisans
|
The Pariah (La Scoumoune) |
|
Burglar |
|
1972
|
|
Resistance fighters
|
Gang War in Naples |
|
Pietravalle's henchman |
|
1972
|
Man in the Trunk (La Valise) |
Michel Constantin |
Capt. Augier |
Canadian model |
1973
|
No Way Out |
|
Mafia hitmen |
|
1973
|
Sokolovo |
|
Jozef Gabčík |
|
1974
|
The Terrorists |
|
Commandos |
|
1974
|
Only the Wind Knows the Answer (Die Antwort kennt nur der Wind) |
|
Thug |
Canadian Model |
1974
|
Almost Human |
Tomás Milián |
Giulio Sacchi |
Canadian model |
1974
|
Gino Santercole |
Vittorio
|
Ray Lovelock |
Carmine
|
The Nada Gang |
Fabio Testi |
Buenaventura Diaz |
Canadian model |
1974
|
Mariangela Melato |
Veronique Cash
|
The Old Gun (Le vieux fusil) |
|
French Maquis |
|
1975
|
Cop Story (Flic Story) |
Renato Salvatori |
Mario le Rital |
Canadian model |
1975
|
Sholay |
Amitabh Bachchan |
Jai |
Canadian model |
1975
|
Sholay |
|
Gabbar's brigands |
Canadian model |
1975
|
Paper Tiger |
|
British soldiers |
|
1975
|
Deathcheaters |
|
Henchmen |
|
1976
|
Sky Riders |
|
Terrorists |
|
1976
|
The Big Racket |
|
Rudy's henchmen |
Standard and Canadian models |
1976
|
The Eagle Has Landed |
Michael Caine |
Oberst Kurt Steiner |
Canadian model |
1976
|
Siegfried Rauch |
Sergeant Major Brandt
|
Sven-Bertil Taube |
Hauptmann Von Neustadt
|
|
German Paratroopers
|
Soldier of Orange |
Jeroen Krabbé |
Guus LeJeune |
Canadian model |
1977
|
Rutger Hauer |
Erik Lanshof
|
|
Resistance fighters
|
Sorcerer |
|
Guerrilla |
|
1977
|
Operation Thunderbolt |
|
African soldiers |
|
1977
|
The Gang (Le Gang) |
Alain Delon |
Robert |
|
1977
|
Roland Bertin |
Raymond
|
Adalberto Maria Merli |
Manu
|
Xavier Depraz |
Jo
|
Weapons of Death (Napoli spara!) |
|
Santoro's henchmen |
|
1977
|
The Inglorious Bastards |
|
French Resistance fighters |
|
1978
|
Escape to Athena |
|
Greek Resistance fighters |
Canadian model |
1979
|
Telly Savalas |
Zeno
|
Claudia Cardinale |
Eleana
|
Hanover Street |
|
Resistance fighters |
|
1979
|
The Passage |
|
Resistance fighters |
|
1979
|
The Hijacking of Savoy (Pokhishchenie Savoi) |
|
|
|
1979
|
Pirates of the XXth Century (Piraty XX veka) |
|
Indian Police |
Canadian model |
1979
|
|
Pirates
|
|
Soviet crewman
|
Gandhi |
|
Gurkha |
|
1982
|
Copper Angel (Medny angel) |
Nikolai Yeryomenko, Jr. |
Sebastian Valdes |
Canadian Model |
1984
|
Les Morfalous |
Jean-Paul Belmondo |
Sgt. Pierre Augagneur |
Canadian model |
1984
|
|
French Legionaires
|
Top Secret! |
|
|
|
1984
|
Spies Like Us |
|
Mujahideen |
|
1985
|
Plenty |
|
Maquisard |
|
1985
|
Maximum Overdrive |
Pat Miller |
Joe |
Canadian model |
1986
|
Cuckoo in a Dark Forest |
|
British soldiers |
|
1986
|
The Sicilian |
Derrick Branche |
Terranova |
|
1987
|
Sitting on a Branch, Enjoying Myself |
|
The Boys |
|
1989
|
Return from the River Kwai |
Denholm Elliott |
Colonel Grayson |
With wooden stock |
1989
|
Bullet in the Head |
|
Leong's henchman |
|
1990
|
Outbreak |
|
British mercenary |
Canadian model |
1995
|
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me |
|
Henchmen |
|
1999
|
Equilibrium |
|
Resistance fighters |
|
2002
|
The Pianist |
|
Resistance fighters |
Canadian model |
2002
|
Reign of Fire |
|
Refugees |
|
2002
|
El Alamein - The Line of Fire |
|
British soldiers |
|
2002
|
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen |
|
Nautilus Crew |
Ornately decorated and chrome plated |
2003
|
Black Book |
|
Resistance fighters |
Canadian model |
2006
|
Pan's Labyrinth |
|
Spanish Maquis |
|
2006
|
Assembly (Ji jie hao) |
Quan Ren |
Political Officer |
Canadian model |
2007
|
Balls of Fury |
|
Henchmen |
|
2007
|
Blood Brothers |
|
gangster |
|
2007
|
Chen Chang |
Mark |
|
Smokin' Aces |
Chris Pine |
Darwin Tremor |
Canadian model |
2007
|
Female agents |
Julien Boisselier |
Pierre Desfontaines |
Canadian model |
2008
|
Sophie Marceau |
Louise Desfontaines
|
Vincent Rottiers |
Eddy
|
|
French maquisards
|
Flame and Citron |
Thure Lindhardt |
Bent 'Flame' Faurschou-Hviid |
|
2008
|
Mads Mikkelsen |
Jørgen 'Citron' Haagen Schmith
|
|
Danish resistance fighters
|
Miracle at St. Anna |
Pierfrancesco Favino |
Peppi 'The Great Butterfly' Grotta |
|
2008
|
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor |
Brendan Fraser |
Rick O'Connell |
|
2008
|
Max Manus: Man of War |
Aksel Hennie |
Max Manus |
w/ and w/o stock |
2008
|
Nicolai Cleve Broch |
Gregers Gram |
|
Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen |
Roy Nilsen
|
Red and White (Merah Putih) |
|
Dutch soldier |
|
2009
|
The Army of Crime |
Xavier Hosten |
Cristea |
|
2009
|
Elephant White |
|
|
in weapons cache, rare version with magazine well on bottom instead of left side of receiver |
2010
|
Captain America: The First Avenger |
J. J. Feild |
James Montgomery Falsworth |
|
2011
|
Bruno Ricci |
Jacques Dernier
|
The Flowers of War |
|
Chinese soldiers |
modified to resemble Haenel-Schmeisser MP28/II |
2011
|
Beyond the Border |
|
|
|
2011
|
Cold Steel (Bian di lang yan) |
Tony Leung Ka Fai |
Zhang Menzi |
mocked as Bergmann MP18 |
2011
|
Victor Chen |
A Gui
|
|
Japanese soliders
|
The Bullet Vanishes |
|
Boss Ding's mobs |
|
2012
|
Cockneys vs. Zombies |
|
|
|
2012
|
Gangster Squad |
|
Mickey Cohen thug |
|
2013
|
City 44 |
Józef Pawlowski |
Stefan Zawadzki |
|
2014
|
Anna Próchniak |
Kama
|
Maurycy Popiel |
"Góral"
|
Filip Gurlacz |
"Rogal"
|
Tomasz Schuchardt |
"Kobra"
|
Sebastian Fabijanski |
"Sagan"
|
|
Polish insurgents
|
Television
Anime
Video Games
Sten Mk IIS
Sten Mk IIS (Canadian) - 9x19mm
Film
Video Games
Sten Mk III
Film
Television
Video Games
Anime
Sten Mk IV
Sten Mk V
Film
Television
Video Games
Austen Mk I/II
Austen Mk I - 9x19mm Parabellum
Austen Mk II - 9x19mm Parabellum
Film
MP 3008
MP 3008 - 9x19mm Parabellum
The MP 3008, also knows as the "Volksmaschinenpistole" (people's machine pistol), was a German submachine gun developed towards the end of WWII. In was essentially a copy of the Sten Mk II, but with a vertical magazine. Due to the poor state of German manufacturing towards the end of the war and the fact that the MP 3008 was manufactured in various smaller factories and machine shops, there was a lot of variation in terms of the materials and design of the weapons furniture. It could be found with a skeleton wire stock, a strut stock, a strut stock with a wood pistol grip, and finally a fully wooden stock.
Anime
Title
|
Character
|
Note / Episode
|
Date
|
Najica Blitz Tactics |
Crewwomen |
"Mission: 005 - The Fragile Dream with a Crimson Colored Horizon" |
2001
|
Błyskawica
The Błyskawica ("Lightning") was an open-bolt submachine gun derived from the Sten and used by the Polish resistance in World War II.
Specifications
(1943-1944)
- Caliber: 9mm (9x19mm PARABELLUM)
- Feed System: 32-round detachable box magazine
Video Games
Unknown Variants
Television
Video Games
Title
|
Appears as
|
Mods
|
Note
|
Date
|
Metro 2033 |
"Bastard" Carbine |
|
Fictional scratch-built compact assault rifle |
2010
|
See Also