ERMA 36

ERMA EMP(EMP36)
ERMA 36-model designation


The conceptual and developmental predecessor of the well-known MP38/MP40.The development of this submachine gun was the concern of the ERMA(ErfurterMaaschinenfabrik in Erfurt).The development of this submachine gun dates back to the early 1930s, when the submachine gun under the designation ERMA EMP was developed, as a design by the constructor Heinrich Vollmer.


The first prototype with the serial number 01(serial no. 01,resp.1 is stamped on all parts),which is a real forerunner of the MP38/40,is in the collections of the Historical Institute of the Czech Army.It is very similar in appearance to the MP38/40.Unlike them,its components are not made using press technology,but the parts are made by chip machining.The forearm and the grip "slivers" are made of wood.The magazine well is not oriented vertically,but is slightly offset to the left (30°).The magazine catch is different and is formed by a two-arm lever located on the rear wall of the magazine well.The magazine well has internal dimensions 21,5x34,2mm.These are different dimensions than later versions of the MP38/40 and therefore none of the mass-produced German submachine gun magazines could be used.The original magazine is not preserved for this prototype.
The trigger mechanism consists of a trigger lever, its spring, a spring-loaded interrupter and a separately sprung trigger.This solution is fundamentally the same as in Czechoslovak post-war submachine guns vz.48/24/26/23/25.
The firing mode switch(single/dose) of the weapon is designed as a transverse sliding switch.The safety is designed only as a side cutout in the bolt housing,where the tensioning handle can be secured in the rear position.The disassembly of the submachine gun is the same as in the MP38/40(it is necessary to have the firing mode switched to the D-dauerfeur dose).
The bolt mechanism is interesting and very expensive to manufacture.It is similar to Schmeisser's patent No.580620 thanks to the telescopic return spring housing. However, the concept is different from the MP38/40 and MP41.The telescopic housing in which the return spring is guided is formed by two interlocking tubes, the front one of which is connected to the breech body by a threaded nut M30x1.The nut is locked against rotation by a small headless screw ("worm").On the recoil spring there is a cylindrical firing pin,which is not finished with a firing pin,but the firing pin together with a strong recoil spring is placed in the bolt face,which is atypically connected with the bolt body by a thread M10x1.Against rotation there is a screw with a cylindrical head embedded in the face.At the same time the rotation is prevented thanks to the extractor,which is designed similarly to Walther PP/Walther PPK.Thus, the breech system, including the recoil spring, consists of 15 components with a total weight of 738g.The length of the breech itself-159mm and the length including the telescopic recoil spring-331mm.The breech is equipped with a tensioning handle of a similar shape to that of the ERMA-Vollmer submachine guns.The barrel is connected to the breech housing with a lock nut.The face of this nut is provided with two opposite holes and to release it a special key is needed,which is inserted from the rear into the breech housing.The chamber is interestingly reduced in internal diameter in the red part.Such a ring is characteristic for the chambers of pistols (9mm Parabellum versions) Parabellum P.08.[/url] and Mauser 1896/1916 and some barrels in the 9mm Parabellum caliber for Austrian Steyr pistols of the 1912 model (made by Mauser in Obendorf am Neckar).
We can only speculate about the target(sight),as it is missing from the prototype.It was to be mounted in a herringbone groove and was probably intended to be the same as the ERMA EMP,i.e. double-plate at 100 and 200 yards.The sights can be estimated to be about 404mm.


It is not known what role this design played in the development of ERMA submachine guns,but it can be clearly identified as a precursor to the MP38.The number of units produced is unknown,but certainly very small and this gun is very rare.It is not mentioned in reputable publications either.


9mm Parabellum caliber
Overall length 831mm
length with folded shoulder rest 620mm
barrel length 250mm
number of grooves 6,right-handed
length of the intentional approx. 404mm
weight of weapon without magazine 3,960 kg



*main source : Strelecký magazín 1/97 - ERMA 36-J.Skaramoušský,photo-J.Česák


There are mentions of one piece of this weapon serial number 014,which was owned by H.Göring and was placed in Karinhalle.The weapon was probably a gift of an armament company.