Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! The Reising was a blowback-operated submachine gun designed in 1940 by Eugene Reising and produced by Harrington & Richardson. Intended as a lower-cost alternative to the Thompson, over 100,000 Reising guns were ordered during WWII across several models including the selective-fire Model 50 and folding-stock Model 55. The Reising utilized delayed blowback operation for improved control and accuracy compared to simple blowback SMGs. It was initially issued to US Marines and Navy personnel in 1942 alongside the Thompson. However, the Reising proved unreliable in combat conditions resulting in its withdrawal in favor of the M1 carbine. The remaining inventory was passed on to law enforcement where the Reising found a niche as a police submachine gun into the 1950s. Despite its flaws as a military arm, the Reising’s innovative design, full-auto capability, and competitive cost made it an economical option for domestic use.
“This is an example of a WWII fully automatic Reising Model 50 submachine gun that was manufactured by the Harrington & Richardson company. These H&R Reising SMGs were initially issued to the USMC units early in WWII and were made in two configurations; one with a fixed wooden stock and the other with a folding wire stock. These were considered a substitute standard SMG during the early stages of WWII with the Thomson submachine gun being the primary weapon of choice. Both were eventually replaced by the cheaper and easier to manufacture M3 and M3A1 submachine guns in late WWII. They function in a blow-back operated model and this model is cocked by retracting the cocking handle located in the cut out recess on the underside of the forend. “
Lot 1787: Harrington & Richardson Inc Relsing model 50 Rifle 45 ACP – WWII Harrington & Richardson Model 50 Fully Automatic Reisng Submachine Gun. (n.d.-d). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved January 2, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/53/1787/harrington-richardson-inc-reising-model-50-rifle-45-acp.
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