*Canadian, WW2, Sten MKII Long Branch Sub Machine Gun, Dated 1943, Deactivated*
Serial No: 2L5662, 9mm Calibre, 19.5cm Barrel Length
The magazine host is marked: Sten MKII, Long Branch, 1943, Initials L with a B incorporated and on the obverse: 2L5662. Initials LB.
War Arrow and various proof marks
Marked on butt button: S245
Marked on the stock: M225
The Sten, a blowback-operated weapon with a side-mounted magazine, is a British submachine gun chambered in 9×19mm. The name “Sten” is derived from the initials of the weapon’s chief designers: Major Reginald V. Shepherd and Harold J. Turpin, with “En” representing the Enfield factory. It was extensively used by British and Commonwealth forces during World War II and the Korean War. The Sten’s straightforward design and low production cost allowed for mass production, meeting the demand for submachine guns. In addition to regular units, the Sten was distributed to resistance groups in occupied Europe, serving as an effective weapon for insurgency.
During World War II, the British Government enlisted the Canadian company Long Branch, Ontario, to manufacture the Sten MKII. Initially, a contract for 17,000 units was awarded in August 1941. In total it is estimated that Long Branch produced approximately 133,947 MK2s. Many of these weapons never reached their destination due to transport ships carrying them being targeted and sunk by German U-boats, further increasing the rarity of these Stens. They were organized in lots of 10,000, with lot numbers marked with L suffixes. This final production figure is notably low, especially when compared to the overall production of Stens during the 1940s, totaling approximately four million units in various versions. This made the Sten the second most produced submachine gun of World War II, behind only the Soviet PPSh-41. For instance, ROF Fazakerley alone manufactured around 1,950,000 Stens.
This Canadian variant, similar to the regular Mark II but featuring a different stock (a “skeleton” type instead of a strut type), saw its first combat use in the Dieppe Raid of 1942. Blade front and peep rear sights, with the model, maker’s mark and date on top of the magazine well, “R” and “A” marked selector switch on the trigger group. Fitted with a “T” profile buttstock with “M255” on the grip section.
*Condition*
Canadian Sten’s were made to a much higher quality than the British ones often with smoother edges and better tolerances. Fully deactivated the piece doesn’t cock or dry fires and the bolt doesn’t move. Good condition for its age and service. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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