Deactivated Spanish ERMA-MPE Submachine Gun

This is a Spanish made copy of the German Erma MPE submachine gun. The MPE was designed by Heinrich Vollmer in the mid 1920's. The prototypes attracted the attention of the Heereswaffenampt ( Army Weapons Agency ) which led to Erma-Werke to obtain the rights from Heinrich Vollmer and started to produce the MPE in 1931. The weapon was stamped with the makers name "ERMA" hence it becoming known as the ERMA-MPE". It remained in production to 1938. However it was built under licence in Spain and was used by the Republicans and the Nationalists forces during the Spanish Civil War ( 1936-39 ). This example is a 1930's made, which does not have a locking stock lug, similar to the MP40. Later Spanish made examples from 1941 introduced the stock locking lug. The pre-1941 made Spanish Erma's are identical to the German examples except for the markings. The Spanish examples are stamped CAL9L ( Calibre 9mm Largo ). In the spring of 1939 many Spanish Republican soldiers escaped to France where the French confiscated their arms resulting in 3250 Spanish Erma's falling to French hands. However there was a shortage of magazines only 1540 magazines where available. A number of the Spanish Erma's where issued to French frontline units during the German invasion of France. Once Germany had occupied France the Spanish Erma's which where stored at Clement-Ferrand fell into the Wehrmacht inventory and where issued to Legion of French volunteers which later become the SS Charlemagne Division. This example is deactivated to the current EU specification and has a moving dummy bolt under spring pressure. U.K. Sales Only.

Code: 70057