Tikkakoski KP m/44 submachine gun (Finland)

M44 Tikkakoski submachine gun with 20-round box magazine.
Tikkakoski KP m/44 submachine gun with 20-round box magazine.

M44 Tikkakoski submachine gunwith 71-round drum magazine originally designed for Suomi SMG.
Tikkakoski KP m/44 submachine gun with 71-round drum magazine originally designed for Suomi submachine gun.

 

 

The KP.44 submachine gun (Finish: Konepistooli malli 1944) was developed during 1943-44 at Tikkakoski OY, Finnish arms-making company, as a less expensive alternative to excellent but overly costly Suomi m/31 submachine gun. This weapon in fact was a reverse-engineered copy of Soviet Sudaev PPS-43 submachine gun, adapted to 9×19 ammunition using Suomi submachine gun magazines. Significant numbers of Tikkakoski KP M/44 submachine guns were manufactured at Tikkakoski factory during 1944 and 1945, and these guns served with Finnish army for several decades after the war. It must be noted that the chief designer of M44, someone Willi Daughs, has left Finland soon after the war, and during early 1950s landed in Spain, along with manufacturing documentation for M44. There he managed to find manufacturing facilities, and a copy of M44 was produced in Spain as Dux M53. Small numbers of 9mm Dux M53 submachine guns were subsequently sold to West German Border Guard (Bundesgrenzshutz).

Tikkakosky KP M44 submachine gun is blowback operated, full automatic only weapon. It fires from open bolt. Receiver and barrel jacket are made from single piece of sheet steel, cut, bent and welded to shape. Trigger unit is of simple design, copied from Sudaev PPS-43, with similar sliding manual safety, located in front of trigger guard. The magazine housing is designed to accept all types of magazines, originally developed for Suomi submachine gun, including 20- and 50-round box magazines and 40- and 71-round drum magazines. During early fifties M44 submachine guns were slightly modified so it was possible to use new and highly reliable 36-round box magazines from Swedish M45 Carl Gustaf submachine guns (compatibility with older Suomi magazines was retained). Standard sights were of open type, with protected front and L-shaped flip-up rear, marked for 100- and 200-meters range. Metallic butt was of top-folding design.

 

Characteristics

 

Caliber 9x19mm Luger / Parabellum
Weight 2,9 kg empty
Length (stock closed/open) 620 / 830 mm
Barrel length 250 mm
Rate offire 650 rounds per minute
Magazine capacity 20 or 36 rounds boxor 71 rounds drum
Effective range 150-200meters