Orita Model 1941

Submachine Gun (SMG) [ 1943 ]

The first Romanian locally-designed and produced submachine gun became the Orita Model 1941 introduced during World War 2.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/11/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

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The Romanian Army of World War 2 (1939-1945) utilized a variety of foreign-born weapons during its participation as a member of the Axis powers. This inventory included German rifles and Czech light machine guns as well as various submachine gun types. It was decided at some point to design and develop an indigenous submachine gun weapon for mass production and serial issue to which work began in 1941. The design of the weapon involved Czech Leopold Jasek and Romanians Nicolae Sterva and Army Captain Marin Orita. The new submachine gun went on to bear the Captain's name as the "Orita Model 1941". Despite its designation, it was not adopted until 1943 with manufacture handled by Uzinele Metalurgice Copsa Mica si Cugir (UMCMC).

The Orita became the first locally-designed and produced Romanian submachine gun.

The Orita Model 1941 (or "M1941") appeared in line with submachine guns of the period - some of its design approach seems to have been influenced by the German MP38. A single-piece wooden stock made up most of the slim profile of the gun and integrated the forend, pistol grip, and shoulder stock as one complete unit. The metalwork was inlaid with the barrel protruding a good distance away from the center mass of the weapon. The submachine gun was fed from a 32-round detachable straight box magazine inserted into a port well ahead of the trigger group. The trigger was slung under the action in the usual way and featured a side-to-side safety button set just ahead of the trigger guard. A large changing handle was set to the right side of the gun's body. Sighting was through an iron front and rear arrangement though the rear unit was considerably oversized and graduated out to 500 meters. It also lay well ahead of the operator's face along the top of the receiver. Effective range was closer to 200 meters and muzzle velocity reached 1,315 feet per second. The cartridge of choice was the ubiquitous 9x19mm Parabellum German pistol cartridge.©MilitaryFactory.com

The Orita seems to have appeared in large numbers for the Romanian Army during its wartime years. The guns were well-finished products though the drawback being their generally overall expensive production costs - typical of many first-generation/prewar submachine guns like the MP38 and M1 Thompson. In practice the weapons were well-received and reliable, allowing them to see frontline issue well beyond the war years. One version - the Model 1948 - appeared with a folding metal tubular stock to promote a more compact profile as well as the wooden solid stock option. Issuance of the Orita continued into the 1970s before the type was abandoned in full - in favor of a locally produced variant of the famous Soviet Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle, the "Pistol Mitraliera Model 1963/1965".©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

Service Year

1943

Origin

Romania

Classification

Submachine Gun (SMG)

Uzinele Metalurgice Copsa Miza si Cugir (UMCMC) - Romania

(View other Arms-Related Manufacturers)

Romania

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

Overall Length

894 mm
35.20 in

Barrel Length

278 mm
10.94 in

Empty Wgt

7.61 lb
3.45 kg

Sights

Iron Front and Rear

Action

Blowback; Automatic Fire

Blowback Operation
Gas pressure from the rearward movement of the ignited cartridge case provides the needed bolt movement, ejecting the spent case and stripping a fresh case from the magazine.

(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)

Caliber(s)*

9x19mm Parabellum

Sample Visuals**

Graphical image of a 9mm pistol cartridge

Rounds / Feed

32-Round Detachable Box Magazine

*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources.
**Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.

Max Eff.Range

655 ft
(200 m | 218 yd)

Rate-of-Fire

600
rds/min

Muzzle Velocity

1,315 ft/sec
(401 m/sec)

Model 1941 - Base Series Designation; model of 1943

Model 1948 - Post-war mark with folding metal tubular stock or solid, fixed wooden stock.

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