Department of the Army

Submachine Guns Caliber .45 M3 and M3a1: Fm 23-41 Department of the Army

The M3 was an American .45-caliber submachine gun adopted for U. S. Army service in December of 1942, as the United States Submachine Gun, Cal. .45, M3. Compared to the Thompson submachine gun, the M3 was cheaper to produce, lighter, and more accurate. The M3 was commonly referred to as the "Grease Gun" or simply "the Greaser," due to its visual similarity to the mechanic's tool. Intended as a replacement for the .45-caliber Thompson submachine gun, the M3 began to replace the Thompson in first-line service in late 1944 and early 1945. The M3 was an automatic, air-cooled blowback operated weapon that fired from an open bolt. Built of plain .060-in. thick sheet steel, the M3 receiver was stamped in two halves that were then welded together. In December of 1944, a modernized variant of the M3 was introduced into service known as the M3A1, with all parts except the bolt, housing assembly, and receiver interchangeable with those of the M3. Due to delays caused by production issues and specification changes, the M3 and M3A1 saw little action in World War II. Created in 1957, this field manual reveals a great deal about the M3 and M3A1?s design and capabilities. Intended as a commander?s manual for training crew members, it details many aspects of assembly, maintenance, and operation. Originally labeled restricted, this manual was declassified long ago and is here reprinted in book form. Care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the text.