Reising Model 50

[MCMXI]

I had the chance to work on and shoot a Reising Model 50 recently and there's so much to like, and some not to like. That machine gun could have done really well with just a little more thought. Has anyone here shot a full-auto Reising?

For the record, the one I shot was flawless over 200 or so rounds. It was accurate with very manageable recoil. The trigger was heavy, and there's no bolt hold open feature, and the trigger shape/position is weird but what a cool machine gun. I've shot a few full-auto Thompsons and the Reising is better. A modern take on the Reising Model 50 would be cool.

 

[troy fairweather]

I've shot a lot of the reisings, they always worked. I live about 5 miles from were Eugene reising was from, dads friend I guess had the rights to them at one time. He had mountains of parts.

 

[MCMXI]

I've shot a lot of the reisings, they always worked. I live about 5 miles from were Eugene reising was from, dads friend I guess had the rights to them at one time. He had mountains of parts.

What are your thoughts on the Reising? What do you like, what don't you like, what would you change if you could?

 

[troy fairweather]

What are your thoughts on the Reising? What do you like, what don't you like, what would you change if you could?

I don't know much about what is best of not with machine guns but they were pretty simple guns and I think he was trying to be different. I'm sure there's a bunch of things that could be changed, but think he built them like that for a reason. Mags seem to be sensitive, could be the reason guys can't get the to run well sometimes.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

In WWII proving ground tests along side the Thompson, Sten, Marlin UD42, these points made about the Reising M50 included:
_ Semiauto accuracy was great
_ Weight was six four pounds lighter than a Thompson
_ Disassembly was difficult, with lotsa small parts hard to keep up with
_ It was the only SMG of the four tested that none of testers could reassemble blindfolded
_ Many of the parts were hand fitted during manufacture and were not interchangable (this also made field assembly of working guns from salvaged parts almost impossible)

After an article in American Rifleman, a WWII vet wrote the magazine and said he had found the Reising highly reliable if kept "barracks inspection clean" and was a good weapon to have on an overnight raid because it was light. But was not a good general issue weapon.

Police departments that had them, maintained by the armorer, issued only for training or riot control, had a high option of them.

US Marines issued the Reising on the troopships on the way to Guadalcanal, ended up hating them. Mud, sand, salt water, seemingly continous combat revealed problems with the Reising.

My observation is that the Reising is the anti-AK: whereas the AK has tolerances where parts need be aligned and huge clearances for dirt to be pushed out of the way, the Reising had tighter tolerances and nowhere for dirt to go but to gum up the works.

error corr'd

 

[earlthegoat2]

_ Weight was six pounds lighter than a Thompson

Is that correct? That is a Sten worth of weight. An entire gun of weight in addition to an entire Reising gun's worth of weight.

 

[troy fairweather]

Is that correct? That is a Sten worth of weight. An entire gun of weight in addition to an entire Reising gun's worth of weight.

Them Thompson's are heavy pigs.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Is that correct? That is a Sten worth of weight. An entire gun of weight in addition to an entire Reising gun's worth of weight.

Checking,
Thompson M1928A1 10.8 pounds,
Reising M50 6.8 pounds.
4 pounds heavier.
Thompson just seemed six pounds heavier.

 

[MCMXI]

Is that correct? That is a Sten worth of weight. An entire gun of weight in addition to an entire Reising gun's worth of weight.

With an empty 20-round magazine the one I worked on was 7lb 13oz.

For the record, four different magazines and zero issues. I'll post a video later.

 

[forindooruseonly]

We have a Reising, it came from a police department in California. The Reising needs good condition firing pin springs, since it is a closed bolt the firing pin floats and a weak firing pin spring will prevent cycling when shooting. Even then, the firing pins are known for getting bent or broken from being hammered between the hammer and the primer. We keep a few extras, but don't really shoot ours enough any more to worry about it. We've replaced a couple over the years. The compensators are also known to fail, losing some fins and making it ugly, but not affecting function. The magazines can be problematic as well, especially with some of the knock-off magazines, I think the shallow taper of the magazine from double stack to the feed lips are part of the problem.

So yeah, they have their issues. Still, it is an immensely shootable gun when working correctly. Good accuracy, good handling characteristics. The rate of fire is about right in my opinion, not grease gun slow but not too fast. I do like ours.

 

[Jim Watson]

A guy here has one. Kept clean as any private or police weapon should be, it shoots well.
My agency cleaned house, trading everything in on Ruger AC556 and Remington 870s. I later saw a TVA Reising in a store, along with marked revolvers. Should have bought it before alleged GOPA passed and prices took off.

I remember a gunzine article describing a guy modifying then-common Thompson magazines to use in Reisings. By the time he got it cut and welded from two position feed to center feed, it only held 25 rounds instead of 30 but that was better than 20... or 12. He was carving followers out of wood, hoping to draw enough interest to have a plastic mold made.

 

[Gtscotty]

With an empty 20-round magazine the one I worked on was 7lb 13oz.

For the record, four different magazines and zero issues. I'll post a video later.

View attachment 958431

View attachment 958432

Is that nickel plated or hard chromed or something?

 

[Ryanxia]

They are very cool. There are still pictures of some Marines carrying them well after the option to switch to Thompsons or M1 Carbines so not all hated them. But yeah, they kind of suck to field strip compared to a Thompson and the finish on them lead to them rusting quickly in the Pacific. I think they are very neat and would love to add one to my collection if I find a 'deal'. (They are already among the less expensive transferable MG's). I kinda like the M55 with the folding stock even though I recognize that stock is pretty chinsy.

 

[Jim Watson]

I'd be just as well off with a semiautomatic Model 60.
Or probably a H&R Leatherneck.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Good info here on the Reising Model 50 / 55 showing the design and maintenance challenges...

 

[CapnMac]

Yeah, the 60 is better than a 50, if only in spendy ammo consumption.

The 50 is handy and nicely controllable. It's ideal in a single-owner situation. Where you are not going to pile parts in washtubs and mix-n-match them. To where the owner would know to be on the lookout for loose bits, and chase them down when they tried to get loose.

A "modern" 50 would want--in my book--an exposed operating handle, the concealed finger-pull does nothing really elegant to the piece. A polymer stock with a pistol grip, and a foregrip magazine well could be interesting.

 

[MCMXI]

Is that nickel plated or hard chromed or something?

Yes, it was chromed at some point in its life. Two of the four magazines are also chromed. The hard case that it came with must weigh 30lb and looks like it'd be right at home in the movie "Road to Perdition".

Here's a video of some friends having fun with the Reising.

 

[Jim Watson]

Magazine doesn't last as long as it does in the movies, does it?

 

[MCMXI]

Magazine doesn't last as long as it does in the movies, does it?

Yep! These were 20-round magazines but I've seen some 30-round magazines too.

 

[Tommygunn]

Magazine doesn't last as long as it does in the movies, does it?

In movies magazines contain hundreds or even thousands of rounds. Didn't you know that?? .....

 

[Jim Watson]

A best selling horror/thriller author equipped his Uzi with a 400 round magazine.

 

[MCMXI]

I've shot a lot of submachine guns in my time as well as full-auto rifles and I own some machine guns, and for me the .45 ACP cartridge in a submachine gun pegs the fun meter above all others. I've shot the Thompson, M3 "Grease Gun", H&K UMP, Reising and Vector chambered in .45 ACP and it never gets old. If I could buy an H&K UMP I would have a bunch already.