How Much did the Weapons of the Second World War Cost
During the Second World War, the industry of most of the warring countries continuously increased the production of small arms. Some models were produced in hundreds of thousands of units, and the most successful-in millions of «editions». Large-scale production helped to reduce the cost of production and, together with the simplification of technological processes, greatly reduced the price of weapons. For example, the army version of the Thompson submachine gun from the Second World War was four times cheaper than its pre-war civilian version. The manufacturer simplified the weapon as much as possible, depriving it of the system for slowing down the recoil of the bolt, cooling fins on the barrel, removing the muzzle brake, installing a simplified version of the rear sight and leaving the submachine gun without the «branded» additional handle. At the same time, the weapon has become much easier to manufacture, and its accuracy and rate of fire have not changed much.
Military-historical Internet portal warhistoryonline.com listed the prices of popular models of firearms used by the armies of the Second World War. To roughly compare these prices with modern ones, it is enough to multiply them by ten – this is how many times the scale of prices in US dollars has changed since the 40s.
German P08 pistol, cost — $13. It was widely used in the First World War. Mauser-Werke A.G. supplied the Wehrmacht with more than 1.3 million units (various modifications).
warhistoryonline.com
American Colt-Browning M1911 pistol in .45 ACP caliber, cost — $15. For its time, the M1911 was a revolutionary pistol that broke the» monopoly " of revolvers. It was in service with the US Army until 1985 (about 2.7 million units were produced).
depositphotos.com
German MP40 submachine gun, cost — $24 (in 1942). This weapon was designed by Heinrich Vollmer and produced by Erfurter Maschinenfabrik. From 1938 to 1944, the Wehrmacht bought about 1.1 million MP40s of various modifications.
mp40.nl
American Thompson SMG submachinegun, cost — $209 (in 1939), $70 (in 1942), $45 (in 1945). The pre-war version of this weapon cost over $200 (a new passenger car could be bought for $400). During the war, about 1.5 million units of army modifications M1928A1, M1 and M1A1 were produced.
warhistoryonline.com
American submachine gun M3, cost — $22 (in 1942), $15 (in 1945). M3 (full name-United States Submachine Gun, Cal. .45, M3) was developed as a cheap replacement for the Thompson submachine gun. About 700,000 units were produced.
warhistoryonline.com
British Mk II STEN submachine gun, cost — $11 (in 1942). Developed on the basis of the German MP-28 / II submachine gun. From September 1941 to 1953, about 3.8 million units were produced.
nationstates.net
German Mauser 98k, cost — $28 (pre-war price). This magazine rifle was adopted in 1935 and became the most popular small arms of the Wehrmacht. From 1935 to 1945, about 14 million units were produced.
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German automatic rifle SturmGewehr 44, cost — $26 (in 1944). The StG 44 was the first successful intermediate cartridge weapon. Produced from 1943 to 1945, almost 450,000 units were produced.
warhistoryonline.com
American semi-automatic rifle M1 Garand Rifle, cost — $83 (in 1942), $31 (in 1945). The rifles officially entered the army in 1936, but most military units received them after 1943. About 5.4 million units were produced.
photobucket.com
American semi-automatic carbine M1 Carbine, cost — $45 (in 1942). It was developed as a weapon for «second-line» military personnel and was intended to replace pistols. About 6.5 million units were produced.
olive-drab.com
American automatic rifle M1918A2 BAR, cost — $319 (in 1945). The weapon was used in the First World War, and in 1938 entered service with the US Army as a light machine gun. About 350,000 units were produced.
warhistoryonline.com
Browning M2 heavy machine gun, cost — $1560 (in 1945). It was developed in 1932 and has been in service with the US Army since 1933. During the Second World War, about 400 000 units were produced.
warhistoryonline.com
American Browning M1919A4 machine gun, cost — $579 (in 1945). M1919A4 – the most mass modification of the M1919 machine gun.
warhistoryonline.com
British Bren light machine gun, cost — $180 (in 1941). It is a modification of the Czechoslovakian ZB-26 machine gun, entered service with the British Army in 1938.
tactical-life.com
German general-purpose machine gun MaschinenGewehr 42, cost — $100 (in 1944). It was developed as a cheap and reliable machine gun with high firepower. During the war, about 400,000 units were produced.
wikia.com
German general-purpose machine gun MaschinenGewehr 34, cost — $131 (in 1942). It entered service in 1936 and was used until the end of World War II (in 1942, the process of replacing it with the MG 42 began).
warhistoryonline.com
During the Second World War, the industry of most of the warring countries continuously increased the production of small arms. Some models were produced in hundreds of thousands of units, and the most successful-in millions of «editions». Large-scale production helped to reduce the cost of production and, together with the simplification of technological processes, greatly reduced the price of weapons. For example, the army version of the Thompson submachine gun from the Second World War was four times cheaper than its pre-war civilian version. The manufacturer simplified the weapon as much as possible, depriving it of the system for slowing down the recoil of the bolt, cooling fins on the barrel, removing the muzzle brake, installing a simplified version of the rear sight and leaving the submachine gun without the «branded» additional handle. At the same time, the weapon has become much easier to manufacture, and its accuracy and rate of fire have not changed much.
Military-historical Internet portal warhistoryonline.com listed the prices of popular models of firearms used by the armies of the Second World War. To roughly compare these prices with modern ones, it is enough to multiply them by ten – this is how many times the scale of prices in US dollars has changed since the 40s.
German P08 pistol, cost — $13. It was widely used in the First World War. Mauser-Werke A.G. supplied the Wehrmacht with more than 1.3 million units (various modifications).
warhistoryonline.com
American Colt-Browning M1911 pistol in .45 ACP caliber, cost — $15. For its time, the M1911 was a revolutionary pistol that broke the» monopoly " of revolvers. It was in service with the US Army until 1985 (about 2.7 million units were produced).
depositphotos.com
German MP40 submachine gun, cost — $24 (in 1942). This weapon was designed by Heinrich Vollmer and produced by Erfurter Maschinenfabrik. From 1938 to 1944, the Wehrmacht bought about 1.1 million MP40s of various modifications.
mp40.nl
American Thompson SMG submachinegun, cost — $209 (in 1939), $70 (in 1942), $45 (in 1945). The pre-war version of this weapon cost over $200 (a new passenger car could be bought for $400). During the war, about 1.5 million units of army modifications M1928A1, M1 and M1A1 were produced.
warhistoryonline.com
American submachine gun M3, cost — $22 (in 1942), $15 (in 1945). M3 (full name-United States Submachine Gun, Cal. .45, M3) was developed as a cheap replacement for the Thompson submachine gun. About 700,000 units were produced.
warhistoryonline.com
British Mk II STEN submachine gun, cost — $11 (in 1942). Developed on the basis of the German MP-28 / II submachine gun. From September 1941 to 1953, about 3.8 million units were produced.
nationstates.net
German Mauser 98k, cost — $28 (pre-war price). This magazine rifle was adopted in 1935 and became the most popular small arms of the Wehrmacht. From 1935 to 1945, about 14 million units were produced.
tumblr.com
German automatic rifle SturmGewehr 44, cost — $26 (in 1944). The StG 44 was the first successful intermediate cartridge weapon. Produced from 1943 to 1945, almost 450,000 units were produced.
warhistoryonline.com
American semi-automatic rifle M1 Garand Rifle, cost — $83 (in 1942), $31 (in 1945). The rifles officially entered the army in 1936, but most military units received them after 1943. About 5.4 million units were produced.
photobucket.com
American semi-automatic carbine M1 Carbine, cost — $45 (in 1942). It was developed as a weapon for «second-line» military personnel and was intended to replace pistols. About 6.5 million units were produced.
olive-drab.com
American automatic rifle M1918A2 BAR, cost — $319 (in 1945). The weapon was used in the First World War, and in 1938 entered service with the US Army as a light machine gun. About 350,000 units were produced.
warhistoryonline.com
Browning M2 heavy machine gun, cost — $1560 (in 1945). It was developed in 1932 and has been in service with the US Army since 1933. During the Second World War, about 400 000 units were produced.
warhistoryonline.com
American Browning M1919A4 machine gun, cost — $579 (in 1945). M1919A4 – the most mass modification of the M1919 machine gun.
warhistoryonline.com
British Bren light machine gun, cost — $180 (in 1941). It is a modification of the Czechoslovakian ZB-26 machine gun, entered service with the British Army in 1938.
tactical-life.com
German general-purpose machine gun MaschinenGewehr 42, cost — $100 (in 1944). It was developed as a cheap and reliable machine gun with high firepower. During the war, about 400,000 units were produced.
wikia.com
German general-purpose machine gun MaschinenGewehr 34, cost — $131 (in 1942). It entered service in 1936 and was used until the end of World War II (in 1942, the process of replacing it with the MG 42 began).
warhistoryonline.com
