Original German Pre WWII MP34(ö) Steyr Solothurn Display Submachine Gun with Magazine

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic non-functional BATF compliant non-firing MP34(ö) Steyr Solothurn display sub-machine gun. It is built from all original parts on an original BATF compliant non-firing display receiver, making this a 100% legal display Sub-Machine gun. This receiver was created by using the front barrel bushing and magazine well portion of a demilitarized receiver, combined with the rear portion where the top cover latches onto. Everything between that has been replaced with solid steel bar stock shaped to fit under the top cover, hidden by the stock and side cover, meaning that over 80% of the length is now solid steel. The result is this beautiful display "non-gun", totally legal to own without a license of any kind.

The magazine well portion and barrel jacket are intact and have not been majorly altered, however the barrel has been welded to the front and rear of the barrel jacket to hold it in place, which has damaged the chamber. The selector switch on the left side still works, as does the trigger, and the top cover still opens to show the solid steel dummy receiver, correctly latching closed. The rear sight is present and fully functional, and the safety is present in front of the sight, and can be moved back and forth correctly.

This example is offered in lovely lightly used condition, looking to have suffered light surface oxidation in the past, now cleaned away. There are not any external markings we can see, and they do not look to have been scrubbed, so it may have never been marked. Guns in this configuration were send to Portugal under contract, and at the time various different markings were used on the guns to obfuscate their origin. We checked under the top cover, and we were able to see 613 stamped on the spring mechanism for the latch, and there is an Eagle / 189 Waffenamt inspection marking on the spring for the safety.

Wonderfully constructed by Steyr, with a ventilated barrel jacket with built in magazine loader in the magazine housing complete with wood butt stock assembly serial numbered 2613. It comes complete with an original magazine, which is also NSDAP Waffenamt Eagle / 189 marked for Steyr next to the "bullseye" logo. The magazine will have the spring and follower removed where required.

This example was produced in 9mm parabellum, as used by countless German troops and other Nations friendly with the Germans. The condition overall is very good, with the wooden stock showing some great dark grain, though there is a repair on the top of the wrist. We checked inside the butt trap, and the buffer spring mechanism is still present, though it does not seem to have the spring anymore. These really were the "Rolls Royce" of submachine guns.

These were long gone from IMA more than 20 years ago after the original release from Portugal in the early 1990's. This won't last long because you can't find them anywhere else! Ready to display!

History of the MP34

The MP34 was based on a design for the MP18 by the Rheinmetall company based in Düsseldorf. The weapon is similar in design to the MP18 Bergmann, which itself saw service towards the end of World War I.

Restrictions on the manufacture of certain armaments within the 1919 Treaty of Versailles forbade Germany from manufacturing certain types of weapons, such as light automatic firearms (designated as SMGs with barrels in excess of four inches (102 mm) and magazines holding more than eight rounds). To circumvent the treaty, Rheinmetall acquired the Swiss company Waffenfabrik Solothurn in 1929 and began secret production of a prototype. What was to become the MP34 was originally designated "S1-100" using the company's standard naming convention.

Due to the Solothurn Company being unsuited for mass production, Rheinmetall took a controlling interest in Waffenfabrik Steyr, an established arms manufacturer in Austria. Weapons manufactured by Steyr were sold via the Zurich-based trade company Steyr-Solothurn Waffen AG to both the commercial and military markets.

The MP34 was manufactured from the very best materials available and finished to the highest possible standard. It was so well manufactured that it has often been nicknamed the "Rolls Royce of submachine guns". However, its production costs were extremely high as a consequence.