Why Sten Mag is on the side?

The Sten was designed as a cheap alternative to the Lanchester submachine gun, which was itself a copy of the MP 28 II. It retained the side mounted magazine both to save time and to enable a soldier to switch from one gun to another without re-training.

How effective was the Sten gun?

If kept clean and well-maintained, it could be an excellent weapon capable of devastating fire. Firing more than 500 rounds per minute (sometimes more, depending on the version) designers chambered the Sten for the 9mm Parabellum round, which was the most common pistol ammunition used by European militaries.

Does sterling have different recoil springs?

There are two concentric recoil springs which cycle the bolt, as opposed to the single spring arrangement used by many other SMG designs.

Why don’t guns have side feeds anymore?

The side feed proved unwieldy and awkward so bottom mag wells became the standard. Even to this day, the major cause of firearm malfunctions are due to the magazine. With side/top loading, you’re either taking gravity out of the equation or having it help in feeding.

Why was the Sten gun so popular?

Conceived as a cheap emergency measure to rectify Britain’s lack of submachine guns early in the war, the Sten was manufactured in the millions and issued in great numbers to British troops and their allies. It is one of the most widely-produced and widely-copied guns in history.

When did the British stop using the Sterling submachine gun?

The Sterling submachine gun is a British submachine gun. It was tested with the British Army in 1944–1945 as a replacement for the Sten but it did not start to replace it until 1953. It remained in use until 1994, when it was phased out as the L85A1 assault rifle was phased in.

What is the difference between a sterling and a sten magazine?

While the Sterling was originally intended to take Sten magazines, however due to a lack of reliability, a new magazine was constructed, with many changes, including the implementation of rollers to reduce friction, a stamped metal construction, and the magazine was curved, which allowed the 9×19mm round to feed more reliably.