The guide below is designed to assist someone that is looking at different SMGs, so descriptions are more of an overview than a complete run-down.

In stock configuration this gun can be dangerous to those with out experience shooting SMGs. The fact that you have to hold onto a front strap that can swing around and a factory stock that can collapse on you while shooting means you have to be really careful or else it could “run away” from you.

The M11-A1 can be pricey for a "MAC" because not too many of these were produced compared to other "MAC" types. There are a number of accessories out there for this gun including stocks, grips, slow-fire/competition 9mm uppers, and "operational briefcases". The gun is especially well-suited to use with a suppressor since the .380 round is inherently subsonic.

Overall this gun is a very impressive bullet hose, but can be dangerous to shoot if you do not know what you are doing.

The M-11/9 in 9mm parabellum has a stunning 1,200 to 1,400 RPM in a package only slightly larger then a Colt M1911 pistol.
In stock configuration this gun can be dangerous to those with out experience shooting SMGs. The fact that you have to hold onto a front strap that can swing around and a factory stock that can collapse on you while shooting means you have to be really be careful or else it could “run away” from you.

The M-11/9 is the most popular of the M-11s and while it used to be the least expensive of the fully-automatic MAC series, it has become more highly regarded in recent years due to accessories from Lage Manufacturing and others which has driven up demand and price. You can still find old "New In Box (NIB)" guns for sale and those typically command the higher end of the price range.

The M-11/9 has more accessories than probably any other gun out there except for maybe the M-16. The accessories range from grips to complete uppers that change the M-11/9s “personality” entirely making this gun great for those on a budget.

Overall this gun is a very impressive bullet hose with unlimited customizability. In stock configuration it can be scary to shoot if you do not know what you are doing.

The M-10 is what the M-11 is based on. The M-10 has a stunning 1,100 RPM combined with the .45 ACP in a package only about 1 ½ times larger then a M1911 pistol makes for an impresive amount of fire power in a small package. The M-10 is also available in a 9mm version. The .45 ACP version can be converted to shoot 9mm by changing the upper and putting in a magwell insert, however a factory 9mm M-10 can not be converted to shoot .45 .

In stock configuration this gun can be dangerous to those with out experience shooting SMGs. The fact that you have to hold onto a front strap that can swing around and a factory stock that can collapse on you while shooting means you have to be really be careful or else it could “run away” from you.

The M-10 is much larger than the M-11 series because it is chambered in the powerful .45 ACP cartridge. Depending on the type of M-10 (some early models are more collectable) they can range from inexpensive to expensive for a "MAC".

Surprisingly the M-10 is of better quality and feels more “refined” than the M-11.

The M-10 has a good number of accessories that can correct some of its shortcomings but they are primarily grips & stocks.

Overall this gun is a very impressive bullet hose with some customizability. In stock configuration it can be dangerous to shoot if you do not know what you are doing.

The Sten MKIII chambered in 9mm parabellum is the third development of the British Sten series. Developed by the British in WWII, the Sten was designed to be mass producible using the bare minimum of materials but remain functional. The Sten MKIII is considered to be one of the most ugly SMGs in the world. Looks can be deceiving; the Sten MKIII is a really nice controllable shooter with decent ergonomics.

The Sten has a unique configuration in that it accepts magazines horizontally instead of vertically. The British chose this configuration so the shooter could lay down prone with the weapon and the magazine would not interfere with the ground. A drawback to this configuration is that as the magazine empties, the point of balance shifts throwing off the shooters aim.

Unfortunately the Sten series have almost no accessories(with historical guns this is usually not an issue), basic sights, and is of crude construction in comparison to other SMGs.

Overall the Sten is a great shooter with plenty of history behind it.

The Sten MKV chambered in 9mm parabellum is the fifth development of the Sten series. Developed by the British in WWII the Sten was designed to be mass producible using the bare minimum of materials but remain functional. Unlike the Sten MKIII, which is considered to be one of the most ugly SMGs in the world, the British made an attempt to improve upon the looks and ergonomics of the Sten series with the Sten MKV. The British added a wooden butt stock, pistol grip and made several other improvements such as a more useful front sight.

The Sten has a unique configuration in that it accepts magazines horizontally instead of vertically. The British chose this configuration so they shooter could lay down prone with the weapon and the magazine would not interfere with the ground. A drawback to this configuration is that as the magazine empties the point of balance shifts throwing off the shooters aim.

Unfortunately the Sten series have almost no accessories(with historical guns this is usually not an issue), basic sites, and is of crude construction in comparison to other SMGs.

Overall the Sten is a great shooter with plenty of history behind it and is a great entry Title II SMG.

The MP-40 chambered in 9mm parabellum was developed & used by the Germans in WWII. The design was revolutionary at the time because it was designed from the get go as a gun that was geared towards mass production by using stampings allowing significant numbers to reach the hands of troops before many other countries even considered SMGs as a practical weapon on the battle field. Unlike other “tube guns”, the MP-40's quality & refinement "feels" a step above other “tube” SMGs developed during WW2. This is probably a testament to German engineering at the time.

The MP-40’s most enduring feature is the fact that its 550 RPM is a perfect balance between speed and controllability allowing the shooter to easily put rounds on target during Full-Auto fire.

Unfortunately MP-40s in the Title II world are expensive, spare parts can be hard to come by, and there are no accessories (with historical guns this is usually not an issue).

Overall the MP-40 is an excellent representation of a fine SMG from WW2 but can be a bit pricey.

The M3 Grease Gun chambered in .45 ACP was designed and used by the United States during WW2. This was the United State’s answer to the MP-40 and Sten. During the first part of WW2 the United States was using the Thompson which was expensive and slow to produce. The M3A1 took the concept of a mass producable SMG to an entirely deferent level.

The M3A1 was so utilitarian a charging handle wasn’t even included on the bolt. The shooter would stick his/her finger into a recesses on the bolt to cock the weapon. Almost every part was constructed from steel stampings. Some parts of the gun were even used as tools to take the gun apart.

The M3’s strong point is its controllable 300-400 RPM & the fact it is chambered in .45 ACP. This is also its shortcoming due to the fact that a very heavy bolt is what achieves this low rate of fire. As the bolt cycles it jars the gun around throwing off the shooters aim.

One of the roadblocks of the M3 & M3A1 in the Title II world is price. They are VERY expensive. Some models even command more then a Thompson.

Overall the M3A1 is a middle of road SMG. It is not the crudest or the most accurate, but it is reliable and has plenty of stopping power with .45 ACP cartridge. Like most equipment produced by the United States during WWII, it is a marvel of mass production.

The Reising chambered in .45 ACP was developed in the Untied States as a possible replacement or a short term to “coexistent” (would be used along with Thompson to “fill in the ranks” when there wasn’t enough Thompson’s to go around) SMG for the expensive Thompson during WW2. The Reising was superior to the Thompson’s in terms of accuracy, weight, and ease of use. Unfortunately its operating principle was “overly complex” for a SMG designed to be used by the military and the on hand stock of Reising ordered by the military were regulated to “rear line” duties.

The Reising's biggest shortcoming was reliability. If any type of foreign matter got into its complex operating mechanism it would lock up requiring a complete disassembly. This ultimately doomed the Reising, and it only saw limited use in combat. Luckily for most of us the only “combat” the Reising will see with us is a trip to range.

Overall the Reising is a excellent SMG that was overshadowed by other SMGs during WWII. This is good news for us because they are relatively still inexpensive for a Title II weapon and are a one of the “best buys”.

The Thompson chambered in .45 ACP is probably one of the most recognizable SMGs in the world. Produced by the United States, the Thompson made its debut in the early 1920s but the company that produced them, Auto Ordnance, had trouble-finding buyers and eventually was bought out. At the time the United States was not involved in any major conflicts and the expensive Thompson was seen as a “overkill” and the US ARMY even stated that "it has no place on the modern battlefield”. The majority of the early Thompsons sat in warehouses until being purchased by the Army at the outbreak of WWII.

The 1920s era Thompson’s used a unique “Blish” locking system that delayed the blowback of the weapon until all pressure was released from inside the chamber. Because of the need to massproduce Thompson’s during WWII the finned barrel, front pistol grip, & "Blish" system (replaced with a regular blowback based operating system) were done away with to ease production.

The Thompson has seen its fair share of combat in WW2, Korea, and in limited use in Vietnam. Because of the amount of history behind the Thompson combined with the “coolness” factor, Thompsons are VERY expensive.

The Thompson is actually only a decent SMG (don't hate me). The reason the Thompson is so famous is because it was used during several conflicts, and the fact it was featured in plenty of Hollywood movies idolizing it as the gangsters gun of choice in the 1920s. This has gained the Thompson a legendary reputation.

The Thompson is very heavy for a gun of its size, very expensive (in the Title II world), and its 700-1000 RPM combined with .45 ACP makes it hard to control in some instances.

The Thompson’s best feature is its pure stopping power. A .45 ACP SMG combined with a large feeding device (such as a 100 round drum) and a 700-1000 RPM is a lot of stoping power in the hands of one shooter.

Overall the Thompson is a instantly recognizable decent shooting SMG with plenty of firepower that is a little too heavy, and expensive (in the Title II world).

The standard size UZI chambered in 9mm parabellum was developed by Israel in the 1950s and is one of the worlds best SMG. It is literally the benchmark for which other SMGs are compared to and like the Thompson, it is instantly recognizable. The standard size UZI has good ergonomics, good sights, a controllable 600 RPM, and a decent number of accessories allowing the owner to “tune” their gun. Another plus is that lots of UZIs were produced making them only a moderate price Title II gun.

The bad thing about the standard size UZI is that they are a little heavy for a gun of that size and have a heavy bolt (this keeps the RPM down) that can jar the shooter around throwing off the shooters aim.

Overall the standard size UZI is perhaps the best SMG out there that provides the perfect balance in all areas that concern the "operating envelope" of SMGs.

The MP-5 chambered in 9mm parabellum developed in Germany during the 1960s is one of the worlds most refined SMGs ever developed. The ergonomics and craftsmanship of the MP-5 are practically unrivaled in the SMG world. The sights on the MP-5 are excellent and there are plenty of accessories to extend its capabilities. The small size of the MP-5 makes it a favorite for room clearing operations by both the military and law enforcement. Since the MP-5 is a closed bolt SMGs its accuracy is much better then other open bolt SMGs.

Unfortunately the fact it is closed bolt introduces a dangerous condition known as a “cook off”. Full-Auto fire generates a lot of heat, so much that some times a round in chamber will heat up and fire. With open bolt guns this is not a issue because the rounds are not placed into the chamber until they are fired.

Since the MP-5 is a popular weapon and is one of the best SMGs in the world they are VERY expensive in the Title II world. Also the quality of the MP-5 comes at a cost in terms of reliability because the tolerances are so close.

Overall the MP-5 is one of the most pleasant SMGs to shoot. With excellent ergonomics, sights, craftsmanship, and accuracy it is the ultimate SMG. Unfortunately because of this they are VERY expensive Title II guns.