On 05-07-96 DAN ARICO wrote to MARK WHATLEY... 
 
 DA> MW> There have been a few in years past which earned their reputations 
 DA> MW> on the battle fields. The "Sten gun" is the first that comes to 
 DA> MW> mind. A very simple (crude even) submachine gun produced by 
 DA> cottage 
 DA> MW> industry in England after the disasterous defeat at Dunkirk. They 
 DA> MW> were cheap and dependable (well, cheap anyway...) 
 DA> 
 DA> There were designed so that they could be built by anyone possessing a 
 DA> 
 DA> pipe, a piece of steel rail and a file. 
 
    The British government pressed all available man/woman pwer into rearming 
and re-equipping the army during that time period. Many of the Stens were 
produced in backyard workshops, barns and reportedly even converted chicken 
coops. Although they were considered a mass produced weapon, differences in 
fit and finish were obviously high, and I would have to assume that 
replacement 
of malfunctioning weapons in whole would have been much easier than 
replacement 
of broken or malfunctioning components. 
 I don't remember the details right at the moment, but there were a few 
improvements in the manufacturing process which were developed by the 
civilian 
workforce, once they got there teeth into it. Resulted in lower cost, higher 
production and even (marginally) higher quality. 
 
   They may not have been the finest firearm every made, but they beat the 
hell 
out of a sling shot and a sharp stick, which is all that some of the 
"Tommies" 
and the Maqui would have had otherwise. 
 
05/07/96 
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 * OFFLINE 1.54 * An FJ40, a Smallblock, and Lockers. Now THAT'S fun!
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