M3 submachine gun

The M3 submachine gun is an American .45 caliber submachine gun designed by George Hyde of the Inland Division of General Motors and adopted by the United States Army in December 1942 as a cheaper, simpler replacement for the Thompson submachine gun; its resemblance to a mechanic grease gun gave it that lasting nickname. It first reached combat in the summer of 1944, and General Motors and other manufacturers built 655,363 examples, split between the original M3 and the improved M3A1. Although mostly withdrawn from frontline United States service by 1959, it stayed in issue as vehicle crew equipment as late as the 1991 Gulf War.