Firearms

A History Of The Colt Submachine Gun

After World War II, American-made submachine guns dropped off a cliff. Israeli’s Uzi shrunk the SMG into a compact 9mm package with worldwide success. In Vietnam, some Special Operations and CIA guys carried the Swedish K or Carl Gustav M/45, and Marines had the Beretta M12. HK released the MP5 in the 1960s, and the world immediately took notice. The gun joined the armories of Western military and police forces. American submachine guns just weren’t cutting it.

Colt wasn’t helping a whole lot. When someone wanted a submachine gun, they tended to refer to the 5.56-chambered Colt Commando. Luckily, Colt broke down and developed a submachine in the 1980s for the glory of American submachine guns. Since then, they’ve kept the Colt SMG in the catalog, upgrading it, making advancements, and keeping the weapon up to date.

Today, we’ll explore the history of the Colt SMG, from the first Department of Energy Compact to the most modern variant on the market.

The First Colt Submachine Gun

Alright, let’s take a quick detour to 1959. Colt developed an ultra-small CAR-15 variant known as the CAR-15 Model 607 and called it the Colt Submachine Gun. The definition of SMG seemed a little looser back then, and this gun still chambered the 5.56 cartridge.

Colt 607 SMG
The Colt 607 wasn’t an SMG as we know it (Photo: Colt)

It featured a two-position stock, a 10-inch barrel, and carry handle sights. They produced a variant until at least 1965 when it was seen in the SAWS program. I only mention this gun because they called it the Colt Submachine Gun. It’s not tied to the 9mm Colt SMG we’re discussing today.

The Real Colt Submachine Gun

Colt might have kept suggesting the Commando, but not everyone was buying it. They saw they were losing out on an important market and wanted a piece of the SMG market. Their brand was the AR-15 or, excuse me, CAR-15. Naturally, they wanted to stay on brand and keep the CAR-15 layout, but they revised the gun into a 9mm submachine gun.

Colt chose the 9mm round since it was the NATO pistol round in the 1980s. According to Christopher Bartocci of Small Arms Review, the project was given to Colt Senior Engineer Henry Tatro.

CAR 15 SMGCAR 15 SMG
The OG Colt SMG has a CAR 15 look to it. (Photo: Colt)

The straight blowback system was chosen, the gas system was ditched, and the bolt was modified. Early prototypes were open-bolt guns, but Colt wisely moved to a closed-bolt format for better accuracy, safety, and reliability. In 1985, the first Colt SMG hit the market.

They based the design on the Colt Commando. The gun wore a 10-inch barrel and used a standard upper and slightly modified lower. The lower used a magazine block to shrink the 5.56 magwell to accommodate the 9mm magazine. Colt modified Uzi mags for their SMG, incorporating a left-side cut for the AR mag release.

The Colt SMG used collapsing stock, an A2-style bird cage flash hider, a slab-side upper, a carry handle, and a fixed front sight. The initial rate of fire was excessive, so heavy buffers were used. Hydraulic buffers were offered to reduce the rate of fire even further.

Ultimately, this became the base-level Colt SMG on which all would be built. The model number is 635.

Early Success

The Colt SMG saw early success with various American police forces, including the DEA, the Marshals Service, the LAPD SWAT department, the DSS, and even the United States Marine Corps. This is a partial list but covers some of the largest adopters.

The 1980s and 1990s were the age of the police submachine gun. Short carbines wouldn’t replace submachine guns until the early days of the GWOT. The Colt submachine gun offered a domestically made, affordable, and ergonomic one.

DEA agent with Colt SMGDEA agent with Colt SMG
Does it get more 1980s than this (Photo: Historical Weapons)

The weapon was used in various roles, including embassy and ambassador protection, raid teams, and fugitive recovery. Let’s not forget drug raids that became popular during the War on Drugs. The weapon proved to be successful and capable. Enough so that numerous special models were requested for niche uses.

The Small One

The Colt 633 submachine gun only exists because the Department of Energy wanted an ultra-small weapon for the law enforcement officers who protect America’s nukes. These guys have a mix of weaponry, including rifles, shotguns, and light machine guns. They seem to try their hardest to fill every niche possible.

Colt DOE gunsColt DOE guns
The DOE models were the smallest Colts on the market (Photo: Colt Defense)

The DOE wanted an ultra-small, highly portable submachine gun, something smaller than the Colt Commando. DOE Security forces have many roles, including the Office of Secure Transportation. I imagine a gun this small would be perfect for use around and even inside vehicles.

Colt modified the 635 to have a 7-inch barrel, a folding front sight, and highly modified handguards. The 633 beat the HK MP5K for the contract. I imagine it was the cheaper option but also the lighter, more ergonomic option that matched the DOE Colt rifles to a T.

The Quiet One

The DEA liked the Colt SMG enough to want a specific model for its Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Team. The CLET guys raided drug labs, and that often meant meth labs, but plenty of drugs need labs.

These guys didn’t just face off with bad guys but all sorts of hazardous chemicals. Imagine room clearing in a hazmat suit, and you guys know what they dealt with. They requested a special model of the Colt SMG that became known as the 635SD. The 635SD featured an integrally suppressed barrel. Submachine guns are super easy to suppress, so it was a natural pairing.

There is a theory that the CLET guys needed suppressors to avoid setting off hazardous fumes with muzzle flash, but I don’t buy it. I think these guys just raided small buildings, and guns are noisy, so a suppressed, short SMG makes a lot of sense.

Colt teamed up with Knight’s Armament to produce these weapons. The DEA Colt SMG was famous enough to be on the CLET patch.

The New(er) Colt SMGs

ARs evolved, and so did the Colt SMG. They don’t have as many customers these days, but they did evolve alongside most AR-type rifles. They ditched the plastic handguards for KAC RAS rails and lopped off the carry handles for flat-top optics-ready uppers.

colt riflecolt rifle
Colt still makes an SMG-type rifle. (Photo: Colt)

These guns became model numbers 991/992, the difference between model numbers relating to burst and auto functions. They keep the same barrel length and collapsing stock, etc.

The M5

Colt invented the M4 for the military and liked that branding enough to develop a new rifle and call it the M5. The M5 became a family of rifles, and Colt expanded that to the Colt SMG platform. The Colt M5 submachine gun saw a few changes worth mentioning.

They moved to an M-LOK handguard system rather than a quad rail. They went with a Trilug muzzle device over an A2 flash hider. The barrel is shrunk to 9 inches, not counting the Trilug device. The gun uses a Magpul stock and flip-up sights. It’s as modern as the Colt SMG can get.

Why Colt Mags Are Better

Before we go, let’s talk about magazines. For a long time, they were the only option for 9mm AR magazines. Glock has gained ground on Colt, but I think the Colt mags are still better. They are double-stock, dual-feed designs that are a little shorter and easier to load. They are also made from metal and designed for long gun use.

colt smg mag in guncolt smg mag in gun
Colt Mags are just better. (Photo: Travis Pike)

Unlike Glock, which has a rearward rake, the magazines insert straight up and down. Reloads are more intuitive and more ergonomic. The heavy metal mags also drop free a lot easier than Glock mags. Oh, and did I mention they all have a last-round bolt-hold-open device?

Colt mags are better!

The Colt SMG – Decades later

SMGs are on the way out. It’s sad, but they just don’t function like a short carbine with a proper rifle round. As a PCC fan, I still love the little guys and the PCC/Subguns they inspire. If you’re looking for an AR-type PCC, it’s tough to go wrong with a Colt clone. Are you a Colt SMG fan? If so, let us know below!

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