M56 submachine gun

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title: "M56 submachine gun" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["7.62×25mm-tokarev-submachine-guns", "mp-38-derivatives", "simple-blowback-firearms", "submachine-guns-of-yugoslavia", "weapons-and-ammunition-introduced-in-1956", "infantry-weapons-of-the-cold-war"] topic_path: "general/7-62x25mm-tokarev-submachine-guns" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M56_submachine_gun" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox weapon"]

Field	Value
name	Crvena Zastava Automat M56
image	Brzostrelka M56.jpg
image_size	300
origin	SFR Yugoslavia
type	Submachine gun
is_ranged	yes
service	1961–Present
used_by	see users
wars	Vietnam War
Yom Kippur War
Lebanese Civil War
Gulf War
Yugoslav Wars
design_date	1955–1959
manufacturer	Crvena Zastava
production_date	1960–1975
number	88,998
weight	3 kg
length	870 mm stock extended / 591 mm stock folded
part_length	250 mm
cartridge	7.62×25mm Tokarev
action	Straight blowback, open bolt
rate	600 rounds/min
range	200 m
feed	32-round detachable box magazine
sights	Front blade, flip-up rear iron sights
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|name=Crvena Zastava Automat M56 | image= Brzostrelka M56.jpg | image_size = 300 |caption= |origin=SFR Yugoslavia |type=Submachine gun |is_ranged=yes |service=1961–Present |used_by=see users |wars= Vietnam War Yom Kippur War Lebanese Civil War Gulf War Yugoslav Wars |designer= |design_date=1955–1959 |manufacturer= Crvena Zastava |unit_cost= |production_date=1960–1975 |number=88,998 |variants= |spec_label= |weight=3 kg |length=870 mm stock extended / 591 mm stock folded |part_length=250 mm |width= |height= |cartridge=7.62×25mm Tokarev |action=Straight blowback, open bolt |rate=600 rounds/min |velocity= |range=200 m |max_range= |feed=32-round detachable box magazine |sights=Front blade, flip-up rear iron sights The M56 submachine gun is a Yugoslavian submachine gun chambered in 7.62×25mm Tokarev, designed for use with the Yugoslav People's Army. Initially a state-funded product, it was later produced by Zastava Arms and saw use in a number of conflicts following the breakup of former Yugoslavia. The M56 is based on the MP 40 submachine gun captured from Nazi Germany, easily distinguished from the MP 40 by its increased length and curved magazine.

Inexpensive and simple to produce and maintain, the M56 also proved to be quite effective at range over its German counterpart due to its 7.62×25mm cartridge having significantly higher velocity than the 9×19mm round used by the MP 40.

Internally the M56 lacks the telescoping recoil spring found in the MP 40. The magazine release also differs and is located directly behind the magazine instead of on the side of the receiver on the MP 40. The M56 also uses a double feed magazine (similarly to the Soviet PPS) contrary to the single feed magazines used on the MP 40. The M56 has a fire selector switch allowing the operator to fire in either semi or fully automatic which the MP 40 did not have. Disassembly also differed with the gun being taken apart via a rear end cap, separating the lower and upper receivers while the MP 40 this was accomplished by a button on the lower receiver located behind the magazine well. Another change from the MP 40 is that the M56 lacks the Bakelite resting bar below the barrel on the MP 40.

Users

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Iraq
• Lebanon
• Vietnam
• Yugoslavia
• Zambia

References

References

1. "Modern Firearms - M56 submachine gun".
2. de Quesada, Alejandro. (2014). "MP 38 and MP 40 Submachine Guns". Osprey Publishing.
3. (1 October 2004). "Hide and Seek: Taking Account of Small Arms in Southern Africa".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::