Thread: Madsen M50
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Old March 26, 2002, 03:56 PM   #2
Johnny Guest
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Join Date: August 28, 1999
Location: North Texas
Posts: 4,123
Yup--A few hundred rounds only.

Friend of mine used to have one, and we'd take it out with some other full auto stuff from time to time. Simple, durable, reliable, easy to strip.

I seem to recall it was quite controllable for an uncompensated gun. Cyclic rate was low--Probably 450--500 rounds per minute. I think he only had two magazines and this particular gun was reliable with both.

Ergonomics were poor, though--The safety required manipulation with the non-shooting hand, and you could not fire it one handed without making arrangements to defeat the "grip safety," behind the magazine well. I mean, what reader of comic books or watcher of action movies would tolerate a submachine gun you couldn't one-hand like a big pistol? (Most of my SMG experience has been on the Thompsons and MACs, which undoubtedly colors my perceptions of "proper" SMG control layout.)

This was in the mid-1980s to early '90s. The M50 was about a $400 gun back then--less as a dealer sample. Just didn't seem worthwhile to pay half that amount to register one. Wish I had a dozen of 'em NOW, to use as trading stock!

All this is very subjective in recall. I never made a study of the gun--Looked it up in Small Arms of the World when friend first got it. Some pretty good photos in International Armament, vol 2, I believe. I seem to recall the gun was pretty popular in Central and South America for a time.

Hope this helps--
Johnny
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