The world of submachine guns is an interesting one. They came to life at the end of World War 1, and by the second go around, every modern military had one or several. As assault rifles took over, they became niche tools often aimed at special operations, police forces, personal security details, and similar non-infantry units. The MP5 was king of the SMG at the time, but Colt wanted some of that sweet SMG money. Thus they gave birth to the Colt SMG.
Digging Into the Colt SMG
The Colt SMG is an AR derivative built into what’s essentially a CAR-15-sized weapon. The original Colt SMG used a 10.5-inch barrel. The Colt SMGs had CAR-15-style collapsible stocks and could be very compact packages. This gun premiered in 1982, and for 1982, it was ultra small. Colt used Uzi magazines in the prototype and settled on a modified Uzi magazine with the final gun. This turned into the Colt SMG magazines
Colt used standard M16 lowers but fit a mag block into the magazine well to allow the use of Uzi mags. Not too different than the ProMag mag block we have here.
Original Colt submachine guns used a carry handle sighting system and plastic handguards. The front sight was your standard fixed sight base, and oddly enough, they retained the bayonet lug. Those guns also had a bolt-on plastic case deflector to keep a burst of 9mm out of your face.
At the time, the SMG market palace was mostly defined by open bolt guns like the Uzi, Walther MPL, and MPK, and other similar designs. HK was one of the first to embrace the closed bolt SMG design, and seeing the popularity of that system, Colt did the same. A closed bolt design is ultimately the better solution. It’s more reliable, allows for a greater degree of accuracy, and has less movement when firing.
Colt also used a direct blowback design. The benefit is that a direct blowback system is simple and easily works inside an AR-15-sized platform. The downsides are excessive recoil and the fact the gun beats itself up. Full-auto Colt submachine guns will have stainless steel trigger pins to prevent breakage.
Just Another AR
Yep, it’s just another AR, but that’s the point. Colt designed this to gain some of the SMG markets, and their idea was to create a weapon that a user of the M16 or CAR-15 would be familiar with. If you’ve been trained with an M16, you would have no problem handling the Colt SMG. This allowed for less training between weapons and made more efficient soldiers and police officers.
Internally the SMG and AR-15 are a lot different, but externally they are essentially the same. The manual of arms is the exact same, down to the last round bolt hold open feature.
Who used it?
Colt saw some limited success with the gun. It never reached MP5 levels of success, but it wasn’t a failure by any means. In terms of military contracts, the United States Marine Corps purchased the weapon. It was given to the Marine Security Guard Detachments and used for close protection details. Marines from FAST teams used the Colt SMG, and one was seen in use by a FAST marine in the Panama invasion.
Beyond the United States, Israeli Special Operations adopted this weapon, as did the Argentine Army and Malaysian Air Force. The gun saw domestic use by numerous federal police forces. The U.S. Marshal’s Service, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Bureau of Prisons, the Department of Energy, and the DEA also adopted the weapon.
Most of these SMGs have since been replaced. It turns out that short carbines, like the M4 and Mk18, outperform the 9mm and aren’t much larger. They are much more effective and powerful for any role. You’d think there would be more recoil, but in reality, the 9mm blowback action is as violent if not more than 5.56 recoil without any of the power.
Notable Variants
I want to point out two very interesting variants of the Colt SMG. When the Department of Energy and the Drug Enforcement Administration ordered submachine guns, they wanted some very special models.
The DOE Model was a PDW-sized variant with a seven-inch barrel. What really makes the gun stand out is the special handguard and front-sight configuration. It’s quite unique and, honestly, my favorite variant of this gun.
The DEA Model is even rarer and was made for a specific DEA team. This team dealt with drugs made in laboratories and asked for a suppressed version to prevent muzzle flash and unburned powder from igniting these hazardous labs. So Colt and Knights Armament teamed up for the DEA Model.
This was integrally suppressed and featured full-length A2 handguards to cover the can. I’m not sure if muzzle flash could actually ignite an unstable lab or if this justification was ever real and not a cool internet story, but the DEA Model did exist.
Also, in the year of our lord 2023, Colt still makes an M5 variant of the Colt SMG. Now known as the Colt M5 SMG, this gun features a nine-inch barrel, an M-LOK rail, flat top upper, and a Magpul stock. The lower has ambidextrous controls, and it has flip-up sights standard.
The Colt SMG Keeps Kicking
These days running across an actual submachine gun isn’t common, even in police and military forces. However, a PCC is super common and that’s where the Colt SMG still stands tall. There are numerous PCC variants out there that can satisfy your itch. Here are a few notable options worth mentioning.
CMMG Banshee
The CMMG Banshee series is likely the most technologically evolved variant of AR PCC that uses Colt mags. These guns use a radial delayed blowback system that eliminates the downsides of direct blowback. They are very well-made and modern firearms with a variety of modern features we can’t live without.
This includes an M-LOK rail, flat top upper, and a few ambidextrous controls, including the safety and charging handle. These guns are super sweet shooters and some of my favorite PCCs on the market.
Saint Victor 9mm
The Saint Victor 9mm is a recent expansion into the Victor lineup. As a Victor, it comes equipped with a ton of modern features. This includes a BCM Stock and grip, an M-LOK rail system, and flip-up sights. The muzzle device has a linear compensator as well.
The Saint Victor is a full-sized rifle that uses a dedicated 9mm lower and not a magazine block. It’s a prime-time PCC and a very modern, but traditional take on the Colt SMG-style rifle.
Colt AR6951
Yep, Colt makes a semi-auto, rifle-sized version of their SMG, and if you want a real Colt, you can have one! This rifle, sadly, isn’t based on the M5. It’s a bit simpler. The gun has a flat top upper but does have the standard plastic handguard and M4-style stock.
It’s simple, but it’s an actual Colt, and there is something to be said about investing in the OG.
Glock, Glock, Glock
I could do an entire article on why Colt mags are the superior option for PCCs and SMGs, at least over Glock mags. To this day, they are widely available and even cheaper than 33-round Glock brand Glock mags. The old Colt SMG hasn’t gone anywhere and likely won’t. With that said, what do you think about the old Colt SMG?
