MAC M10 / M11
Summary
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Category | Submachine gun |
| Manufacturer | Ingram |
Technical specifications
| MAC M10 / M11 | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | 1600 rounds/min. |
| Caliber | .45 ACP or 9 x 19 mm Parabellum |
| Magazine | 32 rounds |
| Length | 269 mm (10.6 in) |
| Weight | 2.84 kg (6.3 lb) |
| Range | 25 m (82 ft) |
Description
The Military Armament Corporation Model 10, known as the M10 or MAC-10, was developed by Gordon Ingram in 1964 as a compact machine pistol/submachine gun, chambered in either .45 ACP or 9mm. While "MAC-10" was commonly used by dealers, writers, and collectors, Military Armament Corporation did not officially use this designation. A semi-automatic pistol version was prohibited in the U.S. under the 1994 assault weapons ban.
The MAC-10 is primarily constructed from steel stampings. It features a notched cocking handle atop the receiver that can be turned 90 degrees to lock the bolt. The weapon utilizes a telescoping bolt design, wrapping around the barrel's rear, which contributes to compactness and weight distribution over the pistol grip, where the magazine is housed. Firing from an open bolt, the MAC-10 achieves a rapid rate of fire. Other design features include a built-in feed ramp integrated into the trigger guard and magazine compatibility with the M3 Grease Gun. The barrel is threaded for a suppressor designed by Sionics, intended to reduce discharge sound. The .45 ACP chambering is naturally suited for suppression, as standard loads are typically subsonic. A suppressor can also function as a foregrip, aiding control, along with a small strap and bracket below the muzzle. Original rates of fire are approximately 1090 rpm for .45 ACP and 1250 rpm for 9mm.
The M10 is part of a series, including:
-
the scaled-down MAC-11/M-11A1 in .380 ACP
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the M-11/9 chambered in 9x19mm with a longer receiver, later produced by manufacturers including SWD, Leinad, and Vulcan Armament
The 1994 U.S. assault weapons ban impacted the civilian semi-automatic MAC-10 pistol, listing it by name and citing characteristics like being a semi-automatic version of an automatic firearm, exceeding 50 ounces unloaded, and having a threaded barrel. Wayne Daniel of SWD responded by creating the PM11/9, eliminating the threaded barrel and modifying the magazine release for 10-round magazines. Following Military Armament Corporation's bankruptcy, RPB Industries acquired assets, producing open and closed-bolt variants before BATFE actions mandated closed-bolt designs for semi-automatics. Semi-automatic variants, chambered in calibers such as .30, .41, and .50 Ingram, were marketed for civilian sale in certain South American countries. Carbine versions of the M-11/9 and a smaller semi-automatic pistol, the M-12 in .380 ACP, were also manufactured. Civilian sale of post-1986 select-fire variants remains prohibited in the U.S., although materials for post-sample conversion for FFLs are available.
The MAC-10 and its variants have seen operational use. US special forces units, including LRRPs and Navy SEALs, used the MAC-10 during the Vietnam War and the Invasion of Grenada.
Users of the MAC-10 and its variants have included state actors such as Bolivia, Brazil (GRUMEC), Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Iran (SAVAK), Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico (police), Morocco (GISGR, DGST, DGED), Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain (police), Thailand, the United Kingdom (SAS, 14 Intelligence Company), the United States (special forces including Delta Force and 492nd Special Operations Wing), Uruguay, Venezuela, and Yugoslavia. Non-state users included the Lebanese Forces and the Ulster Volunteer Force, which used illegally converted semi-automatic weapons. Foreign copies or derivatives include the South African BXP, the Rhodesian Cobra carbine, the Argentine Patria and MPA, the Brazilian Enarm MSM, and a UK variant by Section Five Firearms Ltd.