Bergmann MP 35
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Barrel
- 200 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.24 kg
- Introduced
- 1935
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Bergmann MP 35 was a German selective-fire submachine gun designed by Theodor Bergmann in the early 1930s. Distinguished by its right-side-mounted magazine and rear-mounted bolt-handle that resembled a bolt-action rifle, it used a unique two-stage progressive trigger: a short pull fired single shots, while a long pull engaged full-automatic fire. About 40,000 were produced during World War II, almost all delivered to the Waffen-SS.
The MP 35's odd rear-mounted bolt handle made it look like someone had welded a rifle bolt onto a submachine gun. Despite being functionally inferior to the simpler MP 40, the Waffen-SS preferred it for its build quality and accuracy, and almost the entire wartime production was funneled directly to SS units rather than the regular Wehrmacht.
Production was licensed to Carl Walther in 1936 and to Junker & Ruh after 1940. Sweden purchased approximately 100 examples in 9x19mm as the Kpist m/39 for coastal artillery and naval guard use. The MP 35 is mechanically distinct from the earlier Schmeisser MP 28, despite both being often labelled 'Bergmann'.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Theodor Bergmann Waffenfabrik
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Country
- Germany
- Status
- Out of production
- Produced
- 1935 to 1945
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 200 mm
- Overall length
- 840 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.24 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Two stage
- Capacity
- 32
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 365 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 496 J
- Effective range
- 150 m
- Maximum range
- 200 m
- Rate of fire
- 540 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Open bolt
Right side mounted magazine
Rear mounted cocking handle
Wooden full stock
Tangent rear sight
Perforated barrel jacket
Bayonet lug
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 201 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 4.24 kg | 3.18 kg | Heavier than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 200 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 840 mm | 723 mm | Longer than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 202 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 200 mm | 213 mm | Shorter than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 204 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 32 | 32 | Holds more rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the Bergmann MP 35
How much does the Bergmann MP 35 weigh?
The Bergmann MP 35 weighs 4.24 kg (9.35 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Bergmann MP 35?
The Bergmann MP 35 is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the Bergmann MP 35 hold?
The Bergmann MP 35 holds 32 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Bergmann MP 35?
The Bergmann MP 35 is 840 mm (33.1 in) long overall, with a 200 mm (7.87 in) barrel.
Who makes the Bergmann MP 35?
The Bergmann MP 35 is made by Theodor Bergmann Waffenfabrik (Germany). It was designed by Theodor Bergmann.
When was the Bergmann MP 35 introduced?
The Bergmann MP 35 was introduced in 1935 and discontinued in 1945.
How does the Bergmann MP 35 operate?
The Bergmann MP 35 uses a blowback action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Waffen-SS
- 1940
- Swedish Coastal Artillery
- 1939
- Royal Danish Army
- Denmark
- Ethiopian Imperial Forces
- Ethiopia
Provenance
Confidence in this record
76%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/mp-35' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "mp-35", "name": "Bergmann MP 35", "manufacturer": { "id": "bergmann-waffenfabrik", "name": "Theodor Bergmann Waffenfabrik", "countryCode": "DE", "foundedYear": 1880, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-05-04 12:38:54", "updatedAt": "2026-05-04 12:38:54", "version": "84e2fc95dccee0344bf7f615704039fef445ad76323c5c25795193874c37b4bb" }, "category": { "id": "submachine-gun", "name": "Submachine Gun", "description": "Automatic firearms chambered in pistol calibers" }, "country_of_origin": "DE", "year_introduced": 1935, "barrel_length_mm": 200, "weight_empty_g": 4240, "action_type": "blowback"}