OK lets talk S&W model 76

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ladyT

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So what do you folks know about this little toy. I ask because all I know is what Wiki says.
 
I fired one at a shoot in Minnesota some years back.
Fun, but I liked other 9mm subguns I've fired better.

They include the Swedish "K" the subgun the M76 is based on, more or
less. The Swedish subgun was being used by U.S. forces in Vietnam
when Sweden declared that it was a violation of their neutrality,
to sell them to the U.S. when the war was in progress.

Smith tooled up and made the M76 for a while. They tried making a
caseless version too, but it didn't really take off.
 
All I know is what I learned in the movies.

A guy shot up a bus with one in The Laughing Policeman.

Suzanne Somers met her topless end from one in Magnum Force.

And Chuck Heston used it as his main anti-vampire/mutant gun in Omega Man:

 
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The subgun? Mass produced, stamped, open bolt subgun similar to the Swedish-K. They got a reputation for being a cheap gun, often with lots of reliability issues due to cheap magazines. Mostly they're pretty reliable, though the ejectors seem to be the common trouble spot. Some law enforcement agencies used them, but really they never caught on. It was such a basic design, the open bolt was a liability, and by then the H&Ks with their MP5s began dominating the scene.

They are offered for sale pretty regularly in the NFA world and are about one step up in price from the MAC series, except without the plentiful aftermarket accessories that make the MAC a better buy. There isn't much history to them, they're not particularly good looking, they're not particularly good shooters, so the demand for them isn't really high. Most end up being a "starter" subgun. Mostly, they lack personality, thus get overlooked.

Uzitalk has a portion of their forum dedicated to the 76. Prolly some good reading there if your interested.
 
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used to won one back in my class three days. I like that style of subgun. it was based on the old Swedish K. 76 type guns were made after smith quit building them by a couple of other companies. they were called model 760. I had a suppressor set-up for mine that was quite accurate for a subgun. it had some much weight out front that it was easy to control. I also like the firing rate of them. believe it or not,back in the 70's prior to the 86 law change, machine guns were relatively cheap for dealer sample guns, and you get almost anything except for communist guns. the good old days of $125.00 dollar guns and less than $50.00 per case of ammo.
 
I fired one about 25 years ago. It was fun. I wouldn't mind owning one, but I think I like the German MP40 better.
 
For some reason I've developed an itch for a full auto. It's touch and go at the moment as to whether I take the leap or not. Anyway thanks for the info guys.
 
My agency owned three for quite a while. They were OK shooters, and reliable so long as you used good mags and ball ammo, but nothing to write home about IMO. In the day, as departmental armorer I had access to any of them, but I much preferred a 12ga 870 for most stakeout work. We ended up trading them on some HK MP5's, which were very reliable but you needed hands like a raccoon to operate the safeties properly.
 
KEN L ought to chip in with some detail after a bit. Have shot his a bit some years back. Works fine and has a better stock than the MP38/40. Easily suppressed. Will run much longer than an Ingram without trying to destroy itself. I don't much care for the safety, but it's easily ignored. Not as satisfying as an M3, but much more "affordable", if that's not an oxymoron re. transferrable NFA automatics.
 
I remember them in several old movies. In the original "Walking Tall" with Joe Don Baker the ambush car uses couple of them to shoot at the sheriff and his wife. Ironically, the real life Bufford Pusser also had one in his personal collection.
 
About ten years ago, I did some computer work for a guy who was an auctioneer. He kept a Smith M76 loaded on top of his bookcase. He'd shoot groundhogs in the farm field behind his house with it. He said he liked it.

Additional movie role: Lee Marvin uses one in "Prime Cut".
 
If you dont have one and have only shot one, once upon a time, and saw it in a "movie" , I doubt you have a handle on just how sought after these little gems are. I've had one for years and the only repairs have been the std consumables, extractor, barrel ratchet lock, recoil springs ect. I built a can for mine and it is the icing on the cake, Perrazi's experience rivals mine, accurately.

The Swede K gun was built just a well as it needed to be, the 76 is a very well built piece, the machining isnt evident externally, but it is if you look inside, fouling cuts in the tube for one, S&W magazines are well made and expensive, The modified Swedes, Port Said, and Suomi M31 mags work with minor fitting and a tenth of the price.

As for the mp5 and macs, I have drawers full of dead parts, pounded uppers and lowers cracked, bolts and trigger housing split and cracked bolt carriers. Ever try to replace fire control parts in a K gun and you will wish it was a 76, Mp5s that quit take a lot more than a quick roller change to get them reliable again I built up a quick change barrel assy just to keep them running with out the special barrel press and hit and miss bolt gap setting.

All sub guns need tender care, and most owners do not have the armorers skills and tools to do what is required to keep up with Heavy use. The average NFA owner probably wont wear one out using it,
they are not in-expensive in the ammo dept.

Sorry rant over, one of you struck a nerve......
 
It was the subgun of choice for the Il. State Police in the late 60's and early 70's.
 
SOFMatchstaff said:
If you dont have one and have only shot one, once upon a time, and saw it in a "movie" , I doubt you have a handle on just how sought after these little gems are. I've had one for years and the only repairs have been the std consumables, extractor, barrel ratchet lock, recoil springs ect. I built a can for mine and it is the icing on the cake, Perrazi's experience rivals mine, accurately.

The Swede K gun was built just a well as it needed to be, the 76 is a very well built piece, the machining isnt evident externally, but it is if you look inside, fouling cuts in the tube for one, S&W magazines are well made and expensive, The modified Swedes, Port Said, and Suomi M31 mags work with minor fitting and a tenth of the price.

As for the mp5 and macs, I have drawers full of dead parts, pounded uppers and lowers cracked, bolts and trigger housing split and cracked bolt carriers. Ever try to replace fire control parts in a K gun and you will wish it was a 76, Mp5s that quit take a lot more than a quick roller change to get them reliable again I built up a quick change barrel assy just to keep them running with out the special barrel press and hit and miss bolt gap setting.

All sub guns need tender care, and most owners do not have the armorers skills and tools to do what is required to keep up with Heavy use. The average NFA owner probably wont wear one out using it,
they are not in-expensive in the ammo dept.

Sorry rant over, one of you struck a nerve......
Click to expand...


So how hard is it to find parts if parts are needed.
 
My old employeer had several, but as far as I know they stayed at the academy and were never issued. Management had second thoughts about how to use them.

I got to shoot one about 40 years ago and by then they were several years old and worn out. The one I shot had a wornout bolt and would double in semi mode.

I thought it was junk.
 
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