submachine_gun

A carbine-length, handgun cartridge gun that is capable of fully automatic fire. Early SMGs such as the MP18 have rifle-like appearance. While more modern models do have features like a folded stock, a pistol grip and a fire selector. The term "submachine gun" (SMG) was coined by Thompson submachine gun, to describe its design concept as an automatic weapon with notably less firepower than a machine gun (hence the prefix "sub-").