Description
Steyr-Solothurn MP34 Portuguese Contract Display Machine Gun with Magazine and Bayonet
This is a deactivated Steyr-Solothurn MP34 display machine gun, shown with magazine and bayonet. The piece has the distinctive MP34 pattern: side-mounted magazine housing, full-length wood stock, hinged top cover, tangent rear sight, perforated barrel jacket, bayonet bar, and finely machined receiver construction.
The top cover is marked with the Portuguese crest over 1942, consistent with the Portuguese-contract MP34 / m/942 pattern.
Steyr-Solothurn MP34 Display Machine Gun
The MP34 began as the Steyr-Solothurn S1-100, a high-quality interwar submachine gun design associated with Rheinmetall, Solothurn, and Steyr. Production was carried out by Steyr in Austria and marketed through Steyr-Solothurn. The design was used by Austria and later exported to several countries.
Portugal purchased MP34 pattern guns before and during the Second World War. Portuguese service examples are commonly encountered with the national crest and 1942 date, and were designated Pistola-metralhadora m/942 in Portuguese service. The type remained in Portuguese use for many years after World War II.
Construction / Configuration / Pattern
This example has a blued steel receiver set into a full wood stock. The action cover is hinged at the forward end and opens upward in the MP34 manner. The rear sight is a tangent-style ladder graduated in meter increments, and the front end has a perforated cooling jacket with bayonet mounting hardware.
The magazine housing is mounted on the left side of the receiver. On original MP34 pattern arms, this housing also served as an integrated magazine-loading fixture, one of the more recognizable mechanical details of the design. The gun is fitted with a smooth round bolt handle, sling hardware, and a steel buttplate.
The included magazine shows heavy finish wear and age patina. The bayonet has a bright steel blade, crossguard, wood grip scales, and steel pommel, giving the display a complete military presentation.
Historical Context / Pattern Development
The MP34 was one of the most carefully made submachine guns of the interwar period. Unlike later wartime designs that emphasized stamped construction and rapid production, the MP34 used extensive machined steel components and a polished commercial-quality finish. This made the gun expensive to manufacture, but it also gave it a reputation for excellent fit and durability.
The design was influenced by earlier German submachine gun development and was produced through the Steyr-Solothurn commercial network. It was manufactured in several chamberings for different contracts, including Austrian, Portuguese, and export users. Portuguese 1942 contract examples are among the better-known surviving MP34 variants, often bearing the Portuguese crest, date marking, Steyr markings, and German inspection marks.
Condition
This is a deactivated display item intended for display only.
The metal shows an attractive aged blued and plum-brown finish with visible edge wear, thinning, handling marks, and scattered surface patina. The Portuguese crest and 1942 date marking remain visible on the top cover. The receiver, top cover, tangent sight assembly, magazine housing, barrel jacket, bayonet bar, trigger guard, sling hardware, and buttplate all present well.
The wood stock has a warm military oil finish with dents, scratches, pressure marks, and service wear throughout. The stock remains solid and visually complete, with a numbered butt area and steel buttplate. The included magazine has notable finish loss and oxidation, consistent with age and storage. The bayonet shows surface wear, patina, and handling marks, with the blade and grip assembly intact.
Overall, this is a strong display example of the Steyr-Solothurn MP34, with desirable Portuguese 1942 contract markings, magazine, bayonet, and classic MP34 profile.
