We found an English language manual for the Italian M1915 Villar Perosa – the predecessor of all submachine guns. It includes a bunch or interesting photos, as well as a good description of the gun. Curiously, it also lists the cartridge used as the standard 9x19mm Luger, not the 9mm Glisenti as generally reported. Possibly this is just a mistake in the manual, or perhaps the Canadian-made Villar Perosas were proofed for 9×19? We don’t know, but we’d like to find out…
If you’re not familiar with this rather odd weapon, check out the M1915 Villar Perosa page in the Vault, where we have some discussion of its historical use as well as this English manual and an Italian manual.
Since the 9mm Glisenti chamber profile is identical to the 9mm Luger chamber profile, the only change required to convert these weapons to 9mm Luger was a slightly higher rate mainspring. About a 0.25mm wire diameter increase at the spring winder and, presto, a 9mm Luger Revelli!
Nice manual, thanks.
The former Pattern Room collection contains a Villar Perosa in .455 Webley 😉
Yep, we will be there next week and may take a look at it.
Canadian made?
Is the manual Canadian made or does it indicate the gun is?
You can see on the cover that the manual was printed in Toronto. My understanding is that a number of the guns were also made under contract in Canada, including the experimental one(s) in .455 Webley.
If you think the manual is great wait until you see all the great pictures we have of the gun. Fantastic examples. Many examples!!
Wow, there are Canadian-made Villar-Perosas?