The m/45 gave Sweden a simple domestic 9 mm automatic weapon after World War II.
The Carl Gustaf m/45, also known as the Swedish K, was adopted in 1945 after wartime experience showed the value of compact automatic weapons. Swedish industry sought a durable and economical 9 mm design that could be produced domestically and used by regular and reserve forces. Its development belongs to the wider postwar trend toward simplified stamped-metal submachine guns.
A tubular receiver, folding stock, and box magazine made the weapon rugged and easy to carry.
The m/45 used simple blowback operation, a 9x19 mm chambering, a side-folding stock, and a detachable box magazine. Its design favored robustness, manageable weight, and ease of manufacture rather than technical novelty. Later variants adjusted the magazine housing, barrel jacket, and specialist fittings, but the weapon's reputation rested on reliability and straightforward handling.
The m/45 served Sweden, export users, and special operations forces for decades.
The m/45 served as a Swedish standard submachine gun and was also exported or copied abroad, including Egyptian Port Said production. Its international reputation grew through Cold War conflicts and special operations use, where compact automatic fire and rugged construction were valued. Sweden eventually replaced it with rifle-caliber and later assault-rifle systems, but the Swedish K remained influential among postwar SMGs.
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