A fake submachine gun . back. next. CNNMoney's Aaron Smith holds a realistic metal replica of a World War II-era Schmeisser submachine gun that one clueless air traveler tried to board a plane with.

It would be a compromise weapon, sitting squarely between a traditional battle rifle and submachine gun. During the 1930s, Germany had developed just such an cartridge, the 7.92×33 round.

Although the MP40 was called the “Schmeisser’ or “Hitler’s burp gun” by G.I.s, Hugo Schmeisser had about as much to do with its actual design as Mary Queen of Scots.