Vigneron submachine gun

It remains reasonably accurate up to 100 m using sighted semi-automatic fire.

After World War II the Belgian Army was equipped with a mixture of British and American guns. The army wanted to replace these weapons with modern designs of preferable Belgian origin. In the late 1940s, the army held submachine gun trials between the following prototypes: the Vigneron the Imperia, an improved Sten gun the RAN, a design by Repousmetal S.A. several FN prototypes

The Vigneron M1 was designed by a retired Belgian army Colonel, Georges Vigneron, and officially adopted by the Belgian army in 1953. (this adoption date needs to be confirmed, one known survivor serial 002212 is stamped ABL 1952, indicating it was in Belgian army service a year before this date) The first series of Vignerons was manufactured by the Societe Anonyme Precision Liegeoise in Herstal. Some parts were subcontracted to the State Arsenal at Rocourt in Liège, who eventually began making complete guns. Other Vignerons were fabricated by the company Ateliers de Fabrications Electriques et Metalliques or AFEM in Brussels. An unconfirmed story says that the CMH inscription on the grip means Compagnie de Manufacture Herstal, and this company is supposed to have made the plastic lower receiver. The first model Vigneron was made until serial number 21300 in 1954. (This date needs to be confirmed since known M2 survivors have serial numbers indicating that at least 90,530 M2's had been built by 1953). Some sources state that many M1's were reworked to M2 standard by fitting hood over foresight, changing the rear sight and fitting a stronger spring to the ejection port cover and that when this upgrade was done the M1 designation was overstamped M2, but examples of M1's that have been upgraded to the M2 exist where the original M1 stamp has not been over stamped.

The M2 version was an improvement in several ways, it was in production by 1953: (One known Vigneron M2 is stamped as serial 086916 and is dated 1953) a front sight protector was installed a rear sight notch was used instead of a peep sight the dust cover closing spring was made stronger

Algeria Belgium Burundi Congo-Kinshasa Katanga Luxembourg Portugal (where designated Pistola Metralhadora m/961) Rwanda IRA