In service 1943–1970s Designed 1941 | ||
Manufacturer Uzinele Metalurgice Copșa Mică și Cugir | ||
The Orița is a 9×19mm Parabellum submachine gun that was manufactured in Romania during World War II and for several years afterwards. It was named for Captain Marin Orița (Military Technical Corps, Romanian Army), who is credited in Romania with its design. (Other sources describe the Orița as a joint Czech-Romanian project; the Czech Leopold Jašek and the Romanian Nicolae Sterca are also considered to have contributed to its design.) The mass production was made by CMC Uzinele Metallurgice Copșa Mică together with Cugir arms factory. The first version, Model 1941, entered operational service with the Romanian Army in 1943. Two later improved models were the Model 1948, with a fixed wooden stock, and the rare paratrooper Model 1949, with a folding metal stock. The firearm gained a reputation for reliability during World War II, and remained in service with the Romanian Army until it was replaced in the 1960s by the more powerful Pistol Mitralieră model 1963/1965, a Romanian version of the AK-47 assault rifle. The Orița remained in service with the Romanian paramilitaries ("Gărzile Patriotice") until the 1970s.
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Orita Carbine
A carbine version of the Orita was designed, chambered in 9×23mm Steyr. Only one prototype was built; it is preserved in the National Military Museum in Bucharest.