Sturmgewehr 44 Assault Rifle
The German STG Assault Rifle was the first of its kind in the world. Sturmgewehr translates to Storm Rifle or Assault Rifle, and was manufactured by NAZI Germany during WW2. Names for the gun include:
- German MP44
- Sturmgewehr 44
- StG 44
- MP43 and MP43/1
- MP44
- Schmeisser MP
The rifle was developed in 1942 during WW2. Germans wanted something automatic, more powerful than a submachine gun. A submachine basically shoots pistol ammo. Assault rifle ammo falls between a full sized rifle cartridge, like the German Karabiner 98k, and a pistol cartridge. They developed the 7.92x33 mm midsized cartridge - 7.92mm Kurz "short infantry cartridge" (Infanterie patrone Kurz)
This rifle has the following characteristics:
- stamped receiver and barrel jacket
- large front site
- stamped magazine with forward curve
- gas cylinder on top of the barrel
- short and bulky buttstock
The rifle was developed by designer Hugo Schmeisser as a gas operated, selective fire weapon.
Comparison of the 7.92x33mm Kurz to other common related cartridges
- (A) 7.92x33mm Kurz (StG)
- (B) 7.62x39mm M1943 Soviet (AK-47)
- (C) 5.45mm Soviet
- (D) 7.62mm NATO
- (E) .223 Remington
- (F) 5.56x45mm NATO (AR15/M16)
- (G) 6mm SAW
The Sturmgewehr 44 Assault Rifle was developed after a series of minor modifications. The first had an open bolt. The open-bolt MKb. 42 was renamed "MP 43 A" while the closed-bolt version was called "MP 43 B" and later MP 43/1. There were many revisions and name changes. The assault rifle was a tough sell to Hitler at first. Eventually, he approved and they were put into mass production.
Famous Soviet arms builder Mihail Kalasnikov, designer of the AK-47, acknowledged he benefited from the help of Hugo Schmeisser. Schmeisser arrived in Ijhevsk immediately after the war and met Kalasnikov at a factory there. Besides looking very much like the STG, the AK-47 barrowed from the Sturmgewehr. However, they were distinctly different mechanically, as Kalasnikov incorporated features from other rifles of the period including the M1 carbine.
