Sturmgewehr 44

StG 44

The StG 44 (Sturmgewehr 44 or "assault rifle model 1944") was an assault rifle developed in Nazi Germany during World War II and was the first of its kind to see major deployment, considered by many historians to be the first modern assault rifle. It is also known under the designations MP 43 and MP 44 (Maschinenpistole 43, Maschinenpistole 44 respectively), which denotes earlier development versions of the same weapon.

Sturmgewehr 44
StG44
Type	Assault rifle
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
In service	October 1943–May 1945 (Nazi Germany)
Wars	World War II, appeared in other conflicts around the world
Production history
Designed	1942
Manufacturer	C. G. Haenel Waffen und Fahrradfabrik CITEFA
Produced	October 1944
Number built	425,977
Specifications
Weight	5.22 kg (11.5 lb)
Length	940 mm (37 in)
Barrel length	419 mm (16.5 in)
Cartridge	7.92x33mm Kurz
Action	Gas-operated, tilting bolt
Rate of fire	500-600 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	685 m/s (2,247 ft/s)
Effective range	300 m
Feed system	30-round detachable box magazine
Sights	Adjustable sights, rear: V-notch; front: hooded post

Description

A soldier demonstrates the transitional MP 43/1 variant, used to determine the suitability of the rifle for sniping purposes, October 1943. The rifle is fitted with a ZF 4 telescopic sight.

MP 43, MP 44, and StG 44 were different designations for what was essentially the same rifle, with minor updates in production. The variety in nomenclatures resulted from the complicatedbureaucracy in Nazi Germany. Developed from the Mkb 42(H) "machine carbine", the StG44 combined the characteristics of a carbine, submachine gun andautomatic rifle. StG is an abbreviation ofSturmgewehr. The name was chosen forpropaganda reasons and literally means "storm rifle" as in "to storm an enemy position" (i.e. "assault", leading to the modern terminology "assault rifle"). After the adoption of the StG 44, the English translation "assault rifle" became the accepted designation for this type of infantry small arm.

The rifle was chambered for the 7.92x33mm Kurz cartridge, also known as 7.92 mmKurz. This shorter version of the German standard (7.92x57mm Mauser) rifle round, in combination with the weapon's selective-fire design, provided a compromise between the controllable firepower of a submachine gun at close quarters with the accuracy and power of a Karabiner 98k bolt action rifle at intermediate ranges. While the StG44 had less range and power than the more powerful infantry rifles of the day, Wehrmacht studies had shown that most combat engagements occurred at less than 300 m with the majority within 200 m. Full-power rifle cartridges were excessive for the vast majority of uses for the average soldier.

The StG 44's receiver was made of heavy stamped and welded steel as were other contemporary arms such as the MP 40 and MG 42. This made for a fairly heavy rifle, especially one firing an intermediate-power cartridge. Difficulties with fabrication, the need to use available non-priority steels, and the exigencies of war resulted in a heavy receiver. U.S. military intelligence criticized the weight of the weapon along with the inclusion of the fully automatic feature which it considered "ineffectual for all practical purposes", as full automatic fire with StG 44 was permitted in emergencies only. The British were also critical saying that the receiver could be bent and the bolt locked up by the mere act of knocking a leaning rifle onto a hard floor. Many of these criticisms are more a testimonial of the Allied aversion rather than an accurate view of the weapon's characteristics which were proven during combat in the war.

To its credit, it was the first successful weapon of its class, and the concept had a major impact on modern infantry small arms development. By all accounts, the StG44 fulfilled its role admirably, particularly on the Eastern Front, offering a greatly increased volume of fire compared to standard infantry rifles. In the end, it came too late to have a significant effect on the outcome of the war.