The only time I have ever handled one of these legendary rifles was maybe 15 years or so ago when I had the privilege and opportunity to examine one in the non-display collection vault at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. This was courtesy of the director of the museum, Dr. Bill Atwater. The visit was arranged by an ex-neighbor of mine who was then director of security at Aberdeen.
I was surprised at the time at how heavy the StG44 felt - I later discovered it was rated at over 11 pounds.
It's history is quite interesting. When first produced in Germany, It was initially billed as the Maschinenkarabiner 42H (MKb 42H). It was designed by Hugo Schmeisser and produced by Haenel, in competition with another design by Walther.
It was further modified to use a hammer firing system and to operate from a closed bolt. It used a shortened 8mm cartridge, the 7.92mm x 33, which was of reduced power from the standard German cartridge used in the '98K Mausers. Of course, it was selective fire. When Hitler halted all further rifle development, the ingenious folks in the German weapons industry re-designated the rifle as the Maschinenpistole 43 (MP43) and it masqueraded as an upgrade to the MP40 submachine guns.
Of course Hitler got wind of this, and had the program halted again. I'm sure he had one of his famous fist-stamping fits over it, but he permitted the program to start again for evaluation only. The evaluations were favorable. In April of 1944, he ordered it re-classified as the MP 44. When he heard glowing reports of the arm from the commanders on the Eastern front in Russia, he was told the soldiers there needed more of the new arm. Hitler then test-fired it, and he re-named it the Sturmgewehr, which meant "storm rifle." This has since been translated into English as "assault rifle" and it was the very first of its kind.
For propaganda purposes, Hitler ordered it re-designated as the Sturmgewehr 44, or "Assault rifle, Model of 1944." This was a whole new classification. Production began, and shipments were made to the Eastern front. A total of 425,977 were made before the war ended. The allies first encountered these impressive weapons in substantial numbers during the Battle of the Bulge.
It had such impact that it influenced the development of the Soviet AK47 and the American M16. The recoil impulse of the gun was straight back against the shoulder, so there was little disturbance of aim when it fired. It was surprisingly accurate in full-auto fire, also. It was exported by the Soviets to some of its satellites, notably Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, and was supplied to insurgent groups such as the Palestine Liberation Organization and Hezbollah. Some have been encountered in Iraq.
Well, I always wanted to have one of these historic weapons, but with an asking prices now approaching $30,000 for one, I never thought I'd see the day.
But today I came close. I picked up one of these!
It's a near dead ringer for the StG44, made as a .22 LR semiautomatic clone by German Sports Rifles (GSG), located in Oesterweg, Germany. There are some differences, most notably the short stroke of the operating handle, and the substitution of some cast parts for the original stamped pieces. Also there are some Torx screws which never existed at the time of the originals.
BUT, it has the heft, looks, operation and takedown of the original. The GSG-StG44 has sated my lust for one of the originals. At first glance, you'll be amazed at the resemblance. I think I'll give it a place in my collection as the nearest thing to the real McCoy I'll likely ever have. It came in a fitted wooden crate with one 25-round magazine, an instruction book, a padlock and some company literature.
I'm a happy camper, and I haven't even fired it yet!
John
I was surprised at the time at how heavy the StG44 felt - I later discovered it was rated at over 11 pounds.
It's history is quite interesting. When first produced in Germany, It was initially billed as the Maschinenkarabiner 42H (MKb 42H). It was designed by Hugo Schmeisser and produced by Haenel, in competition with another design by Walther.
It was further modified to use a hammer firing system and to operate from a closed bolt. It used a shortened 8mm cartridge, the 7.92mm x 33, which was of reduced power from the standard German cartridge used in the '98K Mausers. Of course, it was selective fire. When Hitler halted all further rifle development, the ingenious folks in the German weapons industry re-designated the rifle as the Maschinenpistole 43 (MP43) and it masqueraded as an upgrade to the MP40 submachine guns.
Of course Hitler got wind of this, and had the program halted again. I'm sure he had one of his famous fist-stamping fits over it, but he permitted the program to start again for evaluation only. The evaluations were favorable. In April of 1944, he ordered it re-classified as the MP 44. When he heard glowing reports of the arm from the commanders on the Eastern front in Russia, he was told the soldiers there needed more of the new arm. Hitler then test-fired it, and he re-named it the Sturmgewehr, which meant "storm rifle." This has since been translated into English as "assault rifle" and it was the very first of its kind.
For propaganda purposes, Hitler ordered it re-designated as the Sturmgewehr 44, or "Assault rifle, Model of 1944." This was a whole new classification. Production began, and shipments were made to the Eastern front. A total of 425,977 were made before the war ended. The allies first encountered these impressive weapons in substantial numbers during the Battle of the Bulge.
It had such impact that it influenced the development of the Soviet AK47 and the American M16. The recoil impulse of the gun was straight back against the shoulder, so there was little disturbance of aim when it fired. It was surprisingly accurate in full-auto fire, also. It was exported by the Soviets to some of its satellites, notably Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, and was supplied to insurgent groups such as the Palestine Liberation Organization and Hezbollah. Some have been encountered in Iraq.
Well, I always wanted to have one of these historic weapons, but with an asking prices now approaching $30,000 for one, I never thought I'd see the day.
But today I came close. I picked up one of these!
It's a near dead ringer for the StG44, made as a .22 LR semiautomatic clone by German Sports Rifles (GSG), located in Oesterweg, Germany. There are some differences, most notably the short stroke of the operating handle, and the substitution of some cast parts for the original stamped pieces. Also there are some Torx screws which never existed at the time of the originals.
BUT, it has the heft, looks, operation and takedown of the original. The GSG-StG44 has sated my lust for one of the originals. At first glance, you'll be amazed at the resemblance. I think I'll give it a place in my collection as the nearest thing to the real McCoy I'll likely ever have. It came in a fitted wooden crate with one 25-round magazine, an instruction book, a padlock and some company literature.
I'm a happy camper, and I haven't even fired it yet!
John
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