German World War II automatic rifle StG-44 assault rifle

StG44 assault rifle (named MP44 before it was finalized and put into production) is one of the milestones in the history of modern infantry. It is the first batch of large-scale assault rifles equipped with powerful bullets in short magazines, and it is also the first real assault rifle in the world, leading the design mode of automatic rifles for a period of time.

When this design was given to Hitler, he did not approve of StG44. Hitler took part in World War I and thought he was experienced in actual combat. The design idea of StG44 is still relatively primary, and the clear slogan is to replace light machine guns. Hitler thought that StG44 had a limited range (within 500 meters) and could not meet the standard of light machine gun, so he refused.

Later, the relevant generals reinterpreted the design concept of StG44 and stopped mentioning light machine guns. However, from the point of view of veterans and national military decision-makers, Hitler thinks that although the design concept of StG44 is advanced, it needs to use new ammunition, which can't make use of a large number of Mao Se rifle bullets stored, and even cause the problem of ammunition supply in the front line.

StG44 can be launched continuously, and the actual consumption of neutron bombs is no less than that of submachine guns, which is very huge. It is not easy for a country to re-prepare a whole set of new ammunition systems in the war to meet the operational needs. In fact, Germany has been in trouble and lost a lot of equipment and personnel in the tug-of-war on the Eastern Front. It is very difficult to make up for the losses at the front.

Not to mention the additional burden of adding new equipment and related new logistics systems, so Hitler's denial is not unreasonable. However, the military high-level officials naturally know more about the practical significance of StG44 than the Fuehrer, and it is impossible to give up the results of ten years of painstaking research, so they are still mass-produced and put into actual combat.

In order to comply with the Fuehrer's orders, they used the name MP43/MP44 (number of submachine gun) and got the Fuehrer's approval. Sure enough, MP43 performed well in the Battle of Kursk. Not only the Soviet-made Bobosha submachine guns and Mosinnagan rifles were suppressed, but also the soldiers and officers praised it and unanimously demanded to increase the number of MP43 equipment.

After these reports were sent to Hitler, he noticed the army's evaluation of the gun and realized its superiority. In addition, he already knew that the bullet used in MP43 was still 7.92 mm, but the length of ammunition was shortened by one third, so that the bullet production line did not need to be greatly changed, which largely solved the original concern about ammunition problems.

Based on the order to increase the production ratio of MP44, Hitler named it Sturmgewehr 44, or StG44 for short. Sturmgewehr, literally translated as storm rifle, adopts the principle of automatic air conduction and the locking mode of bolt deflection. StG-44 is that when a bullet is fired, gunpowder gas is discharged from the barrel into the airway, and the bolt is actuated by driving the piston to complete the throwing of the shell and the filling of the bullet.

The airway is located above the barrel and extends to the vicinity of the muzzle. The gun can choose single-shot or multi-shot mode, and the ammunition is provided by an arc magazine that can hold 30 bullets. Gun shell and other parts are manufactured by stamping process, which is easy to produce and low in cost.

StG-44 uses medium-power bullets, the length of which is one third shorter than that of the original Mao Se rifle, and the muzzle velocity and range of the bullets are not as good as those of rifles and light machine guns. However, in the range of 400 meters, the continuous firing is relatively easy to control, the shooting accuracy is high, and the firepower is very strong. In addition, StG-44 is light and portable, combining the performance characteristics of rifles and submachine guns.

According to the demand of the battlefield for firepower, the burden of the infantry carrying ammunition and the requirements of continuous operations, German designers finally chose an arc magazine with a capacity of 30 rounds, from 20 magazines and 32 magazines of submachine guns to 300 magazines and 50 magazines of machine guns. This 30-round magazine is moderate in weight, and individual soldiers can carry a large amount of ammunition under the condition of ensuring the continuity of firepower.

In actual combat, several German soldiers equipped with StG-44 can often suppress American soldiers equipped with M 1 Garland rifles or Soviet soldiers equipped with Bobosha submachine guns. But people who have used StG-44 are often dissatisfied with this gun. StG-44 is slow at close range. Due to the use of short rifle bullets, the gun body shakes obviously during continuous shooting, and its controllability is not as good as that of submachine guns.

Compared with MP-40 submachine gun, StG-44 is at a disadvantage within 50 meters. In addition, the StG-44 has a limited range and the maximum effective range is no more than 500 meters. Beyond this distance, the shooting accuracy cannot be guaranteed. However, these shortcomings are relative, which does not mean that StG-44 is not an excellent weapon. It has its own scope of use, not a panacea. It is mainly used to fight against the enemy within 400 meters and suppress the enemy's individual firepower.

After World War II, the Soviet Union evaluated the captured StG-44 technology, and transported some captured rifles and other outdated munitions to many eastern camps and third world countries as military assistance. StG-44 can still be found in the hands of guerrillas and militia in some third world countries.

Automatic mode: air-guided type

Locking mode: bolt deflection type

Launch mode: single shot or continuous shot.

Diameter: 7.92 mm

Ammunition: 7.92× 33mm short ammunition (Courths ammunition).

Ammunition supply mode: magazine (30 rounds)

Weight: 1 1.5 lbs (about 5.22kg)

Full gun length: 940mm.

Barrel length: 419mm

Rifle: 4 right hand, winding distance 254 mm

Muzzle kinetic energy: 1666J

Initial velocity: 685 m/s