StG 44

Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 July 2009 16:20 Written by Administrator Thursday, 02 July 2009 16:18

The StG44 was an assault-rifle developed in Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Approximately 425,000 units of the StG44 were built from 1943 till the end of the war by C.G. Haenel Waffen und Fahrradfabrik. The StG44 was also known as the MP43 (Machine pistole 43).

The StG44 is often considered as the first true assault rifle to be ever designed. The rifle was designed to fire the 7.92x33, Kurz round—the same as the FG44. The rifle fed through a 30-round detachable box magazine. Overall, the rifle was an excellent weapon in the field.

The StG44 was comparatively heavy as it used stamped and welded steel in its construction. However, it was handy at close-range combat and could be easily controlled when fired in fully-automatic mode. The rifle was accurate up to 300 meters which was sufficient enough for infantry combat.

Though the StG44’s design is over sixty years old, it still looks like a cutting-edge modern rifle. The name of the rifle—sturmgewehr is the source of the English phrase ‘assault rifle’. After the Second World War, the StG44 saw service with a number of countries. The StG44 also influenced the design of several other rifles such as the famous AK-47.