The StG44

Accurate and reliable, the StG44 delivered controllable full-auto firepower for every soldier. The StG44 was a radical design ahead of its time, and it set the standard for others to follow.

By Glenn M. Gilbert

The StG44 is the first service rifle designed to match the realities of the modern battlefield. Every rifle that came before it, whether it was a slow bolt-action on or a semi-automatic with limited magazine capacity, surrendered its close-quarters responsibilities to other small arms like pistols, shotguns or submachine guns. Using a medium-power, mid-range cartridge, the StG44 was as controllable as most submachine guns during full auto fire. It was also accurate out to 300 yards, so it was useful as a carbine as well. In fact, its performance was so revolutionary that its name, Sturmgewehr or assault rifle was bestowed on a new class of select-fire service rifles inspired by its development.

The story of the StG44 starts with the aftermath of the First World War. The German army’s surveys of infantry combat found that most riflemen rarely fire their weapons at ranges beyond 400 yards. Most military cartridges, however, including 8mm Mauser, were designed to maximize the range of the service rifle. Prior to the First World War, generals in every European army still envisioned 19th century battlefields where massed men fired volleys at other groups of massed men, but they soon discovered that 20th century firepower made that impossible. In order to survive a battlefield dominated by machine guns and quick-firing artillery, infantrymen had to spread out and take cover. Individuals or small groups found it necessary to cover ground in rushes and aim at individual targets, since the enemy rarely appeared in large groups.

Taking these lessons to heart, the German military investigated to possibility of eliminating the unused long-range performance of its service rifle cartridge, in hopes that the reduced recoil and energy would be compatible with controllable fully automatic operation. In their eyes, they were trading off power that was never used anyway, except by snipers and the most gifted marksmen in the unit. The extra firepower would maximize the effectiveness of every soldier.

In 1936, Polte developed the 8mm kurz cartridge at the request of the German Army Ordnance Board (Heereswaffenamt or HWA). It used the same case base as 8mm Mauser. Like its parent 8mm Mauser case, it was bottlenecked, but its overall length was reduced from 57 mm to 33mm. It also used a shorter 124-grain spitzer bullet that was significantly lighter than the 198-grain projectile used in the full-power 8mm Mauser. In addition, velocity was reduced from 2600 feet per second to 2300 feet per second.

Two Compete for the Crown

With the critical work of cartridge development done, the HWA asked Walther and Haenel to develop a select-fire carbine that could make the most of the new cartridge. Haenel’s carbine was designated the MKb42(H), and the Walther gun was dubbed the MKb42(W). Both guns were similar up to a point. Both were select fire. Both fired from the open bolt position on full-automatic, but fired from the closed bolt position on semi-automatic. Both were built from a significant number of stamped steel components for rapid production, and both used the same detachable 30-round magazine. Where they differed was in their operating systems; the mechanism of the Haenel gun was very simple, while that of the Walther was overly complex. Thousands of Haenel and Walther MKb42 carbines were built for field trials in 1942.

Both guns proved to be very popular with the troops. Both were accurate on semi auto and controllable on full auto, so they doubled the firepower of any unit lucky enough to receive them. Not surprisingly, troops and commanders involved in the field trails wanted more MKb42 carbines and 8mm kurz ammo right away. HWA considered the Haenel design to be more promising, so it dropped the Walther gun and asked Haenel to further refine and simplify its MKb42(H) design. Haenel’s improved gun would fire from the closed bolt on both full-and semi-automatic. In addition, a gas expansion chamber in front of the piston was deemed unnecessary, so it was eliminated.

So Crazy It Just Might Work

By any standard, the MKb42 was a winner. It was battle proven. On top of that, it was cheap and easy to produce. There was, however, one problem, and it was a big one; Hitler was adamantly opposed to the MKb42 project. His own combat experience during WW I left him convinced him that the bolt-action K98 was all a soldier needed, and he wanted the MKb42 project scrubbed immediately.

The HWA, however, knew it had something with the potential revolutionize infantry tactics and give their soldiers a decisive edge in close combat. So they did the only thing they could do; they hid further development and production of the revolutionary gun from Hitler and ramped up its production as much as possible. The HWA renamed the carbine MP43 for Maschinenpistole 1943 hoping to disguise it as a new submachine gun. As crazy as it sounds, the name change did the trick. Submachine guns didn’t interest Hitler, but was not opposed to them. Production and after action reports from the front were camouflaged under the new name, or buried beneath mountains of bureaucratic documents.

The revamped and renamed MP43 was a significant improvement over the MKb42. It was more reliable, easier to manufacture and therefore more numerous. Tens of thousands were made and issued exclusively to troops on the eastern front. This time, its distribution was much broader, including mountain troops, light infantry, and mechanized infantry.

Before long, MP43’s battlefield impact and popularity among the troops became impossible to hide.

Hitler reserved the right to personally present the highest grades of the Knight’s Cross. Hitler didn’t trust his generals, so this was a way to maintain the personal loyalty of the troops and get an unvarnished view of the front. After a series of desperate battles during the winter of 1943/44 that involved his most elite and trusted Waffen-SS troops, he asked, “What do you boys need?” Much to his surprise, they enthusiastically replied, “More select-fire MP43 carbines.” The cat was now out of the bag, Vexed, he was faced with two options; kill the MP43, and risk alienating his troops, or somehow redeem it by making it his own idea. He chose the latter. Hitler changed its name to Sturmgewehr 44 (Assault Rifle 44) and the rest, is as they say, history. For the second time in a year, the MKb42 program was saved by a name change.

Built for Speed

When the Haenel gun was chosen over the Walther in 1943, Walther dropped out of the MKb42 program so it could focus on producing G43s and P38s, but the gun’s legitimacy opened up vast new resources for production. In all, four companies were put to work making StG44s, Haenel, (fxo) Erma (ayf and qlv), Steyr (bnz) and J.P. Sauer (ce).

The MP43, MP44 and StG44 are all the same gun. Their parts are interchangeable. Only the MP43/1 is an outlier. It has a built in scope rail, similar to the one on the G43, and its barrel is slightly thicker, so an MP43/1 barrel cannot be mounted in an MP43/MP44/StG44 and vice versa. Other than that exception, the different names didn’t signify any physical changes in the gun. They were only changes in nomenclature. That said, you can find numerous small differences in finish and furniture.

For example, the reinforcing ribs on the upper receiver evolved over time. And at some point during MP43 production, the Germans switched to a stock with smaller dimensions that was compatible with K98 vehicle and barracks storage racks. But none of these changes or simplifications is related to changes in the gun’s name. Most of the guns were stamped ‘MP44’, those stamped ‘MP43’ are the second most common, while those stamped ‘StG44’ are relatively rare. Probably because the MP44 stamps were used until they wore out.

Described Inside and Out

Hugo Schmeisser was the lead designer at Haenel. And the Haenel MKb42 and its progeny the StG44 was his brainchild. Schmeisser worked for Bergmann during and after WWI. During that time he designed the first successful purpose-built submachine gun, the MP18. Twenty years later a rival group of designers from Erma incorporated the MP18’s unique telescoping recoil spring housing into their MP40 prototype, much to his chagrin. By any standard, Schmeisser was a gifted small-arms designer.

Schmeisser chose simple and proven design elements for the MKb42, including long-stroke gas piston operation and a Blish-style locking system for the bolt, and combined them with modern and economical manufacturing techniques ideally suited for rapid production, such as precision sheet steel stampings, like those used in the MP40 and MG42.

The tail of the StG44 bolt locked into a well at the rear of the forged steel action block, while the 16.5” barrel was pinned to the front of the action block. The stamped steel upper receiver wrapped around the action block in a clamshell fashion. A combination of welds and matching contours hold the action block in place. The rear half of the upper receiver resembles two tubes stacked one on top of other. The bottom tube serves as both a housing and a raceway for the bolt, while the top tube serves the same functions for the gas piston assembly.

Hooked ears and angled surfaces on the bottom of the piston lift the tail of the bolt out of its locking recesses at the rear of the action block. Nested behind the bolt carrier/piston assembly is a very large coiled steel recoil spring that compresses into a tubular recess cut into the wooden stock during the firing cycle. Baffles on the piston and a pair of circular vents in the stamped steel gas tube minimize stress on the working parts. A plug threaded into the front of the gas block allows access to the gas tube for cleaning and maintenance. A very trim stamped steel handguard shrouds the barrel between the front face of the upper receiver and the rear of the gas block.

Like the upper receiver, the lower receiver is a stamped steel assembly. It serves as a pistol grip and housing for the trigger components. The front of the lower receiver is hinged to the upper receiver at the rear of the magazine well.

A single take-down pin connects the wooden stock, the upper receiver and the lower receiver. Pushing out the take-down pin and pulling the stock to the rear allows the rear of the lower receiver to swing down and away from the upper receiver. As the rear of the lower receiver falls downward, the front hangs on a hinge pin at the rear of the magazine well. The hinge pin is fixed. It can be driven out by an armorer gunsmith, but it was not meant to be removed during field stripping or everyday maintenance.

Surprisingly Ergonomic Controls

A charging handle fixed to the bolt carrier/piston travels in a slot on the left had side of the gun, so you work it with your support hand. The safety lever is on left hand side of the gun just above the trigger. The lever has a rather short sixty degree throw. Pushing down with your thumb to readies the gun to fire and reveals an “F” for Feuer, or fire stamped into the side of the assembly. Pushing up on the lever engages the safety mechanism and reveals an “S” for Sicher, or safe. Just above and forward of the safety lever is a select-fire button that works much like a cross bolt safety. Pushing the button left reveals an “E” for Einzelfeuer, which translates as single fire or semi-automatic. Pushing the button to the right reveals a “D” for Dauerfeuer, which translates literally as sustained fire or full automatic. A very large circular magazine release button is on the left-hand side of the magazine well.

This arrangement of controls creates an interesting set up. You work the trigger, safety and selector with the fingers and thumb of your firing hand, but you manipulate the charging handle and magazine release with your support hand. For American shooters it is different, but I have to say this arrangement is very conducive to deft and smooth gun handling.

The MP44 has a long, two-stage trigger pull much like the one found in an M1 Garand. In addition to the thumb safety, there is also an internal bolt safety. When the bolt is out of battery, the bolt safety blocks the movement trigger so it can’t release the hammer. Schmeisser felt that this feature was necessary in a carbine capable of with a fully automatic fire. The rear sight is a blade with U-notch mounted on a raised base located about halfway down the top of the receiver. With a sliding ramp indexed to 800 meters, it is adjustable for range. The front post is dovetailed to the top of a tall base pinned just behind the muzzle. A sheet steel hood protects the post.

The MP44 is a big carbine. It is both longer and taller than an AK-47. The extra length of the receiver prevents the bolt from bottoming out in the receiver. This ensures that the shooter never perceives the bolt’s movement as part of the recoil impulse. Combined with the inline stock, the smooth travel of the bolt is a big part of what makes the StG44 very manageable even on full auto. Remarkably, I have found it to be as controllable as an MP40 or even an M4, despite the fact that the 8x33mm kurz and 7.62X39mm round of the AK-47 have the nearly identical ballistic performance. Both fire 124-grain spitzer projectiles. Bullet drop for both rounds is within an inch of each other at any given range when they are zeroed to the same distance. The StG44 hits as hard as an AK, but it is as controllable as an M4. It also shares the AK-47’s range limitations. 300 yards is really its maximum range, because at that point, the bullet starts sinking like a stone.

Not only is it bulkier than an AK-47, its gently-curved magazine is even longer. Ergonomically that is both good and bad. In a high prone or foxhole-supported position, it can be used as a monopod, but in the low prone you may be forced to cant it 90 degrees three gun style in order to engage targets beneath your elevation without exposing yourself.

The comb of the stock is tall, so you get a good cheek weld, and the curved shape of the butt sinks into the shoulder pocket. The pistol grip is nicely raked and hand-filling. In sum, the contour and size of the stock and pistol grip greatly enhance its controllability on full auto. One sticking point is the handguard. It is thin and it wraps tightly around the barrel, so it gets hot fast. During sustained full-auto or semi-auto fire, a shooting glove for the support hand is almost a necessity.

Water, Water Everywhere but Not a Drop to Drink

Early MKb42 and MP43 test runs were limited to light and mountain (Jaeger and Gebirgsjaeger) units. The HWA hoped that a “pure” infantry environment create the best laboratory for these experimental small arms. Also, given that these light infantry units were short of artillery and mortars, they were most in need of the extra firepower. Later on, after the MP44/StG44 was legitimized and became more numerous, they were issued to every kind of infantry unit, including mechanized, motorized, regular light and elite mountain units. Paratroopers got some as well, even though the Luftwaffe, which controlled the paratroopers, was not supportive of the MKb42 program. Wanting a full-power automatic rifle in 8mm Mauser, it started a project of its own, the FG42. It was a great gun, but it proved to be almost impossible to mass produce, at least during wartime. Officially, the Luftwaffe preferred the G43 over the StG44, because it shot the full-power 8mm Mauser, but once its paratroopers tried the StG44, it dropped its opposition. Front-line paratroopers embraced it, even if the Luftwaffe‘s ordnance and staff officers looked at it sideways.

Clearly the goal of the whole MKb42 project was to create a carbine that could replace the K98 entirely. It had to be more than a submachine gun it had to be a carbine, too. But if it was going to do that, it had to be capable of fulfilling all of the various roles demanded of a 20th century military a service rifle. Was it accurate enough to be a sniper rifle? Was it sturdy enough to launch grenades? How was it to be used in hand-to-hand combat? Could it take a bayonet? At the end of the war, these questions remained unanswered, and the StG44 was a still a work in progress. Experiments were done with launching grenades. A variant with a scope mount was tried out, but it was dropped to speed production. The Mkb42’s bayonet lug was dropped for the same reason.

Most units got some StG44s, but certainly not as many as they wanted or needed. Some units distributed them one or two per squad, supplementing MP40s, rather than replacing them. Others concentrated their allotment of StG44s in assault platoons, companies or battalions as much as logistic circumstances permitted. These assault units, equipped entirely with StG44s and MG42s, used their concentrated firepower to plug holes in crumbling defensive lines or launch shockingly effective counter attacks.

The StG44 was popular among the troops. To front-line soldiers, its qualities were self-evident. The StG44 was a carbine and a submachine gun all in one. They were reliable and durable. The only problem with them was that there was not enough of them, and not enough ammunition for them. Over 425,000 MP44s were made, but the problem was getting them to troops at the front. During the last six months of the war, the German military’s transportation and logistics networks had all but collapsed. But where they showed up in significant numbers, they made an impact on the battlefield. Not enough to turn the tide, but they made the last six months a lot bloodier, especially on the Eastern Front.

Although the StG44’s impact on the Second World War can be hard to measure, its influence on the modern battlefield is certainly clear. Apart from its status as the first real assault rifle made in huge numbers and widely issued, its influence can be seen in AK-47, M16, G3 and FAL. It is the father of all of the assault rifles and the first rifle really suited to modern war.

CALIBER: 8mm kurz (7.92x33mm)

BARREL: 16.5”

OA LENGTH: 37”

WEIGHT: 11 lbs.

STOCK/GRIPS: Wooden stock with steel caps at the toe and the heel. Wood or Bakelite grip panels.

SIGHTS: Tangent blade rear with U-notch adjustable for range out to 800 meters. Barley corn front post

ACTION: Long-stroke gas piston

FINISH: Varies from gun to gun. Many show a mix of finishes, including blued, parkerized and clear phosphate.

CAPACITY: 30-round detachable magazine.

RATE OF FIRE: select-fire; 500 rpm on full auto

Style notes:

No periods. No spaces. No dashes. The Germans were also weird about capitalizing certain letters but not others. The ‘b’ in MKb42 is not capitalized and the ‘t’ in StG44 is not capitalized.

MP40

MKb42

MP43

MP44

StG44