MP43

MP43 rifle & magazine & sling

The German MP43 (later MP44) assault rifle has its origins in studies conducted in the wake of the First World War. Many experts concluded that the standard rifle cartridges of the day were unnecessarily powerful, as most infantry combat took place at ranges of less than 400 metres. Armies were slow to react to these findings however, not least because the war had cause the creation of vast stocks of rifles and ammunition. Only during the Second World War did the concept of a new 'intermediate' cartridge come to fruition, when Germany introduced the 7.92 x 33mm cartridge. This was a shortened version of their standard rifle round, with the calibre retained to make production easier. With a suitable cartridge in place, competitive trials were held to select a rifle suitable to fire it. The winning design was offered by the Haenel company. The lower power of the cartridge enabled the rifle to be fired in either, semi or, if necessary, fully automatic mode. Outwardly the rifle echoed some other German wartime firearms in making use of stamped and pressed components. Development and field trials were carried out despite the opposition of Adolf Hitler to the entire project. It was originally hoped that the rifle would not only replace the bolt action rifles currently in service, but also, submachine-guns and, possibly, light machine-guns. There were never enough produced to achieve this aim however. Initial issue was limited to units serving on the Eastern Front, where it was intended to arm one platoon of each Grenadier and Fusilier company with them. Issue in the West only took place from the autumn of 1944 onwards. The designation MP43 was discarded in April 1944 in favour of MP44 but, in October 1944, Hitler, who was now a convert to the concept, ordered that the weapon would henceforward become the standard infantry weapon, under the designation Sturmgewehr (Assault Rifle) 44. The term assault rifle has since been used generically for all similar weapons which, since 1945, have become the standard armament of all armies.

MP43

ANTOINE

6430h/44

German marks

MKb over 42 & WaA? mark