This thing was so bad as*!!!! you know the Russians copied its design and this weapon led to the AK-47, which is just a lighter version of the Sturmgewehr. The prototype designed for the Wehrmacht is even more kick as*. Sturmgewehr 45 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Sturmgewehr 44 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Totally agree. This was by far another of the weapons that the Germans designed and the allied countried copied. I don't care what the US Army says, the M-60 machine gun is the German MG42.
couldn't agree more about the M-60! it looks identical to the M642. The Germans just own the competition when it comes to designing weapons. Tell me our modern day helmet doesn't look a tad similar to the M42 helmet?
Nope. The AK was certainly inspired by the StG 44 (whatever Kalashnikov might say) but it wasn't a copy: the design of the action is completely different.
Nope. The M60 design borrowed certain design elements from the MG 42, and others from the FG 42, but it wasn't a straight copy of anything. In particular, its action is entirely different form the MG 42's (it's gas-operated rather than recoil-operated). Nearly all of the elements of automatic weapons were patented by the early years of the last century (many of them by Maxim and Browning). Almost every design since then has borrowed heavily from earlier ones. That's entirely reasonable - why bother to reinvent the wheel?
The minis so popular in use today, are directly descended from the Gatling guns of the 1800s. Weaponry is more a matter of identifying failings in an existing design, and deriving methods to eliminate them, than totally new technology. Troops are not thrilled with designs that are too radical.
M-60 the MG-42???? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! I don't know what your on mate, but I'd like to try it. We normally say about the creation of the M-60. You take the best MG ever built, and the first Assault rifle ever built FG-42 (and yes it's doesn't rank as an assault rifle since it has a full calibre) and you end up with the worst MG ever built: Dear Lord please fire !! the M-60.
Well said, I believe that Von Poop has adressed this issue. Just because weapons might look a like, or one is an inspiration for the other, it does not mean that they are the same.
I got a quick question about the Sturmgewehr 44. On the barrel(left side) what is the thing above it? Is it for looks? It looks like a rod with a ball on it.
The purpose is twofold : it is so that rifles can be stacked together ( butt-down ) and it is also the end of the threaded, removable plug from the end of the recoil mechanism gas chamber.
One thing I noticed is that the rifle is used in the film 'Downfall' and is the first time I have seen it in a film. Interesting. Aiming for accuracy for a change?
its widely known that this gun inspried the AK-47 design, I was listening to the director's commentary for The Downfall movie and the director even said the Russia's modified the design for the AK.
That's like saying "an Audi is just a modified BMW". After all, they've both got an engine, four wheels.... The StG 44 uses a tilting-block action, the AK a rotating bolt. That's about as different as gas-operated weapons can get. Why should a film director be assumed to be an expert on small arms design?
I think it's fair to say that the MP-44 'inspired' the general idea of the AK47 ( eg the intermediate cartridge, use of stamped/pressed steel, etc ) but, as Tony says, in terms of actual design the two weapons are actually quite far apart......
I'm not disagreeing with you guys, you probably know more about gun parts than me, but you have to admit the design is similar in nature. The director did say that the Germans should have the credit for the AK-47, then again the director is a German afterall.
In that case the Russians will take the credit for the Panther. Or any other modern tank as the IS-3 is considered the Mother of all MBT. As you can see, such a comparison has serious flawes.......
for the second time I'm not disagreeing with you guys, you probably know more about gun parts than me, but you have to admit the design is similar in nature. The director did say that the Germans should have the credit for the AK-47, then again the director is a German afterall. __________________
The director is wrong and the design is only similar in that it uses similar cartridges and has a similar layout.