Went to a Cannon and MG shoot this last weekend. Surprisingly, there were quite a few German weapons available for rent. So I shot an MG 42 (tripod mount) and a StG 44. There were quite a few MG 42s available but only one StG. I can easily see how one could run through a whole bunch of ammo with the MG 42! One quick twitch of the trigger sent 20 rounds down range. By the end of the belt I was able to keep the bursts to 10 rounds or less. If you've never lifted a StG, you'd be surprised how heavy it is and I expected little recoil. Therefore, I was startled when my first burst shoved me back a ways. Fortunately, there was very little muzzle climb. So I learned that I had to lean into it some when I pulled the trigger. Interestingly, this was one of the two weapons I shot that hit to the point of aim. (The other being a Mk 2 Sten.) I did have some stoppages with this gun, most probably due to mis-aligned lips of the magazine. There was also a MG 15 with some sort of water jacket around the barrel which I didn't shoot because I ran out of money. As an aside, I also got to fire a BAR, the Mk 2 Sten and a BREN! Great fun! Let me emphasize here that the shoot was run with safety in mind and everyone was extremely careful. Unfortunately, this show was a fundraiser for the local rural fire department that will probably be discontinued due to rising costs and lower turn-out. SO, If you ever get a chance to attend one of these events, DO So! It's probably the only place one can actually handle and shoot these pieces of history.
