MP 44 [01]

Sturmgewehr 44 (StG44) or Maschinenpistole 44 (MP44), Sturmgewehr literally means storm rifle as in "to storm a bunker". During the Second World War, the Germans developed the assault rifle concept, based upon Wehrmacht studies that had shown that most combat engagements occurred at less than 300 meters with the majority within 200 meters. The 'StG44' combined traits of carbines, submachine guns and automatic rifles. It was the first weapon of its class, and the concept had a major impact on modern infantry small arms development. By all accounts, the StG44 fulfilled its role admirably, particularly on the Eastern Front offering a greatly increased volume of fire compared to standard infantry rifles. One unusual addition to the design was the Krummlauf, a bent barrel with a periscope sighting device attached for shooting around corners from a safe position. The StG44 were surprisingly accurate, and their slow rate of fire gave them controllability even on full-auto, the experience deeply influenced Russian military doctrine in the post-war years. While the design details are quite different, the concept of the StG44 was obviously carried on in the most famous and most numerously manufactured assault rifle, the AK-47. Generally accepted as the world's first assault rifle, the StG44's effect on post-war arms design was wide-ranging, as evidenced by Mikhail Kalashnikov's famous AK-47, and in the U.S. M16 and its variants.