Why Didn’t Germany Equip ALL Its Soldiers with the STURMGEWEHR 44

During World War II, several German infantry weapons were developed and fielded alongside the Karabiner 98k. Most famous is the Sturmgewehr 44, "assault rifle 44", or STG 44. This weapon wasn't as accurate as the Mauser K98k, but since there was much close combat in woods and urban areas it proved to be an effective weapon. German military leaders realized that most fighting happened at ranges under 300 meters, not the 1,000 meters rifle rounds were designed for. So they created a shorter round, which was lighter, used fewer materials, and had less recoil. This new round was used in a new type of weapon, the first true “assault rifle.” It had a 30-round magazine, could fire in bursts or single shots, and used cheap stamped parts. It became the MP 43 and later MP 44. These were meant to replace both the Kar 98k and the MP 40 submachine gun. Around 426,000 were made. So why Didn’t Germany Equip ALL Its Soldiers with the STURMGEWEHR 44? Germany’s factories were under constant attack and lacked the labor and materials to produce enough of these new rifles. In the end, only about a million semi-automatic and assault rifles were built, compared to 14 million Kar 98ks, which stayed in full production until the war’s end. The STG 44 came too late in the war to equip the entire army with a new standard rifle.

While this rifle, as well as the G43, were technically superior in many ways – offering faster firing rates and better performance at short to medium range – they were never produced in sufficient numbers to fully replace the K98k. Ultimately, Germany stuck with the Mauser not because it was the best weapon available, but because it was the most practical under wartime conditions.

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Video material from:

GERMAN WEAPONS TRAINING in English, 1944 - Mp-40, K98k, Luger P08, Grenade, MG-42 and GrW 34 Mortar

Ufa Sound Week No. 470- 7 Sep. 1939 [Full HD] (Invasion of Poland, Fighting in Danzig, Mobilization)

GERMAN NEWSREEL ATW 689 - TRAINING on StG 44, Panzerschreck, Flame Thrower, Panzerfaust - Sept 1944

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