The 39-45 Living History Society©

This highly acclaimed sub machine gun was the main SMG used by all sections of the front line forces. Section leaders etc were issued with these SMGs not almost every Heer soldier as some who think. The MP40 was a much sort after booty with Allied troops being of much better construction and reliability than their own. The MP40 uses the same ammunition as Allied SMGs and even interchangeable magazines made for ease of use. It is derived from the MP38 which design differed only in minor ways. Main differences are cheaper and simpler construction methods, stamped parts instead of cast etc. During the later stages of the Great War the Imperial German army made great use of Stormtroopers lightly armed with SMGs and grenades for swift attacks on the Allied trenches. So successful was this tactic that the role of the SMG in all major armies of WW2 was assured. A variant called the MP41 was made for friendly Axis countries and had a wooden stock.

P38 (Walther Pistole 1938)

The P38 is one of the most recognisable pistols of all time, a classic design and reliable action. It rivalled the P08 (Luger, below) as one of the most desired side arms of the Reich. The Heer, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine (Army, Air Force and Navy) issued many different types of side arm according to availability. Many foreign factories were commandeered in the occupations and a myriad of different pistols would have been issued. More about these to follow.

P08 (Luger Pistole 1908)

The Luger, an ever popular pistol and still very sort after today. Good examples will fetch high prices at auction. It has much the same statistics as the P38, all be it longer and lighter. A version was produced with an elongated barrel, more elaborate sights, large capacity ‘snail’ magazines and a shoulder stock. Some of these stocks were formed from a special holster. These are known as the ‘Artillery’ Luger.

GEW41 (Gewehr 1941)

Germany’s first full production attempt at an automatic rifle. This was not very successful due to reliability and excessive recoil. It retained the standard 7.92 x 57mm rifle round of the K98. The reloading method used an unusual gas system. The exhaust gas was utilised after the bullet had left the barrel instead of while it was still travelling along the barrel as in modern gas/piston weapons. An adapter at the muzzle would push back a floating piston to eject and then reload the rounds.

GEW43 (Gewehr 1943)

The G43 was a much better attempt at an automatic rifle. If this would have been produced and issued in greater numbers then it would have given the Garand M1 a run for its money. As with most of the German industry at this stage it was increasingly hard to get the materials and factory space. The gas system was more like modern rifles in that the gas was drawn off into the piston chamber before the bullet left the barrel. This had the effect of smoothing recoil and simplifying construction over the G41. Many of these were used as sniper rifles though it would have been better used exclusively as an assault weapon.

Stgw44 or MP44 (Sturmgewher 1944)

Without doubt the most innovative, forward thinking and popular German weapons of WW2. This design was arguably the predecessor of the Kalashnikov assault rifle and its derivatives. Adolf Hitler had to be duped by the generals into thinking this was a SMG because he would not give the permission for another rifle to be made. Hence the name ‘MP44’ or ‘Machinenpistole 1944’. This was the best assault rifle of WW2 using the 7.92 Kutz (short) cartridge. The Stgw44 utilises pressed or stamped parts as much as possible making it relatively quick and cheap to make. It was gleaned that long ranges and slow fire rates were things from a past era. Fast mobile war at 0 to 300m was raging over most of the world. The ‘44’ was just the tool for the job. Not enough of these were made to make a significant impact on the outcome of the war, if every German soldier would have had one in 1944 who knows what may have happened. Deactivated examples in the UK cost around £1200-£1800. Live firers are $6-7,000 in the US.

GEW 33/40 (Gewehr 33/40)

The GEW 33/40 is prime example of a captured weapon turned to Wehrmacht use. When the German war machine rolled into and over Czechoslovakia they acquired an army’s worth of equipment. The GEW 33/40 started as a Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka Akciova Spolecnost Works made Mauser, either the VZ-24 or the VZ-33. The VZ Mausers are of high quality and use the standard 7.92 x 57 cartridge. The German factories made small conversions to the bolt lever angle, stock and sling swivels then re-issued them as the GEW 33/40. It should be noted that the GEW 33/40 was also produced at the Czech factory during occupation. The rifle is shorter than the K98 and found to be suited to the Gebirgsjager style of mountain warfare. It’s said to be an unpleasant weapon to fire due to bad recoil. Not all the cordite is burned in the barrel, some ignites after the bullit has gone on it’s way. Even though these are shorter than the K98 they are still called a Gewehr (rifle) not a Karabiner (Carbine), just a German naming anomaly. A few of these had a metal fixture on the left-hand side of the stock for carrying while skiing and climbing. GEW 33/40s have a sturdy stock and steel butplate the troops used them as a climbing aid as well as a weapon. This little known rifle and other Czech rifles were issued to no less than 11 German Divisions! In anybody’s books that’s a lot of rifles!

Written by Matt Harley (85^th Gebirgsjager re-enactors). I’d be more than happy to hear any comments or questions.