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The Sturmgewehr 44
The Sturmgewehr was the first Assault rifle used in combat effectively. When the development started, the first weapon they were looking at was the MKb.42(H). This weapon was later improved on by Hugo Schmeisser. The name given to this new weapon was the "MP-43" to hide from Hitler that it was not a sub machine gun. Hitler wanted sub machine guns more than anything because with these you could over run the opposing side with overwhelming fire power. The design a production of this weapon would only slow the Sub machine guns being made. Fortunately it turned out for the better, and instead of slowing production of the Sub machine guns it brought in a new age of Firearms. When Hitler found out about this new rifle he was astounded by what it could do, and the battle reports he got from it being used on the Western Front. He was so pleased he gave it the name "Sturmgewehr" or in English, the "Assault Rifle". During the war around 500,000 of these Assault Rifles were produced, never making a major impact on the tide of the war, but as I said before, it brought in a new era of Firearms. In today's standards the Stg-44 is far to heavy, cumbersome to fire in prone position, and the butt stock was too weak for hand to hand combat. But I myself would have defiantly carried one if I had been in the German Military.
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