Thanks to Soviet films about the war, most people have a strong opinion that the mass-produced small arms (photo below) of the German infantry during the Second World War is a machine gun (submachine gun) of the Schmeisser system, which is named after the name of its designer. This myth is still actively supported by domestic cinema. However, in fact, this popular machine gun was never a mass weapon of the Wehrmacht, and it was not created by Hugo Schmeisser. However, first things first.
How myths are created
Everyone should remember the footage from domestic films dedicated to the attacks of German infantry on our positions. Brave blond guys walk without bending down, while firing from machine guns “from the hip.” And the most interesting thing is that this fact does not surprise anyone except those who were in the war. According to movies, the “Schmeissers” could conduct aimed fire at the same distance as the rifles of our soldiers. In addition, when watching these films, the viewer got the impression that all the personnel of the German infantry during the Second World War were armed with machine guns. In fact, everything was different, and the submachine gun is not a mass-produced small arms weapon of the Wehrmacht, and it is impossible to shoot from the hip, and it is not called “Schmeisser” at all. In addition, carrying out an attack on a trench by a submachine gunner unit, in which there are soldiers armed with repeating rifles, is clearly suicide, since simply no one would reach the trenches.
Dispelling the myth: MP-40 automatic pistol
This Wehrmacht small weapon in WWII is officially called the submachine gun (Maschinenpistole) MP-40. In fact, this is a modification of the MP-36 assault rifle. The designer of this model, contrary to popular belief, was not the gunsmith H. Schmeisser, but the less famous and talented craftsman Heinrich Volmer. Why is the nickname “Schmeisser” so firmly attached to him? The thing is that Schmeisser owned the patent for the magazine that is used in this submachine gun. And in order not to violate his copyright, in the first batches of the MP-40, the inscription PATENT SCHMEISSER was stamped on the magazine receiver. When these machine guns ended up as trophies among the soldiers of the Allied armies, they mistakenly believed that the author of this model of small arms was, naturally, Schmeisser. This is how this nickname stuck to the MP-40.
Initially, the German command armed only command staff with machine guns. Thus, in infantry units, only battalion, company and squad commanders were supposed to have MP-40s. Later, automatic pistols were supplied to drivers of armored vehicles, tank crews and paratroopers. Nobody armed the infantry with them en masse, either in 1941 or after. According to archives, in 1941 the troops had only 250 thousand MP-40 assault rifles, and this was for 7,234,000 people. As you can see, a submachine gun is not a mass-produced weapon of World War II. In general, during the entire period - from 1939 to 1945 - only 1.2 million of these machine guns were produced, while over 21 million people were conscripted into the Wehrmacht units.
Why weren't the infantry armed with MP-40s?
Despite the fact that experts subsequently recognized that the MP-40 was the best small arms of World War II, very few of the Wehrmacht infantry units had it. This is explained simply: the sighting range of this machine gun for group targets is only 150 m, and for single targets - 70 m. This is despite the fact that Soviet soldiers were armed with Mosin and Tokarev rifles (SVT), the sighting range of which was 800 m for group targets. targets and 400 m for singles. If the Germans had fought with such weapons as they showed in Russian films, they would never have been able to reach the enemy trenches, they would have simply been shot, as if in a shooting gallery.
Shooting on the move "from the hip"
The MP-40 submachine gun vibrates strongly when firing, and if you use it, as shown in the films, the bullets always fly past the target. Therefore, for effective shooting, it must be pressed tightly to the shoulder, having first unfolded the butt. In addition, long bursts were never fired from this machine gun, since it quickly heated up. Most often they fired in a short burst of 3-4 rounds or fired single fire. Despite the fact that in tactical and technical characteristics it is indicated that the rate of fire is 450-500 rounds per minute; in practice, such a result has never been achieved.
Advantages of MP-40
This cannot be said that this small arms weapon was bad; on the contrary, it is very, very dangerous, but it must be used in close combat. That is why sabotage units were armed with it in the first place. They were also often used by scouts in our army, and the partisans respected this machine gun. Application in the near lung fight rapid-fire small arms provided tangible advantages. Even now, the MP-40 is very popular among criminals, and the price of such a machine gun is very high. And they are supplied there by “black archaeologists” who carry out excavations in places of military glory and very often find and restore weapons from the Second World War.
Mauser 98k
What can you say about this carbine? The most common small arms in Germany is the Mauser rifle. Its target range is up to 2000 m when firing. As you can see, this parameter is very close to the Mosin and SVT rifles. This carbine was developed back in 1888. During the war, this design was significantly modernized, mainly to reduce costs, as well as to rationalize production. In addition, these Wehrmacht small arms were equipped with optical sights, and sniper units were equipped with them. The Mauser rifle at that time was in service with many armies, for example, Belgium, Spain, Turkey, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia and Sweden.
Self-loading rifles
At the end of 1941, the Wehrmacht infantry units for military tests The first automatic self-loading rifles of the Walter G-41 and Mauser G-41 systems arrived. Their appearance was due to the fact that the Red Army had more than one and a half million similar systems in service: SVT-38, SVT-40 and ABC-36. In order not to be inferior to Soviet soldiers, German gunsmiths urgently had to develop their own versions of such rifles. As a result of the tests, the G-41 system (Walter system) was recognized as the best and adopted. The rifle is equipped with a hammer-type impact mechanism. Designed to fire only single shots. Equipped with a magazine with a capacity of ten rounds. This automatic self-loading rifle is designed for targeted shooting at a distance of up to 1200 m. However, due to the large weight of this weapon, as well as low reliability and sensitivity to contamination, it was produced in a small series. In 1943, the designers, having eliminated these shortcomings, proposed a modernized version of the G-43 (Walter system), which was produced in quantities of several hundred thousand units. Before its appearance, Wehrmacht soldiers preferred to use captured Soviet (!) SVT-40 rifles.
Now let's return to the German gunsmith Hugo Schmeisser. He developed two systems, without which the Second World War could not have happened. World War.
Small arms - MP-41
This model was developed simultaneously with the MP-40. This machine gun was significantly different from the “Schmeisser” familiar to everyone from the movies: it had a forend trimmed with wood, which protected the fighter from burns, it was heavier and had a long barrel. However, these Wehrmacht small arms were not widely used and were not produced for long. In total, about 26 thousand units were produced. It is believed that the German army abandoned this machine gun due to a lawsuit from ERMA, which claimed illegal copying of its patented design. Weapon The MP-41 was used by Waffen SS units. It was also successfully used by Gestapo units and mountain rangers.
MP-43, or StG-44
Schmeisser developed the next Wehrmacht weapon (photo below) in 1943. At first it was called MP-43, and later - StG-44, which means “assault rifle” (sturmgewehr). This automatic rifle in appearance, and in some technical specifications, resembles (which appeared later), and differs significantly from the MP-40. Its aimed fire range was up to 800 m. The StG-44 even had the ability to mount a 30 mm grenade launcher. To fire from cover, the designer developed a special attachment that was placed on the muzzle and changed the trajectory of the bullet by 32 degrees. This weapon went into mass production only in the fall of 1944. During the war years, about 450 thousand of these rifles were produced. So few of the German soldiers managed to use such a machine gun. StG-44s were supplied to elite units of the Wehrmacht and to Waffen SS units. Subsequently, these Wehrmacht weapons were used in
Automatic rifles FG-42
These copies were intended for paratroopers. They combined the fighting qualities of a light machine gun and an automatic rifle. The development of weapons was undertaken by the Rheinmetall company already during the war, when, after assessing the results of airborne operations carried out by the Wehrmacht, it became clear that the MP-38 submachine guns did not fully meet the combat requirements of this type of troops. The first tests of this rifle were carried out in 1942, and then it was put into service. In the process of using the mentioned weapon, disadvantages associated with low strength and stability during automatic shooting also emerged. In 1944, a modernized FG-42 rifle (model 2) was released, and model 1 was discontinued. The trigger mechanism of this weapon allows automatic or single fire. The rifle is designed for the standard 7.92 mm Mauser cartridge. The magazine capacity is 10 or 20 rounds. In addition, the rifle can be used to fire special rifle grenades. In order to increase stability when shooting, a bipod is attached under the barrel. The FG-42 rifle is designed to fire at a range of 1200 m. Due to the high cost, it was produced in limited quantities: only 12 thousand units of both models.
Luger P08 and Walter P38
Now let's look at what types of pistols were in service with German army. “Luger”, its second name “Parabellum”, had a caliber of 7.65 mm. By the beginning of the war, units of the German army had more than half a million of these pistols. This Wehrmacht small arms were produced until 1942, and then they were replaced by the more reliable Walter.
This pistol was put into service in 1940. It was intended for firing 9-mm cartridges; the magazine capacity is 8 rounds. Sighting range at "Walter" - 50 meters. It was produced until 1945. Total number P38 pistols produced amounted to approximately 1 million units.
Weapons of World War II: MG-34, MG-42 and MG-45
In the early 30s, the German military decided to create a machine gun that could be used both as an easel and as a manual one. They were supposed to fire at enemy aircraft and arm tanks. The MG-34, designed by Rheinmetall and put into service in 1934, became such a machine gun. By the beginning of hostilities, there were about 80 thousand units of this weapon in the Wehrmacht. The machine gun allows you to fire both single shots and continuous fire. To do this, he had a trigger with two notches. When you press the top one, the shooting was carried out in single shots, and when you press the bottom one - in bursts. It was intended for 7.92x57 mm Mauser rifle cartridges, with light or heavy bullets. And in the 40s, armor-piercing, armor-piercing tracer, armor-piercing incendiary and other types of cartridges were developed and used. This suggests that the impetus for changes in weapons systems and the tactics of their use was the Second World War.
The small arms that were used in this company were replenished with a new type of machine gun - MG-42. It was developed and put into service in 1942. The designers have significantly simplified and reduced the cost of production of these weapons. Thus, in its production, spot welding and stamping were widely used, and the number of parts was reduced to 200. The trigger mechanism of the machine gun in question allowed only automatic firing - 1200-1300 rounds per minute. Such significant changes had a negative impact on the stability of the unit when firing. Therefore, to ensure accuracy, it was recommended to fire in short bursts. The ammunition for the new machine gun remained the same as for the MG-34. The aimed fire range was two kilometers. Work to improve this design continued until the end of 1943, which led to the creation of a new modification known as the MG-45.
This machine gun weighed only 6.5 kg, and the rate of fire was 2400 rounds per minute. By the way, no infantry machine gun of that time could boast of such a rate of fire. However, this modification appeared too late and was not in service with the Wehrmacht.
PzB-39 and Panzerschrek
PzB-39 was developed in 1938. These weapons of the Second World War were used with relative success at the initial stage to combat wedges, tanks and armored vehicles with bulletproof armor. Against the heavily armored B-1s, English Matildas and Churchills, Soviet T-34s and KVs), this gun was either ineffective or completely useless. As a result, it was soon replaced by anti-tank grenade launchers and rocket-propelled anti-tank rifles “Panzerschrek”, “Ofenror”, as well as the famous “Faustpatrons”. The PzB-39 used a 7.92 mm cartridge. The firing range was 100 meters, the penetration ability made it possible to “pierce” 35 mm armor.
"Panzerschrek". This is German light anti-tank The weapon is a modified copy of the American Bazooka jet gun. German designers equipped it with a shield that protected the shooter from the hot gases escaping from the grenade nozzle. Anti-tank companies of motorized rifle regiments were supplied with these weapons as a matter of priority. tank divisions. Rocket guns were extremely powerful weapons. “Panzerschreks” were weapons for group use and had a maintenance crew consisting of three people. Since they were very complex, their use required special training in calculations. In total, 314 thousand units of such guns and more than two million rocket-propelled grenades for them were produced in 1943-1944.
Grenade launchers: “Faustpatron” and “Panzerfaust”
The first years of World War II showed that anti-tank rifles could not cope with the assigned tasks, so the German military demanded anti-tank weapons that could be used to equip infantrymen, operating on the “fire and throw” principle. The development of a disposable hand grenade launcher began by HASAG in 1942 ( chief designer Langweiler). And in 1943 mass production was launched. The first 500 Faustpatrons entered service in August of the same year. All models of this anti-tank grenade launcher had a similar design: they consisted of a barrel (a smooth-bore seamless tube) and an over-caliber grenade. Welded to the outer surface of the barrel impact mechanism and sighting device.
The Panzerfaust is one of the most powerful modifications of the Faustpatron, which was developed at the end of the war. Its firing range was 150 m, and its armor penetration was 280-320 mm. The Panzerfaust was a reusable weapon. The barrel of the grenade launcher is equipped with a pistol grip, which houses the trigger mechanism; the propellant charge was placed in the barrel. In addition, the designers were able to increase the grenade's flight speed. In total, more than eight million grenade launchers of all modifications were manufactured during the war years. This type of weapon caused significant losses Soviet tanks. Thus, in the battles on the outskirts of Berlin, they knocked out about 30 percent of armored vehicles, and during street battles in the German capital - 70%.
Conclusion
The Second World War had a significant impact on small arms, including the world, its development and tactics of use. Based on its results, we can conclude that, despite the creation of the most modern means weapons, the role of rifle units is not diminished. The accumulated experience in using weapons in those years is still relevant today. In fact, it became the basis for the development and improvement of small arms.
By the end of the 30s, almost all participants in the coming world war had formed common directions in the development of small arms. The range and accuracy of the attack was reduced, which was compensated by the greater density of fire. As a consequence of this, the beginning of mass rearmament of units with automatic small arms - submachine guns, machine guns, assault rifles.
Accuracy of fire began to fade into the background, while the soldiers advancing in a chain began to be taught shooting on the move. With the advent of airborne troops, the need arose to create special lightweight weapons.
Maneuver warfare also affected machine guns: they became much lighter and more mobile. New types of small arms appeared (which was dictated, first of all, by the need to fight tanks) - rifle grenades, anti-tank rifles and RPGs with cumulative grenades.
Small arms of the USSR World War II
Rifle division of the Red Army on the eve of the Great Patriotic War was a very formidable force - about 14.5 thousand people. The main type of small arms were rifles and carbines - 10,420 pieces. The share of submachine guns was insignificant - 1204. There were 166, 392 and 33 units of heavy, light and anti-aircraft machine guns, respectively.
The division had its own artillery of 144 guns and 66 mortars. The firepower was supplemented by 16 tanks, 13 armored vehicles and a solid fleet of auxiliary vehicles.
Rifles and carbines
The main small arms of the USSR infantry units of the first period of the war was certainly the famous three-line rifle - the 7.62 mm S.I. Mosin rifle of the 1891 model, modernized in 1930. Its advantages are well known - strength, reliability, ease of maintenance, combined with good ballistics qualities, in particular, with an aiming range of 2 km. 
The three-line rifle is an ideal weapon for newly recruited soldiers, and the simplicity of the design created enormous opportunities for its mass production. But like any weapon, the three-line gun had its drawbacks. The permanently attached bayonet in combination with a long barrel (1670 mm) created inconvenience when moving, especially in wooded area. The bolt handle caused serious complaints when reloading.
On its basis, a sniper rifle and a series of carbines of the 1938 and 1944 models were created. Fate gave the three-line a long life (the last three-line was released in 1965), participation in many wars and an astronomical “circulation” of 37 million copies.
The target range of the SVT-40 is up to 1 km. The SVT-40 served with honor on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. It was also appreciated by our opponents. Historical fact: Having captured rich trophies at the beginning of the war, among which there were many SVT-40s, the German army... adopted it for service, and the Finns created their own rifle on the basis of the SVT-40 - TaRaKo.
The creative development of the ideas implemented in the SVT-40 became the AVT-40 automatic rifle. It differed from its predecessor in its ability to fire automatically at a rate of up to 25 rounds per minute. The disadvantage of the AVT-40 is its low accuracy of fire, strong unmasking flame and loud noise at the moment of the shot. Subsequently, as the troops enlisted en masse automatic weapons it was removed from service.
Submachine guns
The Great Patriotic War was the time of the final transition from rifles to automatic weapons. The Red Army began to fight, armed with a large number of PPD-40 is a submachine gun designed by the outstanding Soviet designer Vasily Alekseevich Degtyarev. At that time, PPD-40 was in no way inferior to its domestic and foreign counterparts. 
Designed for a pistol cartridge cal. 7.62 x 25 mm, the PPD-40 had an impressive ammunition load of 71 rounds, housed in a drum-type magazine. Weighing about 4 kg, it fired at a rate of 800 rounds per minute with an effective range of up to 200 meters. However, just a few months after the start of the war it was replaced by the legendary PPSh-40 cal. 7.62 x 25 mm.
The creator of the PPSh-40, designer Georgy Semenovich Shpagin, was faced with the task of developing an extremely easy-to-use, reliable, technologically advanced, cheap to produce mass weapon. 
From its predecessor, the PPD-40, the PPSh inherited a drum magazine with 71 rounds. A little later, a simpler and more reliable sector horn magazine with 35 rounds was developed for it. The weight of the equipped machine guns (both versions) was 5.3 and 4.15 kg, respectively. The rate of fire of the PPSh-40 reached 900 rounds per minute with an aiming range of up to 300 meters and the ability to fire single shots.
To master the PPSh-40, a few lessons were enough. It could easily be disassembled into 5 parts made using stamping and welding technology, thanks to which during the war years the Soviet defense industry produced about 5.5 million machine guns.
In the summer of 1942, the young designer Alexey Sudaev presented his brainchild - a 7.62 mm submachine gun. It was strikingly different from its “bigger brothers” PPD and PPSh-40 in its rational layout, higher manufacturability and ease of manufacturing parts using arc welding. 
PPS-42 was 3.5 kg lighter and required three times less manufacturing time. However, despite its quite obvious advantages, it never became a mass weapon, leaving the PPSh-40 to take the lead.
By the beginning of the war light machine gun DP-27 (Degtyarev infantry, 7.62mm caliber) was in service with the Red Army for almost 15 years, having the status of the main light machine gun of infantry units. Its automation was powered by the energy of powder gases. The gas regulator reliably protected the mechanism from contamination and high temperatures.
The DP-27 could only fire automatically, but even a beginner needed a few days to master shooting in short bursts of 3-5 shots. Ammunition of 47 rounds was placed in a disk magazine with a bullet towards the center in one row. The magazine itself was mounted on top of the receiver. The weight of the unloaded machine gun was 8.5 kg. An equipped magazine increased it by almost another 3 kg.
It was a powerful weapon with an effective range of 1.5 km and a combat rate of fire of up to 150 rounds per minute. In the firing position, the machine gun rested on a bipod. A flame arrester was screwed onto the end of the barrel, significantly reducing its unmasking effect. The DP-27 was serviced by a gunner and his assistant. In total, about 800 thousand machine guns were produced.
Small arms of the Wehrmacht of World War II
The main strategy of the German army is offensive or blitzkrieg (blitzkrieg - lightning war). The decisive role in it was assigned to large tank formations, carrying out deep breakthroughs of the enemy’s defenses in cooperation with artillery and aviation.
Tank units bypassed powerful fortified areas, destroying control centers and rear communications, without which the enemy quickly lost their combat effectiveness. The defeat was completed by motorized units of the ground forces.
Small arms of the Wehrmacht infantry division
The staff of the German infantry division of the 1940 model assumed the presence of 12,609 rifles and carbines, 312 submachine guns (machine guns), light and heavy machine guns - 425 and 110 pieces, respectively, 90 anti-tank rifles and 3600 pistols.The Wehrmacht's small arms generally met the high wartime requirements. It was reliable, trouble-free, simple, easy to manufacture and maintain, which contributed to its serial production.
Rifles, carbines, machine guns
Mauser 98K
Mauser 98K is an improved version of the Mauser 98 rifle, developed at the end of the 19th century by the brothers Paul and Wilhelm Mauser, the founders of the world famous arms company. Equipping the German army with it began in 1935. 
Mauser 98K
The weapon was loaded with a clip of five 7.92 mm cartridges. A trained soldier could shoot 15 times within a minute at a range of up to 1.5 km. The Mauser 98K was very compact. Its main characteristics: weight, length, barrel length - 4.1 kg x 1250 x 740 mm. The indisputable advantages of the rifle are evidenced by numerous conflicts involving it, longevity and a truly sky-high “circulation” - more than 15 million units.
MP-40 "Schmeisser" assault rifle
Perhaps the most famous Wehrmacht small arms of the Second World War was the famous MP-40 submachine gun, a modification of its predecessor, the MP-36, created by Heinrich Vollmer. However, as fate would have it, he is better known under the name “Schmeisser”, obtained thanks to the stamp on the store - “PATENT SCHMEISSER”. The stigma simply meant that, in addition to G. Vollmer, Hugo Schmeisser also participated in the creation of the MP-40, but only as the creator of the store. 
MP-40 "Schmeisser" assault rifle
Initially, the MP-40 was intended to arm the command staff of infantry units, but later it was transferred to the disposal of tank crews, armored vehicle drivers, paratroopers and special forces soldiers.
However, the MP-40 was absolutely unsuitable for infantry units, since it was exclusively a melee weapon. In a fierce battle in open terrain, having a weapon with a firing range of 70 to 150 meters meant for a German soldier to be practically unarmed in front of his enemy, armed with Mosin and Tokarev rifles with a firing range of 400 to 800 meters.
StG-44 assault rifle
Assault rifle StG-44 (sturmgewehr) cal. 7.92mm is another legend of the Third Reich. This is certainly an outstanding creation by Hugo Schmeisser - the prototype of many post-war assault rifles and machine guns, including the famous AK-47. 
The StG-44 could conduct single and automatic fire. Its weight with a full magazine was 5.22 kg. At a target range of 800 meters, the Sturmgewehr was in no way inferior to its main competitors. There were three versions of the magazine - for 15, 20 and 30 shots with a rate of up to 500 rounds per second. The option of using a rifle with an under-barrel grenade launcher and an infrared sight was considered.
Not without its shortcomings. The assault rifle was heavier than the Mauser-98K by a whole kilogram. Its wooden butt sometimes could not withstand hand-to-hand combat and simply broke. The flame escaping from the barrel revealed the location of the shooter, and the long magazine and sighting devices forced him to raise his head high in a prone position.
The 7.92 mm MG-42 is rightly called one of the best machine guns of World War II. It was developed at Grossfus by engineers Werner Gruner and Kurt Horn. Those who experienced its firepower were very outspoken. Our soldiers called it a “lawn mower,” and the allies called it “Hitler’s circular saw.”
Depending on the type of bolt, the machine gun fired accurately at a speed of up to 1500 rpm at a range of up to 1 km. Ammunition was supplied using a machine gun belt with 50 - 250 rounds of ammunition. The uniqueness of the MG-42 was complemented by a relatively small number of parts - 200 - and the high technology of their production using stamping and spot welding.
The barrel, hot from shooting, was replaced with a spare one in a few seconds using a special clamp. In total, about 450 thousand machine guns were produced. The unique technical developments embodied in the MG-42 were borrowed by gunsmiths from many countries around the world when creating their machine guns.
The holiday is approaching Great Victory- the day when the Soviet people defeated the fascist infection. It is worth recognizing that the forces of the opponents at the beginning of World War II were unequal. The Wehrmacht is significantly superior to the Soviet army in armament. In confirmation of this “dozen” small arms of Wehrmacht soldiers.
1. Mauser 98k
A German-made repeating rifle that entered service in 1935. In the Wehrmacht troops, this weapon was one of the most common and popular. In a number of parameters, the Mauser 98k was superior to the Soviet Mosin rifle. In particular Mauser weighed less, was shorter, had a more reliable bolt and a rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute, versus 10 for the Mosin rifle. The German counterpart paid for all this with a shorter firing range and weaker stopping power.
2. Luger pistol
This 9mm pistol was designed by Georg Luger back in 1900. Modern experts consider this pistol to be the best during the Second World War. The design of the Luger was very reliable, it had an energy-efficient design, low accuracy of fire, high accuracy and rate of fire. The only significant flaw of this weapon was the inability to close the locking levers with the structure, as a result of which the Luger could become clogged with dirt and stop shooting.
3. MP 38/40
Thanks to Soviet and Russian cinema, this “Maschinenpistole” became one of the symbols of the Nazi war machine. The reality, as always, is much less poetic. The MP 38/40, popular in media culture, has never been the main small arms for most Wehrmacht units. They armed them with drivers, tank crews, special forces detachments, rear guard detachments, as well as junior officers of the ground forces. The German infantry was mostly armed with Mauser 98k. Only occasionally MP 38/40s were handed over to assault troops in some quantity as “additional” weapons.
4. FG-42
The German semi-automatic rifle FG-42 was intended for paratroopers. It is believed that the impetus for the creation of this rifle was Operation Mercury to capture the island of Crete. Due to the specifics of parachutes, the Wehrmacht landing force carried only light weapons. All heavy and auxiliary weapons were dropped separately in special containers. This approach caused large losses on the part of the landing force. The FG-42 rifle was a fairly good solution. I used 7.92×57 mm caliber cartridges, which fit into 10-20 magazines.
5.MG 42
During World War II, Germany used many different machine guns, but it was the MG 42 that became one of the symbols of the aggressor in the yard with the MP 38/40 submachine gun. This machine gun was created in 1942 and partially replaced the not very reliable MG 34. Despite the fact that new machine gun was incredibly effective, it had two important drawbacks. Firstly, the MG 42 was very sensitive to contamination. Secondly, it had an expensive and labor-intensive production technology.
6. Gewehr 43
Before the start of World War II, the Wehrmacht command was least interested in the possibility of using self-loading rifles. It was believed that the infantry should be armed with conventional rifles, and have light machine guns for support. Everything changed in 1941 with the outbreak of war. The Gewehr 43 semi-automatic rifle is one of the best in its class, second only to its Soviet and American counterparts. Its qualities are very similar to the domestic SVT-40. There was also a sniper version of this weapon.
7. StG 44
The Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifle was not the most best weapon times of the Second World War. It was heavy, completely uncomfortable, and difficult to maintain. Despite all these flaws, the StG 44 became the first machine gun modern type. As you can easily guess from the name, it was produced already in 1944, and although this rifle could not save the Wehrmacht from defeat, it brought about a revolution in the field of handguns.
8.Stielhandgranate
Another “symbol” of the Wehrmacht. This anti-personnel hand grenade was widely used by German troops in World War II. It was a favorite trophy of soldiers of the anti-Hitler coalition on all fronts, due to its safety and convenience. At the time of the 40s of the 20th century, Stielhandgranate was almost the only grenade completely protected from arbitrary detonation. However, it also had a number of disadvantages. For example, these grenades could not be stored in a warehouse for a long time. They also often leaked, which led to wetness and damage to the explosive.
9. Faustpatrone
The first single-action anti-tank grenade launcher in human history. IN Soviet army The name "Faustpatron" was later assigned to all German anti-tank grenade launchers. The weapon was created in 1942 specifically “for” the Eastern Front. The thing is that German soldiers at that time were completely deprived of the means of close combat with Soviet light and medium tanks.
10. PzB 38
The German anti-tank rifle Panzerbüchse Modell 1938 is one of the most little-known types of small arms from the Second World War. The thing is that it was discontinued in 1942, as it turned out to be extremely ineffective against Soviet medium tanks. However, this weapon is confirmation that it was not only the Red Army that used such guns.
Continuing the weapons theme, we will introduce you to how a ball shoots from a bearing.
MP 38, MP 38/40, MP 40 (abbreviated from German Maschinenpistole) - various modifications of the submachine gun of the German company Erfurter Maschinenfabrik (ERMA), developed by Heinrich Vollmer based on the earlier MP 36. Were in service with the Wehrmacht During the Second World War.
The MP 40 was a modification of the MP 38 submachine gun, which, in turn, was a modification of the MP 36 submachine gun, which passed combat tests in Spain. The MP 40, like the MP 38, was intended primarily for tankers, motorized infantry, paratroopers and infantry platoon commanders. Later, towards the end of the war, it began to be used by German infantry on a relatively large scale, although it was not widespread.//
Initially, the infantry was against the folding stock, as it reduced the accuracy of fire; as a result, gunsmith Hugo Schmeisser, who worked for C.G. Haenel, a competitor to the Erma, created a modification of the MP 41, combining the main mechanisms of the MP 40 with a wooden stock and trigger mechanism, made in the image of the MP28 previously developed by Hugo Schmeisser himself. However, this version was not widely used and was not produced for long (about 26 thousand units were produced)
The Germans themselves very pedantically name their weapons according to the indices assigned to them. In special Soviet literature During the Great Patriotic War, they were also quite correctly identified as MP 38, MP 40 and MP 41, and MP28/II was designated by the name of its creator, Hugo Schmeisser. In the Western literature on small arms, published in 1940-1945, all then German submachine guns immediately received the common name “Schmeisser system”. The term stuck.
With the onset of 1940, when the Army General Staff ordered the development of a new weapon, the MP 40 large quantities riflemen, cavalrymen, drivers, tank units and staff officers began to receive. The needs of the troops were now more satisfied, although not completely.
Contrary to the popular belief imposed by feature films, where German soldiers “water” continuous fire “from the hip” from the MP 40, the fire was usually carried out in short bursts of 3-4 shots with the butt resting on the shoulder (except for cases when it was necessary to create a high density of unaimed fire in combat at the shortest distances).
Characteristics:
Weight, kg: 5 (with 32 rounds)
Length, mm: 833/630 with stock extended/folded
Barrel length, mm: 248
Cartridge: 9Х19 mm Parabellum
Caliber, mm: 9
Rate of fire
shots/min: 450-500
Initial bullet speed, m/s: 380
Sighting range, m: 150
Maximum
range, m: 180 (effective)
Type of ammunition: box magazine for 32 rounds
Sight: non-adjustable open at 100 m, with a folding stand at 200 m
Due to Hitler's reluctance to begin production of a new class of weapons, development was carried out under the designation MP-43. The first samples of MP-43 were successfully tested on the Eastern Front against Soviet troops, and in 1944, more or less mass production of a new type of weapon began, but under the name MP-44. After the results of successful frontal tests were presented to Hitler and approved by him, the nomenclature of the weapon was again changed, and the model received the final designation StG.44 ("sturm gewehr" - assault rifle).
The disadvantages of the MP-44 include the excessively large mass of weapons, too high sights, which is why when shooting while lying down, the shooter had to raise his head too high. Shortened magazines for 15 and 20 rounds were even developed for the MP-44. In addition, the butt mount was not strong enough and could be destroyed in hand-to-hand combat. In general, the MP-44 was a fairly successful model, providing effective fire with single shots at a range of up to 600 meters and automatic fire at a range of up to 300 meters. In total, taking into account all modifications, about 450,000 copies of MP-43, MP-44 and StG 44 were produced in 1942 - 1943 and, with the end of the 2nd World War, its production ended, but it remained until the mid-50s of the twentieth century. 19th century was in service with the police of the GDR and the airborne troops of Yugoslavia...
Characteristics:
Caliber, mm 7.92
The cartridge used is 7.92x33
Initial bullet speed, m/s 650
Weight, kg 5.22
Length, mm 940
Barrel length, mm 419
Magazine capacity, 30 rounds
Rate of fire, v/m 500
Sighting range, m 600
MG 42 (German: Maschinengewehr 42) - German single machine gun from the Second World War. Developed by Metall und Lackierwarenfabrik Johannes Grossfuss AG in 1942...
By the beginning of World War II, the Wehrmacht had the MG-34, created in the early 1930s, as its only machine gun. For all its advantages, it had two serious drawbacks: firstly, it turned out to be quite sensitive to contamination of mechanisms; secondly, it was too labor-intensive and expensive to produce, which did not make it possible to satisfy the ever-increasing needs of the troops for machine guns.
Adopted by the Wehrmacht in 1942. Production of the MG-42 continued in Germany until the end of the war, and the total production was at least 400,000 machine guns...
Characteristics
Weight, kg: 11.57
Length, mm: 1220
Cartridge: 7.92×57 mm
Caliber, mm: 7.92
Operating principles: Short barrel stroke
Rate of fire
shots/min: 900–1500 (depending on the bolt used)
Initial bullet speed, m/s: 790-800
Sighting range, m: 1000
Type of ammunition: machine gun belt for 50 or 250 rounds
Years of operation: 1942–1959
Walther P38 (Walter P38) - German self-loading pistol caliber 9 mm. Developed by Karl Walter Waffenfabrik. It was adopted by the Wehrmacht in 1938. Over time, it replaced the Luger-Parabellum pistol (although not completely) and became the most popular pistol in the German army. It was produced not only on the territory of the Third Reich, but also on the territory of Belgium and occupied Czechoslovakia. The P38 was also popular with the Red Army and allies as a good trophy and a weapon for close combat. After the war, arms production in Germany was stopped for a long time. Only in 1957 did the production of this pistol resume in Germany. It was supplied to the Bundeswehr under the P-1 brand (P-1, P - short for German “pistole” - “pistol”).
Characteristics
Weight, kg: 0.8
Length, mm: 216
Barrel length, mm: 125
Cartridge: 9Х19 mm Parabellum
Caliber, mm: 9 mm
Operating principles: short barrel stroke
Initial bullet speed, m/s: 355
Sighting range, m: ~50
Type of ammunition: magazine for 8 rounds
The Luger pistol (“Luger”, “Parabellum”, German Pistole 08, Parabellumpistole) is a pistol developed in 1900 by Georg Luger based on the ideas of his teacher Hugo Borchardt. Therefore, the Parabellum is often called the Luger-Borchardt pistol.
Complex and expensive to manufacture, the Parabellum was nevertheless distinguished by fairly high reliability, and for its time was an advanced weapon system. The main advantage of Parabellum was its very high accuracy shooting, achieved due to a comfortable “anatomical” handle and an easy (almost sporty) trigger...
Hitler's rise to power led to the rearmament of the German army; All restrictions imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles were ignored. This allowed Mauser to resume active production of Luger pistols with a barrel length of 98 mm and grooves on the handle for attaching an attached holster-stock. Already in the early 1930s, designers of the Mauser weapons company began working on the creation of several versions of the Parabellum, including special model for the needs of the secret police of the Weimar Republic. But the new model R-08 with an expansion muffler was no longer received by the German Ministry of Internal Affairs, but by its successor, created on the basis of the SS organization of the Nazi party - RSHA. In the thirties and forties, these weapons were in service with the German intelligence services: Gestapo, SD and military intelligence- Abwehr. Along with the creation of special pistols based on the R-08, the Third Reich at that time also carried out structural modifications of the Parabellum. Thus, by order of the police, a version of the P-08 was created with a bolt delay, which did not allow the bolt to move forward when the magazine was removed.
During preparations for a new war, with the aim of concealing the real manufacturer, Mauser-Werke A.G. began to apply special marks to her weapons. Previously, in 1934-1941, Luger pistols were marked “S/42”, which was replaced by the “byf” code in 1942. It existed until the production of these weapons by the Oberndorf company was completed in December 1942. In total, during the Second World War, the Wehrmacht received 1.355 million pistols of this brand.
Characteristics
Weight, kg: 0.876 (weight with loaded magazine)
Length, mm: 220
Barrel length, mm: 98-203
Cartridge: 9Х19 mm Parabellum,
7.65mm Luger, 7.65x17mm and others
Caliber, mm: 9
Operating principles: recoil of the barrel during its short stroke
Rate of fire
rounds/min: 32-40 (combat)
Initial bullet speed, m/s: 350-400
Sighting range, m: 50
Type of ammunition: box magazine with a capacity of 8 rounds (or drum magazine with a capacity of 32 rounds)
Sight: Open sight
Flammenwerfer 35 (FmW.35) is a German portable backpack flamethrower of the 1934 model, adopted for service in 1935 (in Soviet sources - “Flammenwerfer 34”).
Unlike the bulky backpack flamethrowers previously in service with the Reichswehr, which were serviced by a crew of two or three specially trained soldiers, the Flammenwerfer 35 flamethrower, whose loaded weight did not exceed 36 kg, could be carried and used by just one person.
To use the weapon, the flamethrower, pointing the fire hose towards the target, turned on the igniter located at the end of the barrel, opened the nitrogen supply valve, and then the supply of the combustible mixture.
Having passed through the fire hose, the flammable mixture, pushed out by the force of compressed gas, ignited and reached a target located at a distance of up to 45 m.
Electric ignition, first used in the design of a flamethrower, made it possible to arbitrarily regulate the duration of shots and made it possible to fire about 35 shots. The duration of operation with continuous supply of a combustible mixture was 45 seconds.
Despite the possibility of using a flamethrower by one person, in battle he was always accompanied by one or two infantrymen who covered the actions of the flamethrower with small arms, giving him the opportunity to quietly approach the target at a distance of 25-30 m.
The initial stage of World War II revealed a number of shortcomings that significantly reduced the possibility of using this effective weapon. The main one (besides the fact that a flamethrower that appeared on the battlefield became the primary target of enemy snipers and shooters) was the rather significant mass of the flamethrower, which reduced maneuverability and increased the vulnerability of the infantry units armed with it...
Flamethrowers were in service with sapper units: each company had three Flammenwerfer 35 backpack flamethrowers, which could be combined into small flamethrower squads used as part of assault groups.
Characteristics
Weight, kg: 36
Crew (crew): 1
Sighting range, m: 30
Maximum
range, m: 40
Type of ammunition: 1 fuel cylinder
1 gas cylinder (nitrogen)
Sight: no
Gerat Potsdam (V.7081) and Gerat Neum?nster (Volks-MP 3008) are more or less exact copies of the English Stan submachine gun.
Initially, the leadership of the Wehrmacht and the SS troops rejected the proposal to use captured English Stan submachine guns, which had accumulated in significant quantities in Wehrmacht warehouses. The reasons for this attitude were the primitive design and short sighting range of this weapon. However, a shortage of automatic weapons forced the Germans to use Stans in 1943–1944. for arming SS troops fighting partisans in German-occupied territories. In 1944, in connection with the creation of the Volks-Storm, it was decided to establish production of Stans in Germany. At the same time, the primitive design of these submachine guns was already considered a positive factor.
Like their English counterpart, the Neumünster and Potsdam submachine guns produced in Germany were intended to engage manpower at ranges of up to 90–100 m. They consist of a small number of main parts and mechanisms that can be manufactured in small enterprises and handicraft workshops.
9mm Parabellum cartridges are used to fire submachine guns. The same cartridges are also used in English Stans. This coincidence is not accidental: when creating “Stan” in 1940, the German MP-40 was taken as the basis. Ironically, 4 years later the production of Stans began at German factories. A total of 52 thousand Volkssturmgever rifles and Potsdam and Neumünster submachine guns were produced.
Performance characteristics:
Caliber, mm 9
Initial bullet speed, m/sec 365–381
Weight, kg 2.95–3.00
Length, mm 787
Barrel length, mm 180, 196 or 200
Magazine capacity, 32 rounds
Rate of fire, rds/min 540
Practical rate of fire, rds/min 80–90
Sighting range, m 200
Steyr-Solothurn S1-100, also known as MP30, MP34, MP34(ts), BMK 32, m/938 and m/942, is a submachine gun developed on the basis of the experimental German Rheinmetall MP19 submachine gun of the Louis Stange system. It was produced in Austria and Switzerland and was widely offered for export. The S1-100 is often considered one of the best submachine guns of the interwar period...
After World War I, the production of submachine guns like the MP-18 was banned in Germany. However, in violation of the Treaties of Versailles, a number of experimental submachine guns were secretly developed, among which was the MP19 created by Rheinmetall-Borsig. Its production and sale under the name Steyr-Solothurn S1-100 were organized through the Zurich company Steyr-Solothurn Waffen AG, controlled by Rheinmetall-Borzig, the production itself was located in Switzerland and, mainly, Austria.
It had an exceptionally high-quality design - all the main parts were made by milling from steel forgings, which gave it great strength, high weight and a fantastic cost, thanks to which this sample received the fame of “Rolls-Royce among PP”. The receiver had a lid that hinged upwards and forwards, making disassembling the weapon for cleaning and maintenance very simple and convenient.
In 1934, this model was adopted by the Austrian army for limited service under the designation Steyr MP34, and in a version chambered for the very powerful 9×25 mm Mauser Export cartridge; In addition, there were export options for all the main military pistol cartridges of that time - 9×19 mm Luger, 7.63×25 mm Mauser, 7.65×21 mm, .45 ACP. The Austrian police were armed with the Steyr MP30, a variant of the same weapon chambered for the 9×23 mm Steyr cartridge. In Portugal it was in service as the m/938 (in 7.65 mm caliber) and m/942 (9 mm), and in Denmark as the BMK 32.
The S1-100 fought in Chaco and Spain. After the Anschluss in 1938, this model was purchased for the needs of the Third Reich and was in service under the name MP34(ts) (Machinenpistole 34 Tssterreich). It was used by the Waffen SS, logistics units and police. This submachine gun even managed to take part in the Portuguese colonial wars of the 1960s - 1970s in Africa.
Characteristics
Weight, kg: 3.5 (without magazine)
Length, mm: 850
Barrel length, mm: 200
Cartridge: 9Х19 mm Parabellum
Caliber, mm: 9
Operating principles: blowback
Rate of fire
shots/min: 400
Initial bullet speed, m/s: 370
Sighting range, m: 200
Type of ammunition: box magazine for 20 or 32 rounds
WunderWaffe 1 – Vampire Vision
The Sturmgewehr 44 was the first assault rifle, similar to the modern M-16 and Kalashnikov AK-47. Snipers could use the ZG 1229, also known as the "Vampire Code", also in night conditions, due to its infrared night vision device. It was used during the last months of the war.
War almost always takes you by surprise and immediately requires a lot of weapons. And the civilian rear begins their military work, performing a task that is impossible for peacetime: under tight deadlines, a shortage of materials and equipment, with general decline qualifications of workers “forging weapons of victory.” The Great Patriotic War was no exception in this sense. And in the difficult, catastrophic first year of the war, its main striking force - the infantry - still received its rifles and machine guns.
Weapon system
By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the small arms system of the Red Army generally corresponded to the conditions of that time and consisted of the following types of weapons: personal (pistol and revolver), individual weapons of rifle and cavalry units (magazine rifle and carbine, self-loading and automatic rifles), sniper weapons ( magazine and self-loading sniper rifles), individual weapons of submachine gunners (submachine gun), collective weapons of rifle and cavalry squads and platoons (light machine gun), machine gun units (heavy machine guns), anti-aircraft small arms(quadruple machine gun mounts and heavy machine guns), small arms of tanks (tank machine gun). In addition, they were armed with hand grenades and rifle grenade launchers. Based on the above list, we can conclude that the existing types of weapons met the needs of various branches of the military. But in reality it turned out differently and, despite the variety of types of samples, it was clear even to a non-specialist that some of them solved absolutely similar problems: 2 samples of personal weapons, 4 samples of individual weapons, 2 sniper rifles, 2 heavy machine guns. The samples recently put into production and poorly tested in service had to be duplicated with old ones, proven by combat practice.
On the eve of the war, the army was in a state of reorganization and rearmament, as can be seen from the plan of military orders for 1941: 1,800,000 rifles (of which 1,100,000 self-loading), 160,000 Nagan revolvers and 140,000 pistols, 200,000 submachine guns Shpagina, 3,000 Maxim machine guns, 39,000 DP and DT machine guns, 4,000 DShK machine guns. As for the rearmament of the infantry with automatic weapons, which was given much attention at that time, it can be judged by the following figures: as of June 1941, in the Kiev Special Military District, rifle formations had light machine guns from 100 to 128% of the staff, submachine guns up to 35%, anti-aircraft machine guns 56% of the staff. As you can see, there were very few anti-aircraft weapons and submachine guns. But there were virtually no infantry anti-tank close combat weapons.
The beginning of the war, as is known, was associated with extremely large losses in personnel and weapons. The loss of weapons in the Red Army for June-December 1941 was: rifles and carbines 5,547,000, pistols and revolvers 454,100, submachine guns 98,700, light machine guns 135,700, heavy machine guns 53,700, 12, 7- mm 600 machine guns. These were the largest losses of weapons during the entire war, and a significant part of them remained on the battlefield in usable condition. But during the rapid retreat, when in some areas they fought stubbornly, and in others the retreat turned into flight and surrender, the troops simply did not have time to assemble and repair weapons. The collection service for weapons, including captured weapons, had to be established during the war. And in the first period of the war, the absence of such a gathering had a very negative impact, especially during a powerful counter-offensive near Moscow.
The rifles and carbines (1,567,141), submachine guns (89,665) and machine guns (106,200) produced in the first six months did not cover the losses.
The People's Commissariat for Armaments (NKV) under the leadership of the youngest People's Commissar D.F. Ustinova then carried out great and difficult work to expand military production both at existing weapons factories and among civilian enterprises transferred “to a military footing.” Thus, the main manufacturer of PPSh was the former bobbin factory in the city of Vyatskie Polyany. In addition to this plant, PPSh were also produced at Moscow plants, including ZIS, as well as in Tbilisi and even in Tehran (since 1942, several tens of thousands of PPSh were supplied from Iran to the Red Army); trunks for them were supplied from Izhevsk. The main production of DP light machine guns remained at the plant named after. K.O. Kirkizh in Kovrov, but already in 1942 it was duplicated in the city of Stalinsk (now Novokuznetsk) and in Leningrad, production of DShK in Kuibyshev. In the same year, production of Maxims, in addition to the Tula arms and machine-building plants, was organized in Zlatoust and Izhevsk (on the basis of the Motorcycle Plant). SVT production was evacuated from Tula to the city of Mednogorsk.
As you know, weapons production is one of the most metal-intensive, therefore it is customary for weapons factories to develop their own metallurgy and forging and press production. This specificity played a special role in wartime, since the mobilization readiness of arms factories ensured not only their own increase in production, but also the rapid repurposing of civilian industrial enterprises. In addition, the rapid production of weapons in wartime was facilitated by the successful pre-war development of the metallurgical industry and machine tool industry in general, as well as the extensive training of engineering and technical personnel. Separately, it is worth mentioning the technologies of mass production, borrowed from other industries. They made it possible not only to save materials in the weapons industry, but also to reduce some of the requirements for workers’ qualifications during cold stamping of parts from steel sheets, barrel burnishing, and spot welding. And yet the quality of processing had to be sacrificed. The finishing treatment of the external surfaces of parts not involved in the operation of automation and the varnishing of wooden parts were canceled (this was the path, we note, followed by the arms industry of all the warring states). The operating time of the weapon was also reduced, and its supply of spare parts and accessories was significantly reduced. So, for a DP light machine gun, for example, instead of 22 discs, 12 were attached.
In total, during the war years, Soviet industry produced about 13 million rifles, 6.1 million submachine guns, 1.7 million pistols and revolvers, 1.5 million machine guns of all types, 471.8 thousand anti-tank rifles. For comparison, in Germany over the same period, 8.5 million rifles and carbines, 1 million submachine guns, and 1 million machine guns were produced.
War always accelerates the development and introduction of new models. Front-line experience and data on enemy tactics and weapons were analyzed in detail and became the basis for new tasks for developers. This “feedback” greatly stimulates the development of weapons. During the war, 6 new and 3 modernized models of small arms, 7 models of grenades were adopted. Testing of new models took place not only at the scientific testing ground for small arms and mortar weapons in Shchurovo and at the training ground for the “Vystrel” course, but also directly at the fronts. Prominent scientists and engineers were attracted to work in the bodies of the State Defense Committee and the NKV. Thus, the most authoritative specialist V.G. Fedorov in 1942–1946 worked first as a consultant and then as deputy chairman of the technical council of the NKV.
Twice during the war the Red Army was actually rearmed - at the end of 1941 and the beginning of 1942, when the losses of the first half of the war were made up, and in 1943 - 1944, when new types of weapons were supplied to the army in increasing quantities.
The need for ammunition also grew sharply, especially since a significant part of their reserves was lost in the very first months (the Western Front, for example, by July 10, 1941, lost it was lost, not used up according to some sources, 67,410,500 rifle cartridges ).
In 1942, the output of cartridges amounted to 136% of the output of 1940, and in 1945 224%. Such production rates are largely explained by the fact that the scarce brass in the manufacture of cartridges was replaced by steel and bimetals. Steel was also replaced by lead in bullet cores. The bullets began to be called “surrogated”. The introduction of automatic rotary machines by L.N. also played an important role. Koshkina.
In general, the enterprises of the People's Commissariat of Ammunition produced 22.7 billion pieces of cartridges of all types, about 138 million anti-personnel and 21 million anti-tank grenades. The consumption of cartridges can be judged from the following GAU data: in 200 days of the Battle of Stalingrad, 500 million cartridges of all types were spent, the same amount in 50 days of the Battle of Kursk, for Berlin operation 390 million
Allied supplies under Lend-Lease in terms of small arms were very small - 151,700 “barrels”. It can be said that the Red Army used significantly more captured small arms than those supplied under Lend-Lease. True, American and British small arms were also supplied complete with tanks, armored vehicles, and aircraft, and in this capacity they were used more widely than infantry weapons themselves. The most significant assistance of Lend-Lease in this industry, perhaps, was the supply of gunpowder, scarce metals and industrial equipment.
About new infantry tactics
The 1942 Infantry Combat Manual (BUP-42), which embodied the experience of the war, stated: “Fire, maneuver and hand-to-hand combat are the main methods of infantry action.” The infantry achieved fire superiority over the enemy primarily by increasing the density of rifle and machine gun fire and mortar fire. If in August 1941 the German infantry division surpassed the Soviet rifle division in the total number of submachine guns and machine guns three times, and in mortars twice (and also had 1.55 times more personnel), then by the beginning of 1943 this number was approximately equal. At the beginning of 1945, an ordinary Soviet rifle division was approximately twice as superior to a German infantry division both in submachine guns and machine guns, and in mortars, with approximately equal numbers of personnel (a change in the ratio various types small arms in the main unit rifle company can be seen from the table presented).
The first months of the war showed that most mid- and junior-level commanders had little idea of how to organize and control fire in battle. Already at the end of 1941, the People's Commissar of Defense ordered the leadership of the Vystrel courses to train 1,000 commanders of rifle battalions who would know the tactics of modern combat, be able to lead a battalion in battle and own all the battalion's standard weapons. This release took place in February 1942.
The war required a revision of the infantry training system and its tactics. It was necessary to abandon the division of the battle formation into “fettering” and “shock” groups: now the striking force of the attack was ensured by the participation of the entire unit and its weapons, and the stability of the defense was given by the fire of all fire weapons. In addition, maneuver and fire control were simplified for the commander. The basis of the battle formation in the attack again became the chain; To suppress the enemy, fire was used on the move with rough aiming at objects or lines. Attacking with tanks and self-propelled guns (self-propelled artillery installations), infantry often moved on their armor.
Since 1942, when storming fortifications and in urban battles, assault groups and detachments were widely used, in which riflemen, submachine gunners, machine gunners, armor-piercers, sappers, chemists (with flamethrowers and smoke agents), mortar crews and anti-tank guns worked together.
Since the battle became more mobile, greater mobility was expected from the infantry. It is no coincidence that since the beginning of 1942, demands have been put forward to lighten various types of small arms.
During the course of the war, both the Soviet and German armies gradually moved to a trench defense system, to the creation of strong strongholds and adaptation settlements to a perimeter defense. Moreover, the main task in such a defense system was to ensure “multi-layered” fire and rapid maneuvering of fire weapons.
Separately, it should be said about such an important indicator as fire density. Before the war, the Red Army considered the necessary density of rifle and machine-gun fire in defense to be 5 bullets per minute per 1 linear meter of front. In July 1941, when the defense had to be carried out on a wide front, the average fire density did not exceed 2.5 bullets per 1 meter. In December 1942 it increased to 3.9 bullets, and in December 1944 to 7.6 bullets. By maneuvering fire weapons, it was possible to achieve greater densities. Thus, in the defensive operation near Kursk in the summer of 1943, the fire density in some areas reached 8 x 10 bullets per 1 meter. The density of fire and its effectiveness were facilitated by the widespread use of flank, oblique, and cross fire. In addition, in tense moments of the battle, in order to increase the density of fire, the Red Army revived volley fire from riflemen, mainly with magazine rifles. This maneuver also disciplined the fighters and made it easier for the commander to control fire.
If on the eve of the war they tried to increase the range of single and automatic fire, then already in the first few months, when close combat was recognized as the main task of the infantry, the opposite trend appeared - a reduction in the range of fire with an increase in its density at close ranges.
The increasing role of artillery and mortar fire in defeating the enemy, the wider use of tanks, self-propelled guns and attack aircraft reduced the requirements for the firing range of machine guns. The shift of machine-gun fire “backward” made it possible to change the range limits of individual weapons, with the exception of snipers. Thus, BUP-42 established the most favorable firing ranges for a heavy machine gun at 800 x 1,000 m (or better “sudden fire from a distance of 600 m and closer”), for a light machine gun at 800 m, for excellent shooters at 600 m, for all shooters at 400 m.
Shooters and machine gunners
The war gave rise to many new soldier specialties, and even the traditional “specialty” of a marksman was now divided into two: “shooters” with rifles or carbines and “machine gunners” with submachine guns. This division was caused by the different capabilities of the weapons and, as a consequence, by the different tactical uses of the units that were equipped with them.
The rifle with a bayonet remained the main and most popular infantry weapon in all the warring armies (magazine 98 and 98k Mauser in Germany, Type 38 and Type 99 Arisaka in Japan, Mannlicher Carcano models 1938 and 91/38 in Italy, No. 4 Mk I "Lee Enfield" in the UK, self-loading M1 "Garand" and magazine M1903 "Springfield" in the USA). Despite all the advantages of the self-loading rifle, the role of the main weapon in the Red Army remained with the magazine model. 1891/30. This fact is often explained by the fact that the self-loading rifle (SVT) was “bulky, inconvenient and unreliable.” They also say that the failures of the beginning of the war are associated with this rifle. Perhaps these versions are not without foundation, but the weapon, which clearly did not satisfy the troops, would hardly have remained in production until January 1945. True, the volume of this production turned out to be much lower than planned before the war, when self-loading rifles were given the main role. Be that as it may, from the beginning of 1942 they began to increase the production of repeating rifle mod. 1891/30 and by the summer, for example, at the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant they brought it up to 12 thousand rifles per day. In the same year, the production of repeating rifles and carbines was 13.3 times higher than the production of SVT. The decisive factors in “debunking” the SVT were the complexity of its production and the difficulty of operation, because the majority of infantry personnel had a poor understanding of the technology and did not have time for training. Whereas the good old “three-line” was not only easy to use, but also 2.5 times cheaper to produce. Note that the Germans, who generally widely used captured weapons (especially automatic ones), highly valued captured SVTs, and the design of their G.43 automatic rifle had obvious traces of the influence of SVTs.
In general, the transition to mass production magazine rifles and submachine guns, in fact, saved the situation then, made it possible to arm the army and create stockpiles of weapons.
The production of the “three-ruler” also had to be simplified: the receiver was made without top edges, the trigger button was reduced, the brass parts of the device were replaced with steel, the swivels were replaced with slots in the stock, the stocks were made of birch instead of walnut, they were not polished or varnished.
And in May 1942, they “suddenly” went into production automatic rifle Tokarev AVT with a fuse-translator of types of fire (in the army, some craftsmen themselves converted SVT into automatic ones). It would seem strange: after all, only on the eve of the war they abandoned the production of such a variant. Even then, the operating experience of the ABC-36 showed that even with the most successful weapon system, automatic fire from a rifle chambered in a powerful cartridge with a relatively light barrel and a small weapon weight is ineffective. But the release of the AVT-40 at that moment was associated with a shortage of light machine guns and therefore did not last long.
As for magazine weapons, by the end of the war, preference was increasingly given to the carbine, a more compact weapon (340 mm shorter and 0.4 kg lighter than a rifle), convenient for combat in trenches, in tank landings, and urban combat. The sighting range of the carbine was lower than that of a rifle, but noticeably superior to a submachine gun. True, the carbine arr. 1938 did not have a bayonet for hand-to-hand combat. And although it was obvious that future small arms must necessarily be automatic, at that time it was necessary to proceed from real possibilities and adapt existing weapons to the requirements of shooters as best as possible.
So, repeating rifle mod. 1891/30 served a long military service, until January 1944 before the adoption of the repeating carbine mod. 1944 with an integral folding bayonet N.S. Semina. In the same year, the good old “three-line” was discontinued.
The most accurate
Snipers played an invaluable role during World War II. Their fire had a noticeable impact on the actions of the units. The truth here is simple: the success or failure of companies and platoons often decides the outcome of the entire battle.
World War II sniper rifles were a new generation of sniper weapons. They were still carried out on the basis of “linear” ones, but were manufactured specially, on separate lines and with special precision, and were equipped with optical sights produced according to military standards.
By the beginning of the war, it was planned to equip Soviet snipers with a sniper version of the SVT with optical sight PU. However, the sniper version of the rifle mod. 1891/30, and with the beginning of the war the PU sight was adapted to it. And although the “three-line” as a base for a sniper rifle was less successful than, say, the German “Mauser”, the Soviet sniper rifle proved itself well during the war. Production of the SVT sniper was stopped in October 1942, not to mention the greater complexity in production; this rifle was inferior to the magazine rifle and in terms of accuracy of fire.
Weapons of submachine gunners
During the war, we called submachine guns “machine guns,” and to this day this inaccuracy in the name often causes confusion. The submachine gun took on the role of the main automatic weapon of the Second World War, in general, by accident: being considered an auxiliary weapon before the war, during the war it turned out to be the simplest and most accessible means of increasing the density of fire.
By the beginning of the war, the Red Army had a Degtyarev submachine gun (PPD) of several modifications - mainly it was a PPD mod. 1940 with a 71-round drum magazine and a split stock.
When did G.S. Shpagin proposed a submachine gun made by stamping, many accepted it with skepticism: how can you stamp an automatic weapon, what kind of accuracy can stamping give? Among the doubters was V.A. Degtyarev, but very soon, having appreciated the merits of the idea, he most actively contributed to the adoption of the Shpagin model. PPD, with satisfactory combat qualities, required extensive mechanical processing of parts, and this made it difficult to widely introduce it into the troops. Already at the end of 1940, B.G. submachine guns were tested in comparison with serial PPD-40. Shpitalny and G.S. Shpagina. In terms of combat and production-technological properties, Shpagin’s model turned out to be the best, and on December 21, 1940 it was put into service under the designation “submachine gun mod. 1941 Shpagina (PPSh-41).” In addition to the widespread use of cold stamping and spot welding, the PPSh was distinguished by a very small number of threaded connections and press fits. The weapon turned out to be outwardly crude, but the reduction in labor intensity, metal costs and time made it possible to quickly replenish the loss and increase the saturation of troops with automatic weapons. If in the second half of 1941 submachine guns made up about 46% of all automatic weapons produced, then in the first half of 1942 it was already 80%. By the beginning of 1944, the active units of the Red Army had 26 times more submachine guns than at the beginning of 1942.
When the production conditions were maintained, the PPSh provided both reliable operation and sufficient accuracy. The latter depended to a large extent on its massiveness and muzzle brake-compensator. But the same massiveness, coupled with the bulkiness of the drum magazine, also caused complaints from the troops; with wearable ammunition, the PPSh weighed about 9 kg, and it was not easy to crawl with it and change it.
The modernization of the PPSh at the beginning of 1942 was designed to simplify production. The sector sight, notched up to 500 m, was replaced with a reversible sight up to 200 m; then the fire of submachine guns was ineffective, and the infantry developed the greatest density of fire at ranges up to 200 m. In addition to the drum one, a box magazine (“horn” was adopted in February 1942 ) for 35 rounds, but its widespread use began later. Submachine gunners valued compact, easily replaceable and less rattling “horns” when moving, more than “discs”, and often carried spare “horns” in the pockets of their overcoats, padded jackets, and behind the tops of their boots.
As with most submachine gun systems, PCA system the shot was fired from the rear sear. The bolt, released from combat cocking, moved forward, sent the cartridge into the chamber and broke its primer with a hard striker. Hence, there is a great danger of spontaneous firing when dropped or hit, especially if the fuse is weak or the sear is worn out. The PPSh was disassembled, breaking in half, and when spontaneous openings of the bolt box cover occurred, the recoil spring simply flew out. This was a big drawback.
Almost simultaneously with the modernization of the PPSh, at the beginning of 1942, a competition was announced for a lightweight submachine gun, designed to complement the PPSh in service. The new model was supposed to weigh no more than 6 x 6.5 kg with ammunition, be convenient for all branches of the military, and also be more technologically advanced. The competition turned out to be one of the most widespread: developers - both famous designers Degtyarev, Shpagin, Korovin, and little-known Menshikov-Shkvornikov, Zaitsev, Goroneskul, Pushkin, Volkov-Chukhmatov - presented up to 30 samples. Many projects came from the active army, which in itself showed the relevance of the issue. After the first tests in February and March 1942, the attention of specialists was attracted by the sample of Lieutenant Bezruchko-Vysotsky. But it also needed significant improvement. As a result, the development of this sample was proposed to military engineer III rank A.I. Sudaev, who served at NIPSVO. Upon completion of the work, Bezruchko-Vysotsky’s participation was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, and the merits of Major Sudaev were awarded the Stalin Prize of the 2nd degree.
Samples from G.S. reached the finals. Shpagina (PPSh-2) and A.I. Sudaeva. According to the test results in July 1942, the teaching staff was recognized as the best; at the end of the same year, the Moscow Plant named after. Kalmykova staged his production. Sudaev himself was sent to besieged Leningrad, where he is based on the evacuated Sestroretsk plant named after. Voskov, plant named after. Kulakov and the Primus artel established the production of teaching staff in 3 months. This event became a unique case in the history of weapons: as soon as possible The performances of its production speak of the thoughtfulness and manufacturability of the design. The PPS tests took place right there on the Leningrad Front and received the best assessment from the soldiers.
On May 20, 1943, the 7.62 mm submachine gun mod. 1943 Sudaeva (PPS-43). Cold stamping, a minimum of closed holes, the use of a recoil spring rod as a reflector, a simple shock absorber and other solutions greatly simplified production, although in 1942-1945 the factories of Moscow, Leningrad and Tbilisi gave the Red Army 765,773 PPP. The rate of fire reduced to 650 x 750 rounds per minute (versus 1,000 x 1,100 for the PPSh) and the favorable location of the pistol grip and magazine neck made the PPS “more manageable.” The submachine gun was durable, reliable, and quickly ready to fire. The fuse was more reliable than that of the PPSh. For disassembly, the PPS was also broken in half, but the return spring was attached differently here and did not pop out arbitrarily. Not inferior to the PPSh in combat qualities, the PPS was much more convenient for the crews of combat vehicles, reconnaissance officers, paratroopers, and partisans. It became the best submachine gun of World War II.
The enemy understood this too. The Finns already in 1944, under the designation M44, began producing a copy of the PPS chambered for the 9-mm cartridge. The Germans also tried to produce simplified copies (after the war, they did this in Spain, and since 1953, the gendarmerie and border guards of the Federal Republic of Germany were armed with the DUX-53 submachine gun, which was not much different from the PPS).
The massive use of submachine guns made the 7.62 mm TT pistol cartridge the second most popular after the rifle cartridge and required a transition to surrogate bullets. And for night combat they began producing cartridges with a tracer bullet.
Extremely simplified designs were not uncommon during the war - during the siege of Tula, for example, S.A. Korovin created a very simple submachine gun for the Tula Workers' Regiment. The variety of designs of partisan samples (both original and assembled from different models) cannot be counted. A number of popular legends are associated with German submachine guns. Home almost universal arming of the Wehrmacht with them. In fact, throughout the war the number of submachine guns in the Wehrmacht was much less than 98k Mauser carbines (Belgian and Czech Mausers and old rifles were also used). The Treaty of Versailles of 1919 prohibited Germany from having submachine guns, but German gunsmiths continued to develop and produce this type of weapon. They supplied it to other countries and to “police” units, which did not bother the authors of the Treaty of Versailles, who feared the growth of revolutionary uprisings in the center of Europe. In 1936 (shortly after the formation of the Wehrmacht began), the German Armaments Directorate proposed to supply the crews of combat vehicles and motorized infantry with submachine guns. This was also evident in the new appearance of the MP.38 submachine gun, which was put into service in 1938. It was distinguished by its small size, folding butt, open barrel without a fore-end (the second hand held the weapon by the magazine or by the plastic bottom of the bolt box), a hook for firing from combat vehicle installations and on top of the sides. To speed up the preparation for the shot, the bolt handle was placed on the left; the pistol grip of the weapon was held with the right hand, and the bolt was cocked with the left (because of this, by the way, they preferred to carry the submachine gun on the side rather than on the chest). Both here and among our former allies, the MP.38 model and its successors are often called “Schmeissers,” although the creators of the MP.38 were G. Vollmer and the director of the Erma company, B. Geipel, and not H. Schmeisser. Apparently, by the end of the 1930s, thanks to previous designs, the name "Schmeisser" was perceived as the name of a type of weapon. MP.38 was quite simple; one copy required 10.7 kg of metal and 18 machine hours. For comparison: PPSh required 13.9 kg and 7.3 hours, and PPS 6.2 kg and 2.7 hours.
At the beginning of the war, the MP.38 was used along with the old MP.18/I, MP.28/II, MP.35/I, and the Austrian MP.34 (o), experience pushed the Wehrmacht to a more active and widespread use of submachine guns and, Accordingly, it required modernization. The MP.40 differed from the MP.38 primarily in its simplification and reduction in cost. It eliminated milled parts and replaced aluminum in the design with steel. And the new bolt handle, which made it possible to lock it in both the rear and forward positions, reduced the likelihood of an accidental shot when the weapon was dropped. Changes were also made to the MP.38 already released; these submachine guns received the designation MP.38/40. Wide application of stamping, reliability, compactness, close to optimal pace shooting were the advantages of the MP.40. German soldiers nicknamed it the “bullet pump,” and the American soldiers called it the “belching rattle,” but they treated this weapon with respect. True, the experience of fighting on the Eastern Front required increasing shooting accuracy, which H. Schmeisser tried to do by adding a permanent wooden stock to the MP.40 and a translator for conducting single fire, but few such MP.41s were produced. In total, from 1940 to 1945, more than 1 million MP.40 were produced (for comparison: 10,327,800 rifles and carbines were produced, assault rifles 450,000). It is not surprising that already in the middle of the war, German soldiers were “re-armed” with Soviet PPSh. And by the end of the war, German models brought to primitiveness appeared; they tried, for example, to “simplify” the British “Stan” even more.
Even on the eve of World War II, the British military leadership “did not see the need for gangster weapons,” so called submachine guns. But after the disaster of 1940, when obsolete weapons were urgently removed from warehouses, and there were very few automatic weapons, the attitude towards them changed. The USA urgently purchased Thompson submachine guns, but these weapons were expensive and ended up mainly in commando and SAS units. In general, the Allies needed a simpler, lighter model, designed for mass production with the involvement of small subcontractors. It was developed at the beginning of 1941 by R.V. Shepard and H.J. Turpin at the Royal Small Arms in Enfield. The weapon was named “Stan” (STEN) after the first letters of the designers’ last names and the first syllable of the name of the city. The Stan MkI was produced by Birmingham Small Arms and several other factories. Subsequent modifications mainly featured further simplifications. The most popular “Stan” Mk II was produced in the UK, Canada and New Zealand (in Australia they preferred their “Owen” design) in quantities of more than 2 million units. In total, more than 3 million different “Stans” were released (they were also copied in Denmark, and later in Israel). They were really simple and cheap, but they were not particularly accurate or convenient, and deservedly received the nickname “hole punchers.”
Simultaneously with the Stan, J. Lancaster developed a submachine gun similar to the German MP.18/I, but it was both heavier and more expensive than the Stan, produced in smaller quantities and only for the Royal Navy.
At the beginning of the war, the Americans also had to solve the issue of a submachine gun on the fly. The same "Thompson" was purchased in small quantities for the army and Marine Corps, but the cost was too high. In 1941, its simplified modification M1 with automatic action based on blowback recoil appeared, then the even more simplified M1A1. And yet the Thompsons, like another model, the M50 Raising, did not solve the problem. And only by 1944 did the Americans put into mass production the M3 submachine gun, developed by J. Hyde and F. Sampson. In addition to the widespread use of stamping, it was distinguished by the sealing of the bolt box - the extraction window was closed with a hinged lid, and the bolt was cocked with a swinging lever, a massive bolt that provided sufficient stability when firing, a retractable butt that could be used instead of a cleaning rod, as well as the possibility of quick conversion from the 45 ACP cartridge chambered for the 9mm Parabellum cartridge. The disadvantage of the M3 was its unreliable fuse. In the M3A1 modification that appeared later, the bolt was cocked simply with a finger inserted into the recess of the bolt. Other armies also had their own submachine guns. The Italians, for example, had a good Beretta 1938A model originally designed by T. Marengoni, but it required careful machining, and modifications 38/42 and 38/44 made it somewhat simpler.
Machine guns of enemies and allies
The issue of a light heavy machine gun in the Red Army had not been resolved by the beginning of the war. Complaints from the troops and new tests of the DS-39 machine gun revealed a number of shortcomings: low survivability of parts, ruptures of cartridges in the chamber, dismantling of the cartridge in the receiver. With the start of the war, there was no more time for fine-tuning, and production of the DS-39 was stopped in favor of the Maxims. The DS-39 machine gun has been called “unsuccessful” more than once, but the ideas and solutions contained in it were unlikely to be so. To simplify production and operation at TOZ (Tula Arms Plant), engineers I.E. Lubenets and Yu.A. Kazarin under the leadership of chief engineer A.A. Tronenkov in June 1941 once again improved the Maxim. His characteristic features now there is a wide neck for filling the barrel casing with snow and ice, a simplified sight.
The German army entered the war with a single MG.34 machine gun, and experience combat use completely confirmed the correctness of the concept of a single machine gun used as a light machine gun, easel machine gun, anti-aircraft gun, or tank gun. But already with the start of serial production of the MG.34, German engineers began work on a more technologically advanced model, then, based on the experience mainly of the Eastern Front, they added the requirements of low sensitivity to clogging and lubrication conditions. The new design was developed with the participation of a number of companies, but the work was led by Dr. Gryunov at the Grossfuss company, hitherto unknown in the arms industry, but with experience in stamping and welding metal parts. In 1942, the MG.42 machine gun was adopted by the German army; five large companies and several small subcontractors were involved in its production. The widespread use of stamping and large tolerances on the dimensions of parts ensured its rapid production. The suspended position of the automation parts, the roller locking system, and the push-pull belt feed ensured the reliable operation of this machine gun, and the high rate of fire, belt feeding and a barrel that could be changed in 4-6 seconds ensured a high intensity of fire. Due to its speed (up to 1,200 x 1,300 rounds/min) and the characteristic sound of firing, the MG.42 received the nickname “Hitler’s saw.” The MG.42 is considered the best machine gun of World War II.
At the beginning of the war, the British army made its main machine gun the “Bran”, created on the basis of the Czech ZB30 “Zbroevka Brno”. In addition to the conversion carried out by Czech designers V. and E. Holek and A. Marek from the 7.92-mm Mauser cartridge to the British .303 caliber British Service cartridge, the machine gun received a shock absorber, which improved the accuracy of fire, and a magazine for 30 rounds. The machine gun began to be produced in Enfield hence the name “Bren” (BREN BRno-ENfild). The weapon turned out to be successful; the British even consider it the best light machine gun of World War II. Yet the Bran was poorly suited for mass production and required a lot of metal and machining. As a result, to improve manufacturability, it had to be modernized and additional production installed in Canada and Australia. "Bran" was also supplied to other countries, including the USSR and China. Czech light machine guns, which served as the basis for the Bran, were used by the German army. Some features of this machine gun were borrowed by the Japanese in the Type 97 and Type 99 light machine guns. As a result, Czech designs found themselves on almost all fronts, although in terms of production scale they were inferior to both German and Soviet ones. The Czech ZB-53 heavy machine gun of the V. Holek and M. Rolczyk system also found widespread use; the same British, for example, adopted its tank version under the name “Beza”, without even changing the 7.92 mm caliber.
The US Army entered the war with machine guns of the Browning systems - manual BAR, mounted M1917 and M1919 and large-caliber M2NV. The first was distinguished by sufficient reliability and lightness, but the 20-place magazine and non-replaceable barrel limited the combat rate of fire. Perhaps the American use of combat shotguns in World War II was an attempt to compensate for the lack of a successful light machine gun in service. An attempt to convert the mounted M1919 A4 into a light machine gun, that is, to repeat the path already taken by German and Soviet designers, produced a very unsuccessful M1919 A7. Heavy machine gun The M1919 A4 on a lightweight tripod was a good-quality weapon, but outdated (the Americans even unsuccessfully tried to make copies of the German MG.34 and MG.42 under their own cartridge). But the 12.7 mm M2 NV Browning turned out to be quite good.
To be continued
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