Kalashnikov Didn't Steal The AK Design From Schmeisser & Here's The Proof (MP44 vs AK47) 

CETME is the real STG descendent.

The "missing link" in the mag design is the AS-44 mag. It is very similar to slab, but had overninsertion stops like the Schmeisser and a much smaller rear lug design as well. At various times MTKs design team have acknowledged that their mag came directly from the AS-44 as it was the only design around at the time that had completed trials with that caliber. The earliest mags for the proto AKs were modified AS-44 mags that Tula modded.

great video, lots of detailed info, thank you for this

I watched the original video not too long ago, and I would say you've improved on it with this one. More concise as you said and more informative. Well done! That said, I do think the Russian government went to their gun designers with the general concept of the MP-44 and said "make this!" An intermediate rifle caliber, shoulder-fired, self-loading and fully-automatic weapon that uses 30-round, detachable box-magazines. The way that Kalashnikov arrived at the AK-47 is not as cut n" dry as people make it out to be and you've shown that here! Thank you, Misha!

I remember watching Ian’s Forgotten Weapons video of the history of the AK with the Russian small arms expert Max Popenker, and according to Max on the Schmeisser interaction with the Russians… “No German is allowed to go near the AK.”

I think the general shape may have inspired Mikhail maybe a little bit, but he said multiple times the operating system was greatly inspired by the M1G. The internals are very similar looking. Just because the Sturmgewehr wasn't the mega influence on the AK doesn't make it any less cooI. Its the single coolest rifle of ww2 in my opinion, and has one of the coolest names ever.

Two thumbs up

Great history and explanation. I always enjoy your videos Misha! Thanks for posting!

The AK-47 is one hell of a rifle. It's a damn good design, especially the type 3 milled model.

Hugo Schmeisser was a German developer of 20th-century infantry weapons. Schmeisser was born in Jena, Thuringia. His father, Louis Schmeisser, was one of the *best-known weapons designers in Europe*. The life and work of Hugo Schmeisser mostly took place in the weapons-manufacturing city of Suhl, Thuringia. Hugo was involved in the development of many influential firearms, including the: 1) MP 18, a submachine gun used by Germany in World War I; 2) StG 44, a World War II weapon often considered the first assault rifle in the world; Hugo Schmeisser with his engineering team was POW in 1944 and moved to Tula to work on a SECRET PROJECT. ALL DOCUMENTS ARE STILL CLASSIFIED IN RUSSIA AFTER ALMOST 100 YEARS. Kalashnikov - not even High school diploma. Never worked as an engineer, and didn't invented anything apart from AK, in the same factory where Hugo worked :D Any questions lads?

There were quite a few gas piston driven semi autos before the SGT 44. Technically is not really that significant at all. (Except for the smaller Caliber)

they stole research and technical documents for the stg-44 and experimental assault rifles. they also kidnapped engineers. they adapted it to use their round. so its a german/russian collaberation design. they made up the story about mikhail inventing it for propaganda purposes. it sounds a lot better to say a poor guy in the military invented it instead of saying it was made with stolen research and POWs.

german excellence

Another Excellent and Informative Video Thanks Misha 😊😀 I’d Love To Get an STG44 Someday ❤️😊

People will say that even after you show them the facts and explain it all. The Schmeisserfiles will never learn SMH.

Saying the kalashnikov and the STG have “obvious and evident” similarities is like saying pizza and apple pie are the same because they are both round and are both edible ! Those who claim kalashnikov copied the Germans homework obviously don’t know a lot about firearms

What is your opinion of PSA reviving and producing Hill and Mac's failed attempt to produce a clone of the StG44?

He Did Steal The Selector Lever From The Model 8 😊

I believe that I read in Vorobiev's book on the AK, Shmeisser left the USSR in 1955. 4 years before the stamped AKM came out. This further reinforces your view.

Sorry bro you're wrong it 100% inspired him, he said it did in one of his last interviews. STG 44 was too complicated & too expensive to build in mass production. You can just look at it and see that it is the cousin to the AK.🤦🤦🤦

A more well founded accusation might be that Kalashnikov stold the design from Garand.

Kalashnikov AK evolved out of the Shmeisser Stg. THE END

The iron sight, magazine, long stroke piston, caliber and stamped sheet metal construction are similar layout except the charging handle from the m1

I agree with you that the ak 47 is not an stg44 copy, however I think the stg44 should get more credits because it was the first of its kind

This again? OK. The MKB-42(H) was fielded in trials on the eastern front in April 1942. At some point some were captured by the soviets who immediately set about a program to copy it in the form of AS-44 rifle. Unfortunately for the Soviets, this program was a failure, as their sheet metal stamping production technology was not up to snuff to yield the quality to make it successful. Guns irreperably jammed, flew apart, etc. Especially challenging getting a stamping to maintain its shape with crude soviet melurgy and extreme thermal demans of the weapon in service. So.....back to the drawing board. SKS with a milled reciever was developed during the war but did not get finished in time to see service. Same thing with Kalashnikov, the final form took a while to take shape, as there were a few prototypes at this time. After the war, this project was green lit to go ahead with Kalashnikov and not settle for SKS....but it was clear it needed further development, as at this time it was NOT a stamped receiver weapon....that was the real prize. Hugo Schmeisser DID work at the Tula arsenal assisting Kalashnikov with the project. There is NO DEBATE about this, as there are soviet records of this, including pay records, etc. Apparently they thought Hugo could assist in doing a DFM for soviet production techology involving sheet metal stamping. How far along that got is unclear. But it's funny to imaging Hugo banging out the AK design while old Mikhail got drunk at the back of the factory. Of course who do you think the USSR is going to give credit to? And oh yes, as for the whole "AK bolt and carrier is a Garand copy". Well, take a look at piston, bolt carrier and bolt from a Lewis gun --- the Kalashnikov's is almost exacly the same. M1 Garand's is unique and not similar.

In the bolt action era, you don't see anybody talking about "rifle Y is a copy of rifle X", despite them looking much more like each other, than a AK look like a StG-44. Is like people still had that cold war stigma about the Soviets and being incapable of moving on. Just remember: engineering don't have a political side. Say to yourself: - Admiring Soviet engineering don't make me a communist; - Admiring Third Reich German engineering don't make me a nazi; - Admiring American engineering don't make me a capitalist pig.

Absolutely, the ak wouldn’t be as big as a hunk of shit if he did

Sorry you offered no proof just opinion and unsupported conjecture good try tho