WWII Small Arms Series Germany's STG 44 

Mike, you are truly Blessed! Thank you.

4:47 Well, there was the M2 carbine. 6:05 YES!! So glad you mention this. I get trolled mercilessly when I bring it up. I always like to joke that Hugo did all the heavy lifting in drafting and tool room while Mikhail was getting blind drunk on Stolichnaya somewhere in the back of the factory! Heheh! No seriously I believe the soviets told Hugo to built an exact copy StG-44 for them more or less, but adapted to 7.62x39. The Soviets were pragmatists when it came to engineering, so they knew the StG-44 was a good design that worked so why change it. What I suspected happened was that upon examining the state of the manufacturing processes and facilities available to him, Hugo probably told them it was impossible for the Soviets to mass produce a close copy of the StG-44. Sheet metal stamping and die design is a high art, and takes A LOT of finesse to get stampings just right. The stampings in that rifle are not trivial! So, what they ended up doing was make a redesign of the rifle adapted to the less advanced manufacturing methods available in the soviet system. Instead of a complex stamping, the receiver on the AK is a literal BOX. That could be done on a simple press brake. Let me tell you, a press brake is WAY simpler than custom dies that have all those ribs and have to get all the stamping pressure just right. Now why exactly they went with rotating bolt instead of tilting bolt, I have no idea. Maybe they had experienced early teething problems with the SKS and were skeptical of tilting bolt! Anyway that's my theory on how things happened.

Mike venturino is an expert in WW2 arms and he's a very good man, I don't know if Mike has children but if he does they're very blessed

I am enjoying this video series! Thanks! I had a plastic toy machine gun when I was a mere lad. I think it was modeled after the MP40. Pull the handle back, pull the trigger and it went "rat-a-tat-tat" for as long as you held the trigger back. Thanks, guys!

That was a great video. I’ve been reading Mikes stuff for years.

Outstanding presentation of a truly unique firearm. Always an absolute pleasure to watch this great team, thank you.

Thanks

Fantastic

This has been an excellent series. Thanks to all of you for putting it together.

More excellent content, thank you!!

Another great video Jeremiah with Mike and thank you for the video to, Slim.

My friend in Switzerland has one, I have held it, but never got the chance to shot it or his MP-40. Have fired the MG-3, which is the updated MG-42.

Great video! Would have liked to have seen it taken apart.

I've been studying WW2 and collecting ( WW2 German military ) there's no question that the German military were producing some of the best quality stuff

Previously owned an MP-44 with a 1943-marked magazine. Ammo was hard to find but it fired nicely. I'm not sure I would select it over an M1 Carbine for combat duty. M1 Carbine would more appropriately fit into a PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) category. Historically it was not the first assault weapon, however, it was the first adopted by a major power for combat operations. And it was not that innovative. The US Winchester 1907 select-fire, Winchester 1917 Machine rifle (look at its fire mechanism, pistol grip and stock. Hmmm - very similar to later German designs), French Cm 1918, Swiss MP. 1920-21 and more preceded the MP-44. Many concepts and featured in late WW1 thru early WW2 were prevalent in community of firearms designers. Great video series and great book also. Thanks Mike.