Questions about weapons of WWII?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Questions about weapons of WWII?

Posted: 2/13/2006 1:51:47 AM EDT

I have recently been discussing weapons of various countries involved in WWII and was suprised to learn that the Russians had a semi-auto rifle. How wide spread was the use of this weapon, and when did it come about? Was it a good weapon?
I was also told that the MP44 and some other type of semi-auto rifle was also in use to a large degree by the Germans towards the end of the war. Is this correct?
I had always assumed that the MP44 was an experimental weapon and only available in very very limited numbers.
I have always been under the assumption that U.S. was the only country that had a semi-auto rifle that was widely issued to their troops. Have I been wrong all along?

Thanks

Posted: 2/13/2006 1:59:47 AM EDT

[#1]

The Germans liked using captured SVT-40's, the semi auto Russian rifle in 7.62x54mm

There was another Germain automatic rifle, designed for their paratroopers, I think it was mainly used in Italy against the Americans.

Posted: 2/13/2006 2:18:00 AM EDT

[#2]

Here's a 1941 SVT-40:

The German rifle was the G-43. Neither of these rifles were widely issued.
The SVT is a great weapon but was too complicated for the meat heads.

Posted: 2/13/2006 6:40:31 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
The Germans liked using captured SVT-40's, the semi auto Russian rifle in 7.62x54mm

There was another Germain automatic rifle, designed for their paratroopers, I think it was mainly used in Italy against the Americans.

That would be the FG-42. I think it was even select fire. It was chambered in 7.92x57.

The G-43, as hughjafj stated, was the semiauto battle rifle. But more than quite a few suffered from lack of quailty due to being a late war production piece.

These rifles were all available to varying degrees but none of them were near as prolific as the Garand.

Posted: 2/13/2006 9:59:08 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
I have always been under the assumption that U.S. was the only country that had a semi-auto rifle that was widely issued to their troops. Have I been wrong all along?
Thanks

No you were not wrong.

The US was the only country to have a semi-auto rifle as standard issue...

Semi-auto rifles were not widely issued in the Soviet and German armies.

Posted: 2/13/2006 10:20:04 AM EDT

[#5]

A little over a million SVT-40 were made. But the Soviet army was so huge it was just a drop in the bucket.

However as a comparison there were 3.5 million Garands made in WWII. So the SVT was around in numbers.

It is a pain in the ass to clean, especially when using corrosive ammo. Mags are prone to breakage and the soldiers only got two and were supposed to clip load it.

Posted: 2/13/2006 10:24:51 AM EDT

[#6]

Actually, the soviets issued three mags with each SVT. Each was serial numbered to the gun, with a 1, 2, or 3 suffix, denoting which mag it was.

The SVT was fairly widespread, and was used extensively by the Germans whenever they could lay their hands on them. Ditto the Finns.

I have a 1940 Tula SVT, that is Finn capture marked. I haven't shot it yet, but have completely disassembled and cleaned it. Action seem rather fragile with a long slender tappet rod that seems like it wouldn't take much abuse. Still considering how well liked it was by the Germans and Finns, it must have been pretty good...

Posted: 2/13/2006 10:30:43 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Actually, the soviets issued three mags with each SVT. Each was serial numbered to the gun, with a 1, 2, or 3 suffix, denoting which mag it was.

The SVT was fairly widespread, and was used extensively by the Germans whenever they could lay their hands on them. Ditto the Finns.

I have a 1940 Tula SVT, that is Finn capture marked. I haven't shot it yet, but have completely disassembled and cleaned it. Action seem rather fragile with a long slender tappet rod that seems like it wouldn't take much abuse. Still considering how well liked it was by the Germans and Finns, it must have been pretty good...

Ever run across an SVT 38?
Friend of the family owns one.
Care to shed any light on the differences between the 40 and the 38?

I agree about the tappet - seems rather fragile, especially compared to other rifles that used a tappet, like the M1 carbine.

Posted: 2/13/2006 10:31:09 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
I have recently been discussing weapons of various countries involved in WWII and was suprised to learn that the Russians had a semi-auto rifle. How wide spread was the use of this weapon, and when did it come about? Was it a good weapon?
I was also told that the MP44 and some other type of semi-auto rifle was also in use to a large degree by the Germans towards the end of the war. Is this correct?
I had always assumed that the MP44 was an experimental weapon and only available in very very limited numbers.
I have always been under the assumption that U.S. was the only country that had a semi-auto rifle that was widely issued to their troops. Have I been wrong all along?
Thanks

German semi rifle was the G43. The MP44 (Stg45) was select fire.

Posted: 2/13/2006 10:35:22 AM EDT

[#9]

Lest we not forget our beloved SKS. The Simonov rifle was introduced late in the then new 7.62x39 chambering it was issued in limited numbers but did see combat with the red army.

Posted: 2/13/2006 10:36:49 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Actually, the soviets issued three mags with each SVT. Each was serial numbered to the gun, with a 1, 2, or 3 suffix, denoting which mag it was.

The SVT was fairly widespread, and was used extensively by the Germans whenever they could lay their hands on them. Ditto the Finns.

I have a 1940 Tula SVT, that is Finn capture marked. I haven't shot it yet, but have completely disassembled and cleaned it. Action seem rather fragile with a long slender tappet rod that seems like it wouldn't take much abuse. Still considering how well liked it was by the Germans and Finns, it must have been pretty good...

Ever run across an SVT 38?
Friend of the family owns one.
Care to shed any light on the differences between the 40 and the 38?

I agree about the tappet - seems rather fragile, especially compared to other rifles that used a tappet, like the M1 carbine.

They were pretty close...the 38 had a two piece stock, and the cleaning rod was mounted on the side instead of under the barrel. Very easy to tell the two apart that way. The 38 mag was also slightly different than the 40.

My 40 actually has a 38 mag in it. A 38 mag is worth twice as much as a 40 mag....

A 38 is worth probably 3 times what a 40 is! 38's are pretty rare....I've never seen one other than in pics...

Posted: 2/13/2006 10:40:15 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Actually, the soviets issued three mags with each SVT. Each was serial numbered to the gun, with a 1, 2, or 3 suffix, denoting which mag it was.

The SVT was fairly widespread, and was used extensively by the Germans whenever they could lay their hands on them. Ditto the Finns.

I have a 1940 Tula SVT, that is Finn capture marked. I haven't shot it yet, but have completely disassembled and cleaned it. Action seem rather fragile with a long slender tappet rod that seems like it wouldn't take much abuse. Still considering how well liked it was by the Germans and Finns, it must have been pretty good...

The STV-40 had a very poor reputation in the Soviet Army it was considered unreliable and prone to breakage… this was in large part because poorly trained Soviet monkeys could not maintain the rifles.

The Germans and Finns loved them and kept them working.

Posted: 2/13/2006 10:44:02 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Lest we not forget our beloved SKS. The Simonov rifle was introduced late in the then new 7.62x39 chambering it was issued in limited numbers but did see combat with the red army.

I didn't know SKS saw combat in WWII.
Could have been a great asset to Russia if it had come out earlier during the war.

Posted: 2/13/2006 10:57:19 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
There was another Germain automatic rifle, designed for their paratroopers, I think it was mainly used in Italy against the Americans.

You're talking about this - the FG-42, or Fallschirmjaegergewehr (literally, paratrooper rifle). Designed specifically for German paratroops, or fallschirmjaeger. Baddest small arm of WWII IMHO. I actually had the opportunity to handle one briefly

Posted: 2/13/2006 10:59:07 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Quoted:
There was another Germain automatic rifle, designed for their paratroopers, I think it was mainly used in Italy against the Americans.

You're talking about this - the FG-42, or Fallschirmjaegergewehr (literally, paratrooper rifle). Designed specifically for German paratroops, or fallschirmjaeger. Baddest small arm of WWII IMHO. I actually had the opportunity to handle one briefly
www.gotscha.nl/Fallschirmjaegergewehr.JPG

That is a SHITLOAD of money laying right there...hell the mags alone are worth like $700...

Posted: 2/13/2006 11:01:18 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
There was another Germain automatic rifle, designed for their paratroopers, I think it was mainly used in Italy against the Americans.

You're talking about this - the FG-42, or Fallschirmjaegergewehr (literally, paratrooper rifle). Designed specifically for German paratroops, or fallschirmjaeger. Baddest small arm of WWII IMHO. I actually had the opportunity to handle one briefly
www.gotscha.nl/Fallschirmjaegergewehr.JPG

That is a SHITLOAD of money laying right there...hell the mags alone are worth like $700...

Yep, the bottom one looks kind of minty too. Look at that stock. Dayum.