Assault Rifle

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Lore & Background

The term assault rifle is generally attributed to Adolf Hitler, who used the German word Sturmgewehr (which translates to 'assault rifle') as the new name for the MP 43, subsequently known as the Sturmgewehr 44. Allied propaganda suggested that the name was chosen for propaganda purposes, but the main purpose was to differentiate the Sturmgewehr from German submachine guns such as the MP 40. It has been suggested, however, that the Heereswaffenamt was responsible for the name Sturmgewehr, and Hitler had no input besides signing the production order. Furthermore, Hitler was initially opposed to the idea of a new infantry rifle, as Germany lacked the industrial capacity to replace the 12,000,000 Karabiner 98k rifles already in service, only changing his mind once he saw it first-hand. The StG 44 is generally considered the first selective fire military rifle to popularize the assault rifle concept.

In Their Own Story

The Germans were the first to successfully implement the assault rifle concept during World War II, based upon research that showed that most firefights happen within 400 metres (1,300 ft) and that contemporary rifles were overpowered for most small arms combat. They would soon develop a select-fire intermediate powered rifle combining the firepower of a submachine gun with the range and accuracy of a rifle. The result was the Sturmgewehr 44, an improvement of the earlier Maschinenkarabiner 42(H), and approximately half a million Sturmgewehrs were produced by the war's end. It fired a new and revolutionary intermediate powered cartridge, the 7.92×33mm Kurz. This new cartridge was developed by shortening the standard 7.92×57mm Mauser round and giving it a lighter 125-grain bullet, which limited range but allowed for more controllable automatic fire. A smaller, lighter cartridge also allowed soldiers to carry more ammunition 'to support the higher consumption rate of automatic fire'. The Sturmgewehr 44 features an inexpensive, easy-to-make, stamped steel design and a 30-round detachable box magazine. This weapon was the prototype of all successful automatic rifles.

Reader's Guide

The U.S. Army defines assault rifles as 'short, compact, selective-fire weapons that fire a cartridge intermediate in power between submachine gun and rifle cartridges.' In this strict definition, a firearm must have at least the following characteristics to be considered an assault rifle: It must be capable of selective fire. It must have an intermediate-power cartridge: more power than a pistol but less than a standard rifle or battle rifle; examples of intermediate cartridges are the 7.92×33mm Kurz, the 7.62×39mm and 5.56×45mm NATO. Its ammunition must be supplied from a detachable box magazine. It must have an effective range of at least 300 metres (330 yards). Rifles that meet most of these criteria, but not all, are not assault rifles according to the U.S. Army's definition. For example: Select-fire rifles such as the FN FAL, M14, and H&K G3 main battle rifles are not assault rifles; they fire full-powered rifle cartridges. Semi-automatic-only rifles like the Colt AR-15 are not assault rifles; they do not have select-fire capabilities. Semi-automatic-only rifles with fixed magazines like the SKS are not assault rifles; they do not have detachable box magazines and are not capable of automatic fire. In the United States, selective-fire rifles are legally defined as 'machine guns', and civilian ownership of those has been tightly regulated since 1934 under the National Firearms Act and since 1986 under the Firearm Owners Protection Act. However, the term 'assault rifle' is often conflated with 'assault weapon', a U.S. legal category with varying definitions which includes many semi-automatic weapons. This use has been described as incorrect and a misapplication of the term.

Did You Know?

• The first assault rifle to see major usage was the German StG 44, a development of the earlier Mkb 42.
• The term 'assault rifle' is generally attributed to Adolf Hitler, who used the German word Sturmgewehr as the new name for the MP 43.
• The StG 44 fired the 7.92×33mm Kurz cartridge, developed by shortening the standard 7.92×57mm Mauser round.
• Approximately half a million Sturmgewehrs were produced by the end of World War II.
• The two most successful modern assault rifles are the AK-47 and the M16 designs and their derivatives.