I have always had an obsession with the sturmgewehr family of guns. I wanted to show a few from my collection and give my impressions. Here is a MP43/1 built in late 1943. It has a zf4 rail on the right side of the receiver. I have had this rifle looked over by a number of experts and authors and the consensus is that it is authentic. It was built for the MP43/1 sniper trials that took place between Oct 43 to Feb 44.
<a href="https://ibb.co/mj22mF"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/mskzYv/mp431_sniper_01.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_01" border="0"></a>
It is known that 21 rifles were tested by the Infanterieschule with ZF4s to assess the potential of using the MP as a sniper rifle and possibly even replacing the k98 and G43 in the role. There were 3 firing trials that took place. The first in October 43 with a single rifle. It proved a useless platform for sniping with a very wide dispersion. It was thought the problem lay in the mount/rail design that could be causing excessive vibrations.
The next trial took place on Jan 6 1944 with 10 rifles with custom made rails and mounts developed by WaPrüf2 to ascertain if the vibrations were the source of the wide dispersion. This rifle is believed to be from that trial.
<a href="https://ibb.co/bLzRDv"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/nOZF6F/mp431_sniper_02.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_02" border="0"></a>
After the trial it was reported in a letter from In2 to the GendInf that although the results were better the dispersion was still too great. A third and final firing trial was ordered on Feb 21 44, and with the results still unsatisfactory, the trials were stopped and the MP would not be further tested as a sniper rifle.
Late war ZF4 railed sturmgewehrs were likely intended to be used with the Vampir infrared scope.
<a href="https://ibb.co/bRAoRF"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/hhWHLa/mp431_sniper_03.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_03" border="0"></a>
This MP43/1 is in extremely good condition. All matching and unmessed with. The bore looks brand new and it was obviously never issued. It was captured after the war and brought to canada where it sat in a safe for many years. Of 440,000 sturmgewehrs built, only roughly 14-20k were MP43/1s. These were the first rifles built and most were urgently delivered to the troops. Most were lost in battle and the ones that survived usually have seen considerable action.
<a href="https://ibb.co/g3ABfa"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/kJoxLa/mp431_sniper_04.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_04" border="0"></a>
Having an MP43/1 in this condition lets one appreciate the refinements of the first sturmgewehrs. The build and quality is much higher compared to the utilitarian late war rifles as the war went from bad to worse (I will do a side by side comparison with a late war StG44 later) Although the rifle has been deemed authentic, the scope's authenticity has yet to be determined as it was found after I acquired the rifle. This rifle also has the ZF41 scope mount with notch of the rear sight base.
<a href="https://ibb.co/fD1v6F"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/hmbTRF/mp431_sniper_05_copy.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_05_copy" border="0"></a>
The MP43/1 has many differences from its brothers (MP43, MP44, StG44) The most obvious is the thicker unstepped barrel, the larger front sight and long 1" barrel nut. The front sight hood is smaller than the later models and more like a k98s. The gas plug does not have a hole through the block to uses a tool to turn it open. The barrels were also numbered to the rifle, a practice that was quickly discontinued.
<a href="https://ibb.co/n48a6F"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/cJhP0a/mp431_sniper_06.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_06" border="0"></a>
The scope is marked "Kurz Patrone" and has a threaded ocular lens that allows a custom made long metal sun/rain shield to be screwed in flushly with the ZF4. While I have have yet to get confirmation on the scope, I think it makes a good companion to the rifle while I find absolute proven original. Anyone?
<a href="https://ibb.co/fv7rfa"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/dNWHLa/mp431_sniper_07.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_07" border="0"></a><br /><a target='_blank' href='https://imgbb.com/'>image bbcode</a><br />
When I get the time, I want to post some pictures of the MP43/1 in comparison to a Sauer StG44 and a Haneal MP44 I have. I think theres some interesting differences in the production methods, details and even the feel of each weapon. I have owned 6 of these guns and handled quite a few but I am also aware I dont know everything about these weapons. Thats why theres the forum. Plus I get an excuse for taking pictures of them.
sk
<a href="https://ibb.co/i72hLa"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/kfcGfa/mp431_stg44_01.jpg" alt="mp431_stg44_01" border="0"></a><br /><a target='_blank' href='https://imgbb.com/'>image hosting api</a><br />
<a href="https://ibb.co/mj22mF"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/mskzYv/mp431_sniper_01.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_01" border="0"></a>
It is known that 21 rifles were tested by the Infanterieschule with ZF4s to assess the potential of using the MP as a sniper rifle and possibly even replacing the k98 and G43 in the role. There were 3 firing trials that took place. The first in October 43 with a single rifle. It proved a useless platform for sniping with a very wide dispersion. It was thought the problem lay in the mount/rail design that could be causing excessive vibrations.
The next trial took place on Jan 6 1944 with 10 rifles with custom made rails and mounts developed by WaPrüf2 to ascertain if the vibrations were the source of the wide dispersion. This rifle is believed to be from that trial.
<a href="https://ibb.co/bLzRDv"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/nOZF6F/mp431_sniper_02.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_02" border="0"></a>
After the trial it was reported in a letter from In2 to the GendInf that although the results were better the dispersion was still too great. A third and final firing trial was ordered on Feb 21 44, and with the results still unsatisfactory, the trials were stopped and the MP would not be further tested as a sniper rifle.
Late war ZF4 railed sturmgewehrs were likely intended to be used with the Vampir infrared scope.
<a href="https://ibb.co/bRAoRF"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/hhWHLa/mp431_sniper_03.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_03" border="0"></a>
This MP43/1 is in extremely good condition. All matching and unmessed with. The bore looks brand new and it was obviously never issued. It was captured after the war and brought to canada where it sat in a safe for many years. Of 440,000 sturmgewehrs built, only roughly 14-20k were MP43/1s. These were the first rifles built and most were urgently delivered to the troops. Most were lost in battle and the ones that survived usually have seen considerable action.
<a href="https://ibb.co/g3ABfa"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/kJoxLa/mp431_sniper_04.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_04" border="0"></a>
Having an MP43/1 in this condition lets one appreciate the refinements of the first sturmgewehrs. The build and quality is much higher compared to the utilitarian late war rifles as the war went from bad to worse (I will do a side by side comparison with a late war StG44 later) Although the rifle has been deemed authentic, the scope's authenticity has yet to be determined as it was found after I acquired the rifle. This rifle also has the ZF41 scope mount with notch of the rear sight base.
<a href="https://ibb.co/fD1v6F"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/hmbTRF/mp431_sniper_05_copy.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_05_copy" border="0"></a>
The MP43/1 has many differences from its brothers (MP43, MP44, StG44) The most obvious is the thicker unstepped barrel, the larger front sight and long 1" barrel nut. The front sight hood is smaller than the later models and more like a k98s. The gas plug does not have a hole through the block to uses a tool to turn it open. The barrels were also numbered to the rifle, a practice that was quickly discontinued.
<a href="https://ibb.co/n48a6F"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/cJhP0a/mp431_sniper_06.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_06" border="0"></a>
The scope is marked "Kurz Patrone" and has a threaded ocular lens that allows a custom made long metal sun/rain shield to be screwed in flushly with the ZF4. While I have have yet to get confirmation on the scope, I think it makes a good companion to the rifle while I find absolute proven original. Anyone?
<a href="https://ibb.co/fv7rfa"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/dNWHLa/mp431_sniper_07.jpg" alt="mp431_sniper_07" border="0"></a><br /><a target='_blank' href='https://imgbb.com/'>image bbcode</a><br />
When I get the time, I want to post some pictures of the MP43/1 in comparison to a Sauer StG44 and a Haneal MP44 I have. I think theres some interesting differences in the production methods, details and even the feel of each weapon. I have owned 6 of these guns and handled quite a few but I am also aware I dont know everything about these weapons. Thats why theres the forum. Plus I get an excuse for taking pictures of them.
sk
<a href="https://ibb.co/i72hLa"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/kfcGfa/mp431_stg44_01.jpg" alt="mp431_stg44_01" border="0"></a><br /><a target='_blank' href='https://imgbb.com/'>image hosting api</a><br />
I've always loved these since I first saw them in a Tintin book when I was a kid. It was incredible to see him downing a Mosquito. I wish I had one...
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