FG 42
Rheinmetall-Borsig AG · Battle Rifle · Discontinued · 1942
Also known as: Fallschirmjagergewehr 42, FjG 42, Paratrooper Rifle 42, Gerat 450
Overview
The FG 42 (Fallschirmjägergewehr 42, or 'paratrooper rifle 42') is a selective-fire battle rifle designed specifically for Germany's elite Fallschirmjäger airborne forces during World War II. Developed by Rheinmetall-Borsig AG in 1942 in response to harsh lessons learned during the costly Battle of Crete in 1941, where paratroopers armed only with pistols suffered devastating casualties while attempting to retrieve their weapons from scattered drop containers, the FG 42 represented one of the most advanced and innovative small arms designs of the war. Chambered in the full-power 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge, it uniquely combined the characteristics of a rifle, light machine gun, and submachine gun in a single lightweight package weighing just 4.38 kg. The weapon featured revolutionary design elements including a straight-line stock to reduce muzzle climb, side-mounted magazine to allow prone shooting, dual-mode firing mechanism (closed bolt for semi-automatic accuracy, open bolt for full-automatic cooling), integral scope rail, and inline recoil spring running into the stock. The FG 42 fired from a 20-round detachable box magazine at 900 rounds per minute (Type I) or 750 rpm (Type II) with an effective range of 600 meters. Only approximately 7,000 units were produced across two major variants before war's end, making it one of the rarest and most advanced firearms of WWII. The weapon's innovative features directly influenced post-war firearms development, most notably the American M60 machine gun.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4380 g (154.5 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 5100 g (179.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 945 mm (37.20") |
| Barrel Length | 500 mm (19.69") |
| Width | 58 mm (2.28") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Trigger Pull | 27 N (6.1 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 20 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 732 m/s (2402 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3430 J (2530 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1200 m (1312 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 750 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Stamped Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.92x57mm Mauser · primary — also known as 8mm Mauser, 7.92mm Mauser, 8x57mm IS, .323 Mauser
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Selector
- Features: Select Fire, Dual Bolt Position Firing, Closed Bolt Semi Auto, Open Bolt Full Auto, Side Mounted Magazine, Integral Bipod, Integral Scope Rail, Straight Line Stock, Inline Recoil Spring, Stamped Steel Construction, Bayonet Lug, Rifle Grenade Capability, Muzzle Brake, Gas Operated Rotating Bolt
Variants
- FG 42 Type I (Ausfuhrung E) — Early Production
- FG 42 Type II (Ausfuhrung G) — Late Production
Service history
Operators
- Fallschirmjäger (German Paratroopers) · adopted 1943
- 1st Parachute Division · adopted 1943
- 2nd Parachute Division · adopted 1944
- Waffen-SS · adopted 1943 · as Fallschirmjägergewehr 42
Conflicts
- Battle of Crete (1941)
- Gran Sasso Raid (1943)
- Italian Campaign (1943-1945)
- Battle of Monte Cassino (1944)
- Normandy Campaign (1944)
- Battle of the Bulge (1944-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 7,000 · Production years: 1942-1945
Approximately 2,000 Type I (Ausfuhrung E) produced by Rheinmetall-Borsig and 5,000 Type II (Ausfuhrung G) produced by Heinrich Krieghoff Waffenfabrik of Suhl. Some sources cite up to 7,000-9,000 total. Extremely rare today; surviving examples are highly sought after by collectors.
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Louis Stange
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
The FG 42 existed in two main production variants with significant differences. The Type I (FG 42-1 or Ausfuhrung E), manufactured by Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, featured a stamped steel receiver, sharply angled pistol grip, stamped steel buttstock, metal heat shield over the barrel, distinctive pepper-box style flash hider/muzzle brake, and bipod mounted forward on the handguard. Only about 2,000 Type I rifles were produced before material shortages (particularly manganese steel for receivers) forced a complete redesign. The Type II (FG 42-2 or Ausfuhrung G), manufactured by Heinrich Krieghoff Waffenfabrik of Suhl, incorporated lessons from field use: wooden buttstock and handguard to reduce heat transfer and add weight for better controllability, near-vertical pistol grip for improved handling, bipod relocated to the muzzle to dramatically improve accuracy by eliminating barrel harmonics issues, slotted/finned flash hider, heavier bolt to reduce cyclic rate from 900 to 750 rpm, and improved bayonet retention system. Production numbers remain uncertain, with estimates ranging from 5,000 to 9,000 total units across both variants. The weapon's complexity and cost (roughly equivalent to three Kar98k rifles) led to it being overshadowed by simpler designs like the StG 44. The innovative side-mounted magazine kept the weapon's profile low for prone shooting and allowed the action to be positioned more forward, reducing overall length. The dual-mode firing system-firing from a closed bolt in semi-auto for accuracy and from an open bolt in full-auto to prevent cook-offs-was remarkably sophisticated but added mechanical complexity. Despite limited production and being designed for airborne operations, the FG 42 saw most combat in conventional infantry roles, as German airborne assaults largely ceased after Crete.
Background
The FG 42 was born from the blood of Crete. During Operation Mercury in May 1941, German paratroopers jumped armed only with pistols and grenades, their support weapons dropped separately in canisters scattered across the battlefield. As they landed, Commonwealth defenders armed with rifles and machine guns inflicted devastating casualties on the lightly-armed Fallschirmjäger struggling to reach their weapon containers. The pyrrhic victory at Crete-Germany's first major airborne assault and its last large-scale paratrooper operation-convinced Luftwaffe commanders that paratroopers needed a weapon combining the firepower of a light machine gun with the portability of a rifle. The FG 42 was the answer. The weapon made its combat debut during the daring Gran Sasso raid (Operation Eiche) in September 1943, when German commandos led by Otto Skorzeny rescued Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from 200 well-equipped Carabinieri guards-period photographs show raiders carrying Type I FG 42s fitted with ZF-4 scopes. Allied troops soon encountered the FG 42 in the brutal fighting at Monte Cassino and along the Gustav Line in Italy, where its devastating firepower and accuracy made it fearsome in the hands of elite Fallschirmjäger defenders. Large numbers were captured in Normandy in 1944. Captured FG 42s were prized war trophies, with Allied ordnance teams carefully studying its innovative features. Though produced in tiny numbers, the FG 42 cast a long shadow over post-war firearms development-its gas-operated rotating bolt mechanism was directly incorporated into the M60 machine gun, and its straight-line stock, inline recoil spring, select-fire capability, and general configuration influenced countless modern rifles. Today, original FG 42s are among the most valuable and sought-after military firearms, with authentic examples commanding six-figure prices at auction. The weapon was considered so advanced that modern semi-automatic reproductions by SMG Guns and others remain popular with collectors and shooters.