Gewehr 41 (W)
Carl Walther GmbH · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1941
Also known as: G41(W), Gew 41, Walther G41
Overview
The Gewehr 41 (W) was a German semi-automatic rifle developed by Carl Walther for the Wehrmacht during World War II, chambered in the standard 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge. It was Germany's response to Soviet semi-automatic rifles and used a muzzle gas-trap (Bang) operating system that captured propellant gases at the muzzle to drive an annular piston, cycling a non-reciprocating bolt. Ammunition was loaded into a fixed 10-round internal magazine via two five-round stripper clips, the same clips used by the Karabiner 98k.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4980 g (175.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1140 mm (44.88") |
| Barrel Length | 546 mm (21.50") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 10 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 776 m/s (2546 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3850 J (2840 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 30 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.92x57mm Mauser · primary — also known as 8mm Mauser, 7.92x57mm, 8x57mm IS, 7.9mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine, Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Bang Muzzle Gas Trap System, Fixed Internal Magazine, Stripper Clip Loading, Non Reciprocating Bolt
Variants
- Gewehr 41 (M) (Mauser) — Competing Design
- Gewehr 43 — Improved Successor
Service history
Operators
- Nazi Germany (Wehrmacht) · adopted 1941 · as G41(W)
Conflicts
- World War II (1941-1945)
- Eastern Front (World War II) (1941-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 7,000 · Production years: 1941-1943
Estimates of G41(W) output vary widely; militaryfactory cites roughly 6,600-8,000 units before production transitioned to the Gewehr 43
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Carl Walther GmbH
Discontinued: 1943
Notes
The Walther G41(W) competed against the Mauser G41(M); both were required to avoid a bolt-cycling handle and to retain manual-cycling capability, constraints that hampered the designs. The complex muzzle gas-trap system fouled easily and the rifle was muzzle-heavy. Lessons learned led directly to the simpler, gas-piston-operated Gewehr 43.
Background
The G41's muzzle gas-trap operating principle was derived from a system patented by Danish designer Soren H. Bang decades earlier; the resulting mechanism was so fouling-prone and front-heavy that German troops nicknamed it cumbersome, and it was quickly superseded by the Gewehr 43 once Germany copied the cleaner Soviet Tokarev gas system.