Sturmgewehr 45
Mauser Werke · Assault Rifle · Discontinued · 1945
Also known as: StG 45(M), StG 45, Sturmgewehr 45(M), Gerat 06(H), Maschinenpistole 45(M), MP 45(M)
Overview
The Sturmgewehr 45 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 7.92x33mm Kurz, produced by Mauser Werke since 1945. The stamped steel frame provides a solid, premium feel with the durability to withstand decades of regular use and thousands of rounds.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4000 g (141.1 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 4600 g (162.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 940 mm (37.01") |
| Barrel Length | 419 mm (16.50") |
| Action Type | Roller Delayed Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 640 m/s (2100 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1659 J (1224 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 300 m (328 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 450 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Stamped Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.92x33mm Kurz · primary — also known as 7.92mm Kurz, 8x33mm Polte, Pistolenpatrone 43
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Selector
- Features: Select Fire, Roller Delayed Blowback Action, Fluted Chamber, Stamped Steel Receiver, Simplified Manufacturing, No Gas System Required
Variants
- Gerat 06 (MKb Gerat 06) — Prototype
- Gerat 06(H) (Half-locked) — Prototype
Service history
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 30 · Production years: 1945
Only approximately 30 pre-production prototypes completed before the Mauser factory at Oberndorf am Neckar was captured by French troops in April 1945. None saw combat.
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Wilhelm Stahle & Ludwig Vorgrimler
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
The StG 45(M) evolved from the earlier Gerat 06 prototype, which used a roller-locked, gas-operated mechanism adapted from the MG 42 machine gun. During testing, Dr. Karl Maier observed that the bolt experienced 'bounce' during firing, and realized that with careful attention to the mechanical ratios between the rollers and bolt carrier, the gas system could be eliminated entirely. This insight led to the Gerat 06(H) - the 'H' standing for 'halbverriegelt' (half-locked) - which became the StG 45(M). The key innovation was cutting 18 longitudinal gas relief flutes in the chamber, which allowed combustion gases to float the cartridge case and equalize pressure during extraction. The roller-delayed blowback mechanism was patented by Wilhelm Stahle and Ludwig Vorgrimler. After the war, Vorgrimler fled to Spain where he continued developing the design at CETME, producing the CETME Model 58 battle rifle. West Germany later licensed this technology through Heckler & Koch, resulting in the G3 battle rifle (1959), which spawned the HK33, HK32, MP5, HK21, and numerous other weapons. The 10-round magazine option was used for early testing, while the standard 30-round magazine was intended for production models.
Background
The StG 45 is the 'Rosetta Stone' of modern firearms. When the war ended, its designers scattered across the globe, carrying the roller-delayed secret with them. Ludwig Vorgrimler went to Spain, where he built the CETME. The CETME design was then licensed back to Germany, where Heckler & Koch turned it into the G3 - arming over 80 nations. From the G3 came the MP5, the most iconic submachine gun of the 20th century. Every HK roller-delayed weapon - from the G3 to the MP5 to the HK21 - traces its DNA directly back to those 30 prototypes built in a doomed factory in the final days of the Third Reich.