Ludwig Vorgrimler
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ludwig Vorgrimler is the man most commonly associated with the design of the Spanish CETME rifle, and its prolific roller-delayed offspring from the German gunmaker Heckler & Koch
such as the G3
and MP5
.
factory from January to November, 1936. From there, he was recruited by Ott von Lossnitzer, the director of Mauser Werke's
Weapons Research Institute and Weapons Development Group. Vorgrimler remained with Mauser until August 1945. He was ultimately assigned to Department 37, which was responsible for military small arms up to 15 mm in caliber. Vorgrimler eventually led the sub-department in charge of aircraft weapon construction. By January 1944, Vorgrimler was ordered to design a heavy machinegun using the roller-delayed blowback operating system then under development for military rifles. In response, Vorgrimler attempted to convert the gas-operated roller-locked MG215 to the roller-delayed system. Work was not completed by the end of the Second World War. Vorgrimler would later claim that he participated in the development of the MG45, a conversion of the roller-locked MG42
to roller-delayed operation.
War Department's armament group, Direction des Etudes et Fabrication d'Armament (DEFA). The Mauser factory was renamed the DEFA Development Center, Oberndorf
. The French continued work there through 1946, when workers and equipment began to be transferred to the Mulhouse
area of Alsace
. This became the Centre d'Etudes et d'Armament de Mulhouse (CEAM). The transfer of operations to Mulhouse was complete by March 1948. In February 1948, Vorgrimler and fellow Mauser engineer Theodor Löffler were assigned the development of roller-delayed carbines for the French. They worked separately on carbines for the experimental 7.65x35mm cartridge, developed by Cartoucherie de Valence. Their carbines were patterned upon the prototype StG45
, which had been under development at Mauser prior to the end of the war. The French ultimately abandoned their 7.65x35mm cartridge in favor of the US .30 Carbine
cartridge. Vorgrimler and Löffler then went to work on roller delayed carbines for the latter cartridge. Ultimately, Löffler's designs won out. Vorgrimler then devoted his efforts to improving Löffler's designs. Eventually, Vorgrimler tired of this and left CEAM at the end of June, 1950.
Vorgrimler was recruited to work for CETME in Spain. The French initially attempted to prevent him from leaving the country, but Vorgrimler and family were allowed to move to Madrid
in September 1950. Once there, Vorgrimler went to work on a roller-delayed rifle chambered for the experimental 7.92x40mm cartridge. Former Rheinmetall
engineers led by Hartmut Menneking already had a nine month head start
on the gas-operated Modelo 1, but Vorgrimler and his team of former Mauser engineers had their own Modelo 2 prototype ready by December 1950. The Spanish government selected the Modelo 2 for continued development in July, 1952.
), which sought a new service rifle. Not willing to accept a cartridge outside of the NATO specification, the Germans asked CETME to develop a 7.62 mm version of the rifle. Misunderstanding the German request, CETME developed a 7.62 mm version of the 7.92x40mm cartridge. The Germans then had to explain that they wanted a version chambered for the standard 7.62x51mm NATO. Instead, the resulting CETME Modelo A was chambered for the 7.62x51mm CETME cartridge, which had identical chamber dimensions but a reduced-power load compared to the standard NATO round. Further development of the rifle produced the CETME Modelo B, which had been "improved" with the help of Heckler & Koch, receiving several modifications including the ability to fire from a closed bolt in both semi-automatic and automatic firing modes, a new perforated sheet-metal handguard (the folding bipod had been the foregrip in previous models), improved ergonomics, and a slightly longer barrel with a rifle grenade launcher mount. In 1958, this rifle was introduced into service with the Spanish Army as the Modelo 58. For his efforts in developing the rifle, Vorgrimler was awarded the Encomienda de Alfonso X el Sabio.
In 1956, the Bundesgrenzschutz canceled its planned procurement of the CETME rifles, adopting the FN FAL
(G1) instead. However, the newly formed West German Army (Bundeswehr
) now displayed interest and soon purchased a number of CETME rifles for further testing. The CETME, known as the Automatisches Gewehr G3, competed successfully against the SIG SG 510 (G2) and AR-10
(G4) to replace the previously favored G1 rifle. In January 1959, the Bundeswehr officially adopted the CETME rifle. The CETME design was licensed by the West German government, and production was transferred to German manufacturers, Heckler & Koch and Rheinmetall. Heckler & Koch would go on to develop an entire family of weapons based on the G3, including the HK33 rifle, HK21 machine gun, and MP5 submachinegun.
, Vorgrimler returned to work at Mauser as the head of research and development. By then, Mauser and CETME had entered a working alliance. Soon after, Vorgrimler developed a companion machinegun based on the CETME rifle design. While commercially unsuccessful, it inspired Heckler & Koch's HK21 introduced years later.
Vorgrimler continued to be granted patents for his work throughout the 1960s and 70s. This included work on commercial sporting rifles, caseless infantry rifles, and an automatic cannon with Mauser and Industriewerke Karlsruhe
.
Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch GmbH is a German defense manufacturing company that produces various small arms. Some of their products include the SA80, MP5 submachine gun, G3 automatic rifle, the G36 assault rifle, the HK 416, the MP7 personal defense weapon, the USP series of handguns, and the high-precision...
such as the G3
Heckler & Koch G3
The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....
and MP5
Heckler & Koch MP5
The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a 9mm submachine gun of German design, developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar....
.
Early career
Vorgrimler worked as an engineer for several arms manufacturers over his long career. He briefly worked for the KruppKrupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
factory from January to November, 1936. From there, he was recruited by Ott von Lossnitzer, the director of Mauser Werke's
Mauser
Mauser was a German arms manufacturer of a line of bolt-action rifles and pistols from the 1870s to 1995. Mauser designs were built for the German armed forces...
Weapons Research Institute and Weapons Development Group. Vorgrimler remained with Mauser until August 1945. He was ultimately assigned to Department 37, which was responsible for military small arms up to 15 mm in caliber. Vorgrimler eventually led the sub-department in charge of aircraft weapon construction. By January 1944, Vorgrimler was ordered to design a heavy machinegun using the roller-delayed blowback operating system then under development for military rifles. In response, Vorgrimler attempted to convert the gas-operated roller-locked MG215 to the roller-delayed system. Work was not completed by the end of the Second World War. Vorgrimler would later claim that he participated in the development of the MG45, a conversion of the roller-locked MG42
MG42
The MG 42 is a 7.9mm universal machine gun that was developed in Nazi Germany and entered service with the Wehrmacht in 1942...
to roller-delayed operation.
After World War II
After the war ended, Mauser's Department 37 development group was placed under control of the FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
War Department's armament group, Direction des Etudes et Fabrication d'Armament (DEFA). The Mauser factory was renamed the DEFA Development Center, Oberndorf
Oberndorf
Oberndorf may refer to the following places:*in Germany:**Oberndorf am Neckar, in the district of Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg** Oberndorf , a suburb of Rottenburg am Neckar in the district of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg...
. The French continued work there through 1946, when workers and equipment began to be transferred to the Mulhouse
Mulhouse
Mulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after...
area of Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. This became the Centre d'Etudes et d'Armament de Mulhouse (CEAM). The transfer of operations to Mulhouse was complete by March 1948. In February 1948, Vorgrimler and fellow Mauser engineer Theodor Löffler were assigned the development of roller-delayed carbines for the French. They worked separately on carbines for the experimental 7.65x35mm cartridge, developed by Cartoucherie de Valence. Their carbines were patterned upon the prototype StG45
StG45
The StG 45 sometimes referred to as the MP 45, was a prototype assault rifle developed by Mauser for the Wehrmacht at the end of World War II, using an innovative roller-delayed blowback operating system...
, which had been under development at Mauser prior to the end of the war. The French ultimately abandoned their 7.65x35mm cartridge in favor of the US .30 Carbine
.30 Carbine
The .30 Carbine is the cartridge used in the M1 Carbine introduced in the 1940s. It is an intermediate round designed to be fired from the M1 carbine's 18-inch barrel.-History:...
cartridge. Vorgrimler and Löffler then went to work on roller delayed carbines for the latter cartridge. Ultimately, Löffler's designs won out. Vorgrimler then devoted his efforts to improving Löffler's designs. Eventually, Vorgrimler tired of this and left CEAM at the end of June, 1950.
Vorgrimler was recruited to work for CETME in Spain. The French initially attempted to prevent him from leaving the country, but Vorgrimler and family were allowed to move to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in September 1950. Once there, Vorgrimler went to work on a roller-delayed rifle chambered for the experimental 7.92x40mm cartridge. Former Rheinmetall
Rheinmetall
Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and defence company with factories in Düsseldorf, Kassel and Unterlüß. The company has a long tradition of making guns and artillery pieces...
engineers led by Hartmut Menneking already had a nine month head start
Head start (positioning)
In positioning, a head start is a start in advance of the starting position of others in competition, or simply toward the finish line or desired outcome...
on the gas-operated Modelo 1, but Vorgrimler and his team of former Mauser engineers had their own Modelo 2 prototype ready by December 1950. The Spanish government selected the Modelo 2 for continued development in July, 1952.
CETME Modelo B
Beside the interest at home in Spain, the Modelo 2 attracted a lot of attention from the West German Border Guards (BundesgrenzschutzBundesgrenzschutz
Bundesgrenzschutz was the first federal police organization in Western Germany after World War II permitted by the Allied occupation authorities. In July 2005, the BGS was renamed Bundespolizei to reflect its transition to a multi-faceted police agency.It was established in 1951...
), which sought a new service rifle. Not willing to accept a cartridge outside of the NATO specification, the Germans asked CETME to develop a 7.62 mm version of the rifle. Misunderstanding the German request, CETME developed a 7.62 mm version of the 7.92x40mm cartridge. The Germans then had to explain that they wanted a version chambered for the standard 7.62x51mm NATO. Instead, the resulting CETME Modelo A was chambered for the 7.62x51mm CETME cartridge, which had identical chamber dimensions but a reduced-power load compared to the standard NATO round. Further development of the rifle produced the CETME Modelo B, which had been "improved" with the help of Heckler & Koch, receiving several modifications including the ability to fire from a closed bolt in both semi-automatic and automatic firing modes, a new perforated sheet-metal handguard (the folding bipod had been the foregrip in previous models), improved ergonomics, and a slightly longer barrel with a rifle grenade launcher mount. In 1958, this rifle was introduced into service with the Spanish Army as the Modelo 58. For his efforts in developing the rifle, Vorgrimler was awarded the Encomienda de Alfonso X el Sabio.
In 1956, the Bundesgrenzschutz canceled its planned procurement of the CETME rifles, adopting the FN FAL
FN FAL
The Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL is a self-loading, selective fire battle rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal . During the Cold War it was adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, with the notable exception of the United States...
(G1) instead. However, the newly formed West German Army (Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
) now displayed interest and soon purchased a number of CETME rifles for further testing. The CETME, known as the Automatisches Gewehr G3, competed successfully against the SIG SG 510 (G2) and AR-10
AR-10
The AR-10 is an American 7.62 mm battle rifle developed by Eugene Stoner in the late 1950s at ArmaLite, then a division of the Fairchild Aircraft Corporation...
(G4) to replace the previously favored G1 rifle. In January 1959, the Bundeswehr officially adopted the CETME rifle. The CETME design was licensed by the West German government, and production was transferred to German manufacturers, Heckler & Koch and Rheinmetall. Heckler & Koch would go on to develop an entire family of weapons based on the G3, including the HK33 rifle, HK21 machine gun, and MP5 submachinegun.
Later years
In the summer of 1956, Vorgrimler moved back to West Germany. Despite the recruiting efforts of Heckler & Koch engineering director (and former Mauser Department 37 colleague) Alex SeidelAlex Seidel
Alex Seidel was a German weapons manufacturer and the co-founder of Heckler & Koch along with Theodor Koch and Edmund Heckler. Together the three men built the Heckler and Koch company out of the old name of Heckler & Co. on December 28, 1949.-References:...
, Vorgrimler returned to work at Mauser as the head of research and development. By then, Mauser and CETME had entered a working alliance. Soon after, Vorgrimler developed a companion machinegun based on the CETME rifle design. While commercially unsuccessful, it inspired Heckler & Koch's HK21 introduced years later.
Vorgrimler continued to be granted patents for his work throughout the 1960s and 70s. This included work on commercial sporting rifles, caseless infantry rifles, and an automatic cannon with Mauser and Industriewerke Karlsruhe
Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken
Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken Aktien-Gesellschaft , known as DWM, was an arms company in Imperial Germany created in 1896 when Ludwig Loewe & Company united its weapons and ammunition production facilities within one company...
.