Volkssturmgewehr 1-5
Encyclopedia
The Volkssturmgewehr 1-5 ("People's Assault Rifle") is a set of 5 rifle designs developed by Nazi Germany
during the last months of World War II
. They were very simple designs, derived from the Mauser 98k, but with poor quality parts and a rough finish.
There is confusion concerning the designation, sources talk about the VG 1-5, the Volkssturm-Gewehr 1-5, Versuchs-Gerät 1-5, Gustloff and Gustloff Geräts 507. It is often believed that the VG 1-5 refers to a specific type, usually the Gustloff design, a semi-automatic rifle
chambered for the 7.92x33mm Kurz caliber. This was however another type of weapon though may also have been a part of the same program.
was mobilized - a German national militia. These needed to be armed but there were not enough rifles to go around. For this reason the Primitiv-Waffen-Programm was initiated. It called for weapons that were very easy to produce. As such large numbers would have been available in a short time. Several companies came up with designs, all very basic in design and crude in finish. Walther designed the Volkssturmgewehr VG 1 rifle, Spreewerk Berlin the VG 2, Rheinmetall the VG 3, Mauser the VG 4 and Steyr the VG 5 (aka VK 98). All of these were bolt-action rifles and derived from the standard Mauser 98k rifle. Besides those there were other designs by other companies. Best known is the Volkssturmgewehr by Gustloff which was however a gas-delayed blowback semi-automatic rifle.
In these last weeks of the Reich communications collapsed and no organized production could be started. Eventually the local Gauleiter ordered arms producers in their regions to commence production. It is unclear exactly how many Volkssturmgewehren were produced. Only very few still exist today.
in current-day Czech Republic.
The Volkssturmgewehr VG 2 rifle is also a manually operated bolt action rifle with a similar rotating bolt and crude manual safety. Locking happens with two frontal lugs, which lock into the steel insert, pinned inside the stamped steel receiver. The VG 2 rifle is fed from detachable box magazines, originally developed for G.43 rifle. The stock is crudely made from wood and consists of two separate parts: shoulder stock with semi-pistol grip and forend. Wood parts are permanently pinned to the receiver. Non-adjustable iron sights are provided for close-range shooting only, and zeroed for 100 metres (109.4 yd).
The VG 5 or more correctly, the Volkssturmkarabiner VK 98 rifle is even more basic. It uses the Mauser Gewehr 98 type bolt action with rotary bolt, but has no magazine, so every cartridge has to be manually loaded into the chamber making it a single shot rifle. The sights are fixed, non-adjustable.
The Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr was designed by Karl Barnitzke of the Gustloff-Werke for the Primitiv-Waffen-Programm ("primitive weapons program") in 1944 and was intended to be used by the Volkssturm
. Production of the Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr occurred from January 1945 till the end of the war; roughly 10,000 were made.
The weapon employed the same 7.92x33mm Kurz intermediate cartridge
as the earlier StG 44 assault rifle
and also used the same detachable 30-round box magazine.
The Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr uses a gas-delayed blowback action based on the Barnitzke system, whereby gas bled from the barrel near the chamber creates resistance to the rearward impulse of the operating parts, which ceases when the projectile leaves the muzzle, allowing the operating parts to be forced rearward by the residual pressure of the cartridge case. This principle has been used most successfully in the Heckler & Koch
P7 pistol.
The Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr is constructed rather like many automatic pistols, it has a casing and spring
around the barrel; the whole casing recoils backward. The breech block, with firing pin and extractor, is pinned to the back end of the barrel casing. The rear end of the gun does not recoil and has the hammer, sear and trigger built into it. Gas coming from four vents, near the end of the barrel, holds the bolt closed till the gas pressure drops to a safe level. Some selective fire
VG 1-5s were made.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during the last months of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. They were very simple designs, derived from the Mauser 98k, but with poor quality parts and a rough finish.
There is confusion concerning the designation, sources talk about the VG 1-5, the Volkssturm-Gewehr 1-5, Versuchs-Gerät 1-5, Gustloff and Gustloff Geräts 507. It is often believed that the VG 1-5 refers to a specific type, usually the Gustloff design, a semi-automatic rifle
Semi-automatic rifle
A semi-automatic rifle is a type of rifle that fires a single bullet each time the trigger is pulled, automatically ejects the spent cartridge, chambers a fresh cartridge from its magazine, and is immediately ready to fire another shot...
chambered for the 7.92x33mm Kurz caliber. This was however another type of weapon though may also have been a part of the same program.
Primitiv-Waffen-Programm
At the end of 1944 the war was going against Nazi-Germany. They had lost entire armies to the advancing Russians and Western Allies. As a countermeasure the VolkssturmVolkssturm
The Volkssturm was a German national militia of the last months of World War II. It was founded on Adolf Hitler's orders on October 18, 1944 and conscripted males between the ages of 16 to 60 years who were not already serving in some military unit as part of a German Home Guard.-Origins and...
was mobilized - a German national militia. These needed to be armed but there were not enough rifles to go around. For this reason the Primitiv-Waffen-Programm was initiated. It called for weapons that were very easy to produce. As such large numbers would have been available in a short time. Several companies came up with designs, all very basic in design and crude in finish. Walther designed the Volkssturmgewehr VG 1 rifle, Spreewerk Berlin the VG 2, Rheinmetall the VG 3, Mauser the VG 4 and Steyr the VG 5 (aka VK 98). All of these were bolt-action rifles and derived from the standard Mauser 98k rifle. Besides those there were other designs by other companies. Best known is the Volkssturmgewehr by Gustloff which was however a gas-delayed blowback semi-automatic rifle.
In these last weeks of the Reich communications collapsed and no organized production could be started. Eventually the local Gauleiter ordered arms producers in their regions to commence production. It is unclear exactly how many Volkssturmgewehren were produced. Only very few still exist today.
VG 1, 2 and 5
The Volkssturmgewehr VG 1 rifle is a manually operated bolt action rifle. It uses a simple rotating bolt, with locking provided by the two frontal lugs; crude bolt handle engaged the cut in cast steel receiver to provide additional safety. The feed is from detachable box magazines, originally developed for G.43 rifle. Manual safety is also very crude, and consist of a stamped steel lever, pinned to the trigger guard just behind the trigger. When engaged, the safety lever blocks trigger movement. To disengage the safety user must turn it sideways by the finger. The stock is crudely made from wood, and non-adjustable iron sights are provided for close-range shooting only. It was meant to be produced by Zbrojovka BrnoZbrojovka Brno
Zbrojovka Brno was a firearm and vehicle manufacturer in Brno, Czech Republic. They also made other products and tools- History :The firm was established in 1918.The Czech-Slovak investment group J&T bought an areal of Zbrojovka Brno in 2007.-Firearms:...
in current-day Czech Republic.
The Volkssturmgewehr VG 2 rifle is also a manually operated bolt action rifle with a similar rotating bolt and crude manual safety. Locking happens with two frontal lugs, which lock into the steel insert, pinned inside the stamped steel receiver. The VG 2 rifle is fed from detachable box magazines, originally developed for G.43 rifle. The stock is crudely made from wood and consists of two separate parts: shoulder stock with semi-pistol grip and forend. Wood parts are permanently pinned to the receiver. Non-adjustable iron sights are provided for close-range shooting only, and zeroed for 100 metres (109.4 yd).
The VG 5 or more correctly, the Volkssturmkarabiner VK 98 rifle is even more basic. It uses the Mauser Gewehr 98 type bolt action with rotary bolt, but has no magazine, so every cartridge has to be manually loaded into the chamber making it a single shot rifle. The sights are fixed, non-adjustable.
Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr
Volkssturm
The Volkssturm was a German national militia of the last months of World War II. It was founded on Adolf Hitler's orders on October 18, 1944 and conscripted males between the ages of 16 to 60 years who were not already serving in some military unit as part of a German Home Guard.-Origins and...
. Production of the Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr occurred from January 1945 till the end of the war; roughly 10,000 were made.
The weapon employed the same 7.92x33mm Kurz intermediate cartridge
Intermediate cartridges
An intermediate cartridge is a military assault rifle cartridge that is less powerful than typical full power battle rifle cartridges such as the 7.92mm Mauser or US .30-06, but still significantly more powerful than pistol cartridges...
as the earlier StG 44 assault rifle
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
and also used the same detachable 30-round box magazine.
The Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr uses a gas-delayed blowback action based on the Barnitzke system, whereby gas bled from the barrel near the chamber creates resistance to the rearward impulse of the operating parts, which ceases when the projectile leaves the muzzle, allowing the operating parts to be forced rearward by the residual pressure of the cartridge case. This principle has been used most successfully in the Heckler & Koch
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...
P7 pistol.
The Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr is constructed rather like many automatic pistols, it has a casing and spring
Spring (device)
A spring is an elastic object used to store mechanical energy. Springs are usually made out of spring steel. Small springs can be wound from pre-hardened stock, while larger ones are made from annealed steel and hardened after fabrication...
around the barrel; the whole casing recoils backward. The breech block, with firing pin and extractor, is pinned to the back end of the barrel casing. The rear end of the gun does not recoil and has the hammer, sear and trigger built into it. Gas coming from four vents, near the end of the barrel, holds the bolt closed till the gas pressure drops to a safe level. Some selective fire
Selective fire
A selective fire firearm has at least one semi–automatic and one automatic mode, which is activated by means of a selector which varies depending on the weapon's design. Some selective fire weapons utilize burst fire mechanisms to limit the maximum or total number of shots fired automatically in...
VG 1-5s were made.
BD 1-5
The BD 1-5 is a self-loading rifle copy of the Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr rifle manufactured by HZA Kulmbach GmbH.See also
- HIW VSKHIW VSKThe HIW VSK was a carbine of German origin developed by Hessische Industrie Werke. It was intended as a Volkssturm weapon and used blow forward operation.-References:******...
, similar intended weapon using blow forward operation - Wimmersperg Spz-krWimmersperg Spz-krThe Spz-kr was an assault rifle that was invented during the latter days of the Third Reich. It was one of the "last ditch" weapons alongside the VG 1-5, StG 45, and MP 3008.-Overview:...
assault rifle - MP 3008MP 3008The 9 mm MP 3008 was a German substitute standard submachine gun manufactured toward the end of World War II in early 1945....
submachine gun, intended for use by the VolkssturmVolkssturmThe Volkssturm was a German national militia of the last months of World War II. It was founded on Adolf Hitler's orders on October 18, 1944 and conscripted males between the ages of 16 to 60 years who were not already serving in some military unit as part of a German Home Guard.-Origins and...
. - List of World War II firearms of Germany
- Steyr GBSteyr GBThe Steyr GB, is a double-action 9×19mm Parabellum caliber, large-framed semi-automatic pistol. The GB uses a gas-delayed blowback action and has a magazine capacity of 18 rounds...
—a pistol using the Barnitzke system - Heckler & Koch P7—another pistol using the Barnitzke system
External links
- VG 1-5 Semi-Auto Carbine in 7,62x33mm Kurz_Germany article with photographs
- German WWII VG 1-5 gas delayed blowback rifle
- Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr VG.1-5 rifle (Germany) at Modern Firearms