Volkssturmgewehr 1-5

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Volkssturmgewehr 1-5
Volkssturmgewehr 1-5
Type	Semi-automatic rifle
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
Used by	Nazi Germany
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designed	1944
Number built	10,000
Variants	See Text
Specifications
Weight	4.27 kg
Length	960 mm
Barrel length	380 mm

Cartridge	7.92 x 33 mm (7.92 mm Kurz)
Caliber	8 mm (.31 in)
Action	Gas-delayed blowback
Rate of fire	20 to 30 RPM
Muzzle velocity	685 m/s (2,247 ft/s)
Effective range	300 meters
Feed system	30rd detachable box magazine

The Volkssturmgewehr 1-5 is a 7.92 x 33 mm (7.92 mm Kurz) caliber semi-automatic rifle developed by Nazi Germany during World War II. Also known as the VG 1-5, Volkssturm-Gewehr 1-5, Versuchs-Gerät 1-5 and "Gustloff." It was intended to be used by the Volkssturm militia.

1 Overview
2 History
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Overview

Volkssturmgewehr 1-5 used 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 PSP or P7 pistol.

The VG 1-5 is constructed rather like many automatic pistols, it has a casing and spring around the barrel and 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 of the barrel hold the bolt closed till the gas pressure drops to a safe level. The VG 1-5 used the same 30 shot 7.92 x 33 mm (7.92 mm Kurz) caliber magazine as the Sturmgewehr 44/Sturmgewehr 45. Some selective-fire VG 1-5 were made.

[edit] History

The VG 1-5 was quickly designed by Herr Barnitzke of Gusloft-Werke for the Primitiv-Waffen-Programm in 1944. It was intended to be used by the Volkssturm and may have also been used by the postwar Werwolf guerrilla movement. The production of the VG 1-5 was around 10,000 and occurred from January 1945 till the end of the War.

[edit] See also

Sturmgewehr 44
Sturmgewehr 45 prototype rifle, with roller-delayed blowback operation.
MP 3008 a submachine gun intended for use by the Volkssturm.
Heckler & Koch P7 a gas-delayed blowback operation pistol.
List of World War II firearms of Germany

v • d • e German-made firearms and light weapons of World War II
Side arms (Pistole)
Mauser C96 \| Luger \| Walther P38 \| Walther PPK \| Sauer 38H \| Mauser HSc
Rifles & carbines (Gewehr & Karabiner)
Karabiner 98k \| Gewehr 41 \| Gewehr 43/Karabiner 43 \| StG44/MP44 \| FG42 \| StG45(M) \| Volkssturmgewehr 1-5
Submachine guns ( Maschinenpistole )
Bergmann MP18 \| MP38/MP40 "Schmeisser" \| MP3008 "Volks MP"
Machine guns & other larger weapons
MG08 \| MG34 \| MG42 \| Faustpatrone \| Panzerfaust \| Panzerschreck Flammenwerfer 35 \| Panzerbüchse 39 \| Granatwerfer 36 \| Granatwerfer 42
Notable foreign-made infantry weapons
P.640(b) \| Vis.35 \| Vz.24/G24(t) \| MG26(t) \| Panzerbüchse 35(p)
German-made cartridges used by the Wehrmacht
7.92 x 57 mm \| 7.63 x 25 mm Mauser \| 7.92 mm Kurz \| 7.65 mm Luger \| 9 mm Luger