Wow! It's a shame I'll never be able to get one of those.
Videos:
Reenactor talks about WW2 German smallarms
Factsheet:
Type: Automatic rifle
Place of origin: Germany
In service: 1942-1945
Production history
Designer: Louis Stange
Designed: 1942
Variants: Model I (~2000 built), Model II (~5000 built)
Specifications
Weight (empty): 4.38 kg (Model I),
5,05 kg (Model II)
Length: 937 mm (Model I),
1060 mm (Model II)
Barrel length: 502 mm (19¾" in)
Caliber: 7,92 x 57 mm (8 mm Mauser)
Rate of fire: 900 rounds/min (Model I),
600 rounds/min (Model II)
Muzzle velocity: 761 m/s (2,500 f/s)
Effective range: ~500 m
Feed system: 10 or 20-round detachable box magazine)
Sights: Diopter Open Sights,
ZFG42 Scope (Model I & II),
ZF4 Scope (Model III)
(Edit: 1/6 scale model, s.b.)
photo by cookie/sturmgeschütz of www.uzitalk.com
Short history of the FG 42:
The FG-42 Mark II (Fallschirmjägergewehr-42) assault rifle was developed on the insistence of Field Marshal Herman Göring who commanded the German Luftwaffe. The German paratroop corps, called Fallschirmjägers in German, were part of the German Luftwaffe. Göring wanted an advanced assault rifle that would give his paratroopers an advantage in close combat.
Strict guidelines were issued for the development of this new assault rifle. The weapon had to be light enough to carry when parachuting and had to incorporate both semi automatic fire for sniping and automatic fire for close in combat. In addition, it had to use the standard rifle ammunition that was used in the German K-98 Rifle, the 7.92 X 57 mm Mauser round (otherwise known as 8mm Mauser)
The result of was an extraordinary weapon that became the FG-42. The FG-42 was an air-cooled, gas operated, shoulder fired assault rifle. This new assault rifle had a 20 round side-loaded box magazine and a fixed three-power sniper scope. It fired from the closed bolt position in sniper mode, and open bolt position in full auto mode.
Problems:
The FG42 had a 20, or sometimes 10, round magazine that was mounted on the left side of the rifle. Though a side-mounted magazine was common in submachineguns, the larger magazine with heavier ammunition of a full-powered rifle tended to unbalance the weapon. In addition, muzzle rise with automatic fire was substantial and controllable bursts were difficult. This made full-automatic fire only marginally useful. The FG42 used a fairly sophisticated muzzle device that did help with recoil and muzzle flash, but blast and noise were much greater than other similar weapons.
Last edited by weissent; 08-23-2006 at 08:39 PM. Reason: Added another video
Wow! It's a shame I'll never be able to get one of those.
They are special and interesting weapons, would be kinda fun to try one some time.
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Got to handle one at the Gun Show two years ago. A gentleman had one that attracted a bit too much attention for the LEOs patrolling the show.
Very nice weapon, heavy but nice and ergonomic. Wish I could have fired it. They are apparantly loud as hell from the live fire videos I have seen and discussion about them.
Which museum?
Some of the pistol grips in those photos look pretty akward angles.
Ah i see. I've always loved the look of the fg-42.
The Dragon Models and/or BBi Fallschirmjaeger collectible models have this weapon... the first time I had seen it. You can "fire" it in Call of Duty (the PC game!!)... it's a great looking weapon!
BTW, looks like I screwed up the video-links; does anybody know how to correctly post youtube links here?
While the pistol grip angle looks odd when you have the weapon shouldered it isnt. Particularly in the ****e.
Brothers in Arms allows you to field one as well. Both Iron sights and optics work well.
The weapon wasnt designed to be fired while in the harness. Typically Fallschirmjäger jumped sans weapons. Pistols? yes, others like K98, FG42, MP38.40 no although they did develop a bag for the MP38.40.
Have you ever compared the M-60 to the FG-42?
You can see that they are closely related.
The FG-42 looks like the magfed older brother of the M-60...
If you liked those vids, check this one out - serious gun ****!![]()
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpsJo...related&search=
This is actually a picture of a 1/6th scale replica for a dragon models action figureI would I know i have it
gos to show how realistic that **** is eh?