Rifles

Submachine Guns

Pistols

Machine Guns

Mortars

Anti-Tank

Mines

Grenades

Rifles

Karabiner 98K Mauser mit Gewehr Sprenggranaten (rifle grenade)

Karabiner 98K Mauser und Seiteengewehr (bayonet)

The standard German Karabiner 98K became the final improved version of the 1898 Mauser.  Adopted in 1935 for the Wehrmacht, nearly 11 million copies were made by the end of the war.  The Mauser 98K is a bolt-operated, magazine fed shoulder weapon.  The internal magazine holds five rounds of 7.92 mm rifle ammunition.  Maximum range is approximately 3000 yards with an effective range of 800 yards.  The weapon weighs approximately 9 lbs. loaded with an overall length of 43.6 inches.

Gewehr 43 (G43) Karabiner 43 (K43)

The development of a semiautomatic rifle by the Wehrmacht came with the help of the Russian Tokarev gas cylinder system.  The early model (G41) had a cumbersome gas operating system which proved unreliable in the field.  The adoption of the Russian system made the G43 reliable and well balanced.  Finish of the G43 was rough, having only machined areas where necessary.  The rifle was mostly used on the OST Front (Eastern Front) but saw use in the west. The rifle had a detachable magazine holding 10 rounds of 7.92 mm ammunition.  The weapon weighs 9 lbs./9 oz. and is 44 inches in length.

Submachine Guns

Maschinen Pistole 38/40 (MP38/40)

This main production machine pistol was developed from the MP38, an earlier model designed for issue to Fallschirmjäger troops and still used throughout the war.  Produced by ERMA (not Schmeisser as commonly believed), the MP40 was constructed with a combination stamped, welded, and formed parts (plastic and metal).   The magazines were ribbed for strength and held 32 rounds of 9mm ammunition.   The weapon is blowback operated and has a cyclic rate of fire of 500 rounds per minute, and a practical rate of 180 rounds per minute.  The weapon weighs 9 lbs. without a magazine and the overall length is 33 1/2 inches.

Maschinen Pistole 43/44 (MP43/44) Sturmgewehr 44 (STG44)

The STG44 was developed from the MP43/44, an earlier model that was constructed of pressed steel, gas operated and was magazine fed with 30 rounds of Kurz Patrone 7.92x33mm ammunition.  For propoganda reasons, it was renamed Sturmgewehr 44 (Assault Rifle 44).  The overall length is 37 inches and weighed 11 pounds.  It has a cyclic rate of fire between 500-600 rounds per minute, and a practical rate of 180-200 rounds per minute.

Pistols

The 1 lb./14 oz. handgun was first issued in WWI and retained during the Wehrmacht's expansion due to weapons shortages.  The P08 chambered a 9mm round from a detachable 8 round magazine.  The system of operation revolved around a recoil and toggle joint.  Although preferred by officers, the P08 did not prove to be reliable under combat conditions and was replaced by the Walther P38.  The overall length of the barrel is 4 1/2 inches, and weighs 2 pounds.  It's effective combat range is around 32 yards.

Walther Pistole, Model 1938 (P38)

In 1938, the Wehrmacht had begun to adopt the P38 as a replacement to the P08.  It weighs 2 lbs./1.5 oz. and has a 8 round detachable magazine.   Double action capability is due to its recoil operating system.  The P38 was well accepted by the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS due to its ability to operate in all types of adverse conditions.  The P38 chambered a 9mm round.  The overall length of the barrel is 4 3/4 inches.  It's overall effective range was comparable to the P08.

Machine Guns

Designed by Mauser from the Swiss MG30 as the first general purpose machine gun.  It could be carried by one man for general infantry assault roles or mounted on a tripod for long range precision firing, or mounted on a AA mount for anti-aircraft roles.  The 26 lb./11 oz. recoil operated 7.92mm belt-fed machine gun fired 850 rounds per minute.  The close tolerance of parts made the MG34 vulnerable to stoppage under combat conditions.  The overall length is 48 inches.  The weight with bipod is 26 1/2 lbs., and weight with tripod is 42 lbs.  The practical rate of fire as a LMG is 100-200 rounds per minute, and as a HMG 300 rounds per minute.   The effective range as a LMG is 600-800 yards, and as a HMG is 2000-2500 yards.

Maschinengewehr Model 1942 (MG42)

The MG42 was adopted in 1942 by the Wehrmacht and first used in North Africa.  The 25 lb./8 oz. weapon was constructed of steel stampings and featured a quick change barrel system which enabled the operator to install a cool barrel in 5 seconds.  The weapon had a recoil firing mechanism and fired 7.92mm ammunition at a cyclic rate of 1200-1400 rounds per minute.  The overall length is 49 inches, and weighed 23 3/4 lbs.  The practical rate of fire as a LMG is 250 rounds per minute, and as a HMG 500 rounds per minute.  The effective range as a LMG is 600-800 yards and as a HMG is 2000-2500 yards.

Mortars

This is the German equivalent of the U.S. 81mm mortar M-1. Minimum-Maximum range 591-2,625 yards. The launcher fired both smoke and explosive grenades. The launcher consisted of 3 individual parts; barrel with breech piece, baseplate and bipod with attachment and slider with spindle screw, which could be assembled to form a complete launcher in under three minutes. After 1943 when the 12cm (120 mm) Schwerer (Heavy) mortar was introduced, it took on the new designation of Medium launcher.

Anti-Tank Weapons

Designed to be used against armor at ranges of about 30 yards, at which range a penetration of just over 200 mm is obtained.  Its weight is 11 lbs. and the overall length is 41 inches.

Panzerfaust 60 (Recoilless Antitank Grenade Launcher)

Similar in appearance to the Panzerfaust 30, it has a redesigned firing mechanism and new sights.  It had the capability of penetrating 200mm  of armor at 60 meters.

Panzerfaust 100 (Recoilless Antitank Grenade Launcher)

Similar in appearance to the Panzerfaust 60, it has a redesigned firing mechanism and new sights.  It had the capability of penetrating 200mm  of armor at 150 meters.

Raketenpanzerbüchse 54  (Rocket Launcher)   Panzerschreck (Tank Terror)

Similar to the U.S. 2.36 inch rocket launcher.  The rocket is a 88mm (7lb.) projectile.  The overall length of the weapon is 5ft.4 1/2 inches, and weighs 20 1/2 lbs. It could penetrate 15cm of armor at 60 degrees, and had a maximum effective range of 400 meters.