Notes: This weapon, one of the outstanding small-arms designs of World War 2, was made for use by Nazi Paratroopers and first used during the rescue of Mussolini. It is the ancestor of modern assault rifles, being a fairly compact weapon firing on automatic or semiautomatic; it is not considered an actual assault rifle only due to its full-power cartridge. It uses an unusual side-mounted magazine, and had a light bipod and integral folding spike bayonet. The FG-42 fires from an open bolt in automatic fire to allow greater cooling; it fires from a closed bolt in semiautomatic model to allow greater accuracy when aiming. Original models had a steeply-raked pistol grip, but later models were more ergonomic. The FG-42 was expensive and time-consuming to manufacture, and only 7000 were made; only Herman Goering’s political influence and determination to provide a distinctive weapon to "his" paratroopers allowed that many to be made. Few of them survive in working order to this day; most of them belong to private collectors or museums.

Notes: The Haenel M-1907 (Aptierte Haenel-Gewehr M-1907) was not actually built for use by German forces; it was made for export to China shortly after the turn of the 20^th century. It is basically a Gewehr 88 with the addition of a bolt-guide rib, gas-escape port, guides for stripper clips, and modifications necessary to accept the 8mm Mauser round. A few of these rifles were still in Germany at the start of World War 1, awaiting shipment to China; these sere seized by the Kaiser’s Army and used by Landsturm troops to free Gewehr 88s for regular Army use. Some of these retained their original 6.5x57mm Mauser chambering, but most were modified for 8mm Mauser.

Notes: The G-3 was first taken into German Army service in 1959. Since then, it has been sold and manufactured in so many countries, it may be encountered almost anywhere in the world. The G-3 is based on the design of the Spanish CETME-58; however, the CETME-58 was itself based on a Nazi design that was never produced. (In fact, the first prototypes of the G-3 were virtually identical to the CETME-58.) The G-3 was the first Heckler & Koch rifle to use roller-locking action that became synonymous with the company’s name.

After many modifications and some improvements, the G-3 did not look so much like the CETME-58 any more; there is still, however, a noticeable family difference. Unlike the CETME-58, however, the G-3 is built using as many steel stampings as possible. Early G-3s used stamped steel ventilated handguards, but had inexpensive high-impact plastic pistol grips. Early stocks were of wood, but these were later replaced with plastic stocks. The first G-3s used sights which were little-changed from those of the CETME-58, but most G-3s use drum-type sights with a hooded front post. The charging handle is on the left side above the barrel, and folds for storage or to prevent snagging. Very early production G-3s had no flash suppressor; a prong-type flash suppressor was quickly added, but virtually all G-3s were built with a compact birdcage-type flash suppressor or retrofitted with them. The original G-3 also was fitted with a folding bipod and a FAL-type carrying handle.

Operation is by delayed blowback using roller locking. In addition, a tiny amount of gas is leaked through internal flutes to the chamber, which actually helps keep the spent cases from sticking and aids in extraction.

The G-3 was first fielded in 1959, but user feedback led to some of the changes described above in 1963, such as the drum-type rear sight. The bipod and carrying handle were also eliminated. Also in 1963, the first sliding-stock variant, the G-3A1, was introduced, with a metal stock similar to (but not exactly the same as) later Heckler & Koch sliding stock patterns, including a textured rubber-coated buttplate. The G-3A2, though approved in 1962, does not appear to have been fielded until 1964; this model used a fixed plastic stock, plastic handguards, and a floating barrel which improved accuracy. Many earlier G-3s were rebuilt to the G-3A2 standard.

The G-3A3 was adopted later that year, and replaced the plastic stock with a synthetic one, improved the front sight, and changed the design of the flash suppressor to allow it to use NATO-pattern rifle grenades. In 1968, a version of the G-3A3 also became available with four selector lever positions (safe, semiautomatic, 3-round burst, and full auto), but the Germans and many other countries do not seem to have used that version very much. In 1974, further modifications were made to the G-3A3, re-shaping the pistol grip and simplifying the handguards. In 1985, even more changes were made, including a synthetic sub-frame for the stock and pistol grip for strengthening and an ambidextrous fire selector. The G-3A4 is virtually identical to the G-3A3, but uses a sliding steel stock. The G-3A3 and G-3A4 have become the standard production versions of the G-3 series. (There are also G-3A5, A6, and A-7 versions, which are simply export versions of the G-3A3 or G-3A4.)

Other significant variants of the G-3 include the G-3KA3 and A4; these versions have barrels shortened to 12.7 inches, with the G-3KA3 using a fixed stock (and being relatively quite rare) and the G-3KA4 having a sliding steel stock. Neither are capable of mounting bayonets or using rifle grenades. The G-3SG/1 is an otherwise-standard G-3A3 which, during test firing, showed itself (due to slight variances in manufacturing) to be somewhat more accurate and/or better built than the normal G-3A3. They have a normal fire selector, but also are fitted with a trigger group including a set trigger (useable only when the rifle is set on semiautomatic). The standard trigger is also adjustable for pull weight. The G-3SG/1 also has a folding bipod mounted as standard, as well as a modified stock with a removable cheekpiece (of various sizes to suit the shooter). They have a claw-type telescopic sight mount fitted (which in German service usually holds a Zeiss 1.5-6x scope). The G-3A3 and G-3A4 INKAS have an infrared laser spotting device built into the cocking handle, with the switch behind the front sight.

A minor modification of the G-3A3 is called the G-3PT; this version is made by using a parts kit consisting of a subcaliber barrel insert and a magazine insert to allow the G-3A3 to fire .22 Long Rifle ammunition. No other G-3A3 parts need be changed to produce the G-3PT, though the sights must be adjusted for the shorter range. The G-3PT is meant to allow lower-cost basic marksmanship training. The G-3TGS is not really a variant as such; it is simply the nomenclature for a G-3A3 or G-3A4 fitted with the HK-79 grenade launcher and the special interface handguard/fore-end hardware and grenade-launching sights.

The G-3 also spawned several related designs (which are covered elsewhere in these pages); these include the PSG-1 and MSG-90 sniper rifles, HK-33 and G-41 assault rifles, and HK-11 and HK-21 machineguns; in addition, there is a civilian version called the HK-91, which has a fire selector locked to allow only semiautomatic fire only. There are in fact so many countries which wither have licenses to manufacture the G-3 series or use the G-3 series themselves that it is possible to encounter the G-3 almost anywhere in the world, with virtually innumerable local modifications both large and small.

It should be noted that while the G-3 is not normally issued with the folding bipod, it can easily be fitted with one; any G-3 can also be fitted with a claw-type scope/accessory mount. There are also rumors that some G-3s have recently been fitted with MIL-STD-1913 rails, but I have not been able to confirm this.

*Plus the cost of the base G-3A3; the parts kit cannot be used as a rifle by itself! The weight listed, however, is the weight of the parts kit in addition to the weight of the base G-3A3; by itself, the weight is 0.6 kg.

**If one chooses one of these G-3 versions without burst firing capability, subtract $182 from the price of the weapon.

Notes: This was a competing design to Walther’s Gew-41(W). Only about 6700 were built, and it was discovered that the modified Bang system used by the Gew-41(M) could be a bit fragile, and the protruding charging handle tended to get caught up on just about anything. The Gew-41(M) did have the virtue of being able to be top-loaded by stripper clips or by inserting a fresh magazine; it also used a standard Mauser-pattern bayonet. In the end, however, it was hardly a successful design.

Notes: This version of the Mauser rifle rivals the Kalashnikov for the most common rifle in history. This is in spite of the rather clumsy arrangement of the bolt handle and group, and the stock that is normally way too long for the size of an average person (especially one of that time, 1898. The Nazis were still carrying millions of them when they invaded Poland in 1939, and a substantial number of them still survive to this day. They are strong, reliable, and accurate.

Notes: This is the result of an experimental program by the Nazis to produce a semiautomatic rifle to compete with the likes of the American M-1 Garand. They selected a Walther design, an adaptation of the Bang rifle system using gas operation. One of the problems with the Gew-41(W) was that it was difficult and slow to manufacture; another was that it was long and poorly-balanced. The integral magazine was also slow to load. As a result, only about 8000 Gew-41(W)s were made, and they were issued primarily to special units stationed on the Russian Front.

Notes: Also known as the Kar-43, the Gew-43 is basically a Gew-41(W) with a greatly-modified gas system and detachable magazine. In addition, the weapon was drilled and tapped for a scope, and was generally used as a sniper’s weapon. It was never used in large numbers, and was almost always in the hands of snipers or special operations troops. After World War 2, the Gew-43 was used for a short time as a sniper rifle by the Czech Army.