Missileer
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Originally created by Amerigo Cei, an officer in the Italian army, in 1890, the Cei-Rigotti rifle was extensively modified by Rigotti in 1900, and is often regarded as the first assault rifle. Over the next few years (1903 and 1911) there were improvements to its internal functions, such as its gas operation. This is also what made the Cei-Rigotti so modern, the fact that it was the first time a gas operated action was successfully used in a rifle. The rifle also featured 6.5x52mm munition in what was probably a 25 round detachable box magazine. The system, although not actually used by any army (possibly because of unreliability), was remade in Switzerland, Russia, Austria. These variations featured 8x56mm munition (Austria) and 7,62x54mm (Russia).
The first true assault rifle was probably the Italian-made Cei-Rigotti, which was developed around the beginning of the 20th century but never entered military service. The first service assault rifle was the Russian Federov Avtomat of 1916 chambered for the Japanese Arisaka 6.5×50 mm rifle cartridge, which due to supply problems was only used in small numbers.
Germany, like other countries, had studied the problem since World War I, and their factories made a variety of non-standard cartridges, so they had less incentive to remain with their existing calibers. At first they were still using the 8×57JS and 8mm Mauser. The 7.92×30 mm cartridge was the best of that production, and in 1941 it was improved to 7.9×33 mm Infanterie Kurz Patrone. In 1942 it was improved again as Maschinenkarabiner Patrone S and in 1943 Pistolen Patrone 43mE, then finally Infanterie Kurz Patrone 43. All these names follow the troubled creation of the Sturmgewehr 44. In 1942 Walther presented the Maschinenkarabiner (automatic carbine, abbr. MK), named MKb42(W). In the same year, Haenel presented the MKb42(H), designed by Hugo Schmeisser as a result of this program. Rheinmetall-Borsig (some said Krieghoff) presented its FG-42 (Fallschirmjaeger Gewehr 42) though this was was in a different role, and using a heavy 8×57 mm cartridge. (This weapon did not use an intermediate cartridge). The FG-42 was sponsored by Hermann Göring. War-time tests in Russia indicated the MKb42(H) was the best of the three. Schmeisser developed it first as the MP43, then MP43/1 and finally as the Stg 44. It immediately entered large scale production. More than 5,000 pieces had been produced by February 1944, 55,000 by the following November.
The first true assault rifle was probably the Italian-made Cei-Rigotti, which was developed around the beginning of the 20th century but never entered military service. The first service assault rifle was the Russian Federov Avtomat of 1916 chambered for the Japanese Arisaka 6.5×50 mm rifle cartridge, which due to supply problems was only used in small numbers.
Germany, like other countries, had studied the problem since World War I, and their factories made a variety of non-standard cartridges, so they had less incentive to remain with their existing calibers. At first they were still using the 8×57JS and 8mm Mauser. The 7.92×30 mm cartridge was the best of that production, and in 1941 it was improved to 7.9×33 mm Infanterie Kurz Patrone. In 1942 it was improved again as Maschinenkarabiner Patrone S and in 1943 Pistolen Patrone 43mE, then finally Infanterie Kurz Patrone 43. All these names follow the troubled creation of the Sturmgewehr 44. In 1942 Walther presented the Maschinenkarabiner (automatic carbine, abbr. MK), named MKb42(W). In the same year, Haenel presented the MKb42(H), designed by Hugo Schmeisser as a result of this program. Rheinmetall-Borsig (some said Krieghoff) presented its FG-42 (Fallschirmjaeger Gewehr 42) though this was was in a different role, and using a heavy 8×57 mm cartridge. (This weapon did not use an intermediate cartridge). The FG-42 was sponsored by Hermann Göring. War-time tests in Russia indicated the MKb42(H) was the best of the three. Schmeisser developed it first as the MP43, then MP43/1 and finally as the Stg 44. It immediately entered large scale production. More than 5,000 pieces had been produced by February 1944, 55,000 by the following November.
