The Classic German MP43

Collecting the original assault rifle

November 13, 2025 By Will Dabbs, MD

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I once read an anecdote about an American paratrooper who made the D-Day jump into Normandy. In the face of withering antiaircraft fire, many of these sky soldiers jumped lower and faster than they had in training. Much of their equipment was subsequently lost in the violent slipstream. This particular paratrooper hit the ground armed solely with his pistol and a knife.

This young man soon liberated a German MP44 assault rifle. He referred to it as, “That new Buck Rogers gun.” He packed that thing in combat for a couple of days until he ran out of ammo and then discarded it in a handy bush. By then, he had scored a proper American weapon that the logistics system could keep supplied.

“That new Buck Rogers gun” was indeed a radically advanced combat implement. At a time when the state of the art was a bolt-action rifle that was nearly four feet long, held only five cartridges, and fired a round the size of your little finger, the MP44 was something altogether different. Firing a lightweight intermediate cartridge from a thirty-shot magazine and offering controllable selective fire operation, the MP44 spawned an entirely new species of infantry weapon. The MP44 was the world’s first true assault rifle.

The Cartridge

Cartridge comparision — The success of the MP43 was really driven by its revolutionary cartridge. All modern assault rifle cartridges stemmed from it. From left to right we have the 7.92x33mm kurz, the 7.62x39mm, the 5.56x45mm, and the 5.45x39mm. (Photo provided by author.)

This all began as an idea during World War I. In 1918, a Hauptmann Piderit of the Gewehrprüfungskommission (“Small Arms Examination Committee”) made the observation that almost all infantry combat took place at less than 800 meters. Most of those scraps were actually within 300 meters. Much of the power of those full-sized cartridges was therefore wasted in the countryside beyond the target. This eventually led to the development of the revolutionary 7.92x33mm kurz round in 1938.

The 7.92x33mm kurz was 24mm shorter than the standard 7.92x57mm cartridge and used exactly half as much powder. It pushed a 124-grain full metal jacket bullet to around 2,250 fps. All that remained was to find a gun that would shoot it.

The Weapon

MP43 rifle — Most all MP43-variant rifles are vet-bringback guns. (Photo provided by author.)

Hugo Schmeisser designed the weapon. The selective fire MP43 was formed predominantly from steel stampings. At 11 pounds and five ounces loaded, the MP43 was nonetheless still fairly heavy.

There were technically three different versions of the weapon. Aside from the markings, there were very few practical differences among the three. The MP43 morphed into the MP44 that eventually became the StG44 or Sturmgewehr (“Storm Gun.”) Adolf Hitler purportedly came up with that term himself. Allied intelligence translated Storm Gun into Assault Rifle, and here we are.

Collectability

MP43 compared to MP40 — The MP43 (top) and the MP40 were popular war trophies during World War II. Both guns would break down small enough to fit into a duffle bag. (Photo provided by author.)

For ease of discussion, we will use MP43 to describe all of these rifles. There were 425,977 copies that rolled off the lines during the war. As this was such a weird, unique, historically-significant firearm, it became a popular war trophy. As a result, they are better represented in the NFA registry might otherwise be the case.

Most all of the MP43 variant guns I have encountered were original curio and relic vet-bringback weapons. I have seen a couple post-sample machineguns built up on rewelded receivers, but they really don’t count. Prior to the 1986 ban, there was not enough demand for these guns to justify anyone tooling up to make virgin receivers. While stamped components like MP43 receivers are cheap to build once you have the dies tweaked, the initial startup investment is prodigious.

Back when I was a kid, you could land a demilled MP43 in the pages of Shotgun News, the predecessor to the superlative magazine you appear to be clutching, for around $450. These kits included a torch-cut receiver and intact barrels. Nowadays, that same kit would set you back five or six grand on the rare occasion they can be found.

The quality of these rifles deteriorated somewhat during the course of the war. Around-the-clock bombing took a toll on raw materials availability, and skilled workers were drawn off to serve on the front lines. Early MP43’s are generally the nicest. The subsequent MP43/I was the same gun with a threaded barrel and an extended muzzle nut to accommodate a grenade launcher attachment. It also featured a scope rail to accept the superb Zf4 optical sight. Guns thusly configured are unusual and therefore slightly more valuable than the standard unadorned sort.

Late-war StG44’s often can be found with mismatched finishes and fairly crude furniture. However, paradoxically, sometimes these last-ditch features will actually enhance the value of a specific specimen. That is all driven by the proclivities of the buyer.

Parts for MP43 — With each passing year, spare parts get tougher and tougher to find. (Photo provided by author.)

Specialty kit designed for the StG44 like the Vampyr IR night vision system or the Krummlauf curved barrel assemblies that allow you to shoot around corners are incredibly rare. Possession of some of that stuff along with a proper host rifle could be traded for a decent retirement fund. I’ve personally never seen either actually for sale.

According to MachinegunPriceGuide.com, MP43-variant rifles were running around $11,000 apiece back in 2004, and Firearms News Editor-in-Chief, Vincent L. DeNiro, sold an amnesty-registered MP44 for $9,500 around 2001. Nowadays, a decent specimen will set you back closer to $42,000. A super nice unusual example might fetch nearly $60,000. A beater would be closer to $36,000.

Practicalities

MP43 next to AK47 — The Russians claim that Mikhail Kalashnikov was not inspired by the MP43. I find that hard to believe. (Photo provided by author.)

The MP43 is unique in the marketplace simply because nothing else shoots that weird 7.92x33mm kurz ammunition. The enterprising reloader can build his own using .308 brass, but that is a fairly advanced undertaking. In years past, ammo availability was a significant aspect of collecting these old vintage guns. Unlike those who accumulate decorative figurines, autographed baseballs, or oil paintings, most folks who collect exotic firearms want to exercise them, at least a little bit. However, nowadays the novelty and subsequent astronomical prices of these old guns has overcome the natural desire to really wring them out.

Once you do press that trigger, however, it becomes apparent what all the fuss was about. The MP43 cycles at a comatose 550 rpm and is simply great fun to shoot. The design holds its own with much more modern fare.

Cross bolt selector — The lever is the safety. The crossbolt pushbutton is the fire selector. (Photo provided by author.)

For decades, Prvi Partizan was the primary source for new-made 7.92x33mm ammunition. Made in Serbia, Prvi Partizan ammo was of good quality and available. However, as of the summer of 2025, the President of Serbia has halted ammunition exports. That has driven the price up on Prvi Partizan 7.92x33mm ammo to above a dollar a round.

The one bright spot is the new-made MP44 from DK Production Group based in Kentucky. These modern semiauto MP44 replicas are indeed things of beauty. Chambered in the original 7.92x33mm kurz, the MSRP on these guns is a whopping $6,200. However, as of this writing they are sold out. There is a waiting list. As more of these guns enter the marketplace, however, the demand for 7.92x33mm ammo will obviously increase. It’ll no doubt cost a fortune, but I suspect somebody will tool up to make that stuff eventually.

Ruminations

Target — By definition, all of these guns are at least 80 years old. Most of them have astronomical round counts. It is actually amazing they have held up as well as they have. (Photo provided by author.)

The MP43 is heavy, and the forearm gets hot fast on rapid fire. Original spare parts are almost impossible to source, and the gun fires an obscure round that, for the time being at least, nobody really mass produces. However, these old vintage Sturmgewehrs still command an insane premium. That’s because this really was the world’s first assault rifle. Clutching one of these antique machineguns is like touching a little history.