German infantry weapons

The principal German infantry weapons are here described in order to enable U. S. troops to identify and, when the opportunity exists, to operate them. 1 No attempt has been made to provide all the details necessary for the maintenance and repair of the weapons described. Reports from observers, enemy documents, British publications, and other sources of information have been examined and compared in order to present in a compact and simple form all the pertinent information on the main German infantry weapons. Wherever possible, the exposition is based on an actual examination and operation of the weapon concerned. The equipment of the German Army in 1939, and its present equipment, reflect the settled policy of the German High Command to have the smallest variety of weapons consistent with meeting operational requirements. While emphasis has been maintained on developing weapons with a high degree of fighting efficiency, only selected types have been designed for mass production. 1 "Abandoned enemy materiel is promptly put into use to augment that of the pursuing force or to replace losses." FM 100-5, "Field Service Regulations, Operations," par. 579, Changes No. 1 (Sept. 16, 1942). The processing of captured materiel for intelligence purposes is described in Training Circular No. 81 (Nov. 6, 1942), Section III. Training Circular No. 88 (Nov. 17, 1942) contains general instructions for the recovery and evacuation of arms and other equipment by combat units in the combat zone. As the battle fronts have widened and the theaters of operations become more varied, the Germans have been forced to increase the variety of their weapons and to improve existing materiel. In addition, they have augmented their supply of weapons by using captured materiel. No attempt has been made in the sections which follow to describe experimental or new German weapons which have not yet come into wide use. Nor is captured materiel used by the Germans considered. Therefore, on occasion U. S. troops may encounter German infantry equipped with some weapon not included in this study. However, a good knowledge of the standard German weapons will usually form a soundbasis for understanding the operation of the newer German weapons. For the armament and organization of the German infantry regiment, the principal unit which employs the weapons described herein, see figure 1. Section II. PISTOLS, RIFLES, AND GRENADES 1 Since 1908 the Luger pistol has been an official German military side arm. Georg Luger of the DWM Arms Company 2 in Germany developed this weapon, known officially as Pistole 08, from the American Borchart pistol invented in 1893. The Luger is a well-balanced, accurate pistol. It imparts a high muzzle velocity to a small-caliber bullet, but develops only a relatively small amount of stopping power. Unlike the comparatively slow IT. S. 45-caliber bullet, the Luger small-caliber bullet does not often lodge itself in the target and thereby impart its shocking power to that which it hits. With its high speed and small caliber it tends to pierce, inflicting a small, clean wound. When the Luger is kept clean, it functions well. However, the mechanism is rather exposed to dust and dirt. The Luger may be identified readily by its exposed barrel, curved butt, and generally smooth lines. (See fig- 2.) 1 The weapons discussed in this section may be operated by one man. 2 Deutsche Waff enund Munitionsfabriken, AktiengeselUchaft. GERMAjNT infantry weapons (1) General. — The Lnger is the most common side arm in use in the German Army.

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