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  • Although the G43 had a detachable 10 round magazine, it was intended to be loaded using standard 5-round stripper clips without removing the magazine.


  • Soldiers armed with the weapon typically carried one standard stripper clip pouch and a Gewehr 43 pouch with two spare magazines for emergency use.  





Interesting Facts


In 1944 the designation of the Gewehr 43 changed from G43 to K43.  This was simply a nomenclature change. 


The term Gewehr (long rifle) was somewhat unfitting because the G43 was just two centimeters longer than the standard issue K98.  The example photographed is a late war 1945 production K43 that has been re-finished.




Origin:                                   Nazi Germany    
Military Service:                         1943 - 1945
Wars:                                     WWII
Cartridge:                                8x57mm (8mm Mauser)
Action:                                   Semi-Automatic, Gas Operated
Magazine:                                 10 Round Detachable (fed w/ stripper clip)

Significance: 
Germany's attempt at creating a reliable semi-automatic rifle to compete with the US M1 Garand and the Soviet SVT-38 and SVT-40.



In the late 1930s the Soviet Union began replacing their older outdated bolt action rifles with semi-automatic SVT-38s and SVT-40s. 


When Hitler invaded Russia German troops armed with bolt-action K98s were woefully outgunned by the sheer volume of fire able to be produced by the semi-automatic Soviet firearms.

The G41 design was Germany’s initial attempt at making a semi-automatic rifle.   Too complicated and unreliable it was almost immediately replaced by the more durable and resilient G43 which remained in service until the end of the war.


Gewehr 43