VG45K: Rheinmetall's 8mm Kurz Volksgewehr (Ad-free)
Added 2022-10-08 12:00:06 +0000 UTCAs the end of World War Two loomed close, the German arms industry turned to a number of Volkssturm rifle designs. These were the crudest and simplest rifles that could be made to work with minimal time, labor, and raw materials. Most were bolt action rifles chambered for 8x57mm, like the Walther VG-1 - but in December 1944 a Rheinmetall design in 8x33mm was tested and approved.
This design, designated the VG-3 by the military but also known as the VG45K by the company, was a simple bolt action turnbolt rifle. It never appear to have actually entered mass production, but two examples were uncovered by British investigators in Sömmerda in 1945. One had a full stock design, and one used a stamped receiver with a separate stock and handguard. It is that second design that was reproduced in the rifle we have today. It feeds from standard Sturmgewehr magazines, and has a pretty interesting stamped receiver design. The bolt guide rails are actually just the top of the receiver stamping, folded down horizontally.
Thanks to the relatively low power of the the 8x33mm cartridge, it is a pretty comfortable rifle to shoot despite the heavy trigger and rather sharp edge on the stock. And this example proved more accurate and more reliable than I had expected!
Comments
Elbonia gets a rifle.
Steven Minniear
2022-10-12 20:18:58 +0000 UTCThe Armenian K-11 comes to mind. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-11_(sniper_rifle)
2022-10-10 17:40:37 +0000 UTCstereotypical german! profit to the last second at any cost. yuck! wow. that thing looks like a viet jungle shop make something to resist japanese. that is real crude.
Guido Schriewer
2022-10-08 20:52:26 +0000 UTCVery cool piece of history; thanks
Mrgunsngear
2022-10-08 15:32:52 +0000 UTCThis bolt guide rails/top edge of receiver configuration could be applicable to simple semi auto designs too...
Robert Rowe
2022-10-08 14:54:16 +0000 UTCThat’s awesome!
Sonny Hughes
2022-10-08 13:45:46 +0000 UTCI bought this one myself.
Forgotten Weapons
2022-10-08 13:34:46 +0000 UTCYours, or sent for the video? I am assuming the bolt locks into a barrel extension so the stamped receiver is not being stressed. The rifle is pretty cool but not as easy to use as a modern rifle, mags and ammo are a little pricy also.
Steven E
2022-10-08 13:23:29 +0000 UTCThat silent metal target is extremely unsettling now, maybe do a video on it?
Hozi
2022-10-08 13:22:43 +0000 UTCThis was a passion project by a guy who is really into 8x33. :)
Forgotten Weapons
2022-10-08 12:45:26 +0000 UTCIt’s interesting that someone went to the trouble of making a reproduction of such an obscure, but interesting, rifle. The functional equivalents available on the current market that immediately come to mind are the Mossberg MVP, and the Ruger American Ranch, but I’m sure there are other bolt action rifles in intermediate military cartridges that use mil spec mags, as well.
Ryan D Thorne
2022-10-08 12:30:59 +0000 UTC
