WW2 Mauser Becomes Heckler & Koch: the StG-45(M), or Gerat 06H

Cool Forgotten Weapons merch! After the Mp44/StG44 Sturmgewehr was starting to see substantial production and field use, the German military and the Mauser company began working on a way to simplify production of the weapon. The design for the Gerät 06H actually began with the Gerät 03, an attempt to make a roller-locked G43 rifle in 8x57mm. An accident with automatic fire and bolt bounce sparked the idea of roller-delayed blowback, and Mauser engineers incorporated this concept into a rifle in the same layout as the StG-44 and using the 8x33mm cartridge. The Gerät 06H would successfully complete early prototype trials, and was ordered to be fully developed, with the designation StG-45(M). The next step in the process was to make a small batch of guns for extended trials. A total of 30 more guns were ordered, but they were not completed by the time US troops began threatening to o