Often called the world’s first Assault Rifle, the Sturmgewehr 44 is an essential addition to many second world war movies, TV shows and video games. The rifle has been a huge influence on firearms history, as well as having a recurring role in World War 2 games like Medal of Honor and Call of Duty. And while often one of the most powerful entries in the arsenal of those video games, does the truth of this historic weapon match up to its on-screen legacy, and does its appearance in games today still kick up a storm?
0:00 – Intro
00:47 – History of the STG 44
03:47 – Is it the first assault rifle?
05:17 – STG 44 in Pop Culture
07:48 – STG 44 in Call of Duty franchise
08:57 – Pop Culture Tropes
12:53 – The Legacy of the STG 44
15:00 – Ending
In this episode of Loadout, Dave Jewitt visits the Royal Armouries to talk to Keeper of Firearms & Artillery Jonathan Ferguson to chat about the world’s first assault rifle, the STG 44.
You can check out more episodes of Loadout right here. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzSrmGkpWKk&list=PLpg6WLs8kxGMzIemU1gyyLmg5VlKI2UvC
You can check out our Firearms Expert Reacts series here. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FVzcoRjoN4&list=PLpg6WLs8kxGMgYb13XjPgOKbm5O-CDq7R
If you’re interested in seeing more of Jonathan’s work, you can check out more from the Royal Armouries right here. – https://www.youtube.com/user/RoyalArmouries
If you would like to support the Royal Armouries, you can make a charitable donation to the museum here. – https://royalarmouries.org/support-us/donations/
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Thanks for watching this episode of Loadout!
I'm excited to hear what everyone thinks about this look into one of history's most iconic weapons and how it's been portrayed across the last few decades of pop culture.
…Capturing the footage was also a great excuse to revisit some fantastic shooters and get a round of CoH2 in..
We will continue to have more episodes over the next few holiday weekends, so stay tuned, and thank you again for all the support!
You guys would have loved the historical accuracy in vanguard where Japanese soldiers in the pacific carried them in 1943. I thought it was a weapon randomized glitch at first .
Glad to see Jonathan getting to fire his emotional support sturmgewehr
Hate to be that person but Hidden and Dangerous 2 (2002) had the ability to look down Iron Sights before Call of Duty by over a year . Also it is a far better game .
Why does it sound like he's saying "KR" 98?
8:50 Well not really, she had the exact same stats as the AK 47, so she had basically average stats but yeah you couldn't slot any accessories on it.
I think we can all agree that the emotional support Sturmgewehr is the most important Sturmgewehr in history.
The reason the MP44 was in COD4 was because they were found in use in Iraq and Afghanistan, wars which were still very much ‘Modern Warfare’ at the time. They continued to be found in Syria, and they have been spotted in Ukraine this year too. They were a design remarkably ahead of their time.
Where is the 'Emotional Support' STG 44?
One of my favorite guns of all time
This is great.
I don't think the Federov can qualify because it uses the 6.5 Arisaka, a full power rifle cartridge. The US M2 could be included, but it was made in response (sort of) to the MP44, so clearly one was actually in production first.
It's presence in COD4 isn't even all that weird, as there have been quite a few examples found in the middle east, and specifically a few used in the Syrian conflict recently, and even one photographed in (allegedly) the Ukraine.
That was great keep up the good work!
Love this series, keep 'em coming.
VAMOS ARGENTINA LA CONCHA DE MI MADRE
I would say the Fedorov has a stronger argument than the Rigotti. As the Rigotti was in full rifle caliber whereas while the Fedorov was still a rifle caliber most definitely it was made to be intentionally a little bit weaker as to make the system functional and not expload. Still not to the level of a intermediate cartridge it's still a full rifle cartridge it's just a weaker. But you could argue for that war it was more intermediate than anything. I believe there is a possible for a believable alternate history where the federov is called the 1st assault rifle. Although the terminology would be different.
I love how those videos are educational and light hearted at the same time
Dave and Jonathan. Name a more iconic duo. I'll wait.
Wish you can do an episode about the M16, M4 and AR-15 rifles.
I am curious about the STG’s actual effectiveness in WWII and wether or not Germany being able to produce and distribute them earlier would’ve had much of an impact on the war.
FINALLY…An actual firearms expert who tells the truth about the weapon. And that it WASN’T the inspiration for what would become the AK-47.
Thank you Mr. Ferguson.
This gun is always good in every game LOL
It’s weird hearing call of duty and authentic experience in the same sentence
The ar 15 is light years ahead in almost every way except for style. And that is the most important part of any weapon.🧐
Oh the nostalgia! From the video games ahem.
Great vid. In 1943-44, seeing an MP44 must have been like seeing a space gun. And it would have been an OP rifle when used in the situations for which it was designed.
I want one. I'd settle for a semi-auto version if the copy was faithful otherwise. Take my money!
Now you know from whom kalashnikov stole it from.
This has become documentary level film making at this point. This content really deserves a feature length film and a flashy premiere. Dave as host and the ever wonderful Jonathan could be watched for hours.
The MP40 and Tommy Gun are World War 2 Era Submachine Guns
I've never seen mr Ferguson shoot a gun, but I've heard him talk about them for probably 24 hours at this point.
My first exposure to the StG44 was MoH Underground in about 2001, and it was very nostalgic to see the corresponding footage (and the unnaturally thick fog) in this vid. I'm really enjoying this series, the combination of real weapons and the effect that games have had on their perception and the awareness of them is very interesting – I definitely first heard of many small arms through the games I played in the late Nineties and 2000s.
What weakens the argument for the Avtomat being the first true assault rifle is the fact that it shot a full sized rifle cartridge. The StG44 fires an intermediate cartridge and like the Avtomat, has select fire. The StG44 is the first true assault rifle in my eyes.
gj on the britiish armory guy pronouncing it correctly. its STURM not STÜRM
youve been wearing the same jacket for 3 seasons
It feels like the BAR in every game I've used it in. I guess that guns too heavy to be considered an assault rifle…
There are so many bots in the comments
That a variant even made it in to Far Cry 3, where it has absolutely no right to belong kind of says how much influence it has had in games
0:10 "Die Sturmgewehr" from Medal of honor allied assault. Still my favorite mission!
The G3 and its various progeny are also technically part of the STG's legacy. A few designers at Mauser started working on a cheaper variant of the rifle using a roller-delayed blowback mechanism, the STG 45. The war ended before they could build more than 30 of them, so one of the designers moved to Spain and joined CETME, using the design to build the Model B rifle. West Germany took a liking to it and bought a license to produce it themselves (because Belgium wouldn't let them license the FAL, considering Germany had gained a bad habit of invading them in both World Wars), Heckler & Koch redesigned it to fire the NATO-standard 7.62x51mm, and the rest is history.
7:53 "More emphasis on the authenticity". Unlike CoD nowadays that emphasises cosmetics for prepubescent delinquents with ADHD and mommy's credit card. 😂