Fallschirmjäger Style: SMG's Semiauto 1st Pattern FG-42

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  • čas přidán 25. 06. 2024
  • / forgottenweapons
    www.floatplane.com/channel/Fo...
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    The early pattern (Type E, specifically) FG-42 is one of the most eye-catching military rifles ever made. Designed to be a universal paratrooper's rifle capable of acting as sniper's rifle, light machine gun, hand-to-hand weapon, and grenade launcher, only 2,000 of this early pattern were ever made. With its distinctive sherply swept-back grip, brass scope mount, and fishtail stamped buttstock, it is a svelte and elegant rifle. Originals are extremely rare and command the highest price of virtually any military small arms, and so it is not surprising that a reproduction has been made for those who would like to actually shoot them.
    SMG began making the later pattern of semiauto-only FG-42 more than 8 years ago (not that this means they have spent more than twice as long perfecting their design than Rheinmetall and Krieghoff did on the originals). This second pattern is a significantly more accurate reproduction, as it uses a milled receiver like the early design originally did. The bayonet, bipod, stock, grip and markings are authentically reproduced to a magnificent degree, and the rifle is is nice to shoot as it is to look at. The reproduction scope that is paired with the rifle is based on a Russian PU - perfectly appropriate as the original ZFG42 optic made by Voigtländer was also heavily based on the PU.
    The workmanship in this rifle and its scope are outstanding, and the attention to detail is as well. It is truly a treat to handle and shoot!
    Contact:
    Forgotten Weapons
    6281 N. Oracle #36270
    Tucson, AZ 85740

Komentáře • 1,4K

  • @Gojiro7
    @Gojiro7 Před 3 lety +482

    Jesus, im shocked the Germans didn't also decree that this gun had to cook sausages, play music, and do your taxes

    • @Arbiter099
      @Arbiter099 Před 3 lety +22

      @@danielaramburo7648 the tax info can be inlaid on the z-f41s we'll issue you. Classify the guns as percussion instruments.

    • @Raenard
      @Raenard Před 3 lety +10

      Almost looks like you could use the butt stock as a grill surface

    • @NewbombedTurk
      @NewbombedTurk Před 3 lety +14

      I think you could fire it in full auto with the bipod folded up, and a sausage cradled inside of it to cook it quite nicely.

    • @andrewdriver3318
      @andrewdriver3318 Před 3 lety +9

      I think you'll find any rifle is capable of doing all those things if you point it at some one and say "cook me some sausages, play a tune, and then go do my taxes".

    • @varanid9
      @varanid9 Před 3 lety +3

      Fun fact: after a day at the range, german paratroopers would cook their sausages on the barrels while others blew through their barrels while manipulating the holes of the muzzle brake like a flute. 2 out of yet another 3 is pretty good at this point.

  • @Psiberzerker
    @Psiberzerker Před 3 lety +632

    Luftwaffe: Nigh impossible spec.
    Stange: "Halte mein Bier."

    • @BestWeedVideos
      @BestWeedVideos Před 3 lety +1

      missing your contributions to the crossout forum :)

    • @MrPh30
      @MrPh30 Před 3 lety +8

      Sitting in a Ju52 looking at the rifle " hmm can one alter it to fit Mg belt also "?

    • @dinonatorful
      @dinonatorful Před 3 lety +2

      Halt?

    • @Psiberzerker
      @Psiberzerker Před 3 lety +1

      @@BestWeedVideos I don't play that game any more, though. So, there's no use contributing to that Forum.

    • @SirFranzelot
      @SirFranzelot Před 3 lety +4

      @@dinonatorful halt is actually correct, hold my beer would be halte mein bier in german

  • @andreasmarsteintrdet2168
    @andreasmarsteintrdet2168 Před 3 lety +409

    Well.. technically the bayonet has got a point

    • @FirstDagger
      @FirstDagger Před 3 lety +35

      May I show you the door?

    • @M4nusky
      @M4nusky Před 3 lety +16

      .... there.. I gave you a "like" but I'm not happy about it :D

    • @andreasmarsteintrdet2168
      @andreasmarsteintrdet2168 Před 3 lety +20

      @MrPitjoey You might have... missed the point.

    • @NewbombedTurk
      @NewbombedTurk Před 3 lety +9

      You’ve got a sharp wit my friend

    • @fleezyp
      @fleezyp Před 3 lety +3

      Badum TSS 😂

  • @razetheraven7240
    @razetheraven7240 Před 3 lety +2212

    It looks more Star Wars'y than most recent Star Wars weapons.

    • @sudlander9447
      @sudlander9447 Před 3 lety +40

      EXACTLY!!!

    • @MilitaryHistory2011
      @MilitaryHistory2011 Před 3 lety +290

      They're not even trying with modern star wars weapons anymore. Literally just AR platforms and g36cs with the stocks removed.
      I miss the days when star wars weapons had at least 3 scopes...

    • @imperialbricks1977
      @imperialbricks1977 Před 3 lety +158

      They put the FG-42 in Star Wars Battlefront 2 as the default sniper rifle for the Clone Specialist.
      It has the barrel and shroud of an MG-42, but it's clearly an FG first and foremost.

    • @sudlander9447
      @sudlander9447 Před 3 lety +55

      They add a lot of ww2 weapons in Star Wars

    • @nihluxler8823
      @nihluxler8823 Před 3 lety +102

      @@MilitaryHistory2011
      The rifles used by rebel commandos in return of the Jedi were themselves based on ARs, but I’ll admit, most of the guns from the sequel trilogy look either like shitty toy guns or tasteless Frankenstein monstrosities crafted by incompetent cosplayers.

  • @therandomguy519
    @therandomguy519 Před 3 lety +1635

    Engineers: So do you want a marksman rifle, MG or standard battle rifle?
    German Army: yes.

    • @hukama6911
      @hukama6911 Před 3 lety +89

      Luftwaffe is the airforce (was?)

    • @stephenbond1990
      @stephenbond1990 Před 3 lety +66

      Luftwaffe controlled the paratroopers actually, the army would have used either the STG or at least a rifle in 7.92 kurz.

    • @alfredovilla8560
      @alfredovilla8560 Před 3 lety +7

      Good one!

    • @silubr1
      @silubr1 Před 3 lety +7

      @@hukama6911 The German airforce is still called _Luftwaffe_ (one is clearly a calque of the other, but I have no idea which is which).

    • @joshuarebennack68
      @joshuarebennack68 Před 3 lety +27

      @@hukama6911 Basically, if touched an aircraft it was Luftwaffe, per doctrine at the time.

  • @PhantomSavage
    @PhantomSavage Před 3 lety +516

    German Army: "So, our Parachutes are crap and we can't get our equipment where our men need it."
    Engineer: "Want us to make better parachutes?"
    German Army: "No. I want you to take all the weapons our men need and then engineer them all into one battle rifle so versatile we won't need to drop equipment anymore."
    Engineer: "..."

    • @davidchambers8697
      @davidchambers8697 Před 3 lety +41

      It was the Luftwaffe that ran the German Parachute corps. Might explain the problems...

    • @aymonfoxc1442
      @aymonfoxc1442 Před 3 lety +22

      Indeed, but the procurement request still led to the development of a rather revolutionary weapon.

    • @davidchambers8697
      @davidchambers8697 Před 3 lety +4

      @@aymonfoxc1442 Which may have equipped as much as a thousandth of the German ground forces during the war!

    • @aymonfoxc1442
      @aymonfoxc1442 Před 3 lety +24

      @@davidchambers8697 What's your point?
      I didn't say it turned the tide of the war in their favour. Neither did jet fighters, V2 rockets or the experimental Mauser cannons but we still all took them, studied them and moved forward basing our new equipment on them in a great many instances.
      So, these sort of innovations didn't change the course war much (because of materials and tooling shortages) but they certainly changed the world and the course of history.
      The FG-42 and the ST44 were essentially the first assault rifles. Name one major power which didn't adopt an assault rifle (likely based heavily on these designs) after WW2...

    • @t.mcguire8804
      @t.mcguire8804 Před 3 lety

      Ha! 🤣

  • @duncanmcgee13
    @duncanmcgee13 Před 3 lety +602

    I will never get tired of looking at this gun. Especially this pattern.

    • @sir_cabbage1170
      @sir_cabbage1170 Před 3 lety +15

      Looks like a Star Wars blaster and you can't change my mind.

    • @stevenbaker8184
      @stevenbaker8184 Před 3 lety +4

      I do get tired of looking at it, I want to shoot it,not just look at it!

    • @duncanmcgee13
      @duncanmcgee13 Před 3 lety +6

      @@sir_cabbage1170 well there were 2 Star Wars blasters based on it. The DLT-20A and the Valken-38x

    • @sir_cabbage1170
      @sir_cabbage1170 Před 3 lety +1

      @@duncanmcgee13 makes sense

    • @varanid9
      @varanid9 Před 3 lety +1

      @@duncanmcgee13 Well, the DLT-20A appears to be based off of the MG-34 with a ZF-41 scope with the back half of an STG-44. The Valken is, indeed, the back half of this early FG-42 mated to the barrel assembly of an MG-42 and mounting a ZF-4 scope. Guess Lucas liked matching numbers.

  • @fredbloggs5902
    @fredbloggs5902 Před 3 lety +203

    24:00 Author: “I’ve written a new book, it’s called ‘FG42, the Paratrooper rifle’’...
    Editor: “Nah, call it ‘Death from Above’, you’ll sell more”.

    • @coaxill4059
      @coaxill4059 Před 3 lety +5

      And I'm sure it has!

    • @AshleyPomeroy
      @AshleyPomeroy Před 3 lety +28

      "FG42: This Thing is Really Slick"

    • @coaxill4059
      @coaxill4059 Před 3 lety +11

      "Part 1: Dang"

    • @sawyere2496
      @sawyere2496 Před 3 lety +10

      @@coaxill4059 part 2: “wow”

    • @Betrix5060
      @Betrix5060 Před 3 lety +11

      My preference is to have a super slick and cool sounding title, then follow it up with a super descriptive subtitle that goes on forever. So, "Death from Above: on the origins an development of the German FG42 Paratrooper Rifle."

  • @chartreux1532
    @chartreux1532 Před 3 lety +517

    I had no Idea these existed! I was lucky to get to try an original FG-42 during a Museum-coordinated Event while i served with the Gebirgsjägerbattalion 231 "Bad Reichenhall" while in the Bundeswehr.
    Before that i only heard from a Familymember who served as Fallschirmjäger in WW2 (2. Fallschirmjägerdivision - Fallschirmjäger Regiment 7) about it , mainly great but also including a few small things he didn't like. He was able to use it during a Mission in Rome, Italy during September 1943.
    I'm sure he will enjoy to hear about this as well and i'll show him the Video. He's 97 years old now but still very fit.
    Prost and Cheers from the very very cold and snow-covered Berchtesgaden, Bavaria here in Germany

    • @onpsxmember
      @onpsxmember Před 3 lety +20

      Why not point out his dislikes?

    • @chartreux1532
      @chartreux1532 Před 3 lety +90

      @@onpsxmember
      One he mentioned the most is that the Magazine being put in on the left side (i guess he means on the side in general) made it less accurate on farther Distance. He also said that the Bipod created certain issues which i can't recall at the top of my hat, but i'll ask him later when i drop off Groceries for him

    • @PrinceAlhorian
      @PrinceAlhorian Před 3 lety +41

      @@chartreux1532 please we would like to know. It's awesome to hear how the weapon functioned in the war it was designed for.

    • @stefanmolnapor910
      @stefanmolnapor910 Před 3 lety +53

      Please continue to take care of him, Please tell him I said thank you for his service and a hand shake from me and my Family.

    • @willowrabbit
      @willowrabbit Před 3 lety +20

      @@chartreux1532 I can imagine having 20 rounds hanging off the side and moving could make a slight tilting effect that would be challenging on follow up shots

  • @Breakfast_and_Bullets
    @Breakfast_and_Bullets Před 3 lety +25

    21:36 - Ian, you should never feel that you need to apologize for video length. We're here for the detailed, intensive videos that only you can give us.

  • @WALTERBROADDUS
    @WALTERBROADDUS Před 3 lety +161

    This makes the M-1 Garand look like a Springfield Trapdoor.

  • @dandylion1987
    @dandylion1987 Před 3 lety +2084

    Roses are red
    Violets are Blue
    Fallschirmjagergewehr 42

    • @mixererunio1757
      @mixererunio1757 Před 3 lety +183

      Violets are blue
      Fallschirmjägergewehr Zweiundvierzig?
      That doesn't rhyme...

    • @hothoploink1509
      @hothoploink1509 Před 3 lety +85

      @@mixererunio1757 Being german I actually made just that mistake when I first came across that "poem" :D

    • @adksherm
      @adksherm Před 3 lety +13

      This comment was stolen...I saw this on another video! Funny though!

    • @japanesedog03
      @japanesedog03 Před 3 lety +28

      Roses are red
      Violets are blue
      *Russians are coming
      get the Fallschirmjagergewehr 42

    • @caprise-music6722
      @caprise-music6722 Před 3 lety +3

      @@japanesedog03 should grab some Sturmgewehrs

  • @ekscalybur
    @ekscalybur Před 3 lety +642

    "This video is getting long...."
    Ian, do you know your audience?

    • @davidbowman2001
      @davidbowman2001 Před 3 lety +27

      I always hear content creators say that but I’m always excited when there’s a long video

    • @Requeium
      @Requeium Před 3 lety +20

      I watched him make like a 12 minute video talking about a rock... Didnt even notice it was an april fools joke until much later

    • @EddieRiggsBF3
      @EddieRiggsBF3 Před 3 lety +6

      @@Requeium What? I must missed that. Do you have link on that video?

    • @Joze1090
      @Joze1090 Před 3 lety

      @@saintsinningsword how... how long does it take you to shave?

    • @notgray88
      @notgray88 Před 3 lety

      I don't think I've ever thought to myself, "this CZcams video is too long. I wish it ended sooner"

  • @samuelconrey7372
    @samuelconrey7372 Před 3 lety +74

    As a machinist, I find that buttstock to be quite impressive.

    • @rafaPCPRO
      @rafaPCPRO Před 3 lety +6

      Finally, i was looking for this comment... That was unbelievably good

    • @billwilson3609
      @billwilson3609 Před rokem +1

      @@rafaPCPRO It also had an annoying tendency to come loose when firing.

  • @321Isotope
    @321Isotope Před 3 lety +270

    I would be very interested in seeing that “Design History of the M60” video.

    • @kino_61
      @kino_61 Před 3 lety +14

      If you like to see the prototypes they're the T44, T52E3, T161

    • @rileyharville8379
      @rileyharville8379 Před 3 lety +7

      I would like to see a video on the m60 in general. I for one would love to see the full history and usage.

    • @408lurks
      @408lurks Před 3 lety +1

      WELL WOULDNT WE ALL

    • @2adamast
      @2adamast Před 3 lety

      M60 a modernized Lewis gun? Most of the top cover action of the MG42 being already present in the Lewis gun.

    • @DireAvenger001
      @DireAvenger001 Před 3 lety

      SMG should make a modern M60

  • @mrjockt
    @mrjockt Před 3 lety +82

    Another reason for the reduction in the priority for this rifle may also have been the fact that by early 1943 the German Parachute Force had been basically reduced to an Infantry Force, mainly due to not recovering from the losses incurred at Crete, and therefor didn’t really need a specialised weapon anymore.

    • @devonlord99
      @devonlord99 Před 3 lety +16

      Allies: “go ahead, develop your new gun, you can’t un-drop your fallschirmjager”

    • @CarrotConsumer
      @CarrotConsumer Před 3 lety +4

      @Fondil Mahbols And it went just as well as Crete.

    • @Bokicazver
      @Bokicazver Před 2 lety +3

      @Dick Izzinya Failed operation in Yugoslavia, too...

    • @grumblesa10
      @grumblesa10 Před rokem +1

      Well, equally relevant is Goering was on the outs, and did not have the influence to get "his" weapon(s) priority with Speer's department.

  • @DerNachtmar
    @DerNachtmar Před 3 lety +120

    There is a wonderful word in German for something which fullfills a whole array of (impossible) requirements: "Eierlegende Wollmilchsau".

    • @FirstDagger
      @FirstDagger Před 3 lety +20

      Ironically that word only appears in literature starting 1959.

    • @ianshafer64
      @ianshafer64 Před 3 lety +31

      Egg laying whole milk pig is a hilarious expression

    • @catrachocolo
      @catrachocolo Před 3 lety +35

      @@ianshafer64 Actually, it's egg laying wool milk pig. Woll(e), not voll. ;-)

    • @ianshafer64
      @ianshafer64 Před 3 lety +10

      @@catrachocolo aaaah I’m rusty, thanks :)

  • @greekhuman8706
    @greekhuman8706 Před 3 lety +660

    So basically the germans 80 years ago requsted their engineers just skip ahead a couple of decades of firearm developments and invent the assault rifle
    Mein gott

    • @IceWolfLoki
      @IceWolfLoki Před 3 lety +149

      Except one hand didn't tell the other hand that it had developed an intermediate cartridge. Imagine the poor Luftwaffe procurement team when they found out about the Kurz round and MP/StG 44 just after they'd finished developing the FG-42.

    • @silubr1
      @silubr1 Před 3 lety +76

      @@IceWolfLoki Rivalry between different organisations and establishments was used by the Nazis to their advantage early on, but it wasn’t quite as sensible and effective later on (once they themselves had become the "establishment").

    • @ivanmonahhov2314
      @ivanmonahhov2314 Před 3 lety +41

      @Jimmy Two Times Nah , Fedorov had an idea during Russo-Japanese war

    • @JohnHughesChampigny
      @JohnHughesChampigny Před 3 lety +38

      @@silubr1 Notably the Nazis had, AFAIR *four* nuclear weapons projects competing with each other, one being run by *the post office*.

    • @JohnHughesChampigny
      @JohnHughesChampigny Před 3 lety +58

      @Jimmy Two Times Neither the FG42 nor the BAR are "assault rifles". The BAR is a LMG, The FG42 is a battle rifle, closer to a FAL or G3 than a AR15 or AK.

  • @Tomahaukka
    @Tomahaukka Před 3 lety +24

    Requirements: All of the everything.

  • @wk3818
    @wk3818 Před 3 lety +420

    So the root cause of the problem was a crummy parachute design. That's like going to the doctor with a stomach bug and getting a bionic arm.

    • @duncanmcgee13
      @duncanmcgee13 Před 3 lety +14

      @@iatsd i wouldnt wanna be dropping with an MG34 tho

    • @Tunkkis
      @Tunkkis Před 3 lety +8

      Sounds like a ChubbyEmu video.

    • @Stevarooni
      @Stevarooni Před 3 lety +2

      @@iatsd heavy weapons, though?

    • @jonprince3237
      @jonprince3237 Před 3 lety +8

      @@iatsd Depends if you class the Vickers MG, PIAT or 3 inch mortar as heavy weapons, because all three had systems developed for jumping on the man by the British. Folding bicycles too.

    • @wes11bravo
      @wes11bravo Před 3 lety +46

      The Germans were masters of coming up with brilliantly engineered yet unbelievably roundabout solutions to issues they had with weapons and vehicles. I'm reminded of a story about the Panther tank. It would violently backfire, spectacularly revealing their position. Did they fix the fuel issue? No. They designed and manufactured a huge flash diffuser/silencer for the exhaust!

  • @agrameroldoctane_66
    @agrameroldoctane_66 Před 3 lety +31

    This weapon was 50 years in front of it's time, what an amazing rifle.

  • @aj1986917
    @aj1986917 Před 3 lety +170

    ". . . Much too heavy to drop with a paratrooper."
    US Army: [Laughs in 1919]
    US Paratroopers: [Sob in 1919]

    • @cericat
      @cericat Před 3 lety +4

      When you look at the kit the German paratroopers did drop with it gets even sadder, split amongst their drop capsules was a 75mm Leichtgeschütz 40 to be deployed for fire support. They were deployed with them at Crete and Drvar that we're pretty certain of. My recollection is they were split into 4 components as the total weight was 145 kg so about 320 lbs without ammo.

    • @seppshlllearningcenter419
      @seppshlllearningcenter419 Před 3 lety

      1919 is heavier than the mg42 and 34 lol

  • @JohnDoe-vm5rb
    @JohnDoe-vm5rb Před 3 lety +42

    Ian shows off his new toy. Glad to see the patreon money is being spent on something so snazzy!

  • @maybearkamaybenot11
    @maybearkamaybenot11 Před 3 lety +19

    this is the most modern old rifle i have ever seen

  • @charlesgrybosky1916
    @charlesgrybosky1916 Před 3 lety +58

    I actually discovered this weapon way back when I was playing Return to Castle Wolfenstein for the PC in 2002. I figured it was some fanciful invention for the game as I’d never heard of it. Because, y’know, it’s Wolfenstein. Imagine my surprise when I found out it was not only real but an actual battle used rifle during WWII.

    • @alun7006
      @alun7006 Před 3 lety +4

      Good grief, that brings back memories. Such a good game! I remember using the '42 to snipe the soldiers running round the secret airfield with the flying wings!

    • @benwarren8722
      @benwarren8722 Před 3 lety +2

      What if I told you that the Snooper Rifle was real too. M3 carbine with infrared scope.

  • @JotaLoL
    @JotaLoL Před 3 lety +178

    Probably the best small weapon of the 20th century alongside the stg44 considering date, features and coolness.

    • @alexandero9936
      @alexandero9936 Před 3 lety +29

      I agree, however the fg-42 is just a way more special gun. It's complexity, while nothing compared to guns like AN94 and g11 is still mesmerizing for the time, the option to fire it from both a close bolt and an open bolt without any modification is one of the several reasons that define this gun.

    • @4231jerome
      @4231jerome Před 3 lety +5

      Yeah the Germans were figuring out how to make some pretty amazing small arms towards the end of the war

    • @scratchy996
      @scratchy996 Před 3 lety +14

      I don't know what the production cost of the FG-42 was compared to the MP44, and I wonder how good the FG42 would have been with a 16inch barrel (like the MP44) and 7.92 x 33 ammo. With a shorter barrel, without the bayonet and bipod, this would probably have been a very nice assault rifle.

    • @johnfrench5279
      @johnfrench5279 Před 3 lety +15

      @@scratchy996 The modified FG42 you described did actually exist. The German Army arms testing organisation converted an unknown number of FG42 trials rifles into that configuration in an effort to get the para's interested in the Kurtz cartridge. The para's, still smarting from the long-range hammering they got on Crete, remained uninterested in any thing less capable than 8mm Mauser. The source Ian mentions "Death From Above" contains an account of a US officer who test fired one of these conversions immediately post war. Apart from accidentally shooting a horse as he didn't realise the gun was set to full auto, the account provides scant details on performance.

    • @scratchy996
      @scratchy996 Před 3 lety +1

      @@johnfrench5279 Cool, that's interesting.

  • @Juel92
    @Juel92 Před 3 lety +26

    There can never be enough FG42 videos. Nor can they be too long. It has to rank as the most legendary gun ever not to see any kind of widespread service.

  • @dertyp6849
    @dertyp6849 Před 3 lety +154

    great, like when you have two options, one is changing the design of your parachute so that you can send down soldiers with their proper rifles, or just invent a completely new rifle, of course you pick the new rifle.
    I don't understand the history of my country sometimes....

    • @AsbestosMuffins
      @AsbestosMuffins Před 3 lety +35

      not always so easy since you'd have to change the parachutes, bags, possibly airplanes, the manufacturing process, and also training as well as ensuring the new parachute works, not something you can easily accomplish under war time pressure. Plus germany was done paratrooping by the middle of the war

    • @dertyp6849
      @dertyp6849 Před 3 lety +14

      @@AsbestosMuffins It still seems easier than demanding a rifle with these mad requirements, also needing a new manufacturing process, development, possibly new tooling etc.
      Germany being done parachuting in the middle of the war is also an argument against the fg42, since it was not necessary for other soldiers to have such a rifle ( bc to be honest, it is a great rifle but it's like a multitool: it can sort of do everything, but nothing really well like others)

    • @demodude6865
      @demodude6865 Před 3 lety +32

      Le german engineers back then :
      "changing the parachute? Booooooooring"
      "how bout a seemingly impossible request of a gun from the luftwaffe? "
      "You had me at "impossible""

    • @nordmannodinson6984
      @nordmannodinson6984 Před 3 lety +13

      The Decision to put the effort in developing a new rifle was right. Because even when you changed, the parachute design, you just cannot jump with some weapons, for example an LMG.
      So designing a gun, that is capable off being a marksman rifle, LMG in full and semi auto was game changing. Not even for the Paratroopers, but also for the rest of the Army. This and the Stg44 were far in the future. Because you could give the men rifles, that could do multiple jobs

    • @IceWolfLoki
      @IceWolfLoki Před 3 lety +7

      The new parachute guys didn't have the right connections. Plus fancy gun is much sexier than fancy parachute.

  • @pallien7501
    @pallien7501 Před 3 lety +177

    The safety lever is almost identical to levers found on old lathes and milling machines.

    • @justindunlap1235
      @justindunlap1235 Před 3 lety +12

      That's exactly what I thought, the old belt driven mill I learned on had a similar setup for changing quill speed

    • @glenpope4955
      @glenpope4955 Před 3 lety +7

      Well as long as it works all it needs

  • @infernaldaedra
    @infernaldaedra Před 3 lety +125

    I wonder how futuristic this thing looked in the 1940s.

    • @nerdyspinosaurid
      @nerdyspinosaurid Před 2 lety +12

      Star Wars still uses versions of it as the baseline for futuristic weapons, so I'd say probably very

  • @snape1464
    @snape1464 Před 3 lety +10

    In the museum at Bastogne, they have originals of both variants. I was completely blown away by both the guns and just the fact that they had them, considering the rarity and value

  • @wes11bravo
    @wes11bravo Před 3 lety +18

    This is a work of art. Massive respect and admiration to SMG for taking this project on. I'm sure there are more complicated weapons to reproduce but I can't think of many(maybe a Japanese Type 96!)...

  • @user-oh2kt8lf6g
    @user-oh2kt8lf6g Před 3 lety +14

    16:57 Judge: "It is illegal to shoot full auto." Defendant: "Your Honor, I am a southpaw so I had to throw the switch all the way forth." Judge: "Not guilty."

  • @scottyjordan9023
    @scottyjordan9023 Před 3 lety +52

    They better be glad they didn’t use Hill & Mac to make these guns. The war would be over before the 1st one would be made.

  • @DerDoctor69
    @DerDoctor69 Před 3 lety +12

    „Put the charging handle in before you put in the bolt“
    Also goes for the MG3. Or as the Feldwebel who held my MG3 training put it: „Spannschieber vor Verschluss, weil der Soldat sonst laufen muss“.

  • @stephenduffy5406
    @stephenduffy5406 Před 3 lety +56

    This would have made an excellent Gebirgsjager Gewehr too. Sadly no “GG-42s“ were made for the mountain troops...

    • @kevinwestermann1001
      @kevinwestermann1001 Před 3 lety

      Didn't they use K98k instead?

    • @stephenduffy5406
      @stephenduffy5406 Před 3 lety +6

      @@kevinwestermann1001 yes- actually the shorter Czech designed Gewehr 33/40, but the FG42 would have fit the specialized role of the mountain troops perfectly, as well.

  • @svenw688
    @svenw688 Před 3 lety +7

    Best looking rifle ever , the type C with that scope mount .. such a looker.

  • @wyatthausman4377
    @wyatthausman4377 Před 3 lety +19

    Woahhhh that's some serious kraut space magic. Could put that straight into star wars and nobody would blink.

  • @johncashwell1024
    @johncashwell1024 Před 3 lety +87

    Alright Ian, we have had this issue come up before; and again I feel I must remind how we, your viewers and supporters feel about this issue: We don't care how long a "Forgottenweapons" video goes! So please, don't worry over the length, we will watch through to the end.

    • @trevormott8872
      @trevormott8872 Před 3 lety +1

      Seconded

    • @kw9849
      @kw9849 Před 3 lety +3

      Longer videos are more time consuming to edit and render. I'd wager it has more to do with creating a lot of work for himself than it is about people leaving!

    • @lightly_salted_iro
      @lightly_salted_iro Před 3 lety

      Do you realise how cringy you come across?

    • @benjamindavidovichwaals2899
      @benjamindavidovichwaals2899 Před 3 lety +1

      Agree

    • @shrimpkraken
      @shrimpkraken Před 3 lety +1

      @@lightly_salted_iro that was unwarranted

  • @QoraxAudio
    @QoraxAudio Před 3 lety +4

    My favourite historical LMG.
    FG42 MKI with the funky angled handle.

  • @jrstoelting
    @jrstoelting Před 3 lety +4

    The attention to detail on the reproduction is amazing. Very well done, down to the reproduction of the proof marks. Very cool.

  • @joshyoder871
    @joshyoder871 Před 3 lety +4

    Getting flashback to Return to Castle Wolfenstein! The FG 42 was one of the best weapons in the game, but the ammo was limited until the last couple of levels.

  • @razetheraven7240
    @razetheraven7240 Před 3 lety +5

    I've been watching your videos for years now, but today, for the very first time in my life I fired a gun myself. I did quite good and actually knew a little bit about pistols and rifles I shot thanks to you.
    It made me very happy and I will visit my nearby range again soon.
    (It's so expensive though. :) )

  • @737Kamikaze
    @737Kamikaze Před 3 lety +74

    I remember this rifle from the original Call of Duty. Would always pick it up because it had an optic on it. Haha

    • @UltimoMantis21
      @UltimoMantis21 Před 3 lety +11

      Same. Remember the french city with the bell tower. Right by the wall there was one all the time. Right before the car mission

    • @Grubnar
      @Grubnar Před 3 lety +14

      This was my favorite weapon in Wolfenstein ... I was so sad when I ran out of ammo for it.

    • @Beechhill
      @Beechhill Před 3 lety

      "Haha"

    • @IR4TE
      @IR4TE Před 3 lety +6

      @@Grubnar Return to Castle Wolfenstein was just awesome and this weapon kicked some ass.

    • @FirstDagger
      @FirstDagger Před 3 lety

      Day of Defeat on Half-Life Gold Source, good times

  • @MrLoobu
    @MrLoobu Před 3 lety +59

    "Can you just skip a couple decades of R&D and make some assault rifles for these paratroopers?"
    "Da"

    • @sockmon1
      @sockmon1 Před 3 lety +3

      @@iatsd nyet

    • @MrLoobu
      @MrLoobu Před 3 lety +20

      @@iatsd Because Im neither, tried to be a smart ass ended up a dumbass lol. In my defense, Ive been losing IQ points daily trying to exist in 2020-2021 through no fault of my own lol.

    • @sebastianriz4703
      @sebastianriz4703 Před 3 lety +3

      Cant blame you for getting stupider OP. Corona is so stupid its more contagious then the actual virus

    • @MrLoobu
      @MrLoobu Před 3 lety

      @@sebastianriz4703 haha thanks I appreciate the solidarity and understanding!

    • @stjjames
      @stjjames Před 3 lety +1

      ‘Couple of decades’?
      There were FAL prototypes, chambered in 7.92 Kurz- in 1946.
      Hell, AR-10’s even made it to the US Army’s 1956 rifle trials.

  • @peterandykeith
    @peterandykeith Před 3 lety +10

    Thank you for making content Iain. Really appreciate the effort that goes in!

  • @dthayer1045
    @dthayer1045 Před 3 lety +2

    I'm so glad you still stick to your original presentation style. I've been a fan for yrs now

  • @r.9158
    @r.9158 Před 3 lety +3

    Finally over 2M subscribers! Congratulations!
    I remember first finding your channel years and years ago and being shocked that you only had a few thousand.
    It's nice to see such a significant channel dedicated to the preservation of firearms history pushing the numbers it deserves.
    Keep up the incredible work!

  • @fatcat3211
    @fatcat3211 Před 3 lety +8

    Coolest gun ever shown on Forgotten Weapons.

  • @nordmannodinson6984
    @nordmannodinson6984 Před 3 lety +6

    This gun is even for today standards superb!

  • @WarDogMadness
    @WarDogMadness Před 3 lety +155

    my deaf ears: Germany didn't have a good supply of allies. apone reply: no alloys.. my head oh : yeah that too

    • @FirstDagger
      @FirstDagger Před 3 lety +9

      Both are true though.

    • @mr.nobody2191
      @mr.nobody2191 Před 3 lety +3

      And the Germany allies that were close enough to be useful had barely anything to fight with

    • @WarDogMadness
      @WarDogMadness Před 3 lety

      @@mr.nobody2191 shortages and hiding innovation with requisition orders, and a lot of DIY weapons were a constant running theme during the war.

    • @ExtraVictory
      @ExtraVictory Před 3 lety

      What allies lmfao. Pretty sure Germany was doing the "solo the rest of the planet" challenge by continually starting wars with more industrialized powers

  • @fredbloggs5902
    @fredbloggs5902 Před 3 lety +5

    Pretty amazing that they can mill the stock and achieve the same weight as the original pressing.

  • @paddy2019
    @paddy2019 Před 3 lety +32

    Did Ian ever get his hands on the Kreighoff submission to the trial? I'd love to get a close look at that rifle.

  • @malarkey5323
    @malarkey5323 Před 3 lety +8

    Gotta love the FG-42

  • @mikepette4422
    @mikepette4422 Před 3 lety +3

    Was always fascinated with the iron sight drum but that scope is amazing looking.

  • @MarksmanTV
    @MarksmanTV Před 3 lety +1

    I’ll have mine in a few weeks - so excited!

  • @artcamp7
    @artcamp7 Před 3 lety +11

    as an engineer or designer, even if you aren't into guns, you have to admire the design of this weapon

  • @agustinperretta1043
    @agustinperretta1043 Před 3 lety +4

    Always loved the FG, it looks so special and when fires it's so impressive and distinctive. Would love to shoot one someday but I'm sure it will never happen

  • @MojoNFE
    @MojoNFE Před 3 lety +6

    "This Bayonet is stupid and pointless"
    Looks very pointed to me......

  • @gianlucamalvasi7007
    @gianlucamalvasi7007 Před 3 lety +8

    Not weapons related but... Ian I really wanna thank you for your work 'cause you really help me (and i'm sure tons of other people) get through really really rough days. Getting this cool pieces of history ecc... really helps me not get stuck on the usual alienating problems. Thank you very much Ian and keep up the good work

  • @davydovua
    @davydovua Před 3 lety +24

    Please tell me I ain't the only one who wishes to see Ian run a 2 gun match with an FG-42

    • @yosarianilivestech4018
      @yosarianilivestech4018 Před 3 lety +7

      czcams.com/video/r0G1GqZtscI/video.html

    • @stjjames
      @stjjames Před 3 lety +4

      Heck, even I’ve been at a 2 gun match with Ian- where an FG42 was being ran. 🤷🏼‍♂️

    • @alun7006
      @alun7006 Před 3 lety

      Desert Brutality 2020.

    • @davydovua
      @davydovua Před 3 lety

      @@yosarianilivestech4018 Thanks! I dunno how I've managed to miss that one

    • @stjjames
      @stjjames Před 3 lety +1

      @@alun7006
      Tiger Valley 2-man, in my case.

  • @jonnyblade3234
    @jonnyblade3234 Před 3 lety +5

    I would love to have this level of quality in an STG 44 reproduction

  • @keithallardice6139
    @keithallardice6139 Před 3 lety +2

    What a fascinating firearm and the repro looks top-notch! Enjoy!!

  • @Kentucky_Blue
    @Kentucky_Blue Před 3 lety

    Accessories with variable positions and well-designed latches, buttons, and springs to change them. Great stuff.

  • @extramild1
    @extramild1 Před 3 lety +6

    That is a thing of beauty.

  • @ludgy7278
    @ludgy7278 Před 3 lety +40

    That grip is like "do you want a pistol grip or rifle grip?"
    Germany: YES

    • @notgraham.7215
      @notgraham.7215 Před 3 lety +3

      10 more degrees back and it's California compliant

    • @ronniepriveprofiel3876
      @ronniepriveprofiel3876 Před 3 lety +3

      i always assumed it was to reduce the vertical profile, sounded usefull for a paratrooper while landing..

    • @edi9892
      @edi9892 Před 3 lety

      @@ronniepriveprofiel3876 I've heard that before, but the steeper angle was better for recoil control.

    • @cericat
      @cericat Před 3 lety

      @@ronniepriveprofiel3876 that's always been my thinking knowing how much hassle handling guns while on a chute could get for them. But no documentary evidence as to the why alas.

  • @douglasfrompa593
    @douglasfrompa593 Před 3 lety

    I enjoyed learning more about this iconic firearm. Thanks Ian.

  • @adampottmeyer452
    @adampottmeyer452 Před 3 lety

    Excellent! I was hoping you would have an episode shooting this. I can't wait.

  • @aa-od6rh
    @aa-od6rh Před 3 lety +4

    the missed Christmas release date, a tale as old as time

  • @noneofyourbusiness3288
    @noneofyourbusiness3288 Před 3 lety +32

    Make an impossible rifle, rather than improving parachutes slightly seems like a very German solution xD
    also: this thing looks remarkably modern for a ww2 gun imo. Very neat look.

    • @njannjannja2010
      @njannjannja2010 Před 2 lety +2

      . . . . . . . wieso, ist das längliche Teil
      nicht der Fallschirm?
      Grüße

  • @thelastjohnwayne
    @thelastjohnwayne Před 3 lety +2

    The Engineering of this rifle is truly amazing

  • @raytheron
    @raytheron Před 3 lety

    What a lovely rifle. Can't wait to see you shooting it!

  • @thatguy4336
    @thatguy4336 Před 3 lety +9

    1:41 “...it needs to replace the MG34 which is much too heavy and bulky to drop with a paratrooper.”
    *Laughs while jumping M240B*

    • @ScottKenny1978
      @ScottKenny1978 Před 3 lety +2

      Try jumping with the 240 when you're so close to the ground that you get one swing under the chute before you land.
      Oh, wait.
      That's with a chute that opens so fast that it will rip a Kar98k off it's sling.

    • @randomidiot8142
      @randomidiot8142 Před 3 lety

      @@ScottKenny1978 you're busy on here, any data on physical injuries from chutes snapping the body around during chute deployment or opening slightly too late to keep the jumper from splatting? It remains a classic example of germans overengineering a complex problematic solution out of a simple issue.

    • @ScottKenny1978
      @ScottKenny1978 Před 3 lety

      @@randomidiot8142 not that I have available. Those records may not have survived the War, and the online records seem to concentrate on where the FJ fought, not how.

    • @ScottKenny1978
      @ScottKenny1978 Před 3 lety

      @@randomidiot8142 if anyone does have those records, it is probably the 82nd airborne historians, the US did pick up a few FJ after the war.

  • @utubeisCensorred
    @utubeisCensorred Před 3 lety +7

    My internal monologue: "That looks like a PU scope".... Ian tells me exactly that is based on a PU scope.

  • @TheReforger
    @TheReforger Před 3 lety +1

    What a beautiful rifle, thank you for this review.

  • @MatSpeedle
    @MatSpeedle Před 3 lety

    I love that SMG got you rifle number 44, that's a nice touch that I'm sure you appreciated! Great reproduction of an iconic WW2 Gun

  • @FUBAR8472
    @FUBAR8472 Před 3 lety +17

    Did the bayonet cap have that little hole to help when soldiers were being soldiers?

    • @ShootAUT
      @ShootAUT Před 3 lety

      Looks it doesn't snap on, but you have to twist to lock/unlock it, so German soldiers wouldn't be able to stick their rifles together permanently. Yet, if the originals were as loose as on this reproduction, they'd lose the bayonet even before getting any stupid ideas. In a way, Germany has implemented two solutions for that particular problem. XD

  • @jakublulek3261
    @jakublulek3261 Před 3 lety +7

    And I thought that Germany came out with brilliant solution for theyr paratrooper problems: stopped using them as paratroopers.

    • @IceWolfLoki
      @IceWolfLoki Před 3 lety +4

      Well to use them as paratroopers you have to be able to get them in the air in the first place and towards the end of the war they could barely get interceptors into the air.

    • @jakublulek3261
      @jakublulek3261 Před 3 lety +4

      @@IceWolfLoki I think Crete was the last big German paratrooper operation of WWII. After that, they mostly fought as elite infantry.

    • @cericat
      @cericat Před 3 lety

      @@jakublulek3261 pretty much though the 500th SS--Fallschirmjäger did deploy in 44 at Drvar going after Tito. That's the last time I can think of that Germans used parachute and glider deployment. Vercors was Kampfgeschwader 200 that the French resistance faced, we don't know a lot about them generally still, one of the times German recording keeping has failed us.

  • @bristolfashion4421
    @bristolfashion4421 Před rokem

    Thanks for a highly detailed and interesting description of a highly detailed and interesting gun !

  • @tylerharris3602
    @tylerharris3602 Před 3 lety

    Such a beautiful weapon. Great work.

  • @graham1034
    @graham1034 Před 3 lety +5

    The FG42 is such a beautiful gun. Typically German too in that it was way to expensive to produce for the intended job.

  • @mafiosomemer3730
    @mafiosomemer3730 Před 3 lety +3

    This evolved into the M60:
    *"GET SOME! GET SOME!"*

  • @TheWirksworthGunroom
    @TheWirksworthGunroom Před 3 lety +1

    Astonishing amount of work to put this into small scale production from scratch. A remarkable achievement.

  • @zarb88
    @zarb88 Před 3 lety

    Beautiful rifle nice video. Cant wait to see you shoot it.

  • @77gravity
    @77gravity Před 3 lety +4

    Wartime: stamped parts!
    Peacetime: we'll have to mill it to look like it was stamped.

    • @AlphaNumericKey
      @AlphaNumericKey Před 3 lety +1

      Making the stamping machinery would require resource investment you can only use to stamp these guns, but with a milling machine you can do almost anything.

    • @77gravity
      @77gravity Před 3 lety

      @@AlphaNumericKey Stamping is faster and cheaper, and requires fewer skilled machinists. No CAD or CNC then. And by changing dies, you can stamp more than just guns. In fact, the usual process was that peacetime machines were converted to make guns, it was not an urgent thing to convert them back to making washing machines.

  • @JMBuLLeTCL
    @JMBuLLeTCL Před 3 lety +3

    Beautiful ASF

  • @Mrgunsngear
    @Mrgunsngear Před 3 lety +2

    thanks

  • @bethlaria812
    @bethlaria812 Před 3 lety

    Really cool gun, thx Ian as always great vid

  • @DrBunnyMedicinal
    @DrBunnyMedicinal Před 3 lety +54

    *checks to see if Ian has 'accidentally' included a link to tomorrow's shooting vid again*
    *is disappointed*
    *this time*

    • @kennmikos9120
      @kennmikos9120 Před 3 lety

      The video of him shooting it has been up for a bit, I saw it last week I think.

  • @gamerpigeonakafbi8210
    @gamerpigeonakafbi8210 Před 3 lety +4

    I really like how this gun looks, it’s the perfect middle ground between a realistic looking gun and laser blaster

  • @loupiscanis9449
    @loupiscanis9449 Před 3 lety

    Thank you , Ian .

  • @stuartcleary8621
    @stuartcleary8621 Před 3 lety

    That rifle is just stunning

  • @mistergrendel32
    @mistergrendel32 Před 3 lety +3

    This must be Ian’s personal rifle if SMG installed a brass deflector for him? I too am left handed, but shooting a rifle left handed would seem totally whacked! 🤓

  • @eizol568
    @eizol568 Před 3 lety +6

    The next Star Wars movie is looking for it’s prop 😉

  • @russcole5685
    @russcole5685 Před 3 lety

    Beautiful work loverly reproduction

  • @Fire_truck_man
    @Fire_truck_man Před 3 lety

    Congrats on 2 million subs Ian!

  • @JG54206
    @JG54206 Před 3 lety +3

    This gun is just incredible. Really shows how incredible their technology was at the time. So many things so far ahead of their time.

  • @CommentConqueror
    @CommentConqueror Před 3 lety +6

    i wonder if they ever considered redesigning the chutes......

    • @IceWolfLoki
      @IceWolfLoki Před 3 lety +3

      But then how would you get someone to design a magic rifle?

    • @sebastianriz4703
      @sebastianriz4703 Před 3 lety +1

      Well A) Germans.
      B) I dunno of fixing the parachutes would fix the issue. A big issue with parajumping is if you jump with heavy items, you stand the risk of injuring yourself on your heavy items. It was better to have your weapons get dropped in on a seperate platform from you. Granted I aint a WWII weapons and equipment expert. Dark Age/Feudal Age is more of my expertice.

    • @ScottKenny1978
      @ScottKenny1978 Před 3 lety

      The Germans were worried about dispersion during the drop. Scatter happens, and the higher up you jump the more scatter you have to deal with.
      Remember, *none* of the WW2 chutes were steerable.
      So you wanted to jump from as low as possible. The Germans jumped from such a low altitude that a US chute would not fully open before the trooper hit the ground! So they needed super-fast opening chutes. The faster a chute opens, the more violently it opens. And the FJ 'chutes opened so fast that they'd rip a Kar98k off it's sling.

  • @chriszenier826
    @chriszenier826 Před 3 lety

    This has always been my dream/bucket list rifle! Funky as hell!

  • @mkosmala1309
    @mkosmala1309 Před 3 lety

    That is a beautiful piece of hardware.