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In the late 1930s the Soviet Union began replacing their older outdated bolt action rifles with semi-automatic SVT-38s and SVT-40s.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