Achtung!! This is just an exceptional and nearly new example of a very RARE and desirable late WWII German MP44 assault rifle. This weapon is considered the grandfather of all assault rifles and was the first true production assault rifle with approximately 300,000 manufactured before the war ended. These rifles used a shorter and lighter weight intermediate length cartridge, the 7.92 X 33mm Kurz round, which pioneered a new era in the use of intermediate round cartridges in the postwar years. This was basically a shortened 8mm Mauser cartridge and they were actually intended to replace the MP40 series of submachine guns. The theory being that a Wehrmacht soldier could carry more ammo with a longer effective range capability (200-400) than the 9mm used in the MP40s with a higher sustained volume of firepower than the 98K rifle because it could fired in both full automatic or as a single shot. These assault rifles would have nicely filled the void between the short-range 9mm submachine guns and the full size 8mm Mauser round used in the 98K rifles in the close-combat urban environment throughout Europe. They are a marvel of wartime expedient manufacturing techniques using metal parts that are either sheet-metal stampings, rough forged castings with minimal machined parts or components. The only non-metal parts were the simple slab-sided butt stock and the bakelite pistol grip panels. The side of the receiver is stamped with the serial number 5823ae/45 (indicating production in 1945) and the underside of the receiver is stamped with "cos" which stands for Merzwerke, Gebr. Merz Frankfurt, and an "eagle / WaA444" "eagle 37" Waffenampt who was a supplier of stamped parts from 1942 to 1945. and "ce" for J. P. Sauer & Sons with several Eagle 37 Waffenampt proofs. It has an all blued finish with the bolt and bolt carrier assembly still in the white. It is complete with one 40 round magazine correctly marked MP44.

This is truly a near new example of this very scarce late production assault rifle, that appears to be mint and unfired. There is 99% of the original factory blue finish overall and the bolt face is still in the white. The grip panels are also in excellent condition with no cracks or damage and the buttstock has 95% of a varnished type finish, (which the writer believes was applied post war) which has started to flake on the upper and lower rear corners or edges of the stock. There is a slight age crack just starting on the lower section of the stock and this is probably why it was varnished in an attempt to seal the wood. It has all matching serial numbers. We believe that based on the overall condition of this rifle it was produced sometime in late 1945, it was probably test fired somewhere, albeit very little as it literally shows no wear. In actually it could been one of those rifles that was captured still sitting in the factory or a storage depot and was returned home in this condition. Just a superb example of a very scarce late production assault rifle. Class 3 Weapon.