This is an excellent example of a very rare late WWII German VG1.5 or Volkssturmgewehr or "Peoples Assault Rifle" as manufactured by Gustloff-Werke in Suhl. These rifles were a late war development and designed along the same lines as the MP43 and MP44 series of rifles, which were intended to be an even cheaper and more simple method of supplying rifles to the home guards, especially in the Eastern part of Germany that was subject to being overrun by the Russians. These rifles were made up primarily with all stamped sheet metal parts and components that were welded or pinned together to prevent disassembly, all which minimized an additional use of the already depleted German manufacturing resources. The only real machined parts on the entire rifle were the barrel, bolt head and various springs. These rifles were never officially sanctioned by the German Army and consequently will not have any acceptance proofs or markings. In fact they were kept in secret from Hitler who despised their crude and unrefined manufactured appearance. They were produced strictly on order from the Gauliter of Thuringen which is the district in which the Suhl factory is located and which is why they bear the "Th" stamp on the stock. These rifles function on a direct blow back operated basis, where the entire outside of the barrel jacket/receiver recoils. The barrel has a fluted chamber to aid in extraction and it fires the short 7.92 mm Kurz cartridge, which is the same as the MP44 assault rifles. They have crude fixed blade rear sight with a simple post front sight and the forend and buttstock were roughed out of plain beech wood. As mentioned above the stock is stamped with "Th 8912" which was intended as the manufacturing serial number of the rifle. It is estimated that only a few thousands were ever manufactured and issued late in the war. The rifle is complete with one 30 round MP44 magazine that is marked "MP44" on the lower left side. This rifle is complete with a simple cloth or web type sling. Originally these rifles were finished with the late German phosphate type finish with the plain unfinished stock and forend.

Excellent overall with 95% plus of the original very thin phosphate finish overall. The stock is in very fine condition with a nice light honey brown tint to the finish while the forend is in good condition with a nice original light brown color overall with a heavy pressure dent on the right side that has lead to a small crack developing directly below the cocking handle. The sling and magazine are also in very fine condition overall. An exceptional example of an extremely rare late WWII Volkssturmgewehr rifle.