This is a solid example of a very rare late WWII Nazi VG1.5 or Volkssturmgewehr or "Peoples Assault Rifle" that was manufactured by Gustloff-Werke in Suhl. These rifles were a late war development, designed along the same lines as the MP43 and MP44 series of rifles, however they were intended to be produced in a higher volume, using cheaper and faster manufacturing methods for use by the home guards, especially in the Eastern part of Germany that was subject to being overrun by the Russians. These weapons were made up using two types of parts; various stamped sheet metal parts and components, along with machined parts such as the tubular receiver, barrel, bolt head, and various springs. The various parts were then either welded or pinned together to prevent disassembly, to form the entire weapon. The combined use of stampings and machined parts, maximized the already depleted German manufacturing resources, however allowed the Germans to manufacture a crude but completely functional weapon with minimal materials and cost. These weapons were kept in secret from Hitler who despised their crude and unrefined manufactured appearance, consequently were never officially approved or sanctioned by the German Army. Consequently, they will not have any acceptance proofs or markings. They were instead produced strictly on order from the Gauliter of Thüringen 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 5334" which was intended as the manufacturing serial number of the rifle. It is estimated that only a few thousand were ever manufactured and issued late in the war, undoubtedly with most of them being destroyed after the collapse of Germany. The rifle is complete with one 30 round MP44 magazine that is marked with "fxo/eagle 37 on the right side and MP44" on the lower left side. This rifle is complete with a simple cloth or web type sling. The top of the receiver has been hand stamped (for identification purposes) with "IRS 9393"

Very fine, with half of the phosphate finish remaining mostly in the protected areas, with the balance being an old aged gray/brown patina. The stock and forend are both in very good condition, showing an old light sanding, with an old coat of varnish, that has taken on a dull, old aged appearance. Both show handling marks such as light pressure dents, and dings with both sides of the top edge of the forend showing either a minor repair or a small missing sliver of wood. The stamped "Thurgen" markings in the stock are still deep and pronounced. The magazine is also in the white showing minimal blue finish with some light speckling on both sides, but the condition matches the rifle very nicely and gives it that old late war, aged appearance. It appears that the magazine release button on the left side is an old field replacement as it has a small irregular head. Also the right side of that pin and the right side of the selector switch pin is being held in by a cotter-key, which is also a later fix. A rare example of a very late war VG1.5.