Manufactured in 1945, this is an attractive late-war Sturmgewehr 44 automatic rifle. Originally developed under the radar on the pretense of being a submachine gun due to restrictions on rifle development, the StG44 was the world's first production model select fire intermediate caliber military rifle. Informed by lessons learned during the war, especially on the Eastern Front, the StG was designed as a compromise between the full power battle rifle (great killing power and range, but not suitable for the sort of close-in brawls that occurred when fighting in fortifications and built up areas) and the pistol caliber SMG (great in tight spaces, but leaves the user underequipped against any enemy beyond 100 yards). The resulting weapon, chambered for the 7.92x33mm Kurz round with a long piston gas action and constructed heavily from steel stampings, met the goals set, and while it would be many years before the West accepted the assault rifle concept (the Soviets got on the train much faster with their AK-47), the influence of the StG's design can be seen in the CETME/G3 family of rifles. Hooded blade front sight and 800-meter tangent rear sight, with the "svw" manufacturer code on the underside of the receiver, serial number and date on the left side of the magazine well, and "StG44" on the left side of the receiver. The "fxo" bolt carrier, "byf" stock and "WaA254" trigger housing are numbered to match the receiver, with the "eagle/37" bolt electro-pencil numbered to match. The trigger housing is fitted with a "D" and "E" marked pushbutton selector switch and a separate "F" and "S" marked safety switch, with a hinge pin attachment to the receiver at the magazine well and the single pin of the butt socket holding the whole thing together. The buttstock is laminated, with a pair of metal reinforcing bands at the heel and toe. Four total magazines are included, one phosphate finished with the "MP44" nomenclature, a blued "MP44", blued "MP43", and a blued "MKb42/uMP43".