Volkssturmgewehr: A Rifle Born of Desperation

July 28th, 2025

7 minute read

“Interesting weapons that fully demonstrate the depths to which the quality of small arms production can fall and yet still produce serviceable weapons.” — U.S. Ordnance Intel report on the Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr

A black-and-white archival photograph showing a single Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr rifle being inspected on a workbench by US Ordnance technical intelligence in late May 1945. The image captures the crude, utilitarian design features of the weapon, including its stamped metal receiver, fixed wooden stock, and ribbed magazine. The rifle is laid out for detailed examination by American personnel, who are visible in the background taking notes or handling technical documents. Lighting in the photo is harsh, emphasizing the rough surfaces and minimal finishing typical of Volkssturmgewehr production. This review process took place immediately after the end of World War II in Europe, as the Allies evaluated captured German arms. The context and time period are critical for understanding the historical significance of the rifle. The photo documents one of the few surviving examples of a late-war German Volkssturmgewehr rifle, highlighting its role in the final months of the conflict. — A captured Volkssturmgewehr undergoes technical review by American ordnance staff in the final days of World War II. The rifle’s design reflects the desperation of its era. Image: NARA

The last year of the Third Reich produced some of the most advanced weapon concepts of the war. At the same time, those final desperate months of the “Thousand Year Reich” also yielded some of the crudest designs ever produced for modern warfare.

Primitiv-Waffen-Programm: A Rifle for the Masses

On October 16, 1944, the Nazi Party announced the formation of the national militia: the Volkssturm. Nazi leaders proposed that Germany’s “People’s Storm” could somehow defend the Reich against an Allied invasion, even while the Wehrmacht and the Waffen SS could not.

The image shows a group of Volkssturm soldiers in uniform, stationed along the banks of the Oder river during the final stages of World War II. Each soldier is armed with a Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr rifle, a distinctive weapon known for its crude construction and late-war production. The soldiers are using natural cover such as shrubs and earthworks, reflecting the defensive preparations common in 1945 as Soviet forces closed in on Berlin. The Gustloff Volkssturmgewehrs in their hands are easily identifiable by their box magazines and simple, utilitarian design. The overall mood is tense and somber, illustrating the desperation of Germany’s last-ditch efforts to resist invasion. The terrain and river setting emphasize the historical location and significance of the Oder front in the war’s closing weeks. This photograph documents both the appearance of Volkssturm troops and their reliance on emergency-issue firearms like the Volkssturmgewehr. The image is a key visual record of the conflict’s final defensive battles. — Volkssturm fighters take up defensive positions along the Oder river. The man on the left is armed with a Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr rifle. An MG 42 and a panzerfaust are also visible. Image: Author’s collection

While the enthusiastic recruitment of young boys and older men began in earnest, the Nazi leadership’s ability to equip their newfound militia quickly stalled. Germany’s armament cupboards were bare. Meanwhile, the Wehrmacht did not welcome the Volkssturm as a helpful addition in manpower, but rather as an annoying drain on dwindling resources.

In the U.S. Army report “Military Improvisations During the Russian Campaign”, several German General Staff Officers discussed the impossible logistics of equipping the Volkssturm:

“The Wehrmacht could spare nothing. At the same time, it became more and more obvious that the paramilitary Party formations had hoarded and hidden weapons and ammunition, but in view of the large number of Volkssturm draftees these weapons were of little help. Then, a Party official had the idea of manufacturing simplified Volkssturm rifles with barrels he could “procure” from some factories in Saxony. This plan was also of little consequence. Thus, the whole project of staging an armed levee en masse was doomed from the very outset.”

The image shows a Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr rifle displayed in a glass case or on a mount within the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum collection. The rifle is positioned for public viewing, with its simple stamped metal receiver, fixed wooden stock, and prominent curved magazine clearly visible. Lighting in the display area highlights the utilitarian construction and crude finishing typical of late-war emergency firearms. Informational placards or exhibit labels may be present nearby, offering historical context about the weapon’s origin and use. The surrounding museum environment includes other military artifacts and firearms, but the focus remains on the Volkssturmgewehr as a significant example of German World War II arms. This preserved piece allows visitors to study the features and materials used during Germany’s desperate push for mass production. The display helps illustrate the technological and logistical realities faced by the German military in the closing months of the conflict. — This Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr represents the practical and material challenges faced by Germany at the end of World War II. Image: U.S. Army Ordnance Museum

After Allied strategic bombers had devastated much of the Reich’s primary armaments factories, German industry adapted by necessity, and began to employ a series of small manufacturing and assembly shops spread around Germany. By the summer of 1944, the Primitiv-Waffen-Programm (primitive weapons program) was in place to create simple firearms that were quick and cost-effective to produce. Within the auspices of this program, engineer Karl Barnitzke of the Gustloff-Werke designed the “Volkssturmgewehr” in late 1944.

Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr — The People’s Assault Rifle

At first glance, the Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr is like several wartime, second-generation submachine guns — simple weapons made on a tight budget. Barnitzke’s design leveraged many of the wartime production shortcuts and built his semi-automatic carbine around Germany’s new 7.92×33 Kurz round.

This close-up photograph provides a detailed look at the construction of a Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr rifle, focusing on the receiver, spring forms, and welded joints. The image clearly shows the simple machining marks, basic stamping, and minimal finishing applied to the metal parts, all features described by U.S. Ordnance in their late-war reports. Weld seams and riveted sections are prominent, underscoring the rifle’s emergency production origins. The springs and other internal components are basic in design, intended for ease of mass manufacture. Lighting highlights the industrial, utilitarian nature of the build. The photo was likely used in technical evaluations and archival records. This image is valuable for illustrating the technological compromises Germany made in producing firearms under extreme resource shortages. The overall impression is one of crude, effective functionality rather than refinement. — The construction of the Volkssturmgewehr relied on stamped and welded components. These techniques allowed for rapid, low-cost production in late-war Germany. Image: NARA

The Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr has been compared to some semi-automatic pistol designs that use a casing and spring that surround the barrel, and the entire casing recoils when the weapon is fired. The gas-delayed blowback action vents the gas through four vents close to the end of the barrel. The bolt remains closed until the gas pressure drops and the next round is chambered.

Even in the authoritarian socialist Third Reich, factories still needed to be paid for their work. For whatever value the Reichsmark still held, Gustloff-Werke’s budget for the new rifle would earn them a profit. Consequently, production focused on simplicity, speed, and the lowest cost possible.

The left side of the Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr reveals its stamped receiver, simple wooden stock, and utilitarian design. Image: U.S. Army Ordnance Museum

Except for rivets and screws, the Volkssturmgewehr consisted of just 39 metal parts, of which 6 were springs, with 12 parts that required milling, and 21 that could be made by simple stamping alone. The term “crude” cannot be emphasized enough with this rifle. The two halves of the sheet-metal receiver were welded together. The barrel was permanently attached to the receiver, as well as the buttstock and foregrip. The simple, fixed sights were not adjustable.

The following stats on the Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr come from a detailed postwar review conducted at Aberdeen Proving Ground:

Caliber: 7.92-mm
Cartridge: 7.92-mm Pistolenmunition 43, or 44. (Later changed to Kurz Patrone 43.)
Design Type: Retarded blowback (free gas retardation).
Weight: w/empty magazine 10 lb. 6 oz.
Overall Length: 34.90″
Barrel Length: 14.90”
Number of Grooves: 4
Direction of Twist: Right
Type of Fire: Semiautomatic only
Magazine Capacity: 30 rounds
Magazine Type: Sheet metal curved and ribbed box type, staggered column, notch attached, with stops. Removable floor plate. Marked “MP 43” or “MP 44”
Magazine Weight: loaded: 2.07 lb
Magazine Weight: unloaded. 14 oz

A “Political Weapon”

It is important to remember that the Volkssturmgewehr was never officially adopted by the German military. Thus, there are no Waffenamt (Waa) acceptance markings on the rifle. Intended for use by the Volkssturm, a formation under the control of the Nazi party and not the Wehrmacht, the weapons were procured and then issued under the discretion of a party Gauleiter of a specific political zone. Most of the Volkssturmgewehr were used in combat on the Eastern Front, and therefore very few were captured by American troops.

The photo shows a group of elderly Volkssturm militia members huddled in a trench, each holding a different type of bolt-action rifle, highlighting the lack of standardized weaponry in late-war German forces. The men are dressed in a mix of civilian clothes and military gear, illustrating the improvisational nature of the Volkssturm units. Their defensive posture and the rough conditions of the trench emphasize the desperate circumstances faced by Germany in 1945. The image underscores the logistical challenges encountered when arming such a diverse group of recruits. The proposed remedy, the Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr, was meant to address these equipment shortages by providing a simple, mass-produced rifle. The overall atmosphere is tense and somber, capturing the reality of last-ditch defensive efforts. The setting is bleak, with muddy earth and improvised fortifications typical of late-war trenches. This image helps contextualize the purpose behind the development of emergency weapons like the Volkssturmgewehr. — Old men with older rifles: The Volkssturm went to war with a hodgepodge of small arms. The Volkssturmgewehr was the proposed remedy. Image: Polish National Archives

The weapon’s sights were fixed at 100 meters, and accurate shooting beyond that range was not likely. Combat reports about the carbine’s performance are few, but range tests revealed somewhat frequent jamming. Even so, the Volkssturmgewehr is somewhat impressive given the incredibly short timeline for its design and production. A cheap little rifle can shoot a man just as dead as an expensive one.

The following is a U.S. Ordnance Technical Intelligence report covering a Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr captured in May 1945:

24 May 1945

ETO ORDNANCE TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE REPORT

SUBJECT: Machine Carbine 1944, 7.9 mm Short, German

Observations by: 2^nd Lt. M. S. Hochmuth and S/Sgt. H. W. Retz, Ord. Tech.

Intel. Team No. 1. Edited by Capt. P. B. Sharpe, Ord.

Tech. Intel., HQ. Com. Z., ETOUSA

1. GENERAL:

This semi-automatic machine carbine has the same appearance of a machine pistol in the MP 43 group and handles the same 7.9 mm Short cartridge, as the other MP 43 weapons. The Standard MP 43 and 44 magazines may be used. The weapon is poorly constructed and apparently mass produced to achieve a workable weapon with a minimum expense.

2. CONSTRUCTION:

This rifle has the appearance of a machine pistol because of its extremely short barrel and the adoption of the M. P. 43 magazine. The weapon consists of a wooden stock and foregrip, a crudely stamped receiver, a cylindrical slide, a roughly machined barrel, and a riveted trigger group. The slide is a piece of tubing that contains the bolt which is riveted in place. The barrel is fixed to the receiver. It has four holes drilled perpendicular to the axis of the bore approximately 2.32” from the muzzle. A piston is machined on the barrel, and a barrel bushing which provides the gas cylinder holds the slide in position.

3. OPERATION:

There is no locking device in the weapon. The slide with its bolt is held against the face of the chamber by the return spring. A cylindrical barrel adapter is fitted to the slide by interrupted threads and held by a spring clip. This adapter is the gas cylinder that fits over the raised piston on the barrel. On firing the slide recoils, gas enters the cylinder and is compressed between the fixed barrel piston and the front of the adapter. The return spring has been compressed by this action and re-asserting itself, reloads the gun. The function of the gas ports and cylinder is to buff the recoil instead of giving the action semi-automatic operations.

4. STRIPPING:

Place the safe and fire lever at fire and press it beyond the edge of the slide. Punch the lever out of the recess and remove the trigger group. Remove the barrel adapter, and remove the slide and return spring. This disassembles the piece enough for cleaning and 1^st and 2^nd echelon maintenance.

5. COMMENT:

The design of the weapon indicates its purpose. Though crudely made it could be turned out in great number quickly and cheaply to arm the Volksturm. Its performance is rather poor both in functioning and ease of firing. In the three clips fired (90 rounds), seven jams were cleared. The weapon should not be fired from the hip for powder residue blows upward from the ports in the slide.

10) The ultra-rare Volkssturmgewehr made by ERMA — this weapon (7.92x33mm Kurz) was a bolt action carbine (the bolt was missing in this example reviewed by US Army Ordnance). US Army Ordnance Museum — Shown is the ultra-rare Erma Werke Volkssturmgewehr. Chambered for the 7.92x33mm Kurz, this weapon was a carbine fed from Sturmgewehr magazines. Image: U.S. Army Ordnance Museum

Conclusion

Germany was clearly in dire straits at this point and the war, and no piece of equipment or recruitment drive was going to change that fact. In that context, the Volkssturmgewehr had no chance of success. However, taken out of that context and viewed as a firearm developed and engineered for extreme simplicity and manufacture, it was a remarkable success.

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Tom Laemlein

Tom Laemlein is a historian. While that might sound mind-numbingly awful to some, he enjoys it. His deep dives into historical research keep him (mostly) out of trouble and, yet, too often away from the rifle range. Tom is the author of more than 30 books on military history and weapons systems. He regularly contributes articles to national magazines and websites on military history and firearms topics, and historical photos from his collection are used by publishers around the world. In those times that he is cornered in a corporate environment, he will talk about marketing until he is released. Tom is married to a very patient woman, and they live on America’s North Coast, near Lake Ontario. His regular misadventures with Wally, his young Tibetan Mastiff, remind him that life must be enjoyed full-bore, at least until you are ready for a nap.