MP 44 self-loading 7.92 mm assault rifle, 1944

Also known as the Sturmgewehr 44 (assault rifle 44), this was a revolutionary design and can be seen as the first modern assault rifle. It gave a higher rate of fire than standard infantry rifles, but also had a greater range, accuracy and power than submachine guns. Fitted with 30-round box magazines, the MP 44 had a rate of fire of 500-600 rounds a minute and effective range of 300 metres on automatic setting or 600 metres on semi-automatic.