Specna Arms MP-44 RETRO Assault Rifle AEG

The Real MP-44/StG-44 "Sturmgewehr" Assault Rifle

The first assault rifle ever made, the StG-44, was designed as a replacement for the various submachine guns serving with the Wehrmacht during WW2. In its early life, the StG was known as the "MP-44" to slip this mould-breaking design past those in higher command with more conventional preferences. The "Sturmgewehr" nickname directly translates to "Assault Rifle" in English and was the origin of the term, which is now widely used to describe any rifle with a pistol grip, detachable magazine and selective-fire functionality.

Conceived by a true master of firearms design, Hugo Schmeisser, the StG-44 is a remarkably modern design for its era, most notably its use of an intermediate cartridge (7.92x33 Kurz), detachable 30-round magazine, in-line stock design and a pistol grip. The StG-44 was such a success that it led to the development of the vast majority of modern assault rifles we all know and love to this day, and literally defined what an assault rifle is. From the AK-47 to the G3 through to the AR-15, they all have Sturmgewehr in their blood!

Platform Details

Starting at the tip of the barrel, we are greeted with an authentically shaped muzzle nut which conceals 14mm CCW male threading beneath. This is both great for realism and not so great, as it gives true Airsoft heretics the option to mount tracer units and suppressors, but allows realism fans to keep things authentic with the original muzzle nut. The real StG-44 did, in fact, have a threaded barrel, but this was designed for launching rifle grenades, not for sneaky beaky stuff.

To the rear of the muzzle cap, we come to the front iron sight, which is raised up to facilitate the in-line stock design of the MP-44. The front sight is similar to a KAR98K front sight, with a barleycorn front sight blade concealed within a steel protective ring. The front sight base itself is constructed from alloy and has an authentic weight-reducing cut in the centre, just like the real thing.

Following the barrel rearwards, we come to the gas block, which is constructed from alloy and includes a steel sling loop on the right side and a protruding rod at the front. In the real MP-44, this rod allows the gas system to be disassembled and cleaned from the front and also functions as what is known as a "stacking swivel". The stacking swivel allows 3 MP/StG-44s to be stacked together with only the butt plate touching the floor, keeping the actions clear of dirt and debris.

The gas tube and handguard follow shortly behind and are both constructed from stamped steel for an authentic look and feel. The handguard is very, very slim and is ported along the sides and bottom to assist with heat dispersion in the real rifle.

Unlike most modern handguards, the MP-44 handguard is not designed to be held onto during firing. This part is literally a guard to prevent your hand from making direct contact with the hot barrel. From what historical images tell us, the convention when holding the StG-44 is to hold onto the magazine well, where your hand is far less likely to be burned!

Next up, we reach the receiver, which is adorned with reinforcing ribs and grooves to mimic the real StG's stamped steel construction. Stamped steel may be a bit old-school by modern standards, but when it hit the battlefield during WW2, stamped steel firearms were positively space-age, making use of thinner steel than milled steel guns for reduced weight and lower manufacturing costs.

At the top front of the receiver, we can find the rear sight, located in a very similar position to that of the AK-47. The sight design is also very similar to an AK rear sight, making use of a tangent design with a slider which can be adjusted back and forth to raise and lower the open rear sight notch. Unlike the AK, the sight is mounted on a raised tower, a characteristic borrowed by the later AR-15, along with the in-line stock design, which makes recoil more controllable.

The charging handle lives over on the left side at the top of the receiver, positioned similarly to a modern SCAR rifle with an eerily similar cylindrical shape. The charging handle is unfortunately not connected to a mock bolt carrier and is only present to complete the Sturmgewehr look. Nonetheless, it can be pulled back and released with a satisfying metal-on-metal "clank".

The HOP-up unit is located on the right side and is hidden behind the dust cover, which is another design aspect which some speculate was later borrowed by Eugene Stoner's AR-15. As with the AR, the dust cover is spring-loaded and is retained by a detent pin, and can be opened by getting a finger under the corner and popping it open. Inside, you will see an M4/AR-15 style gear HOP-up adjuster, which is used to vary the amount of backspin applied to your projectile, extending range and allowing you to tune the Sturmgewehr for ammo of different weights.

The fire selector switch is one area where the Airsoft MP-44 deviates from the original. The real StG-44 has a conventional rotary fire selector, but on the Airsoft version, this selector does not rotate; it instead slides back and forth in a linear motion. The first position is safe; sliding the selector back slightly will provide semi-automatic, and the rearmost position is full-auto. This is a bit of a shame, but it was designed to compensate for the slightly different fire selector position when compared to the M4/AR-15 platform AEG it is internally based on.

The pistol grip, on the other hand, matches the real deal perfectly and is constructed from alloy with linear textured panels built in. Compared to modern grips, the texture isn't as grippy, but it is still relatively comfortable and very similar to a standard AK grip in shape and profile. The trigger guard is the same story, smaller than most modern trigger guards, but absolutely adequate in its role of keeping your booger hook off the bang button!

The geometry of the receiver reminds us of the MP5 and G3, two equally legendary German firearms. This should come as no surprise, as many members of the Sturmgewehr design team moved to Spain following the end of the war and were the ones behind the CETME, the rifle which eventually led to the H&K G3. The Sturmgewehr may not have spent a long time in military service, but it has definitely made its mark on firearms history!

Bringing up the rear, we come to the stock, which is made from authentic real wood with a gorgeous finish. The stock mounts to the receiver via an alloy base, just like the real thing. The wood texture on the stock is positively beautiful, unlike many real StG-44s, which were rushed through production as fast as physically possible. The stock also has a cleaning kit port in the top rear, which can be used for batteries for any powered accessories you are running, or for tactical sweets to keep your energy levels high in-game.

The battery compartment of the MP-44 is inside the stock, and to access it, you will need to remove the stock entirely. To do this, push the pin in the stock base through from the right and pull it out from the left side, after which the stock and its base should come straight off.

Inside the receiver, you will see the Deans battery connector and inside the stock, you will see a cylindrical hollow designed to fit AK-type NiMH stick batteries. To install your battery, you will need to connect it and position it inside the hollow in the stock, then mount the stock and replace the rear pin. We recommend a 7.4V 1450mAh LiPo in stick configuration for an easy fit and solid performance.

Internals

Inside, the MP-44 is based around a version 2 gearbox with an alloy shell, 18:1 ratio steel gears running on 8mm ball-bearing bushings, a ball-bearing piston head and a low-friction chrome-plated brass cylinder. All internal parts are standard TM spec, meaning upgrade potential is practically limitless!

Also inside is the Gate X-ASR "smart fuse" MOSFET, designed to prevent semi-auto trigger lock-ups, enhance electrical efficiency and provide limited diagnostics through its LED indicator lights. The presence of the X-ASR also means we have a Deans battery connector, a lower-resistance alternative to the legacy mini-Tamiya connectors, which should also provide a healthy rate-of-fire boost.

Features

• Full metal construction
• Steel handguard & gas tube - Authentic stamped steel
• Real wood stock - Maximum authenticity
• 14mm CCW Male threaded barrel - Ready for a tracer unit or suppressor
• Gear adjustable HOP-up unit - M4-style unit, compatible with AEG rubbers, nubs & inner barrels
• Barleycorn front sight blade with steel protective hood - Looks very German, as we would expect!
• Adjustable tangent iron sights - Similar to an AK, slide the adjuster at the rear to compensate for range
• Linear fire selector - SAFE-SEMI-FULL AUTO, slide forwards and backwards to select your mode
• Textured pistol grip - Improves wet-weather handling with linear texture
• Authentic reinforcement ribs & grooves - Mimics steel stampings perfectly
• Cleaning kit port at the top of the stock - Use it to store tactical sweets or accessory batteries
• Battery compartment inside the stock - Remove the rear receiver pin and stock to access
• Rear wired: Deans connector - Recommended battery: 7.4V 1450mAh LiPo
• Version 2 Gearbox:
  • Steel 18:1 Ratio gears
  • 8mm Ball-bearing bushings
  • Chrome-plated cylinder
  • Ball-bearing piston head
  • Gate X-ASR In-line MOSFET
• Compatible with Cybergun and AGM MP-44/StG-44 magazines

Package Includes

• Specna Arms MP-44 RETRO Assault Rifle AEG
  • 190rnd Mid-cap magazine