Volksmaschinenpistole

The "Volksmaschinenpistole", like the Volksgewehr, is a series of prototype rifles/carbines. Unlike the Volksgewehr which is a bolt-action rifle/carbine, the "Volksmaschinenpistole" is a semi-automatic rifle/carbine. Both projects were part of the "Primitiv-Waffen" program. The most famous and widely recognizable was Gustloff Volksmaschinenpistole to which all the names are attributed. It is worth remembering, however, that the carbine was not the only semi-automatic prototype of this program. The Gustloff Volksmaschinenpistole itself had two different models - MP507, and never put into serial production MP508 (essentially an MP44 modified with a gas brake system and recoil-operated; it was rejected by the commission because it did not represent a significant simplification or improvement over the original). 
The official name of the project ("MachinenPistole 507") initially caused some confusion (besides, there was already an MP 3008 SMG), so in some second-hand papers it was actually referred to as "Gustloff Volksturmgewehr". However, to avoid further confusion with the manually-operated "people's rifle" projects from the "VG 1-5" line, it is referred to here as MP, as in the original designation.
Additionally, it is worth mentioning the Wetzlar Carbine (HIW VSK) weapon, which was also semi-automatic.
=Gustloff "Volksmaschinenpistole" MP 507=
The Gustloff MP 507 was designed by Karl Barnitzke of the Gustloff-Werke during the final stages of World War II. It was a part of the Primitiv-Waffen-Programm, and was intended to provide a semi-automatic rifle to the Volksstrum - the militia raised to defend German cities from the allied forces. The rifle was hastily designed and constructed, and was meant to provide a crude but relatively cheap rifle that could be manufactured quickly and easily. The result was a gas-blowback operated rifle firing the 7.92×33mm Kurz, and utilizing Sturmgewehr 44 30-round magazines. The weapon featured fixed front and rear iron sights. The production model was designated as the MP507. A second model, designated as MP508, was StG-44 with simplified automation, and was never put into production (The StG 45 project later also pursued similar ideas).
The weapon is also sometimes known as the "Volkssturmgewehr 1-5" (or "VG 1-5"), a name that was believed to have originated as a misnomer. The Primitiv-Waffen-Programm resulted in five other bolt action rifle designs, VG 1 from Walther (VG in these cases standing for Volksgewehr), VG 2 from Spreewerk Berlin, VG 3 from Rheinmetall, VG 4 from Mauser, and VG 5 from Steyr. Collectively, they become VG 1-5, and a few misconceptions later the name was stuck to the Gustloff weapon. Officially, this project was almost universally called a “submachine gun” (MaschinenPistole), like the MP44.
The initial prototype (tested for the Wehrmacht several months before the start of the "people's rifles" program) had the ability to full auto fire, but in the production version the continuous fire option was removed, since the requirements put forward for the Volkssturm's armament included only semi-automatic mode. Therefore, the produced MP507s have only semi-automatic fire mode, and statements to the contrary have been a misinterpretation of the name Volkssturmgewehr as representing "Volks-sturmgewehr" (lit. "people-assault rifle") rather than "Volkssturm-gewehr" (lit. "Volkssturm-rifle").
==Specifications==
(Production: 1944 - 1945)
* Type: Semi-Automatic Carbine, Assault Rifle (experimental model)
* Country of Origin: Nazi Germany
* Caliber: 7.92mm
* Cartridge: 7.92x33mm Kurz
* Weight: 
* Length: 
* Barrel length: 
* Capacity: 30-round detachable box magazine
* Rate of fire Semi-Auto (Select fire on experimental model)
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===Video Games===
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| Forgotten Hope 2 || "Volksgewehr 45" || || || 2007
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| Darkest Hour: Europe '44-'45 || "VG 1-5" || || Added with the January 2021 v9.10 update || 2008
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| Fallout 4 || "Radium Rifle" ||Modified with (mostly fictional) circuitry/sci-fi components, full-auto conversion. Accepts magazine, receiver, barrel and stock upgrades || Added in Far Harbor DLC, incorrectly chambers .45 Auto, fires irradiated bullets, incorrectly holds 40 rounds in 30-round magazine || 2015
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| Call of Duty: WWII || "Volkssturmgewehr" || || Fires in full-auto; added in an update "The Resistance" in 2018 || 2017
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| Battlefield V || "Gewehr 1-5" || || Semi-auto || 2018
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| Battlefield V || "Sturmgewehr 1-5" || || Select fire variant|| 2018
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| Fallout 76 || "Radium Rifle" || Modified with (mostly fictional) circuitry/sci-fi components, full-auto conversion. Accepts magazine, receiver, barrel and stock upgrades || Incorrectly chambers .45 Auto, fires irradiated bullets || 2018
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| Call of Duty: Vanguard || "Volkssturmgewehr" ||Can be incorrectly modified with 7.62x25mm magazines ||Magazine is visually thicker, fires in full-auto || 2021
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| Enlisted || "VG 1-5" || || Semi-auto || 2021
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=Wetzlar Carbine=
The Wetzlar Carbine is a variant of the Wetzlar Rifle. The original rifle was chambered for the 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge and was a bolt-action rifle. The carbine variant was chambered for the 7.92×33mm Kurz cartridge and was a semi-automatic weapon. It used special 5-round stripper clips to fill the fixed internal magazine. The barrel is blown forward by drag of the bullet and propellant gasses and returns under spring pressure, chambering a new cartridge.
Other known names for this project are: Hessische Industrie Werke VolksSturmKarabiner (HIW VSK) or Hessische Selbstladekarabiner.
==Specifications==
(Production: 1944 - 1945)
* Type: Semi-Automatic Carbine
* Country of Origin: Nazi Germany
* Caliber: 7.92mm
* Cartridge: 7.92x33mm Kurz
* Weight: ??
* Length: ??
* Barrel length: ??
* Capacity: integral 5 round magazine
* Rate of fire Semi-Auto
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=See also=
*Volksgewehr
Category:Gun
Category:Rifle
Category:Carbine