SOLD - Rare WW2 STG44 Cutaway

8/21/17 - This is a very late war original Steyer production STG44 cutaway.  This is a cutaway trainer produced on an actual original Steyr (XE) receiver, and features mainly original production WW2 components.

This receiver has all original markings on it, including a very late war serial number and factory marking, and correct Waa markings under the trunnion.  It also bears an X stamp on it, which would appear to indicate that it was a Russian capture at some point after its construction.  This receiver is very rare and unique, and the fact that it was likely a Russian capture adds some interesting history to an already very historical offering.  This rifle was likely constructed before March of 1945, and likely saw combat on the Russian front as Allied forces closed in on the heart of the Reich.  It is reasonable to assume that this rifle saw combat, as no STGs were held in reserve depots, as were many K98k's which were captured in non combat conditions.  It is also reasonable to assume that this rifle saw action in one of the most hellish theaters of modern combat history.

The receiver was originally a non amnestied, non registered automatic that had to be rendered totally inoperable, as it was illegal in its original configuration.  The receiver has been cut away on the right side to reveal the fascinating inner workings of the worlds very first intermediate caliber assault rifle.  The barrel, chamber, recoil system, sight block mount, magazine well, gas operating system, and bolt and bolt carrier are visible through the red coated cut away sections.  The barrel contains a deactivated 7,92 Kurz shell, with a live primer but no gun powder, as does the original WW2 magazine.  DO NOT ATTEMPT  TO DISCHARGE SHELL IN A LIVE RIFLE, IT WILL RESULT IN A JAMMED BARREL, POSSIBLE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.  The bolt has no firing pin hole, but does contain a wartime firing pin. The bolt and bolt carrier function as originally designed and the rifle can be safely charged as per normal, but the bolt will not chamber rounds from the magazine, nor will it extract rounds from the barrel, to ensure no attempt to fire the rifle is ever possible.

The operating system of this weapon is one of the most fascinating available to the WW2 collector, as it is a direct parent to the AK47 operating system, which many have suggested was designed by the  STG44 's original designer while in Russian captivity, working along side Kalashnikov .  This weapon suggests that assumption be correct, as it bears many more than passing similarities to the modern AK47, and this, at that time, was the only weapon of this type in existence, and represented a major departure from standard firearms designs of the time.

This trainer has the following original WW2 parts.  Please note that none of these parts were serviceable upon their inclusion into this cutaway rifle, as that would be near heresy.  I build live fire STGs and all of the parts included here, form bolt to gas block to barrel, were parts I was unable to include on live fire rifles, for a variety of defects, damage or age.  I feel this was a constructive and historically appropriate use for what otherwise was a bunch of non useable parts, and now they will live a life outside of slowly degrading in a drawer.

 This rifle is not functional, and is not a firearm, it is only for display purposes.  It cannot ever be restored to original firing condition, and many of the parts included are not fit for service on any firing weapon, as they have been restored from one form of damage or another, simply to be assembled into a display weapon.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LIVE FIRE ANY COMPONENT OF THIS FIREAM, EITHER IN THIS RIFLE OR ANY OTHER, IT WILL RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.