25050
W. Britain
The Sturmgewehr 44 or simply the StG 44, was the first successful assault rifle. It used an intermediate cartridge which meant it had more stopping power than the MP 40 submachine gun and a greater rate of fire than the bolt-action Karabiner 98k. Its compact design, controllable automatic fire, and a 30-round detachable box magazine made it most desirable for the soldier fortunate enough to find one in his possession. Possibly the greatest impact of the Sturmgewehr 44 occurred on the Eastern Front where its high rate of fire kept throngs of Red Army suppressed – but even more significant was the influence it had on the development of the Soviet AK-47, introduced three years after the war.