Hello.

I just wanted to ask if a 12th SS rifleman figure of the battle of Caen era (June 1944) would be appropriately armed if I were to give him a Gewehr 43? Or would a K98 be the only rifle/carbine appropriate for this period?

Thank you for any help!

Somebody thinks so:

"A German soldier armed with a semi-automatic rifle, Gewehr 43 in the ruins of a house in Normandy, 1944"


H.P.

The G43 was used there for sure. Just remember it was a fairly rare weapon throughout the war,on all fronts.
J

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the help!

Having a G43 there is pretty easy, The Canadians were capturing them for sure and 100 000 had been made by June. But none with rifle scopes were made before July. Not sure if this is 12ss or not. But a platoon at that time frame with one G43

Did the Germans do with it like the Russians did with the STV-40? Issue them to squad leaders only?

It was up to the unit commander's discretion.

They were usually issued to more experienced men as they required more care in use and maintenance. Some sources claim they were issued to snipers, which seems a bit illogical as snipers don't usually need a rapid fire weapon. However removal of the need to cock it each time would make for steadier shooting I suppose. But one of rules of sniping is not to take multiple shots from one location is it not?

And would a sniper want a spent shell ejecting from his weapon when fired to reveal his position?

I believe it was more the idea of making it a designated Marksman's rifles. The Germans had already experimented with this concept with the Small power sight mounted on the sight block of the K98. Peter Senich published an excellent book on German sniping weapons and tactics, and the confusion of calling htis a sniping weapon (although i am sure it was used in this role) was more to do with it having an optical sight. Optics have only come into vogue on weapons in the last decade +.

Though most G/K43s are equipped with a telescopic sight mounting rail, the vast majority of the rifles were issued in their standard infantry form without a scope. When equipped with a scope, it was exclusively the ZF 4 4-power telescopic sight.[4] No other known scope/mount combinations were installed by the German military on G/K43's during World War II. Many strange variations have shown up after the war, but all have been proven to be the work of amateur gunsmiths.