GSG STG-44 is released

[Plainolme]

Heads up, they put this out through their facebook page today:

http://pitchengine.com/blueaugustllc/introducing-the-gsg-stg44-from-ati

I would try to get one, but I'll let 'em work out the bugs first.

 

[Gaius Baltar]

at 9 1/2 lbs, wow...

 

[mikec]

at 9 1/2 lbs, wow...

My Savage .22 bolt gun weighs 7.5 lbs without sights. Add in a scope and bipod and it gets heavy.

I wonder how good the iron sights are on the GSG rifle?

 

[bean93x]

too heavy for a non thrilling .22

 

[wilcam47]

its lighter than the original and yes I want one

 

[Kman]

Good grief! My Rem 700 Varmint with 26 inches of barrel and scope comes in at 9.5.

 

[lee2]

i will have one!

 

[zoostation]

They're nice. I've handled one and ATI did a nice job on this one.

 

[rj1974]

Dad was drooling when he saw these . The crate was the clincher

 

[ohen cepel]

Looks very cool, and I respect them for making it! Not for me though.

 

[StantonCree]

 

[rrrrrrkevin]

I cant see the pics because I'm at work. Sounds awesome though!

 

[mawkie]

At 1/10th the cost of the semi-auto replica MP44 and about 1/30th the cost of an original they won't be able to build these fast enough for the demand (assuming it's not a POS). I'm stoked as well but will also wait to see how things settle out and to let them get any bugs resolved. Tired of being an early adopter guinea pig!
If I could find a way to wrap my penny pinching brain around this awesome semi-auto replica of the FG-42 I would totally forget about .22s...

 

[Smacduff99]

I like it, count me in. But wait... where's my matching replica centerfire version to go with it?? (Priced around $1200, not $12,000)

I really enjoy my S&W MP 15-22MOE, cheap to shoot, looks quite a bit like the real thing and fairly accurate.
Did I mention cheap to shoot??!!

If its anything like my S&W it'll be a blast to shoot, only with far more cool factor.

 

[jimbobborg]

I missed out on the centerfire semi-auto version, I'm not going to miss this one. I'm guessing recoil will be non-existent with this.

 

[Smacduff99]

Has anyone made a centerfire replica?
If so, was it made in a modern caliber that might be reasonably cheap to shoot..maybe 7.62x39?

 

[jimbobborg]

Has anyone made a centerfire replica?
If so, was it made in a modern caliber that might be reasonably cheap to shoot..maybe 7.62x39?

Yes, it was imported a few years ago. The distributor here and the builder in Germany had a pissing contest so no more were shipped and they stopped making them Same caliber as the original. There are more original, full auto STG44s in the US than there are of the semi-auto version.

 

[Smacduff99]

Wow...That's interesting.
It certainly sounds like an opportunity for someone. Maybe PTR? They are already making another stamped receiver German rifle.

Any background on why no one else has taken it up?

The .22 is bound to be a hit, I would think the centerfire would do equally as well, if not better, if it's well made.

 

[Combloc]

The 7.92 repro was made by SSD of Germany and imported by PTR as the PTR44. 200 came in and only 150 worked at all so the other 50 were cut up to use as spare parts! Of the 150 that were sold, most were unreliable and many have had primary parts break i.e. bolts breaking, actuating claws on the carriers shearing off, trigger components failing, stocks snapping off, the list goes on and on. Add to this the fact that the rifles were made with a slightly smaller receiver ID so that original full auto parts cannot be substituted without significant alterations and you have a potential $5000 POS. They are essentially wall hangers for someone who would rather look at it than take it shooting. They were pretty though. Here's one that I had in my possession for a very short time before passing it on to a friend. He's more of a collector than a shooter. It seems to have become more reliable than it was at first but I wouldn't trust it to function. It's sad that a $300 Century built AK works flawlessly for a lifetime but a $5000 German made rifle is a potential timebomb. I wanted these things to work soooo badly but I just can't take unreliable function. For what it's worth, here are a few pictures:

I hope that GSG does a better job. I can't justify 5-600 bucks for a .22 though. The whole PTR fiasco put a deadly bitter taste in my mouth.

 

[Smacduff99]

Wow Combloc...Thanks for the history lesson. Sorry about your experience, but its a really interesting story about another chapter in the rifles production.
We'll hope the new .22 has a bit more success.