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The 7.92X33 Kurz
The 7.92×33mm Kurz (designated as the 7.92 x 33 kurz by the C.I.P.) is a rimless bottlenecked intermediate rifle cartridge developed in Nazi Germany prior to and during World War II, specifically intended for development of the Sturmgewehr 44 (assault rifle). The ammunition is also referred to as 7.9mm Kurz (German: Kurz meaning "short"), 7.9 Kurz, 7.9mmK, or 8×33 Polte.
The round was developed as a compromise between the longer 7.92×57mm full-power rifle cartridge and the 9×19mm Parabellum pistol cartridge, and is the first mass-used intermediate cartridge in the world. In German military instructions, the caliber was often deemed unimportant; the name was emphasized. The 7.92×33mm Kurz was referred to as the Pistolenpatrone M43 (pistol cartridge model 1943) or Pistolen-Munition M43 (pistol ammunition model 1943).
This was part of the same duplicity under which the StG44 was originally designated as a "machine pistol" to disguise the true nature of the weapon from Hitler. After the eventual approval and acceptance of the Sturmgewehr 44, it was redesignated as the "short cartridge model 1943".
The cartridge was the same caliber, and had the same base diameter, as the 7.92×57mm, which was employed by the standard German Army infantry rifle, the Karabiner 98k, as well as its machine guns. The German armed forces had issued a 7.92×57mm automatic (select fire) rifle, the FG 42, in limited numbers, but the heavy recoil of the round made it difficult to use effectively in this role. What was needed was a cartridge that could be used in a lighter, more maneuverable rifle to bridge the gap between submachine guns and rifles.
The standard issue 7.92×57mm cartridge case was shortened by 24 millimetres. With a case length of 33 millimetres, the Kurz round was substantially shorter and delivered less recoil than full-length 7.92×57mm Mauser ammunition, but was still almost as effective when engaging targets at typical combat ranges of 300 meters. This meant it could be fired effectively from a weapon that weighed less than a machine gun, yet still had much greater range, velocity, and stopping power than the 9×19mm Parabellum which was standard in German submachine guns.
The weight of the 7.92mm Kurz S.m.E. round was 263.1 gr, with the bullet taking up 125 gr and the cartridge and propellant the remaining 138.1 gr. The 34% weight reduction compared to full-length 7.92×57mm Mauser s.S. ball ammunition meant that a soldier could carry more rounds of ammunition, for sustained suppressive fire.
The Kurz cartridge incorporated more taper than the parent case because steel is less elastic than brass and more difficult to extract (and because the cartridge retained the same base diameter and caliber as the longer, full size round, requiring a more abrupt taper). This led to the distinctive curved magazine for weapons that used this cartridge, which became popularly known as "banana clips", due to their curved shape, and which can be seen on other weapons using distinctly tapered cartridges, like the Kalashnikov rifles. The shortage of brass in the later stages of World War II led to the use of steel cases for this new cartridge. The steel cases were typically lacquer-coated to prevent corrosion.
Prior to the development of the Kurz round and its associated weapons, two basic small arms existed to equip the regular infantryman, the bolt-action rifle and the submachine gun. The bolt-action rifle was the standard small arm for most of the world's armies, usually incorporating good accuracy and stopping power, but with a very limited rate of fire. The submachine gun was a newer piece of equipment, which offered a very high rate of fire, and a compact size, but was of very limited range and stopping power due to the pistol round (usually 9 mm) it fired.
While the Kurz round did not match the range and accuracy of a full power round fired by a traditional bolt-action rifle, it could still engage individual targets out to 300 meters. As an effective, intermediate-sized cartridge, the Kurz round was a key evolution in the development of the assault rifle by providing a combination of controllable automatic fire and acceptable accuracy at ranges most likely to see infantry combat. Only a few weapons used this round, most notably the Sturmgewehr 44 and the Volkssturmgewehr 1-5.
A number of weapons in development at the time also used the cartridge, including the Sturmgewehr 45, HIW VSK, Wimmersperg Spz-kr, Grossfuss Sturmgewehr; and a number of German and Czech prototype weapons made during World War II and a small number of prototype weapons made in other countries after the war.
An unknown number of late-war K43 rifles were chambered for this cartridge and modified to accept MP 44 magazines. Variants of the VK 98 (Volks-Karabiner), a so-called last-ditch bolt-action rifle intended for the Volkssturm Home Guard, were also chambered for this cartridge with unknown quantities produced by Mauser and Steyr.
A number of Karabiner 98 rifles have appeared for sale on the European market in this caliber with "NUR FÜR KURZ PATRONE" (only for short cartridge) stamped on the barrel. While there were a few Karabiner 98 rifles made in this caliber for testing during the war, these rifles are deemed by specialists and collectors to have been rechambered post-war.
The 7.92×33mm Kurz (designated as the 7.92 x 33 kurz by the C.I.P.) is a rimless bottlenecked intermediate rifle cartridge developed in Nazi Germany prior to and during World War II, specifically intended for development of the Sturmgewehr 44 (assault rifle). The ammunition is also referred to as 7.9mm Kurz (German: Kurz meaning "short"), 7.9 Kurz, 7.9mmK, or 8×33 Polte.
The round was developed as a compromise between the longer 7.92×57mm full-power rifle cartridge and the 9×19mm Parabellum pistol cartridge, and is the first mass-used intermediate cartridge in the world. In German military instructions, the caliber was often deemed unimportant; the name was emphasized. The 7.92×33mm Kurz was referred to as the Pistolenpatrone M43 (pistol cartridge model 1943) or Pistolen-Munition M43 (pistol ammunition model 1943).
This was part of the same duplicity under which the StG44 was originally designated as a "machine pistol" to disguise the true nature of the weapon from Hitler. After the eventual approval and acceptance of the Sturmgewehr 44, it was redesignated as the "short cartridge model 1943".
The cartridge was the same caliber, and had the same base diameter, as the 7.92×57mm, which was employed by the standard German Army infantry rifle, the Karabiner 98k, as well as its machine guns. The German armed forces had issued a 7.92×57mm automatic (select fire) rifle, the FG 42, in limited numbers, but the heavy recoil of the round made it difficult to use effectively in this role. What was needed was a cartridge that could be used in a lighter, more maneuverable rifle to bridge the gap between submachine guns and rifles.
The standard issue 7.92×57mm cartridge case was shortened by 24 millimetres. With a case length of 33 millimetres, the Kurz round was substantially shorter and delivered less recoil than full-length 7.92×57mm Mauser ammunition, but was still almost as effective when engaging targets at typical combat ranges of 300 meters. This meant it could be fired effectively from a weapon that weighed less than a machine gun, yet still had much greater range, velocity, and stopping power than the 9×19mm Parabellum which was standard in German submachine guns.
The weight of the 7.92mm Kurz S.m.E. round was 263.1 gr, with the bullet taking up 125 gr and the cartridge and propellant the remaining 138.1 gr. The 34% weight reduction compared to full-length 7.92×57mm Mauser s.S. ball ammunition meant that a soldier could carry more rounds of ammunition, for sustained suppressive fire.
The Kurz cartridge incorporated more taper than the parent case because steel is less elastic than brass and more difficult to extract (and because the cartridge retained the same base diameter and caliber as the longer, full size round, requiring a more abrupt taper). This led to the distinctive curved magazine for weapons that used this cartridge, which became popularly known as "banana clips", due to their curved shape, and which can be seen on other weapons using distinctly tapered cartridges, like the Kalashnikov rifles. The shortage of brass in the later stages of World War II led to the use of steel cases for this new cartridge. The steel cases were typically lacquer-coated to prevent corrosion.
Prior to the development of the Kurz round and its associated weapons, two basic small arms existed to equip the regular infantryman, the bolt-action rifle and the submachine gun. The bolt-action rifle was the standard small arm for most of the world's armies, usually incorporating good accuracy and stopping power, but with a very limited rate of fire. The submachine gun was a newer piece of equipment, which offered a very high rate of fire, and a compact size, but was of very limited range and stopping power due to the pistol round (usually 9 mm) it fired.
While the Kurz round did not match the range and accuracy of a full power round fired by a traditional bolt-action rifle, it could still engage individual targets out to 300 meters. As an effective, intermediate-sized cartridge, the Kurz round was a key evolution in the development of the assault rifle by providing a combination of controllable automatic fire and acceptable accuracy at ranges most likely to see infantry combat. Only a few weapons used this round, most notably the Sturmgewehr 44 and the Volkssturmgewehr 1-5.
A number of weapons in development at the time also used the cartridge, including the Sturmgewehr 45, HIW VSK, Wimmersperg Spz-kr, Grossfuss Sturmgewehr; and a number of German and Czech prototype weapons made during World War II and a small number of prototype weapons made in other countries after the war.
An unknown number of late-war K43 rifles were chambered for this cartridge and modified to accept MP 44 magazines. Variants of the VK 98 (Volks-Karabiner), a so-called last-ditch bolt-action rifle intended for the Volkssturm Home Guard, were also chambered for this cartridge with unknown quantities produced by Mauser and Steyr.
A number of Karabiner 98 rifles have appeared for sale on the European market in this caliber with "NUR FÜR KURZ PATRONE" (only for short cartridge) stamped on the barrel. While there were a few Karabiner 98 rifles made in this caliber for testing during the war, these rifles are deemed by specialists and collectors to have been rechambered post-war.
