Prices for german small arms 1943 (list)

[CroGer]

Hello,

in Waffen-Revue 8 I found an interesting List of the prices of german weapons from authentic documents from 1st february 1943

[stg 44]

How is the MP38 cheaper than the MP40? I thought the latter was made more cheaply of stamped metal, rather than machined parts?

[kfbr392]

according to Gander „Enzyklopädie deutscher Waffen 1939-1945: Handwaffen, Artillerie, Beutewaffen, Sonderwaffen“, p.52, the 60RM figure may have priced in the non-recurring costs for new production machinery and tooling for the stamped sheet metal parts of the gun.

[kfbr392]

In terms of a reduction in production time, workers/ man hours, especially skilled workers, and machining, the MP 40 had the edge over the MP 38.

ca. April 1944 figures, from Handrich “Sturmgewehr”:

[Tony Williams]

It would be interesting to know how the FG 42 compared...

[kfbr392]

totally. never saw any figures for it, sadly.
the FG 42/3 of 1944/45 had a milled bolt housing, bolt, plus other milled sub-components. And had to use some high grade steel for structural reasons. Since production was low there could not have been economies of scale.

Almost certainly a good deal more expensive than a MP 44.
And much more expensive than the 1944-45 „StG 45“ prototypes from Mauser, Grossfuss, Haenel etc.