MG 39 Rh

Maschinengewehr MG39 Rh
Maschinengewehr MG39 Rh
Type	General-purpose machine gun
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designer	Louis Stange
Designed	1937
Manufacturer	Rheinmetall
Specifications
Mass	9.58 kg (21.1 lb)
Length	1,185 mm (46.7 in)
Barrel length	599 mm (23.6 in) (660 mm (26 in) with flash hider)
Cartridge	7.92×57mm Mauser
Caliber	7.92 mm (0.312 in)
Barrels	1
Action	Gas operated
Effective firing range	100-1600 m in 100 m increments
Feed system	Belt
Sights	Iron sights

The MG39 Rh was a general-purpose machine gun of German origin.^[1]

It originated from a draft specification and contest held for an MG 34 Einheitsmaschinengewehr replacement that was better suited for mass production. Three companies were asked in February 1937 to submit new designs: Metall und Lackierwarenfabrik Johannes Großfuß AG of Döbeln, Rheinmetall-Borsig AG of Sömmerda, and Stübgen AG of Erfurt.^[2] The designs and mock-up guns proposals were submitted in October 1937.^[3] Großfuß AG's entry proved to be the best design to simplify and rationalize the technical concept of the MG 34, employing a unique recoil-operated roller locking mechanism whereas the two competing entries used a gas-actuated system.^[2]

Rheinmetall-Borsig further developed their entry under the direction of Louis Stange to the MG 39 Rh, but no records of a further development request by the German military to do this are known. The MG 39 Rh did not progress beyond the prototype stage. The only surviving example is at the Military Historical Institute of Prague in Czech Republic.

References[]

^ "Dead End: MG 39 Rh". Forgottenweapons.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
^ ^a ^b Willbanks, James: Machine Guns: An Illustrated History of Their Impact, page 115. ABC-CLIO, 2004.
^ "Dead End: MG 39 Rh". Forgottenweapons.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.

External links[]

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[1] "Dead End: MG 39 Rh". Forgottenweapons.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.

[Willbanks-2] Willbanks, James: Machine Guns: An Illustrated History of Their Impact, page 115. ABC-CLIO, 2004.

[3] "Dead End: MG 39 Rh". Forgottenweapons.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.

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[2]

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v t German firearms and light weapons of World War II
Sidearms	Mauser C96 Luger Walther P38 Walther PP and PPK Sauer 38H Mauser HSc Sturmpistole Dreyse M1907 Pistol Volkspistole
Rifles and carbines	FG 42 G 98/40 Gewehr 41 Gewehr 43/Karabiner 43 Grossfuss Sturmgewehr Karabinek wz. 1929 Karabiner 98k M30 Luftwaffe drilling MKb 42(W) / MKb 42(H) MP 43/MP 44/StG 44 StG 45(M) VG 1-5 G 24(t) G 33/40(t)
Submachine guns	MP 18/MP 28 MP 34 MP35 MP 38/MP 40 MP 41 MP 3008 Erma EMP EMP 44
Machine guns and other larger weapons	MG 08 Schwarzlose MG M.07/12 MG 13 MG 15 MG 17 MG 26 MG 30 MG 34 MG 42 MG 45 MG 131 IMG 28 MG 35/36A Faustpatrone Raketen-Panzerbüchse 43 Panzerfaust Panzerschreck Fliegerfaust/Luftfaust Flammenwerfer 35 Flammenwerfer 41 Einstossflammenwerfer 46 Panzerbüchse 39 Solothurn S-18/1000 VMG 1927
Mortars	5 cm leGrW 36 8 cm GrW 34 kz 8 cm GrW 42 10 cm NbW 35 12 cm GrW 42 20 cm leLdgW
Grenade Launchers	Kampfpistole Leuchtpistole 34 Leuchtpistole 42 Sturmpistole
Grenades	Blendkörper 1H Blendkörper 2H Fallschirm Leuchtpatrone Gewehr-Panzergranate Gross Gewehr-Panzergranate Gewehr-Granatpatrone 40 Gross Panzergranate 46 & 61 Gewehr-Sprenggranate Hafthohlladung Model 1924 Stielhandgranate Model 1939 Eihandgranate Model 1943 Stielhandgranate Multi-Star Signal Cartridge Nebelpatrone Panzerwurfkörper 42 Panzerwurfmine Propaganda-Gewehrgranate Shaving Stick Grenade Splitterring Sprengpatrone Wurfgranate Patrone 326 Wurfkörper 361
Notable foreign-made weapons	Modele 1935A (Pistole 625(f)) Browning Hi-Power as P 640(b) Radom wz. 35 Vis as P 645(p) ZB vz. 24 as Gewehr 24(t) ZB vz. 33 as G 33/40(t) Lewis gun as MG 137(e) Bren light machine gun as 7.7 mm Leichtes MG 138(e) vz. 37 as MG 37(t) Browning wz. 1928 as IMG 28(p) Beretta Model 38 as MP 738(i) ZB vz. 26 as MG 26(t) PPS submachine gun as Maschinenpistole 719(r) SVT-40 as Selbstladegewehr 259 (r) Kb ppanc wz.35 as Panzerbüchse 35(p) Bazooka as 6 cm Raketenpanzerbüchse 788 (a)
German cartridges of the Wehrmacht	7.63×25mm Mauser 7.65×21mm Parabellum 7.92×33mm Kurz 7.92×57mm Mauser 7.92×94mm Patronen 9×19mm Parabellum 13.2×92mmSR 20×138mmB

MG 39 Rh

See also[]

References[]

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