Introduction: When Ballistics Bent to Human Will
Some innovations in firearms historical past come throughout like one thing from pulp science fiction—ideas so peculiar and bold they appear not possible till you see them in metallic. The Krummlauf attachment for the Sturmgewehr 44 (STG-44) is precisely that sort of marvel. Born within the crucible of late-war desperation and fueled by a mixture of sensible want and engineering bravado, this system stays one of many strangest—and most fascinating—experiments in small arms historical past.
Think about a machine gun whose bullets curve round corners. Appears like nonsense? It isn’t. The truth is, it was examined, produced, and issued—no less than in small portions—by Nazi Germany throughout World Conflict II. That is the true story of the Krummlauf, an insane however undeniably good try and bend the principles of warfare, fairly actually.
Half I: The STG-44—Start of the Trendy Assault Rifle
Earlier than diving into the Krummlauf itself, we have to perceive its mum or dad firearm: the Sturmgewehr 44, or STG-44. Developed in Nazi Germany and fielded in 1943–1945, the STG-44 was the world’s first mass-produced assault rifle, combining the firepower of a submachine gun with the vary and accuracy of a rifle in a select-fire package deal. It chambered the intermediate 7.92×33mm Kurz cartridge, a revolutionary step that set the muse for post-war designs just like the AK-47 and M16.
The STG-44 was able to each semi-automatic and absolutely automated fireplace, used a removable 30-round journal, and featured distinctive controllability and vary for a shoulder-fired weapon. However the Germans, at all times tinkering, weren’t content material with straight-line destruction. They began asking: what if this already exceptional rifle might shoot round corners?
Half II: The Origin of the Krummlauf
Why Shoot Round Corners?
The genesis of the Krummlauf (German for “curved barrel” or “crooked path”) got here from the sensible nightmare of city fight and tank warfare. Infantry had no good approach to defend tanks from close-quarters ambushes—particularly in cities the place Soviet troops would possibly climb onto a tank unseen or lie in wait round alley corners.
Tank commanders and crewmen wanted a approach to see and fireplace on enemies with out exposing themselves. Enter the engineers at Rheinmetall-Borsig, who proposed a seemingly ludicrous however technically ingenious resolution: a curved barrel extension for the STG-44 that allowed a shooter to fireside at 30°, 45°, 60°, and even 90° angles. Paired with a periscope sighting system, this created an early analog model of what right now’s tactical crowd would possibly name “nook shot” techniques.
Half III: The Krummlauf Variants
There wasn’t only one Krummlauf. In typical German style, the venture spawned a number of variations, every specialised for a specific angle of bend and use case.
1. Krummlauf “I” (Infantry):
30° bend
Supposed to be used by infantry behind cowl.
Featured a mirror sight to permit aiming whereas protected.
2. Krummlauf “P” (Panzer):
30° or 90° bend
Designed to mount into tank cupolas.
Got here with a periscopic sight.
Allowed tank crew to interact infantry in shut quarters from throughout the automobile.
3. 60° and 90° Experimental Varieties:
These have been closely examined however not broadly issued.
Excessive angles launched extreme ballistic points and barrel put on.
Most broke or failed catastrophically after a number of hundred rounds.
Half IV: Engineering Insanity—How Did It Work?
A Curved Barrel? Critically?
Sure. The Krummlauf was a inflexible metal extension clamped to the tip of the STG-44’s barrel. The within was rifled, and the curve was manufactured with extremely tight tolerances to information the bullet alongside its arcing path. This wasn’t merely a bent pipe—it was a precision-engineered extension.
Ballistics vs. Physics
This is the place it will get nerdy—and the place the Germans began to lose the battle towards physics:
Barrel Strain and Warmth: Because the bullet traveled the curve, it encountered dramatic will increase in friction and stress. The bend disrupted the traditional strain curve, leading to severe warmth buildup and untimely put on.
Bullet Fragmentation: Particularly within the 60° and 90° fashions, bullets would usually fracture mid-barrel, rising as shrapnel somewhat than a cohesive projectile.
Accuracy: The 30° variant retained affordable accuracy at shut vary—sufficient to hit man-sized targets at 100m. However something extra excessive was hopelessly inaccurate.
Barrel Longevity: Early 30° prototypes lasted ~300 rounds earlier than cracking. Later variations managed as much as 3000 rounds with improved metallurgy and inside liners.
Muzzle Velocity Loss: Relying on the bend and barrel size, velocity dropped by 15–30%. That’s a big tradeoff, however acceptable for terribly short-range use.
Half V: The Optics and Mounting System
To intention round a nook, the shooter couldn’t use conventional iron sights. So, the Krummlauf got here with an offset prism sight or mirror periscope, clamped to the aspect of the rifle. For tank mounts, a specifically tailored periscope viewer let tankers look by way of the roof whereas taking pictures by way of the Krummlauf beneath.
Some variations even allowed the weapon to be clamped on to the tank’s inside and operated semi-remotely, making it one of many earliest examples of vehicle-mounted infantry weapons built-in into the principle physique of armor.
Half VI: Deployment and Discipline Use
Did It Truly See Fight?
Sure—however simply barely.
The Krummlauf was examined extensively and noticed restricted fielding in 1944–45, significantly with Panzer divisions on the Japanese Entrance. German stories be aware combined outcomes:
Tankers appreciated the safety it supplied—however complained about jamming, overheating, and unreliability after prolonged fireplace.
Infantry largely noticed it as a curiosity, with some utilizing it experimentally in city ruins through the Battle of Berlin.
Precise numbers are debated, but it surely’s estimated that lower than 500 models have been produced and fewer nonetheless have been issued in operational situations. Most have been destroyed or captured by Allied forces, who have been astonished on the sight of such an outlandish system.
Half VII: The Legacy of the Krummlauf
An Thought Too Far Forward of Its Time?
Whereas the Krummlauf was a technical failure in some ways, it laid conceptual groundwork for contemporary “shoot-around-corner” techniques, resembling:
The CornerShot system utilized by particular forces right now.
Robotic turrets and distant weapon stations, which owe a debt to early interested by distant management and directional fireplace.
Video- and periscope-assisted firearm designs.
Simply as essential, the Krummlauf represents a mindset of radical experimentation. Nazi Germany, significantly within the late phases of the conflict, was throwing each engineering trick on the wall, looking for a miracle weapon to reverse its fortunes. Most of those concepts failed—however not all of them lacked worth. The STG-44 itself proved profoundly influential, and the Krummlauf… properly, it stays one of many boldest, most gloriously nerdy detours in firearms historical past.
Half VIII: Surviving Examples and Collectability
A couple of Krummlauf barrels exist in museums and personal collections. The most effective-preserved examples are in:
The Bundeswehr Navy Historical past Museum in Dresden, Germany.
The Nationwide Firearms Centre in Leeds, UK (a part of the Royal Armouries).
America Military Ordnance Museum, although entry varies as a consequence of relocations.
Collectors regard these as ultra-rare conflict curios, and when one comes up on the market (normally demilled or destroyed), the worth can exceed $25,000—only for the Krummlauf attachment. Pair it with an identical STG-44 and also you’ve obtained one of the vital esoteric, fascinating, and traditionally intriguing mixtures within the firearms gathering world.
Ultimate Ideas: Engineering Madness or Tactical Genius?
The Krummlauf is a kind of uncommon innovations that straddles the road between absurd and good. It wasn’t profitable, but it surely was daring. It didn’t win any battles, but it surely stays unforgettable. Greater than something, it represents the sort of wild-eyed, slide-rule-in-one-hand, grease-stained-blueprint-in-the-other sort of pondering that makes weapons historical past so endlessly fascinating.
In a conflict that noticed jet plane, ballistic missiles, and infrared riflescopes emerge alongside horrifying atrocities and industrialized slaughter, the Krummlauf is an odd little aspect be aware that reveals what can occur when engineers are instructed to bend actuality—actually.
If you understand of any boards or websites that ought to be referenced on this itemizing, please tell us right here.
