Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5
- Category
- Rifle
- Barrel
- 378 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.60 kg
- Introduced
- 1945
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5 (also designated MP 507) was a last-ditch semi-automatic rifle developed by Karl Barnitzke at Gustloff-Werke in Suhl as part of Nazi Germany's 'Primitiv-Waffen-Programm' in late 1944. Chambered in 7.92x33mm Kurz and feeding from standard StG 44 magazines, it used an unusual gas-delayed blowback action (the Barnitzke system) where gas bled near the chamber resisted the rearward bolt impulse until the bullet left the muzzle. Construction was deliberately crude, using stampings, welding and pinning, with only 39 metallic parts.
The Volkssturmgewehr's gas-delayed blowback design was so radically simple that decades later Heckler & Koch revived the concept for their P7 pistol. Forgotten Weapons' Ian McCollum has called the VG 1-5 'the most interesting bad gun ever made' for its mechanically clever solution dressed in the crudest possible packaging.
The VG 1-5 designation is sometimes confused with the bolt-action VG 1, VG 2, VG 3 and VG 5 'people's rifles' built by other factories. The VG 1-5 was the only Volkssturm weapon that was self-loading. The rifle was extremely sensitive to fouling and would jam if not kept thoroughly oiled.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Gustloff-Werke
- Category
- Rifle
- Country
- Germany
- Status
- Out of production
- Produced
- 1945 to 1945
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 378 mm
- Overall length
- 885 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.60 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Delayed blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Phosphate
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 655 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1735 J
- Effective range
- 300 m
- Maximum range
- 600 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Stamped steel construction- Barnitzke gas delayed system
Fixed iron sights
Uses stg44 magazines- Primitive waffen program
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 1,612 rifles | 4.60 kg | 3.50 kg | Heavier than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 1,557 rifles | 885 mm | 1080 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 1,659 rifles | 378 mm | 584 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 1,611 rifles | 30 | 5 | Holds more rounds than about 90% |
Answers
Questions about the Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5
How much does the Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5 weigh?
The Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5 weighs 4.60 kg (10.14 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5?
The Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5 is chambered in 7.92x33mm Kurz.
How many rounds does the Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5 hold?
The Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5?
The Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5 is 885 mm (34.8 in) long overall, with a 378 mm (14.9 in) barrel.
Who makes the Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5?
The Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5 is made by Gustloff-Werke (Germany). It was designed by Karl Barnitzke.
When was the Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5 introduced?
The Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5 was introduced in 1945 and discontinued in 1945.
How does the Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5 operate?
The Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5 uses a delayed blowback action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Volkssturm
- 1945
- Wehrmacht
- 1945
Provenance
Confidence in this record
78%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/volkssturmgewehr' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "volkssturmgewehr", "name": "Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5", "manufacturer": { "id": "gustloff-werke", "name": "Gustloff-Werke", "countryCode": "DE", "foundedYear": 1936, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": "defunct", "defunctYear": 1945, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": true, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-05-04 12:38:54", "updatedAt": "2026-05-04 12:38:54", "version": "79171792eb43ca76ba08cc194b471c7617b1226113eb25259f1712a73c29bad3" }, "category": { "id": "rifle", "name": "Rifle", "description": "Long-barreled firearms designed for accurate shooting" }, "country_of_origin": "DE", "year_introduced": 1945, "barrel_length_mm": 378, "weight_empty_g": 4600, "action_type": "delayed_blowback"}