I was inspired to write this post by watching Brandon Herrera’s love song to the Sturmgewehr (StG)44, and when I’d finished wiping the drool from my chin, I thought: “Man, I would love love love to own one of those”, which was quickly followed by “Who are you kidding? You wouldn’t be able to find the gun, couldn’t afford it even if you did, and FFS think of the cost of the Unobtanium ammo, dude!”
…which led to the thought: “How many other guns fall into that category, more or less?”
And here we are.
First off, I think the aforesaid StG-44 would head up the list.
Looks cool, reduced recoil (reduced-power 8x43mm vs. 8x57mm ammo), semi-auto/full auto, designed by Hugo Schmeisser… the list goes on and on. WANT. But even the newly-made semi-auto-only PTR-44 sells for close to $8,000 (instead of $30,000+ for the real thing). STILL WANT.
Next, the FG-42 as used by German paratroopers:
Okay, this one uses the full-strength 8x57mm ammo, but it was and remains one of the best gun designs not done by John Moses Browning. And it’s super-rare so forget all ideas about affordability, plus it’s full-auto all the time. So no, I can’t have one. Don’t care. WANT.
Next comes the Ljungman AG m/42B:
Lessee: light recoil, wonderfully reliable, semi-auto (so no gummint paperwork/NFA nonsense) fires my favorite rifle cartridge (6.5x55mm Swede)… what really scrapes my scabs is that I actually used to own one very much like it: the Egyptian Hakim chambered in 8x57mm; but I think I’d prefer the original Ljungman because of the chambering. WANT, very much, all the more because it’s far more available than the two Kraut rifles above. But $2,000-odd? Not gonna happen.
Finally, the M3 Grease Gun:
‘Nuff said. I’ve shot it before, loved it, was cheap to make, works well, shoots a manly cartridge (instead of some wussy Europellet)… and costs too much (now), plus all that gummint paperwork. So I’m never going to own one, but still WANT.
That’s all. Maybe I’ll think of more later, but these three came to mind immediately, which just proves how much I want them.
Kim,
Here’s a 3 minute video of Gun Jesus doing a full auto shoot of an FG-42. I seem to recall hearing somewhere there are five, count ’em FIVE, fully transferrable 42’s in the US.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x6LibuC4N0
I believe there is a semi-auto grease gun out there with the approved barrel length to avoid the Class III paper work.
A few guns that I’d like but never own:
1) fancy shotgun. the engravings being a work of art, I’d probably shudder every time I pull the trigger because I wouldn’t want to get the work of art dirty.
2) Class III. Just an expensive what to turn money into noise. Well, maybe something belt fed.
The current want list includes:
1) Smith & Wesson model 41. prices are were high already and headed higher since S&W ended production of them last year
2) a really good bolt action in 7mm-08 or 6.5mm Swede, I’d love a Sako model 85 Bavarian or was it the model 95. Either way it’s out of my budget for now.
3) maybe a 41 magnum revolver but not until I get my reloading bench squared away. That’s supposed to be a very good cartridge but I think that niche is filled by 44 special out of a 44mag revolver. Is there much difference between 44 special and 41 magnum?
4) a couple of good quality holsters for handguns.
Did you know that they make a 22LR reproduction of the STG44? Less than $500 and I know you already have buckets of ammo for it
For me, it’s the Mannlicher-Schoenauer Model 1903 carbine with the full-length Mannlicher-style stock and double-set triggers. I’ve been lusting after once since I first saw Lord Lovat, as portrayed by Peter Lawford, carry one in the film adaptation of “The Longest Day.” (Random trivia; while no one can seem to agree which long-arm the real Lord Lovat carried ashore at Sword Beach, everyone agrees that it was NOT his personally-owned M-S 1903 carbine!)
Alas, nice specimens were going for $4000-$5000 back when I was in college, and that was 15+ years ago! I haven’t seen one at a gun show or auction in years, but I imagine they go for at least double that now. And even if I could afford one, they shoot the obscurement and near-unobtanium 6.5×54 M-S cartridge. Last I saw, only PPU produced ammo for it, and the asking prices for 160-grain FMJ or SP was stupid high.
[SIIIIIIIIIIIIIGH]
Why must I have classic Ferrari tastes and a clapped-out Ford budget?
I had a chance to purchase a Hakim for $350 from a gun store in town. I walked away, I was stupid. I could have afforded it, I had plenty of 8mm at home for my Yugo Mauser. The Hakim seemed so goofy till I did some research on the Ljungman design. Did I say I was stupid?
As for everything else on the list. Yes, YES, YESSS!!!! Especially the FG42.
Having never shot the Grease Gun, I wonder why that bit of kit was ever dropped from the .mil. Other than its cheap, works reliably, isn’t tacticool, and won’t justify a bloated budget with 4 Generals and 3000 secretaries. Plus we could have shipped it into Africa by the millions, then they could have slaughtered each other with M3’s instead of AK-47’s, the results would have been the same but .45 ACP would end up being a hell of a lot cheaper.
MP40. Why? The best evolution of the subgun. Easy to produce, stupid reliable, simple, and every war movie you’ve ever seen had one. Plenty of transferable ones around, if you’ve got $30K in spare change laying around.
MG42. Same reasons. Easy to produce, stupid reliable, the best evolution of the GP machine gun. Again, lots of examples around, but stupid expensive. And the cost to feed it . . . . ouch.
Yea, I’ve got a thing for WWII guns.
Nothing wrong with that.
BTW if Herrera is in your district, I hope he gets your backing. I’ll punch a couple of extra mail-in ballots if you need me to.
I have modest desires:
A Springfield M-1903, but definitely a high numbered one.
An M-1917,
An M-14
Yes, I have a thing for those full-house 20th Century American battle rifles.
Nothing wrong with that either.
I bought a GermanSportGuns Stg44-22 when they were briefly on the market about 25 years ago……and absolute delight as a plinker since they kept the weight and balance as close to original a possible, and imperceptible recoil.
Was at an outdoor event, and they had set up a steel plate range, put ten in the mag (Yes, 25shot mags were available), and settled in. Put all 10 on-target (twice) and never had to reset my feet, just add a little twist to the torso as I went from L-R. Wonderful Plinker. It’s a proud wallhanger along with some other oddball stuff, like an 1897 Trench Broom from Norinco, a 1964 4-number SP-1 Colt, and a last year H&B Garand.