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As I recalled the 7.62x39 was about .312, but have never reloaded in the way you describe. Used to put 30-30 bullets into loaded down .308 cases looking for the ideal recoil vs. performance ratio, though. Never got there, bullets are designed all wrong for war. Personally, I have a lttle familiarity with the StG 43, know a collector who lets me shoot his, with Nazi headstamp ammunition. Very good weapon, better than the AK.

I've owned a couple of MP44s/StG44s, even had one in high school I bought from one of my dad's fellow American Legion post members for all of $50- he couldn't find ammo for it. Now, one magazine is worth more than that, and I got eight with it. I always wanted one of the Mkb42(h) prototypes, but the one I saw that was for sale was at a time when I was short the cash required to carry.

Back in 1976 and '77 I carried an MP44 *for real* as something with a little more range than the folding-buttstock Uzi I kept under the dashboard of the Volkswagon Rabbit I was driving at the time. I practiced going out of the sunroof and could be out and on the ground in under three seconds.

The MP44 is more controllable than the AK, which it oughta be, being less powerful and 12 pounds heavy, near the weight of a BAR. The one I've really wanted to wring out over a long period was the FG42 in the full-power 7,92x57mm Mauser caliber. I've shot 'em a couple of times, but really getting a chance to use one has eluded me so far.

-archy-/-

Fired a magazine through an FG 42 once. Needs a trained trigger finger. Easy to spray, something of a recoil heave.

The following paragraph is not aimed at you, but at the non-expert reader.

War weapons end up heavy and simple. Peacetime weapons end up lightweight, expensive, and unreliable in war. Peacetime tanks usually end up underamoured, though not much since the Chieftain. Leopard II looks very good. Abrams is OK. That Army eight wheeler Stryker looks like a real abortion, everything but a kitchen sink, with lots of video games. The Marine eight wheeler is much better. The M16 is deeply flawed. The M60 is a copy of the MG42 made by folks who didn't understand what they were doing. The Russians make the best body armor per dollar by far. The list goes on.