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Rifle Details: Assault Rifle 57

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Rifle Name: Assault Rifle 57 Calibre: 7.5x55 GP11 First Issued: 1957 Number of Pieces: 740000 Overall Length: 1105 mm Weight (unloaded): 5700 g Weight (loaded): 6600 g Barrel Length: 520 mm Line of Sight: 635 mm Rifling: 270 mm Rifling Dir.: R Grooves: 4 Magazine Capacity: 24 Rounds Permission required: Ger: Waffenerwerbschein (für die abgeänderte Version) oder Ausnahmebewilligung (für die vollautomatische Version)

Description:

More information: Assault Rifle 57 Assault Rifle 57 PE   The Assault Rifle 57, short Stgw 57, was the standard soldier weapon of the Swiss Army from its introduction in 1957 until its replacement by the Assault Rifle 90 in the 90s. It replaced the Modell 1931 Carbine, the light machine gun () and most of the submachine guns (Sub machine gun 41/44 and Maschinenpistole 43/44) at the end of the 50s. The Stgw 57 is a comparatively long (approx. 110cm) and heavy (approx. 6kg) weapon in caliber 7.5 x 55 (Gewehr Patrone 11 (7.5mm GP11)) and allows single and full automatic fire.   The Assault Rifle 57 is a recoil loader with delayed action bolt. The bolt is in two parts, the recoil of the bolt is slowed down by two retractable rollers anchored in corresponding bearings. Relief grooves are milled into the chamber () to prevent case breakage; the ejected cases thus show the longitudinal traces of gunshot residue characteristic of Assault Rifle 57. The firing cup for rifle grenades is firmly integrated into the barrel. The army version of the Assault Rifle 57 shoots single fire (safety lever in position "E") and full automatic fire (safety lever in position "M" = ramping). For safe handling in firing ranges, the safety lever can be limited to positions "S" (safety) and "E" (single fire) by means of a full autofire lock. The full autofire lock (colloquially called "plate") is inserted with the white side facing outwards. If the black side of the full autofire lock is inserted outwards, all three positions ("S", "E" and "M") are available. Privatized assault rifles, i.e. weapons that become the property of the soldier after the end of his service, are modified so that only single fire can be fired. The amendment consists of removing the parts of the trigger assembly necessary for shooting series fire and milling off the triggering cam on the bolt. See pictures below for more information. In addition to the army version, a private version was produced for shooters (Stgw PE 57, approx. 3'900 pieces), which is designed for single fire only.   The Assault Rifle 57 has a movable bipod support, which can be used as a middle and front support. In military use, single fire was fired from the center support, for series fire the support was pushed forward and used as front support, which gives the weapon a better grip. In general it should be noted that the Assault Rifle 57 is very well controllable by its high weight for rapid single fire and series fire. The cadence for series fire is about 450 to 650 rounds per minute.   The operational distance or effectiveness is given up to approx. 600m. Aiming is via an adjustable, hinged diopter and a hinged front sight. For shooting at night, a night sight can be attached, which should allow rough aiming.   With the Assault Rifle 57 rifle grenades could be fired (e.g. Übungsgranate 58), which were put directly on the barrel and ignited by a propellant cartridge. The propellant cartridges were fed through a specially made magazine (see pictures below), which only allowed the loading of the somewhat shorter propellant cartridges. The magazine mechanically prevented the assault rifle from reloading automatically; reloading was only possible by hand by simultaneously pressing a button on the bottom of the magazine. Rifle grenades could be fired in direct and bow firing. On the bipod support there is a scale, which indicated the shooting distance by means of a fixed cord and weight (Swiss soldier's knife). The maximum firing distance for rifle grenades was about 250m in flat firing and up to about 400m in archery.   Further versions of the Assault Rifle 57 were weapons with telescopic sights (weapon numbers 555'501 to 595'500). Telescopic sights or an infrared target device could be mounted on them. L SG57] with telescopic sights were corps material, i.e. the weapons were not in the personal possession of the soldier like the normal Assault Rifle 57, but were stored in the arsenal. For the execution of the annual young shooter courses rifles with scope rails were lent to the shooting clubs.   The Assault Rifle 57 handed in for the boys' shooting courses corresponded to the fully automatic army version with scope rail.   About 740'000 pieces of Assault Rifle 57 were delivered to the Swiss Army. Since 1 January 1991 165,702 units have been taken over by the armed forces as property (as of January 2014).   Before 1991, the men equipped with the Assault Rifle 57 received a Modell 1931 Carbine as property when they were taken out of service. The Assault Rifle 57 was taken back, refurbished and then given back to recruits. Once overhauled rifles were marked with "A" on the system housing, the second time overhauled rifles were marked with "B". The remaining assault rifles 57 were added to the war reserve and/or scrapped. As of 2015 no assault rifles 57 are in (official) reserve anymore, i.e. all were scrapped.

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Bajonett Mod. 1957
 
 

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