7.92 × 33 mm

At the beginning of World War II, German designers began developing automatic weapons for cartridges, intermediate in power between a 9-mm pistol and a 7.9-mm rifle cartridge. Of the several experimental variants, a 7.9 mm intermediate cartridge was adopted with a 33 mm sleeve length (now known as 7.92 × 33 mm), developed by the German company Polte in Magdeburg, on its own initiative. The cartridge was used for the MKb.42 (H), MKb.42 (W) , StG-44 , StG 45 (M) and Volkssturmgewehr 1-5 machines.

Mass production of the cartridge began in 1942. The sleeve was a shortened and pereobzhatuyu rifle cartridge case 7,9x57. Steel lacquered sleeves were used for equipment. The main nomenclature included a single bullet - an ordinary one with a steel core: when such cartridges were designated, the abbreviation mE was added ( German it E isenkern - “with a steel core”). The bullet shell is steel, clad outside with a tampac , and from the inside with a tampac or zinc . A non-hardened steel core in a lead shirt is placed in the shell. Initially, the core had a sharp pointed tip, but from about the end of 1942 it was made by stamping and had a flat tip. Known experimental batch of cartridges with tracer bullet. By the end of the war, experiments were conducted on the use of cheaper bullets from ersatz materials: solid steel forged, turned and pressed from a mixture of metal-ceramic powders. Auxiliary types of cartridges included training, single and grenade launchers (special single for throwing muzzle grenades).

The design and ballistic characteristics of this German cartridge served as the basis for the development of intermediate cartridges in different countries: Soviet 7.62x41 (1943, after 1947 - 7.62x39 ), Finnish 7.62x33 (1943), French 7.65x35 (1947), Swiss 7 , 5x38 (1952) and others

Interestingly, in Germany itself, the caliber of ammunition and weapons (rifle, intermediate, and to the MFR) was designated as 7.9 mm, and only after the war 0.02 mm were added to everyone, as it was customary to designate German-style cartridges in Czechoslovakia, Romania and some other countries - 7.92 mm .

The official military designations of the patron were as follows (in chronological terms):

• Maschinenkarabiner-Patr. S ( S - German. S pitzgeschoss ) - "Cartridge for an automatic carbine with a pointed-pointed bullet", 1942.
• Pistolenpatrone 43 mE (abbr. Pist.-Patr. 43 mE and Pistolen-Patr. 43 mE ) - “pistol cartridge mod. 43 with a bullet with a steel core ", 1943-1945.
• Kurzpatrone 43 mE (abbr. Kurzpatr. 43 mE ) - “short cartridge mod. 43 with a steel core bullet, 1945.

The patron's production was started by its developer from Magdeburg - Polte Armaturen-und-Maschinenfabrik AG, Werk Magdeburg . But during the war, at least eight more producers (including those located in the territories of occupied Czechoslovakia and Poland) joined the issue. In the postwar years, various manufacturers periodically issued cartridges of both military type and for commercial sale in the market of civilian weapons. The cartridge was produced in the following countries:

•   Germany
•   Czechoslovakia - graduation in the second half of the 40s.
•   GDR - release in the late 50s - early 60s.
•   Yugoslavia
•   Spain - release in the early 50s.
•   Portugal
•   USA - ammunition equipment in original cartridges from European manufacturers, as well as in over ribbed and trimmed rifle cartridges (with the corresponding case diameter).
•   Serbia - at present, both the cartridges and their components - bullets and bullet cases - are offered on the civilian market.

In addition to the above, the following names of cartridge are found:

• 7.92 Kz-43 (GDR)
• 7.92 mm krátký náboj 43 (Czechoslovakia)
• 7,9x33
• 8x33 (Portugal and others)
• 7.9 mm Sturmgewehr

and etc.

• 7.92 × 57 mm
• StG-44
• List of rifle cartridges

• Le 7.92 x 33 Kurz modello M.43