Karabiner 43 ('K43'), which was identical to the G43 in every way save for the letter stamped on the side. The G/K43 was issued in limited numbers in 1944 and 1945 to units of the Wehrmacht. Total production by the end of the war was 402,713 of both models, including at least 53,435 sniper rifles fitted with the Zielfernrohr 43 ('ZF 4') scope with 4x magnification. The weapon was originally designed for use with the Schiessbecher device for firing rifle grenades (standard on the Kar 98k as well) and the Schalldämpfer suppressor. However these accessories were deemed unsuccessful in tests and were dropped even before the rifle entered serial production. It was also not equipped to use a bayonet. The Gewehr 43 stayed in service with the Czechoslovak army for several years after the war. Sturmgewehr (assault rifle) Developed in Nazi Germany during World War II, the Sturmgewehr was a series of assault rifles that were the first to see major deployment. It is also known by the designations: Maschinenpistole 43, Maschinenpistole 44 (MP43 and MP44, respectively), which denotes earlier versions of the same weapon. MP43, MP44, and StG44 were different names for what was essentially the same rifle, with minor differences in production and dates. The various names were a result of the complicated small arms nomenclature in Nazi Germany. Developed from the Mkb 42(H) "machine carbine", the 'StG44' combined traits of carbines, submachine guns and automatic rifles. StG is an abbreviation of Sturmgewehr. The name was chosen for propaganda reasons and means "assault rifle" as in "to assault a bunker". After the adoption of the StG44, the English translation 'assault rifle' became a common class description of this type of infantry small arm. The rifle was chambered for the 7.92×33mm cartridge, also known as 7.92mm Kurz (German for "short"). This shorter version of the German standard (7.92×57mm) rifle round, in combination with the weapon's selective-fire design, provided most of the controllable firepower of a submachine gun at close quarters with much of the accuracy and power of a Karabiner 98k bolt-action rifle at intermediate ranges. While the StG44 had less range and power than the more powerful infantry rifles of the day, Wehrmacht studies had shown that most combat engagements occurred at less than 300 meters with the majority within 200 meters. MKb 42 Contracts for rifles firing the Kurz round were sent to both Walther and Haenel