ATI STG-44 .22LR Carbine

The ATI STG-44 .22 LR Carbine

The STG-44, a Second World War icon, lives in an affordable version!  The German made 22 LR carbine is available through a number of dealers. The rifle, is a remarkable replica of the German WW II legend which was decades ahead of it's time. The original STG-44 was chambered in a 8x33 mm intermediate cartridge, the new version is in the humble but affordable .22 LR.

The ATI STG-44 uses a AR style firing group which is proven reliable and durable.

The .22 chambering has a number of advantages. The cost of such a rifle today in it's original caliber would be prohibitive to both buy and shoot. The 22 LR is much easier to produce and far cheaper to shoot.   It is also not subject to some of the more onerous and illegal "Assault Rifle" laws in certain parts of the country. The design also allows the use of modern materials such as polymer magazines and cast metal instead of steel stampings. However the appearance is very authentic and almost indistinguishable from the original.

 The magazine is polymer and features a cartridge counter, which was not in the original STG-44 design. The magazine holds 25 rounds and during our trial was absolutely reliable.

The rifle was tested in dry cold weather, there was not a sing malfunction if 200 rounds of mixed ammunition. This is an astounding performance as much of the ammunition was standard velocity. The rifle is quite accurate and hit point of aim at 25 yards from the off hand position. This carbine, could be used as a defense weapon under certain circumstances.

  The rifle's appearance will have a deterrent effect on intruders.

The .22 LR is a lesser choice for defense, but it can be reasonably effective with high performance ammunition and a high capacity magazine. The main use of the ATI STG-44 is it's historical appeal and fun as a recreational rifle. It certainly attracts attention and is has a pleasingly dramatic appearance. Purchase one before production ceases.

   

I Warned You

The war on police has come home. The sickness and violence of Baltimore and Ferguson were going to spread. Now it's Dallas: an organized team of Radical Black Extremists have attacked society. They are no better than the Orlando terrorist and ISIS. These cockroaches are terrorists. We must fight and defend ourselves.

A good self defense carbine, it will protect you and your family.

Although they want to make it one, this is not a race issue, like other terrorists and criminals, these Radical Black Extremists have victimized black citizens in their own neighborhoods. I'm sure many good citizens of all races want to see these bastards stopped.


For now, avoid crowds and protests,  arm yourself and "harden your home". Be vigilant, report things that look wrong. Thugs can't operate if citizens report suspicious behavior.


Drive defensively and take less crowded or traveled routes. Ensure you vehicle is filled with fuel at all times. maintain a low profile.  Informally talk to your neighbors about some collective neighborhood security and a neighborhood watch program.


Do not accept politician's rationalizations or excuses.  many of them have endorsed or inflamed the War on Police, and they bear moral responsibility for their actions.

A serviceable handgun for home/ vehicle defense.

Last Gun of Frank James

Alexander Franklin “Frank” James (1842-1915) survived two of the most hazardous jobs of his time. Civil War Confederate Guerilla and bank robbing outlaw. He lived to the ripe old age of 72; I’m sure his proficiency with arms contributed to his longevity.  As a boy, Frank James started shooting percussion rifles, shotgun and “cap and ball” revolvers. Frank was an expert shot and undoubtedly killed many men. As the older brother of the famous Jesse James, Frank was a public figure after his retirement from crime and his subsequent acquittals. Frank was “Scott Free” but he still had enemies.   

In 1904, while lecturing in Butte, Montana, a supposed relative of the cashier killed in the Great Northfield Raid threatened to kill Frank publicly at the theater where Frank was speaking. The man was either drunk or mentally unbalanced, but armed with a 45 caliber revolver. The police subdued him just before Frank arrived. The old guerrilla, even over the age of sixty, was still a formidable man.  By this time, Frank James was carrying his last gun in an overcoat pocket, a new Colt 1903 hammerless .32 caliber automatic pistol. Frank called this pistol his “Gatling Gun”.

The police asked Frank to get out of town. Frank replied "I will go when I am ready." It is amazing to think Frank started out with percussion cap and ball pistols in the Civil War, moved on to cartridge revolvers for his outlaw career, and ended up with a semi auto pistol.

Turkey Struck by the Religion of Peace and Islamic State

Fools in  our Government like Representative John Lewis of GA, must realize the magnitude of the threat. Our leaders want to disarm us in the face of the enemy. They are just beyond stupid. The gun controllers in congress are evil liars who will push their agenda  at any cost. their actions are dangerous and treasonous.

America's First Battle of the World War

US Soldiers going into Mexico after Pancho Villa and his raiders attacked Columbus, NM

The Allies, France, Britain and Russia fought the Central Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. Meanwhile, on this side of the Atlantic, various rebel leaders fought a bloody battle for control of Mexico.

The Germans, under the rule of Kaiser Wilhelm II, sought an ally (Mexico) in North America to threaten the Southwest United States. This would prevent the United States from joining the Allies on the Western Front. German secret agents approached the exiled General Victoriano Huerta who agreed to help Germany if they would aid him in overthrowing Venustiano Carranza, the de facto leader of Mexico. Mexico would end up allied with Germany against US. Huerta traveled from his meeting with the Germans in Spain to the U.S.; he was arrested and incarcerated in a Texas prison, where he died in January 1916.

The Germans now sought an alliance with Pancho Villa who, with German weapons, attacked Columbus, New Mexico in March 1916, prompting the U.S. military to enter Mexico to search for Villa. Then the final attempt. On January 16, 1917, the Foreign Secretary of Imperial Germany, Arthur Zimmermann, sent a telegram to the German ambassador in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckardt, to seek a rapprochement with the government of Carranza. 

US Solders with Benet-Mercie machineguns used to repel Villa's raiders.

In the famous Zimmerman Telegram, the German government asked its ambassador to speak with Carranza to convince Mexico to go to war with the U.S., and in return, Germany would inject funds into the Mexican economy and would return to Mexico the states of Arizona, Texas and New Mexico, lost in the war of 1847. When Venustiano Carranza learned of the German offer, he organized a special commission to investigate the matter and make a decision. 

Villista raider firing a cut down Mauser rifle during the Columbus Raid.

Regaining lost territory would have been a good opportunity for the country, but that would mean war with the United States at a time when Mexico still faced internal division, so Carranza refused. The United States declared war on the Central Powers and sent troops and material to the Western Front, which enabled the Allied victory. The Great War ended on November 11^th , 1918 at 11am. In Mexico, Carranza ruled with a new constitution.

1916 The year of Great Offensives

Verdun, The Somme, Jutland, on the land and sea 1916 was the year of offensives. Both sides tried to break the stalemate on the Western Front.  One of the relics of that time is the British Webley revolver holster shown below. the revolver is from 1918, but the holster is from 1916. Was it at the Somme? it's anyone's guess.

Note the date and broad arrow mark in the middle of the flap.

    The 1918 Webley is a good fit for the holster.  

British recruiting poster prior to the Somme.

Update on m1903 and S&K Insta Mount

The club rules 1903 Sniper project is coming along nicely. As you can see I've changed the cheek pad to a higher one which allows a better stock weld. It also has a Velcro place so I can attach a patch or flag. The high cheek pad was also needed because the scope is mounted high over the bore. Thus no modifications to the rifle or stock were needed. The S&K  Insta Mount has performed in an excellent manner. with over 100 rounds down range and counting, it has not loosened up at all.

Inexpensive cheek pad with Velcro SOCCENT patch attached.

The accuracy of the rifle is quite pleasing as the five shot group below illustrated. This group was fired prone supported at 300 yards using a 150 gr FMJ simulating a service or "ball" load.

300 yard group.



This rifle is now "good to go" for local competition and could be used for hunting or any other precision rifle needs out to a reasonable range of  600 yards. I thing the 60 year old scope would be a handicap beyond that range. This is also the case with the WW II era scopes; the optics are good but not great for the longer ranges.

The complete build.

Update

The club rules vintage sniper Remington 1903 fires excellent groups at 300 yards. I do find the high scope mount a problem but I used a towel to comfortably position my head. This will be corrected by an improved cheek pad in the future.


The scope performs well for it's 1940s technology, like the Soviet PU and other military scopes of the era,  The Weaver K6 does not have a self centering reticle. This means the windage and elevation must be set with the scope rings to keep the reticle in the center of the scope. The scope internal adjustments are for small corrections only.


Happily this is the case and the rifle easily keeps all rounds in the 9 ring of an NRA 300 yard rifle target at the aforementioned 300 yards, with ball ammunition, I expect match loads will  work even better.

     

Club Rules Vintage Sniper Rifle

I shoot our club’s vintage sniper matches. I used an original M1D, but I found this was too difficult to single load in the prone position. As a collectable rifle, it just did not seem smart to put match wear on this rifle. Plus there was always risk of an out of battery ignition. At our club’s longest distance 300 yard, the 2.2 power, 70 year old, M84 scope was a challenge. Frankly, the optics are not that good.  While wonderfully accurate, the M1D just did not fit the bill. 

So I started with a Frankenstein Remington Model 1903 made in late 1942. The gun has a matched barrel and receiver, as well as Remington trigger parts. The rear sight and bolt are USGI replacements. The barrel has excellent rifling but does contain one patch of minor pitting, this will never be a collector grade barrel.

The stock is a repaired WW II vintage Keystone “C” stock. It has a full pistol grip and provides a comfortable platform for this rifle. The stock was cracked, sanded, and repaired. Its reasonable price and close color match made it a natural fit. The cheek pad helps with the high rings needed to ensure the opening and closing of the bolt clears the scope.     

The Remington M1903 does shoot very well and the minor pitting does not affect accuracy.  The S&K Instamount is an excellent product, its every bit as solid as a drilled and tapped scope mount. I was initially skeptical that any “no drill and tap”scope mount would actually work. I’m very pleased that this one does work so well. The instructions don’t have any pictures (important for a visual learner like me) but they are well written and easy to follow. Of course, the most difficult part of mounting a scope is aligning the cross hairs. It’s easy to cant the scope when tightening the ring screws. This job takes some care and mistakes can be avoided by using a scope mounting kit.

The scope is a 50s vintage Weaver K6, a popular commercial scope and can be found on auction sites, usually reasonably priced. While the optics are not perfect it is adequate for our club matches at 300 yards.    

One the spring weather arrives this rifle will be on the firing line with a purpose. We’ll have a further report then.