Home Reviews Mp44 SHOEI MACHINEN PISTOLE 44 AEG

SHOEI MACHINEN PISTOLE 44 AEG

by Arnie

 

(click
for a larger image)

Stock
Specifications
FPS
310-230fps
(custom upgraded)
Length: 940mm
Weight: 5.21Kg

Ammo
capacity:

 

700 rounds
(Hi-Cap) custom

90 rounds
(Standard Mag)

SHOEI
MACHINEN PISTOLE 44 AEG

review by Lyndon
Haywood
,
edited by Arnie


The illustration from SAR magazine shows the Vampir infrared system trialed in 1945.
The
illustration from SAR magazine shows the Vampir infrared system trialed
in 1945.

Real-steel
history:
The MP 44 was developed in the Second World
War by Germany to replace both the rifle and the machine pistol, (sub-machine
gun); a new short cartridge of standard rifle calibre was developed
for the gun.

The theory was that
the maximum engagement range for infantry in the European and Western
Russian theatres was only 800 metres, the standard rifle cartridge with
a maximum range of 2400 metres was considered too powerful and would
be restricted to machine guns. At first Hitler opposed the introduction
of this new weapon, development had to be carried on in secret with
the designation “Machine pistol”.

The trial batches
performed so well in Russia that Hitler changed his mind and even demanded
a designation change to the Wagnerian “Sturmgewehr”,
literally “assault rifle”. The name has passed into history
as the designation for all similar kinds of rifle.

The AK 47 owes features
of it’s design to the MP 44. The principal designer was Hugo Schmeisser
who is seldom credited with this innovation, instead Schmeisser
is often named as the designer of the MP38 and MP40 machine pistols,
he had no part in their design at all.

The
story behind the Airsoft replica:
The SHOEI company
of Japan began to make highly detailed replicas of German assault riffles
in the 1980s using metal and wood, some of these are now produced as cap firing
“Blowback” models. A few years ago SHOEI redesigned the MP 44 to
function as an AEG. The gear boxes were copied from those used with the Tokyo
Marui XM 177, presumably under license, an AK type 8.4V stick battery was
fitted into the recoil spring cavity in the wooden butt.

The MP
44 model is impressive and heavy, weighing 5.21Kg compared to the unloaded
weight of the real gun of 5.22KG. The materials are Mazak, steel, aluminium
and wood, dimensions are accurate. The model represents a 1945 late model
MP 44 or StG 44. A minor discrepancy is the rear sight with GWZ 41 sight mounts
which only appeared on the earlier MP 43/1.

So
what’s it like?
As an AEG the model is average, I fitted
a 130% spring with a new piston and cylinder and use 9.6V stick batteries
custom built by Overlander; these are like 8.4v sticks with one extra
cell, the rate of fire is fine with a muzzle velocity of 310 to 320
fps with .20 BBs.

The battery can
be changed by taking out the butt retaining catch and pulling the butt
off. The gear box can be accessed by removing a pin and four Allen head
bolts.

The magazine supplied
is a full length type, the loading tube fits between the magazine lips, it
holds 90 BBs. I made a 700 round hi-cap from a real magazine and the reliable
clockwork of the M16 HI-CAP.

Discrepancies
and changes:
There are minor discrepancies; the wooden
butt is rather stylised and does not have the butt trap fitted to the
original, the selector is a slide switch not cross-bolt, the safety
catch is deleted, and the cocking handle is fixed.

I replaced the butt
with a real one, (these are sometimes available from dealers such as
ASI or Arsenale in Belgium), I extended the recoil spring
cavity for the longer battery. The butt trap holds a small manual and
the stripping tool which can be used on the model to unscrew the gas
block and take of the sheet metal foregrip. I replaced the foregrip,
rear sight and foresight hood with spares from a real gun.

The most significant
addition was the mount and GWZ-4F telescopic sight, this is an excellent
compact 4 power scope with long focus, (the sight picture is in focus
at any range).

The scope is easily
removed for transport without losing zero. The scope is battered, but,
original, the mount is a good steel copy. The scope was designed for
the K43 self-loading sniper rifle, only around 1000 MP44’s were fitted
with scopes.

The ‘hop-up’
up close:

The image to the right shows the hop-up control inside the ejection
port. The white knob is loosened to adjust the hop, then tightened to
fix the setting.


The hop-up access point

The ‘out the box’
manual:

Conclusion
In the
final analysis the MP 44 is more of a collector’s piece than a practical
skirmishing AEG. The small motor limits upgrades and the fragile selector
is unlikely to allow single shots for more than a couple of thousand
rounds.

The
rarity of these models has inflated the price asked by dealers, I recently
saw one advertised in HK for over 1000 US Dollars, but, if you
are a WW2 Wehrmacht enthusiast there is no better AEG.

 

Appearance

5/5

Build
Quality

5/5

Performance

2/5

Value
for Money

3/5

Overall
Potential

4/5

External
Links:

TBA

Lyn (the
author) sadly passed away on the 29th of July, you can find a complete article
written by Matthew Dean (aka Mobius Strip) here:
Lyn
Haywood
18th
August 1936 – 29th July 2001
by
Matthew
Dean

Comment
on this review in the forums


Last modified:
Wednesday, May 9, 2001 9:37 AM
Except where noted copyright 2001 ArniesAirsoft




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