D-K Productions is a collaboration between the rGerman company Sport System Dittrich (SSD) and an American partner. SSD has been making reproductions of German World War Two small arms for something like 20 years – including Sturmgewehrs. Their guns are really good recreations of the 1940s originals, but there have long been issues importing them into the US. This was solved at last by forming a US company and doing the receiver manufacturing here in the States. While the company has plans to offer a whole bunch of different models, the one currently available is the BD-44, a copy of the standard production model of MP-44/StG-44.
I was really impressed by the use of not-finish-machined forgings for parts like the stacking rod and gas block, correctly duplicating the original German production. The stampings look good, and the handling matches the original guns (don’t expect it to be AR-level ergonomic!). The gut “feel” of the gun is an excellent match for an original MP-44. The 8×33 chambering and use of original magazines (alongside new-production magazines made by D-K) is the correct choice, of course.
I did not like the mismatch between the magazine well and magazine stops, and I did have a couple malfunctions in the two magazines I ran through it so far. Not that the gun I have at the range is my second one; the first one (which is what you see on the table) had consistent feed problems and D-K replaced it when I sent it back to them.
Whether the gun is worth the steep asking price is a personal decision, naturally. Hopefully this video gives you the information necessary to make your decision if you were considering getting one!
Tour of the SSD facility in Germany: https://youtu.be/XN10HDr3Z_Y
My video on the BD-38: https://youtu.be/Bh6dpfbQqHE
Will someone loan Ian an original magazine and see how that works? Not getting the magazine right has doomed otherwise good auto-feed designs.
I do get the point about if you want a fully authentic reproduction of a historic gun, do you reproduce design flaws?
I have reproduction black powder pistols (like the Walker Colt) that do not have the issue of weak metallurgy. Can stuff the full, supposed, max load of 60 grains of BP in to it without worrying that something unpleasant will happen. Quite happy about that.
So I can’t be a purest that says all warts need to be reproduced.
Reproduction of these ww2 german guns is apparently cursed, as not only ambitious H&M 4 calibers project failed (last october Palmetto armory dropped the bastardized STG attempt taken from H&M, as well),
also a “gunlabs” repro of much simpler “last ditch” VG 1-5 failed to gain results now already 10 years after preorder.
Hi Ian.
Great video presenting the MP44. I really enjoyed it eventhough I’m one of the truely “lucky bastards” owning an original german WWll MP44. As far as I know, we’re only a couple of owners of these magnificant weapons here in Denmark. Mine was bought from a weapon store/manufacturer in Germany some years ago. The actual weapon was deactivated in Austria by the original “owner/user” by drilling several holes in the barrel. The MP44 was purchased by the german dealer/manufacturer years later and re—activated by installing a new Lothar-Walther barrel, removing most of the internal parts in the trigger housing (related to “Dauerfeuer”) welding the fire selector in the “E” position.
The finished weapon was then presented to the german authorities for test/approval as a “semi-auto” weapon in Germany. The MP44 was handed over to the german army (Bundeswehr) who brought it to their museums collection to make sure that a simple parts swop between a fully functional MP44 and the “my” MP44 could not allow “full auto” functionallity. Based upon the sucessful test of the weapon a court decision was made and an approval issued from the german authorities.
I bought the “muster waffe” (test weapon) and had it imported to Denmark, where is was approved as a “sport weapon” i.e. a manual loading rifle. I have by the way manufactured the special devise (designed by Hugo Schmeisser) as an “adjustable gas plug” for deactivating the selfloading function for using the grenate launcher with the MP/STG44 as described the the book Sturmgewehr by Hans-Dieter Handrich – and it actually works! By the way my original 30 round magazine marked MP44 made by “fxo” ie. Haenel (bicycle factory) works very well without malfunctions when loading max. 28-29 rounds.