Gewehr 2

Overview

Gewehr 2
General Information
Type	Battle Rifle
Place of Origin	West Germany Switzerland
Designer Companies	SIG Arms AG
Designers	Rudolf Amsler
Period Designed	Late 1957
Manufacturer	SIG Arms AG
Period Produced	Late 1957
Number Built	50
Developed From	SIG SG 510
In Service	Late 1950s (trials)
Characteristics
Cartridge	7.62x51mm
Action	Half-locked roller action
Feed System	Detachable box magazine
Components
Grips	Wooden
Handguard	Wooden
Attachments
Bipod	Integrated
Stock
Stock Type	Fixed; full, rubber or wood
Sights
Sights	Iron sights

The Gewehr 2 (abbreviated as G 2) is a Swiss-German battle rifle developed in the late 1950s.

Development

The SG 510 was procured by the Bundeswehr in the late 1950s for a competition for a new service rifle. Four weapons entered trials:

• FN FAL — Gewehr 1
• SIG SG 510 — Gewehr 2
• HK G3 — Gewehr 3
• AR-10 — Gewehr 4

All four weapons entered trials in 1957, with the Gewehr 1 winning. The Gewehr 1 was to enter domestic production but due to licensing issues with FNH, the Gewehr 3 was chosen instead.

Procurement

After initial testing with the Gewehr 1, an order was placed to branch out and explore alternative designs. The Swiss SG 510 developed by SIG Arms AG was introduced to the competition with a multitude of changes to fit the requirements of the Bundeswehr. 50 examples (40 with rubber stocks, and 10 with wooden stocks) were delivered to Koblenz on the 19th of December, 1957.

Trials would be conducted at various training locations including Hammelburg, Munster-Lager, and Meppen. The Gewehr 2 would not be adopted however, citing the heavy weight of the weapon.

Design

The Gewehr 2 is based on the SG 510, but with a number of changes.

• Rechambering of the weapon from 7,5x55mm to 7.62x51mm.
• Replacement of the stock with either a new rubber or wooden stock.
• Replacement of the metal handguard with a wooden handguard.

The weapon retained other features from the SG 510, including the bipod and carry handle.

Variants

SG 510 "Stgw. 57 / F. ass. 57 7.5mm" Domestic production model. Export SG 510-1 Export version of the SG 510. SG 510-2 Lightweight SG 510-1. SG 510-3 Model in 7,62x39mm and with a shorter barrel, receiver, and barrel jacket. Offered to the Finnish Army. SG 510-4 Model in 7.62x51mm with a shorter barrel and a wooden stock. Offered to Chile. SG 510-5 SG 510-4 but in .30-06 Springfield for Mexican trials. SG 510-6 SG 510-4 but in 7,5x55mm for military trials. SG 510-7 Semi-automatic SG 510-4 (in .308 Winchester) for USA commercial sales. Wooden furniture. SIG AMT Semi-automatic SG 510-4 for the civilian market. Foreign Gewehr 2 Model for German trials.

Germany Weapons Cold War Period (1946 — 1990)

Infantry Weapons
Melee Weapons	Bayonet	[[]]
	Survival Weapon	[[]]
Sidearms	Pistol	CRWP • HK4 • P 80
	Revolver	[[]]
	Machine Pistol	[[]]
Close Quarters	Personal Defense Weapon	CRWP • MP7 (A1 • A2)
	Submachine Gun	HK54 • MP5 (A1 • A2 • A3 • A4 • A5) • MP 60 • MP 61 • MP 64
	Shotgun (automatic)	[[]]
	Shotgun (semi-automatic)	HK 512 • HK CAWS
	Shotgun (manual-action)	[[]]
Primary Weapons	Assault Rifle (5.45/5.56)	HK33 (A2 • A3) • G41 (A1 • A2 • A3)
	Assault Rifle (other)	HK36 • HK G11 • IWK G11
	Assault Carbine (5.45/5.56)	HK53 • G 41 K
	Assault Carbine (other)	[[]]
	Battle Rifles	HK41 • HK G3 (A1 • A2 • A3 • NA3 • A4 • A5 • A6 • A7 • A7A1) • G 1 • G 2 • G 3 (A1 • A2 • A3 • N A3 • A4 • A5 • A6 • A7 • A7 A1) • G 4
	Battle Carbine	G 3 K (A4 • A4 A1)
Automatic Support Weapons	Light Support Weapon	HK11 • HK13 • G8 (A1)
	Light Machine Gun	[[]]
	General Purpose Machine Gun	HK21 (A1 • E) • HK23 • MG 1 • MG 2 • MG 3 (A1)
	Heavy Machine Gun	HK25
Long Range	Anti-Materiel Rifle	[[]]
	Bolt-Action Rifle	[[]]
	Designated Marksman Rifle	HK33SG1
Launchers	Grenade Launcher (Attachment)	[[]]
	Grenade Launcher (Standalone)	[[]]
	Disposable Rocket Launcher	[[]]
	Rocket Launcher	[[]]
	MANPADS	[[]]
Non-Lethal Weapons	Pistol	[[]]
Underwater Weapons	Sidearm	P11
	Rifle	[[]]
Explosives	Anti-Personnel Mines	[[]]
	Anti-Tank Mines	[[]]
	Offensive Grenades	[[]]
	Smoke Grenades	[[]]

Firearm Accessories
Weapon Sights	Collimator	[[]]
	Holographic	[[]]
	Iron	[[]]
	Night	BiV • DM 3
	Reflector	[[]]
	Telescopic	FERO-Z 24 • ZF 4x • ZF G3
Attachments	Flashlights & Lasers	[[]]
	Foregrips & Bipods	[[]]

Infantry Equipment
Clothing	Backpacks	[[]]
	Body Armour	[[]]
	Bomb Suit	[[]]
	Elbow and knee pads	[[]]
	Signals & IFF	[[]]
	Suits	[[]]
	Vests & Webbing	[[]]
Headwear	Communication	[[]]
	Gas Masks & Rebreathers	[[]]
	Goggles	[[]]
	Helmets	[[]]
	Vehicle Headwear	[[]]
Optics, Detection and Surveillance	Man-Portable Radar	[[]]
	Mine Detectors	[[]]
	Night Vision Goggles	[[]]
	Periscopes	[[]]
	Rangefinders	[[]]
	Surveillance	[[]]

Artillery
Anti-Aircraft Guns	[[]]
Anti-Tank Guns	[[]]
Anti-Tank Guided Missile Launchers	[[]]
Anti-Tank Guided Missiles	[[]]
Grenade Machine Guns	[[]]
Howitzers	[[]]
Mortars	[[]]
Railroad Artillery	[[]]
Recoilless Guns	[[]]
Rocket Artillery	[[]]
Siege Artillery	[[]]

Land Vehicle Weapons
Vehicle Machine Guns	HK MG 5A1
40mm Tank Guns	[[]]
75mm Tank Guns	[[]]
76.2mm Tank Guns	[[]]
84mm Tank Guns	[[]]
94mm Tank Guns	[[]]
105mm Tank Guns	[[]]
120mm Tank Guns	[[]]
Howitzers	[[]]
Vehicle Autocannon	[[]]
ATGMs	[[]]

Aircraft Weapons & Munitions
7.62mm Machine Guns	[[]]
12.7mm Machine Guns	[[]]
23mm Cannons	[[]]
30mm Cannons	[[]]
37mm Cannons	[[]]
Rocket Pods	[[]]
Rockets	[[]]
Air-to-Air Missiles	[[]]
Air-to-Ship Missiles	[[]]
Air-to-Surface Missiles	[[]]
Anti-Radiation Missiles	[[]]
Cruise Missiles	[[]]
Bombs	[[]]

Sources
Books	Online	Documents
• Full Circle - A Treatise on Roller Locking, R Blake Stevens (ISBN 0-88935-400-6)