[ Semi-auto FG-42s at the Range ]
You know what's cooler than an FG-42?
Two FG-42s. And I am very blessed today to have
examples of both first and second pattern
semi-auto FG-42s from Rick Smith at SMG, Smith Machine Group.
And I figured this would be a fun time to take them both out
I've never shot an original first pattern,
but there are definitely some ergonomic differences between the two here.
These are both fitted with scopes, they are both reproduction scopes.
This is a repro ZF4. This is actually a PU, a reproduction Soviet PU scope,
which is a really remarkably close match to the first pattern FG-42 scope.
So we've got these both on repro mounts. This one I've done some shooting with.
I have actually just mounted this scope, so today will be my first time shooting it with that scope.
So let's see how it goes, let's start with a little bit of shooting prone
with the first pattern and we'll compare it to the second.
And then we'll move on to shooting standing.
The FG-42 of course is chambered for 8mm Mauser.
These repros use ZB 26 Czech machine gun magazines, 20 round capacity.
These are a very close match to the original FGs,
they are not interchangeable with original FG mags, but
an original FG mag is probably about a $5,000 investment, if you can find one.
So it's really cool that these ZB 26 mags were available
and common enough to be a viable option for this project.
Now if we look at this side there is a brass deflector here.
There is photographic evidence of at least one experimental brass deflector
added to a first pattern FG-42, but it's not standard.
Rick Smith was kind enough to put one on mine because I'm left-handed,
and because this is a semi/quasi-bullpup design.
Without this, you kind of do run the risk of getting hit right in the face with brass, which is unpleasant.
We also of course have our very distinctive steeply angled grip,
which I'm pretty sure was there to duplicate the handling of the Kar98k.
Which was a bad idea, which is why they didn't continue it. But.
Here we go.
It just massacres that steel target.
This thing is stout. Like the FG-42 is a light rifle,
that muzzle brake puts off a good bit of concussion.
It reduces the felt recoil quite a bit, but you can feel the concussion here.
... Like you touch this thing off and you know you fired a significant cartridge.
What I'm shooting here by the way is PPU 198 grain.
So this is heavy ball, potent stuff.
And that is a two shot spin on the spinner at about 75-100 yards.
Alright, let's do a quick swap to the second pattern and see how it compares.
Our second pattern gun, aside from having the much more vertical,
basically Smith & Wesson revolver-grip shaped grip,
also has dust covers on the magazine well.
They've also of course moved the bipod to the front of the gun.
Which means you have a little more precision from it, it does a better job supporting the gun.
But you have less of a field of fire that you can ... target
without having to physically move the front of the gun.
So the second pattern is a heavier gun.
It is actually ... I don't really want to say a more pleasant gun,
but it feels like a more controlled gun.
There's a little bit less of a sharpness to the recoil to it, it's a little softer.
It doesn't feel quite so shocking when you fire it.
That first pattern FG is light, it is small, and it really, really makes a statement.
Frankly ... well, the question that we are here
to ultimately answer is which is the better of the two to have?
And we're going to have to do some more shooting before we can make up our mind on that.
Mag is empty.
Alright, so one of the features that Rick offers with these
is the ability to have a lock on the bipod so that you can actually push in or away from the bipod.
And I went ahead and had that on this first pattern gun, so I have a little spring-loaded catch in here
that I pull up, and then I can pop up the bipod like so.
The other trick for a lefty is ... this is a three position selector, safe and fire.
The forward position on the originals was full-auto,
here it's nothing, but in the forward position the gun works in semi.
So if you're left-handed, in fire your finger is right on top of that big huge lever.
If you just flip it all the way forward, it works more nicely.
This grip is just barely workable for my hands which are I think pretty much average size.
If you are a big dude, or if you just have big hands,
this space in here gets really tight, and can be uncomfortable
even to the point of being really not usable for some people.
And it's a very hefty recoil spring.
So you get a very straight line recoil with ... the first pattern.
But there's definitely some kick to it, like there's no doubt you are putting out
big 198 grain whomping bullets here.
Got to really lean into it.
Alright, on the second pattern guns originally these had
a split safe and fire selector, and semi and full selector.
Of course this being a semi-auto reproduction, they just left that other selector lever off.
So you have essentially the same style of selector as on the first pattern.
However, because of this much straighter grip it doesn't get in the way.
Again, very stiff charging handle. That comes from the mechanism by which this works.
... When you are charging it, you are essentially cocking the firing pin
spring at the same time that you are cycling the bolt.
Scopes on all of the FGs are in historical terms extremely rare.
Like when ... the orders went in for the second pattern guns
they ordered 12,000 with scopes, which was 10% of the full order.
The total number delivered was trivial.
Essentially you can pretty safely say that scoped FG-42s never saw significant field use.
So I have them on here because they are cool.
But you know what, I think I'm going to pull this one off.
(Also because I did not tighten down my front band enough, and it's coming loose.)
We'll take this one off and try a little bit with the irons.
Alright, scope removed, flip, flip.
I've got I think 5 rounds left in the mag.
That's not too shabby, those iron sights are perfectly zeroed.
This will lock open, but only on the follower.
So ... when I take the magazine out the bolt will drop.
This is in every way a rifle designed for a right-handed shooter,
the ejection port, the magazine and even down to the handguard and the charging handle.
So the charging handle is up here, if you're right-handed you've got a hand stop here and a hand stop here.
That will prevent you from putting your hand far enough forward
that you get hit by (ooh, that's toasty) ... gas that vents here.
As soon as the gas piston starts cycling, the excess gas comes out right there.
So that's what this bottom hand stop is for.
And then this one is to prevent your hand from interfering with the charging handle,
because when you dry fire the gun,
so, and this is true of the original full-autos as well,
that's ready to fire, that's actually fired.
So if you are for example left-handed and you've got your hand too far back,
it can actually physically interfere with the charging handle and cause a malfunction.
Right there, just like that.
Even if it goes all the way forward it can do so with not enough energy
to actually pop a primer, fire a cartridge.
So when you are left-handed you have to be very careful about
having your hand in exactly the right place here, watch both the hand stops.
It really is simpler right handed.
Now the brass deflector, I mentioned it was sort of an experimental one-off thing on the first pattern.
On the second pattern this is a standard element, so everybody gets a brass deflector.
And that's nice, that means it's at least that much easier to
swap around and shoot it left-handed if you want to.
The mags click in very nicely. The charging handle is stiff, but less stiff than the first pattern.
Let's see if I can hit anything right handed.
Hey hey, there we go.
Spinner, offhand, weak side, is going to be
probably a bit of a challenge too much. But I made one hit on it there.
Alright, I am willing to come to an official final conclusion to the question at hand here.
And that is which is better, the first pattern or the second pattern?
The first pattern FG-42 has absolutely no equals
in looking steampunk and badass and just really distinctive and awesome.
And if you want an FG-42 to hang on the wall, this is absolutely the one that you want.
The first pattern. The grip, the stock, the svelte lines. It's, ooh, it looks fantastic.
But if you want to take one out on the range and shoot it, and play with it,
the second pattern is equally obviously the correct choice.
It is in almost every way better handling.
The stock is nicer to use, the grip is much nicer, the safety is nicer, the charging handle is bigger.
The brass deflector is there for everybody, if you should happen to be left-handed like me.
The forward mounted bipod I prefer, given all the pro and con between the two.
... And it just shoots a little more sedately.
Alright, I'm going to empty this one out.
Maybe, like maybe, there is a chance that I can spin the spinner offhand.
But only if I'm left-handed. And with irons, here we go.
Ha-ha-hah! Not just spun! Top hits and bottom hits.
Well, one on the bottom. This thing is just really nice.
And there it goes again.
Alright, I used up my lucky streak. But this thing is so much fun to shoot.
The first pattern is so much fun to look at, the second pattern is absolutely the shooter.
I hope you guys enjoyed this video, it was a fun opportunity to come out here to the range
and do some shooting with some particularly scarce and cool guns.
Thanks for watching.