The term "assault rifle" is derived from the German word "Sturmgewehr," which translates literally as "storm rifle," but which idiomatically refers to an assault or attack. Quite fittingly, most arms historians trace the development of today's assault rifles to the German Sturmgewehr 44, a design produced in substantial numbers late in World War II. Among the features of the Stg 44 that have been incorporated into its successors are 1) the ability to fire full or semi-auto, 2) an intermediate power cartridge between those used in SMGs or those used in infantry rifles of the time, and 3) a detachable box magazine. Assault rifles tend to be more compact than traditional rifles, and this allows them to be used more effectively in mobile warfare. The post-war transfer of German engineers to Spain influenced the development of another assault rifle that employed the Stg 44's roller locking system—the CETME—that in German service would become the G3. Strictly speaking, the G3 might be termed a "battle rifle" as it fired the full-power 7.62x51 mm NATO round. Today, the term "assault rifle" usually incorporates battle rifles.
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