German pistol ammo stocks on the opening day of Barbarossa

Kyrie · 02-15-2001, 07:22 PM

I was perusing Walher's "The Luger Book", looking at the different 9 mm Parabellum cartridges used in WWII and came across something I thought folks might enjoy. As of the opening day of Barbarossa (the invasion of the Soviet Union in June of '41) German cartridge stocks were:

7.63mm Mauser: 1,544,200 (.30 Mauser)

7.65mm Browning: 3,862,000 (.32 ACP)

9mm Pist. Part. 08: 50,809,000 (9 mm Luger)

9mm Short: 127,000 (.380 ACP)

9mm Partone fur MP34: 19,402,000 (9x25 Mauser Export)

9mm Pist. Patr. (t): 3,421,300 (I think this is 9x23 Bergman-Bayard, aka 9mm Largo)

This ammunition didn't last long...

Best regards,

Kyrie

G.T. · 02-15-2001, 07:42 PM

Kyrie · 02-15-2001, 08:08 PM

I can think of some other ways to describe the War on the Eastern Front [wince!].

By the time the Germans were close to Moscow the worst winter in 140 years had settled in. Temperatures reach 40 degrees below zero (F), and fifty mile per hour winds were not unusual. Taking a dump frequently resulted in a serious frostbite case - no joke! The Russian doctrine of destroying all buildings, burning all crops, and slaughtering any livestock that could not be carried away and dumping the carcasses into wells and streams left the average German with little shelter and only the food brought in by his supply columns.

The Russian knew full well that any remaining shelter would be chock full of German soldiers come nightfall, and made a practice of infiltrating after dark and grenading any shelter they could get to. Roving bands of Russian cavalry would ride up, set up machineguns and mortars, shoot up a German bivouac, and fade back into the night. Many Germans were faced with the choice of spending the night in the open and freezing, or going into whatever shelter was available knowing the chances were about even it would be blown up during the night.

In addition to all of this there were never fewer than about one quarter of a million (250,000!) Russian troops behind the German lines. While these were mostly small bands of poorly equipped men, they were also desperate men. They were largely without food and lived by raiding German supply columns.

The whole situation reminds me of a line out of the play "Doctor Faustus". A one point Mephistopheles remarks, "Why, this is Hell, nor am I out of it." That sums up the Eastern Front pretty well.

Best regards,

Kyrie

G.T. · 02-15-2001, 09:34 PM

When I said " A pretty long day at the range" My meaning was in terms of ammo only....the German/Russian conflict during WW2 was probably the most vicious action of any war in any time......In terms of human suffering it may never be matched, personally, I think that the Russians committed as many or more crimes against humanity, then did the Germans....I think in a historical sense, it was unavoidable! ....Till...later...G.T.

02-15-2001, 07:22 PM	#1
Kyrie User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 757 Thanks: 0 Thanked 212 Times in 101 Posts	German pistol ammo stocks on the opening day of Barbarossa I was perusing Walher's "The Luger Book", looking at the different 9 mm Parabellum cartridges used in WWII and came across something I thought folks might enjoy. As of the opening day of Barbarossa (the invasion of the Soviet Union in June of '41) German cartridge stocks were: 7.63mm Mauser: 1,544,200 (.30 Mauser) 7.65mm Browning: 3,862,000 (.32 ACP) 9mm Pist. Part. 08: 50,809,000 (9 mm Luger) 9mm Short: 127,000 (.380 ACP) 9mm Partone fur MP34: 19,402,000 (9x25 Mauser Export) 9mm Pist. Patr. (t): 3,421,300 (I think this is 9x23 Bergman-Bayard, aka 9mm Largo) This ammunition didn't last long... Best regards, Kyrie

02-15-2001, 07:42 PM	#2
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,486 Thanks: 1,283 Thanked 3,583 Times in 989 Posts	That's a pretty long day at the range! (EO

02-15-2001, 08:08 PM	#3
Kyrie User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 757 Thanks: 0 Thanked 212 Times in 101 Posts	Re: That's a pretty long day at the range! I can think of some other ways to describe the War on the Eastern Front [wince!]. By the time the Germans were close to Moscow the worst winter in 140 years had settled in. Temperatures reach 40 degrees below zero (F), and fifty mile per hour winds were not unusual. Taking a dump frequently resulted in a serious frostbite case - no joke! The Russian doctrine of destroying all buildings, burning all crops, and slaughtering any livestock that could not be carried away and dumping the carcasses into wells and streams left the average German with little shelter and only the food brought in by his supply columns. The Russian knew full well that any remaining shelter would be chock full of German soldiers come nightfall, and made a practice of infiltrating after dark and grenading any shelter they could get to. Roving bands of Russian cavalry would ride up, set up machineguns and mortars, shoot up a German bivouac, and fade back into the night. Many Germans were faced with the choice of spending the night in the open and freezing, or going into whatever shelter was available knowing the chances were about even it would be blown up during the night. In addition to all of this there were never fewer than about one quarter of a million (250,000!) Russian troops behind the German lines. While these were mostly small bands of poorly equipped men, they were also desperate men. They were largely without food and lived by raiding German supply columns. The whole situation reminds me of a line out of the play "Doctor Faustus". A one point Mephistopheles remarks, "Why, this is Hell, nor am I out of it." That sums up the Eastern Front pretty well. Best regards, Kyrie

02-15-2001, 09:34 PM	#4
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,486 Thanks: 1,283 Thanked 3,583 Times in 989 Posts	The War of the Century......... When I said " A pretty long day at the range" My meaning was in terms of ammo only....the German/Russian conflict during WW2 was probably the most vicious action of any war in any time......In terms of human suffering it may never be matched, personally, I think that the Russians committed as many or more crimes against humanity, then did the Germans....I think in a historical sense, it was unavoidable! ....Till...later...G.T.