HIW VSK
The HIW VSK were two prototype weapons, a rifle and a carbine, of German origin developed by Röchling Eisen-und Stahlwerke GmbH (Hessische Industrie Werke) and August Coenders in 1944. They were intended as Volkssturm weapons and the carbine variant used blow forward operation.
Also recorded as Heissische Industrie-Werke Volkssturmkarabin | Heissische Industrie-Werk Selbstladekarabiner | Röchling Volkssturmkarabiner | Coenders Volkssturmkarabiner| Volkssturm Experimental Semi Automatic Carbine Cal. 7.92 mm Short
HIW VSK
- Name
- HIW VSK
- Field
- semi-automatic rifle · bolt-action rifle
- Region
- Nazi Germany
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — HIW VSK • Origin — Nazi Germany • Type — Bolt Action rifle Carbine • Is Ranged — YES • Used By — Volksturm • Designer — August Coenders • Design Date — 1944–1945 • Manufacturer — Röchling Eisen-und Stahlwerke GmbH (Hessische Industrie Werke) • Variants — Wetzlar Rifle Wetzlar Carbine • Cartridge — 8×57mm IS (rifle) 8×33mm Kurz (carbine) • Caliber — 7.9mm • Action — Bolt-action (8x57) Blow forward (8x33mm) • Feed — 5-round internal box magazine. • Sights — Iron sights
Battle rifle
Battle rifle
Chambered for the 7.92×57mm Mauser rifle round. It used standard 5-round stripper clips to fill the fixed internal magazine. To operate, the "bolt" handle is actually attached to the barrel, and pushed forward to feed a new round to a fixed bolt and breech face.
Carbine
Carbine
Also known as Hessische Selbstladekarabiner (self-loading carbine). Chambered for the 7.92×33mm Kurz round. It used special 5-round stripper clips to fill the fixed internal magazine. The barrel is blown forward by drag of the bullet and propellant gasses and returns under spring pressure, chambering a new cartridge.
Primary material
Context
The circumstances in which HIW VSK stands. 7.92 mm Short. Recorded as a kind of semi-automatic rifle.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article HIW VSK, revision 1371823434 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Sturmgewehr! From Firepower to Striking Power, Hans-Dieter Handrich,
- 2.The German Assault Rifle 1935–1945, Peter R. Senich.,
- 3.Desperate Measures: The Last-Ditch Weapons of the Nazi Volkssturm, W. Darrin Weaver,
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Militaria
6,095 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- HISARTerminology
- Hispano-Suiza HS.820Terminology
- Hispano-Suiza HS.831Terminology
- HitroleTerminology
- HJ-10Terminology
- HJ-12Terminology
- HK 4.6×30mmTerminology
- HM 41Terminology
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