The 7.92mm Kurz cartridge, also known as 7.92x33mm Kurz, was developed during World War II by Nazi Germany for the StG 44 (Sturmgewehr 44) assault rifle. It features a rimless bottleneck case and measures 33mm in length. “Kurz” translates to “short” in German, indicating its shorter case length compared to the standard 7.92x57mm Mauser rifle cartridge.
The 7.92mm Kurz was designed to strike a balance between the long-range capability of full-powered rifle cartridges and the shorter-range efficiency of submachine gun rounds. This intermediate cartridge allowed for controllable automatic fire and was effective at typical combat ranges of 300-400 meters.
Use cases for the 7.92mm Kurz primarily include military applications, specifically in the StG 44, which is considered the first modern assault rifle. The cartridge influenced the development of later intermediate cartridges used in post-war assault rifles, such as the 7.62x39mm used by the AK-47.
Overall, the 7.92mm Kurz was a pioneering intermediate cartridge that played a crucial role in the evolution of military small arms.