Stalingrad and the .22 rifle

[criticalbass]

Recently I have heard from several people, and seen a couple of references on the internet that more German soldiers were killed by .22 rifle fire than any other cause of death during the battle of Stalingrad.

This is generally a response to "What's going on with .22 prices and availability?" which implies that we might expect an invasion by a foreign army.

Does anybody know where this got started? I am not a historian, but have read a whole lot about Stalingrad, and never heard this until recently.

My understanding is that causes of death among the four armies that the Soviets overcame were mostly starvation, disease, cold, and 7.62x54R rifle bullets. I'm sure other weapons were used, but I have never seen any "Red Dawn" parallels. Most of the Stalingrad population that survived stayed underground as much as possible.

The Russians never revealed their total losses in this decisive victory, but overall losses to all sides have been estimated to be around two million. Somehow the .22 rifle input must have slipped between the cracks.

I'm calling IBS (Internet Bull Stuffing) on this rumor unless someone can provide a credible reference.

 

[cjjtulsa]

Never heard that either, and agree to the causes you attribute the Axis deaths to in your post - at least from all I've read.

 

[rhodesbe]

Wouldn't the Russians call it something like 5.45 x 11 or something like that?

 

[ronny]

I've never heard this before, but why would you think BS? Personally, I would question whether that many Soviet citizens actually had .22 rifles in the city of Stalingrad, but if they did, I'd bet there'd be a lot of Germans with small round holes in their bodies.

The environment would be perfect. Urban, close quarters, building to building. Nothing snuffs an eyeball like a 22 lr. It's hard for a reasonably good shot with a reliable .22 rifle to miss a head-sized target inside 100 yds.

 

[Barsoom]

I'd say that was BS.... Stalin's army had the only guns.... and I've never seen any reference to .22

 

[SMS]

I'm going with absolute internet fabrication unless someone presents some scholarly, factual, and verifiable evidence to the contrary.

 

[ronny]

You've forgotten where you are.

 

[inactive]

I have heard something about the most deaths ever committed by any caliber was some .22 or .32 pistol, as they were used for mass executions by the Soviets in WWII. That may be BS too. But never heard the rifle story.

 

[dennishoddy]

Never heard anything about stalingrad, but Okla Game Wardens Say that thousands of deer are killed every year by .22 rimfire rounds fired by poachers.

 

[Glocktogo]

I don't know if it's true or not, but I'd never want to square off against a decent shooter armed with a scoped 10/22 and a sack full of mags inside 100 yards!