But the bolt handle is straight. MIne is too but the stock still has the cutout for a bent bolt.
That's called a patrol bolt usc...the reason for bending the bolt down was so when the weapon was carried at the ready the bolt wouldn't get snagged at an inopportune time and eject a live round thus rendering your weapon useless until you closed the bolt and chambered another round.
Also the "pre AK-47" title of this thread would have been more appropriate if the weapon shown was the STG-44...the very first assault rifle on the planet earth and actually affected the outcome of several battles between the German Army and the Soviet Army invading Berlin....but not the eventual outcome. An awesome weapon indeed...and I've had the pleasure of holding one in my hands which was owned by a SoCal gun dealer.
OK, I am going to be a little bit of a dickhead but I must in the interest of factual data and correct you on one thing, the STG 44 was not the first assault rifle on the planet. The MKb42 was the first assault rifle. It was made by two different manufacturers hence the terminology of MKb42(W) for Walther and MKb42(H) for Haenel. They were slightly different in design and the OKW sent both examples (approximately 7,800 of each) to the Eastern Front in 1942 for field trials. Based on those experiences the Haenel design won and it's modified form took on the name MP43. It was subsequently modified into the MP44 (of which I used to own two) and finally after Hitler had heard so much about this new machine pistol (which the developers had had to call it because Hitler had told them to discontinue its development) he gave it the name Sturmgeweher (assault rifle) and the rest as they say is history. Pictured below is the MKb42(W) from page 515 of Small Arms of the World.
I have reproduction WWII, Civil War and colonial uniforms. Do you count buttons and stitches also?