The FG 42 (German: Fallschirmjägergewehr 42 or "paratrooper rifle 42") was a selective fire battle rifle chambered for 7.92x57mm, produced in Nazi Germany during World War II. The weapon was developed specifically for the elite Fallschirmjäger airborne infantry in 1942 and was used in very limited numbers until the end of the war. It combined the characteristics and firepower of a light machine gun in a lightweight form no larger than the standard Mauser rifle. It is considered one of the most advanced weapon designs of World War II, influencing a number of post-war weapons.