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The delayed blowback roller locking system used by the HK family of weapons was experimented with by Mauser before the end of WWII (StG-45 in 7.92mm kurz). Following the cessation of hostilities, Mauser engineer L. Vorgrimmler went to France where he refined it further and developed a delayed blowback 7.65 carbine for them. He then went to Spain where he worked for CETME. The major departure of the CETME rifle from the StG-45 was in the bolt section. On the StG-45 the bolt is generally rectangular and on the CETME a heavy (and almost cylindrical) bolt carrier) is used to mount the bolt.
When the West German government failed to get a contract to build the G1 (German version of the FN-FAL), Heckler and Koch (who I believe are also former engineers of Mauser) got the contract to build the German version of the CETME - the G3 rifle.
Building on the family concept of weapons, the delayed blowback roller locked action was tried in various calibers by H&K. This includes the Russian 7.62x39, our own 5.56 mm Nato and various pistol calibers (9mm, 40 S&W and 10mm). A belt fed machinegun was also developed (HK21) by the firm. Eventually, HK licensed many other nations to produce its firearms.
Unfortunately the acme of HK design development, the caseless HK11 infantry rifle, also brought its financial downfall. Much money was spent in developing the ammunition and the arm. When West German Government was preparing to rearm the Bundeswehr with it, the Berlin Wall tumbled down and along with it, H&K.
H&K went up for sale and Royal Ordnance, a subsidiary of British Aerospace, bought H&K in 1991. The factory still exists, and the warehouse is located a kilometer or so uphill from Oberndorf.
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