They'd overperform grens.
They are not meant to.
They are supposed to be middle ground between cons and grens, slightly worse then both, which they are now.
Volks need nothing and won't get nothing as long as they have shrecks.
They are supposed to be your core inf until you get call-in infantry or obers, then their role changes to meatshields and AT, they are not supposed to be effective AI unit, but a better scaling conscript, which they currently are.
Are you sure they'd overperform Grens?
Anyway, I never said that Volks need any upgrades as long as they have shrecks. I didn't even say that they necessarily need upgrades at all.
However, if they lose their shrecks an upgrade might be justified.
I believe what he meant was that they could use it if simply Relic allowed it. Not that they can currently use it.
I think some members using a STG44 would be rather quaint, as PPSh Conscripts and Shock Troops are hardly clones of eachother even in that doctrine where they co-exist.
I'm not sure if 40% damage increase through an upgrade at all ranges is warranted... A STG-44 would not do that at least for all ranges, and there is no reason it can't be weaker and/or different in its range performance.
A damage buff for their rifles is just my favorite. If done right, StGs might be a good alternative. Flamethrowers would also work.
I don't think that a damage buff for their Kars, in this case to 14, would increase their DPS at all ranges that much.
I don't know the DPS formula so I can't comment on that.