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Heckler & Koch G3

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Gewehr 3 (G3)
G3A3
Heckler & Koch Gewehr 3
TypeBattle rifle
Place of originGermany
Service history
In service1958–1997 (Germany)
Used byGermany, Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Norway, Iceland, Pakistan, Turkey, Greece others (see Operators)
WarsPortuguese Colonial War, Rhodesian Bush War, Carnation Revolution, Iran-Iraq War, Sierra Leone Civil War, Ethiopian Civil War, Operation Enduring Freedom/ISAF - Afghanistan
Production history
DesignerCETME, Mauser, Heckler & Koch
Designed1950s
ManufacturerHeckler & Koch
VariantsA1 to A7 (see Variants of the G3)
Specifications
Mass4.4 kg (G3A3)
4.7 kg (G3A4)
5.54 kg with optic (G3SG/1)
4.1 kg (G3K)
Length1025 mm (G3A3)
1025 mm/840 mm with stock retracted (G3A4)
1025 mm (G3SG/1)
895 mm/711 mm with stock retracted (G3K)
Barrel length450 mm
315 mm (G3K)
Cartridge7.62 × 51 mm NATO
Caliber7.62 mm (.308)
ActionRecoil operated with delayed roller locked bolt system
Rate of fire500-600 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity800 m/s
Effective firing range100 to 400 m sight adjustments
Feed system20-round detachable box magazine
SightsRear: rotary diopter; front: hooded post

The G3 (which stands for Gewehr 3, or Rifle #3) is a family of select fire battle rifles manufactured by Heckler & Koch. It was adopted as the standard service rifle by the Bundeswehr in 1959, as well as several other countries to varying degrees. The G3 was chambered for the 7.62 × 51 mm NATO cartridge.

History

The G3 was the standard infantry weapon of the German Bundeswehr until 1997 when it was replaced by the G36, and is still being used by several armed forces around the world. The G3 is typical of its day: a heavy selective-fire rifle chambered in 7.62 x 51 mm NATO, using a detachable magazine. In its day, it competed with similar infantry rifles such as the FN FAL, M14, and the Armalite AR-10. It is equipped with a flash suppressor and can mount a bayonet. It was developed by former Mauser engineers, after having spent some time in Spain working for the arms developers there. These engineers were involved in the design and production of the CETME rifle and returned to Germany with the design and construction blueprints fresh in their minds, if not their possession. Indeed, for a time the first G3s had "CETME" stamped on the side; the design had some modifications primarily to the bolt group and trigger pack. Early G3s, like the CETME, had wooden stock and handguard.

Near the end of the Second World War, Mauser was working on the StG45(M), which did not make it past the prototype stage but used a development of the roller-locking system, known as a "Delayed Roller Locking" system. This roller-delayed blowback was further developed by Mauser engineers in Spain, which was looking for a new rifle. The CETME prototypes were complete by the early 1950s, and standardized on the then new NATO 7.62 mm round. This was adopted as the CETME by Spain in 1954, and with some differences, as the G3 by West Germany in 1959. The West German government bought a licence for manufacture of it and transferred it to HK, though they (HK), and former Mauser engineers had been integral to its development in Spain.

G3 stands for Gewehr 3, the German for "Rifle, 3". The G3 was adopted in 1958 as a replacement for the Bundeswehr's G1, a modified version of the Belgian FN FAL, which had been used since 1956, the year after West Germany had been accepted to NATO. [5] The G3 was therefore the first indigenously-produced infantry rifle of the new West German army.

The G3 rifle has been widely praised for its relatively compact size and sturdy stamped steel construction, which also enabled lower production costs compared to many other 7.62mm NATO rifles. Also G3 rifles and their (quality) derivatives, are well regarded as benchmarks of battle rifle reliability and accuracy. Conversely, its heavy weight and stiff trigger pull have been cited as the weapon's chief disadvantages, along with a rather sharp recoil (due to the thin stock and lack of gas-buffered operation) and less-than-ideal pointing and handling characteristics.

Service history

The G3 and its variants have been used by a wide variety of countries armed forces, as well as by police forces over its lifetime. As a result it has seen use in a number of conflicts during the late 20th century. The rifle is or has been adopted for military service with Germany, the UK, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Burma, Cyprus, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey, Pakistan, El Salvador, and Thailand.

Its first known combat use was by Portuguese Armed Forces during the Portuguese Colonial War. G3 rifles were issued to both regular army and reserve forces as well as special forces. These included the Marines, Commandos and Special Hunters. Portuguese Air Force paratroops were issued a collapsible stock version of the G3 after Portugal was barred from acquiring additional Artillerie Inrichtingen (Armalite) AR-10 rifles from Holland. The Portuguese found the G3 to be reliable, but judged its weight a handicap when tracking lightly-armed guerrilla forces in heavy bush and jungle. Portuguese forces were unable to carry large quantities of heavy 7.62mm NATO ammunition on long patrols, and the resulting lack of firepower was occasionally a handicap when encountering enemy forces equipped with the AK-47.

During the Vietnam War the G3 reportedly served in limited numbers with the U.S. Navy SEALs. According to Kevin Dockery however, the Harrington & Richardson T223 (an American-built licenced copy of the Heckler & Koch HK33 assault rifle) was mistaken for a G3, and the G3 was not used in Vietnam. It is not clear if other sources are mistaken, or if they have separate evidence of use.[1]

G3 rifles also saw action with the West German police during the Munich Massacre in 1972, in a failed attempt to rescue the Israeli athletes held hostage by the Black September group. The failure of German police and anti-terrorist teams to save the hostages prompted development of the PSG-1 sniper rifle (derived heavily from the G3), later issued to the specially-trained GSG 9 anti-terrorist unit (also formed in the light of the atrocity).

El Salvador's troops first used G3 in combat in the summer of 1969, during the "100 hour war" against Honduras. They continued using G3s during the 70s and 80s until gradually replaced by M16s.

G3's were also used by Pakistan in the 1971 war with India. They have also seen action on the LOC.

The sniper version, the G3SG/1, saw a notable use in 1983 during Operation Urgent Fury, otherwise known as the Invasion of Grenada. A SEAL team was sent in to secure the Government House, where it was believed Governor Paul Scoon was held. The team was dropped in by helicopters and resistance was nil; Scoon was indeed there and the house was secured and perimeter set up. Among the positions, a SEAL sniper set up upstairs with his G3SG/1. The PRA soldiers soon began their counterattack however, which consisted of a BTR-60 and a number of soldiers attacking throughout the east gate. The SEAL sniper single-handedly eliminated 21 PRA soldiers during the attack. This along with fire from other SEALs resulted in the PRA pulling back for a time, and a longer range firefight ensued. The standoff was eventually solved later on in the day with more forces; an AC-130 gunship eventually destroyed the APC and scattered the remaining troops in the attack. [2]

The G3 would again see use during the Gulf War.[citation needed]

Since the German Army adopted the G36 rifle, the existing G3 rifles are being destroyed in stages. This process started in 2002 and will last until 2007. However, German special forces, such as the KSK, will keep some G3s.

Construction details

Disassembled G3A3
Close-up of G3's rear sight

The G3 is of modular construction, based around a stamped steel receiver, a pressed in barrel, and a detachable 'trigger group' which encompasses the handgrip, trigger, and fire selector mechanism.

The selector switch is typically referred to by the acronym "SEF", which refers to the most common fire settings.

  • "S", the top setting, stands for Sicher, which is German for "safe".
  • "E", the middle setting, stands for Einzelfeuer [pronounced: Ine-tsell-foyer] which means "single fire", or semi-automatic, in German.
  • "F", the bottom setting, stands for Feuerstoß [pronounced foyer-shtoss] which means "burst fire", or full-auto, in German. Some foreign armies are also known to translate the "F" to "Family" as a slang term. In the German army the slang term is known as the Frieden or the "peace" setting.

The modular trigger group allows for several different fire combinations; some G3 export versions include only safe and semi-automatic modes, and some use dot symbols or iconic/pictogram representations of bullets instead, i.e. one dot (".") for single shot and three dots ("...") for burst mode.

In the roller-delayed blowback system, the bolt is not locked into the receiver in the normal static manner. The bolt-head has small rollers on each side of the bolt head that fit into recesses in the receiver. The bolt-head protrudes slightly from the rest of the bolt, being pushed backward when a cartridge is chambered, locking the rollers into their recesses. When a round is fired the intense pressure of 50,000 lbf/in² (300 MPa) must first overcome the rollers before the bolt pushes backward against the recoil spring. After the bolt has been stopped by a much harder spring buffer at the end of its travel, the recoil spring then pushes it back forward while stripping another round from the magazine.

The G3's folding charging handle is mounted on the left side of the weapon, in line with the forward handgrip. This is in contrast to the majority of competing designs, which mount the charging handle directly on the receiver. Some criticize this design decision as making it awkward to manipulate, particularly while prone. However, many found the arrangement quite intuitive in actual use: the left hand would be on the foreguard just below it to support the gun during firing. When a reload is required, the hand can naturally fold the handle out and pull it back, then lock the handle in the rear position and continue moving to the magazine release. After inserting a new magazine into the rifle, the hand slaps the charging handle out of the locking slot while returning to the foreguard to support the rifle as before. Unlocking the handle lets the recoil spring move the bolt and handle forward and chambers a fresh round. The charging handle will automatically catch and fold in along the barrel when it reaches its fully forward position.

The action requires that the rifleman allow the bolt carrier to fly forward with full power, or the rollers will not lock and the bolt will not fully close. Some versions including the Norwegian AG-3 and the Swedish Ak 4 feature a rarely used "forward assist" function; the bolt carrier has a machined thumb groove just inside the ejector port which enables the rifleman to ease the charging handle forward silently, then manually force the bolt to fully close (locking the rollers) by pushing it forward with his thumb through the port.

Another contrast to some of the G3's contemporaries, most notably the Armalite AR-15, is the lack of a bolt hold-open device. This would catch the bolt in the rear position after the final round from a magazine has been fired, to signal the rifleman that he has expended his ammunition and automatically charge the rifle for reloading. Not using such a device allowed the G3 design to contain fewer moving parts and may improve reliability. To signal when a magazine is near empty, some troops have resorted to loading the final one or two rounds with tracer ammunition.

The magazines are made of steel or aluminum, the latter being more popular on account of relatively light weight. The metal edges at the top of the steel magazine could easily be damaged if dropped, while aluminum magazines can suffer from metal fatigue with age and use. During the 1990s, the US manufacturer Thermold made glass-filled polymer magazines for the G3. In military service the G3's magazine was typically of twenty-round capacity, though smaller and larger magazines are available. The magazine release is a flap immediately behind the magazine, which is pushed towards the magazine to free it.

Initial stripping of the weapon is achieved by pushing two small pins from the buttstock, removing the buttstock, folding the rear of the trigger pack down (it could be removed completely by pushing out another pin holding it in place), and pulling back the charging handle to push the bolt carrier out of the rifle.

Variants of the G3

Small arms captured in Fallujah, Iraq by the U.S. Marine Corps in 2004. The second gun from the left is a G3A4.


The G3 has served as the basis for a wide variety of other H&K firearms, including firearms in different calibers and various sniper rifles. The first G3s (from CETME in Spain) had a steel forearm with large perforations, and a "paddle wheel" sight. The "paddle wheel" consisted of one v notch set for 100 meters and aperture sights set for 200, 300, and 400 meters. The use of the 100 meter notch was discouraged with the 200 meter aperture being favored for both 100 and 200 meters. The 100 meter sight was relegated to volley fire and extreme close ranges.

The HK33 and HK G41 are related firearms, and are essentially a G3 scaled down to 5.56 mm NATO.

Rifles and Carbines:

HK Variants

  • G3 - Original model based on the CETME Model B.
  • G3A1 - G3 with an experimental ventrally-folding collapsible stock similar to that of the MP-40 or AKMS. Its excessive recoil caused it to be dropped from production.
  • G3A2 - G3 with new 'rotating drum' rear sight. The range settings remained the same, but the rear sight was more secure.
  • G3A3 - The most well known version. Drum sights, a fixed plastic buttstock, and a plastic handguard. The handguard came in a slim, ventilated version and a wide version. The latter allows for attachment of a bipod.
  • G3A3A1 - This is a version of the G3A3 with an ambidextrous trigger group. This is an official German Army designation, not an HK factory one.
  • G3A4 - The G3A4 uses drum sights and a single position collapsible stock. This rifle could also be issued with a scope with the nomenclature G3A4 ZF. The ZF stands for 'Zielfernrohr' or "Telescope."
  • G3A4A1 - This is a variant of the G3A4 with an ambidextrous trigger group. This is an official German Army designation, not an HK factory one.
  • G3KA4 - Smallest of the line, it is a Karabiner, or carbine version of the G3. It uses drum sights, a retractable stock, and a 12.4 inch (314.96 mm) barrel.
  • G3KA4A1 - This is a variant of the G3KA4 with an ambidextrous trigger group. This is an official German Army designation, not an HK factory one.
  • G3A5 - H&K assigned model number for the Danish-made version of the G3A3. It differs in that it has a silent bolt-closure device. In Danish service it is known as the Gv m/75.
  • G3A6 - H&K assigned model number for the Iranian-made version of the G3A3.
  • G3A7 - H&K assigned model number for the Turkish-made version of the G3A3.

Other Military Variants and Derivatives

  • Gv m/66 - Variant produced by Rheinmetall for the Danish Army. Semi-automatic fire only, though could be converted to full-automatic with the aid of a special tool.
  • AG-3 - Norwegian made variant of the G3A5. Produced by Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk. A total of 253 497 units where produced for the Norwegian Armed Forces from 1967 to 1974.
  • AG-3 F1 - AG-3 with retractable stock as on G3A4. Produced by Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk. A retractable stock is required only by special groups of soldiers within the Norwegian Armed Forces, primarily the crew of certain military vehicles with limited space inside, and in particular where a quick disembarkment from such a vehicle is required.
  • Ak 4 - Swedish made version of the G3A3.
  • DIO G3 Bullpup - Iranian Bullpup variant of the G3. Photo
  • G3A7A1 - Turkish-made variant of the G3A4.
  • G3P4 - Pakistan Ordnance Factory designation for license produced G3A4 rifles.

Specialized G3 types:

  • G3-TGS - This is simply a G3 with a 40mm HK 79 under-barrel grenade launcher attached. TGS stands for "Tragbares Granat System" (Portable Grenade System).
  • G3A3ZF - This is a rifle issued with a scope bracket and scope. The ZF stands for Zielfernrohr or "Telescopic Sight."
  • G3SG/1 - This is the accurised variant of the G3 designed for sniping. The "SG" stands for Schützen Gewehr, or "marksman's rifle". The rifles were picked from the production line for their accuracy and then modified. A 6x Hensoldt scope was added using the H&K mount attached to the receiver. In addition a special set trigger group was added, which enabled the trigger to be set in semi-automatic mode. This allowed a crisp pull of 1 lb. In addition, automatic fire was retained.

In addition to the G3SG/1, the MSG90 / MSG3, PSG-1, and HK33SG/1 are other sniper rifles derived from the G3 to varying degrees.

Law Enforcement and Civilian models (including OEM variants):

  • HK 41 - The HK 41 is a semi-automatic version of the G3 that was marketed to law-enforcement and civilian reservists (the prefix number 4 in H&K's two-digit number system technically stands for "para-military rifle"). It differs only from the G3 in its trigger group, and because of the modularity of trigger packs can easily be converted to a full-automatic weapon by swapping out a minimum of parts. Limited sales at home and US import restrictions and firearms regulations led this weapon to be dropped from H&K's product line quickly and it was supplanted by the HK 91.
  • HK 91 - The HK 91 is a semi-automatic version of the G3 similar to the HK 41, also marketed to civilians. However, in order to comply with US firearm regulations a number of modifications to the HK 91 were made that do not appear on the HK 41. The internal parts required for fully automatic fire were removed. A shelf was welded onto the receiver where the push-pin of the trigger pack would normally go, to prevent installation of a fully automatic trigger pack. This precluded the use of the paddle style magazine release and so a button on the right side of the magazine well is used instead. This was considered awkward by many owners. It is otherwise identical to the G3A3/A4. Importation into the United States began in 1974 and ceased in 1989, with some 48,000 rifles being imported.
  • HK-911: The HK-911 was an HK91A2 with the flash hider removed and the receiver re-stamped with an extra 1 to comply with the importation ban of 1989. The new designation theoretically made it legally immune to the Import Ban, as no "HK-911" rifles were mentioned on the list of banned guns. However, the later banning of several "paramilitary" features on the HK-911 made it illegal.
  • SR-9 Series (“Sporting Rifle, Civilian”): These variants of the HK-91ZF were created to get around the Semi-Auto Import Ban of 1989, which included all models of the HK-91. They differed from the HK 91 in that they had their flash hiders removed and had a smooth forend that lacked the bipod attachment mount. The SR-9 series were banned from importation to the United States by President Clinton in 1997 because they could accept high-capacity magazines. (See Heckler & Koch SR9.)
    • SR-9: The SR-9 was an HK91A2ZF with the pistol grip and butt-stock replaced with a one-piece thumbhole stock.
    • SR-9 (T): The (T), or "Target", model was an HK91A2ZF with the trigger replaced with the PSG-1 model, the pistol grip replaced with an ergonomic PSG-1 model and the butt-stock replaced with an MSG90 model.
    • SR-9 (TC): The (TC), ot "Target Competition", model was an HK91A2ZF with the trigger group, pistol grip and butt-stock replaced by the PSG-1 models.
  • G3A1 - The terminology used by custom gunsmiths (e.g., Choate) and importers (e.g., Interarms) for weapons with an aftermarket side-folding stock. This is not part of official HK nomenclature.
  • HK 51 - Contrary to popular belief the HK 51 is not made by H&K, being a creation of the American Class II manufacturing after-market. The HK 51 has no real standards but is usually a cut down and modified G3A3 or its semi-automatic clones the HK 41 and HK 91 and modified to take MP5 furniture and accessories. It is usually fitted with a collapsable stock; with a 211 mm (8.31-inch) long barrel; it is a tiny 589 mm (23.17 inches) with the stock retracted and 780 mm (30.72-inches) with the stock extended.
  • PTR 91F - Additionally, JLD started manufacturing semi-automatic copies of the H&K G3 called the PTR 91 in the United States. They used tooling from the H&K arms plants in Portugal to build the rifles.

Civilian Ownership of the G3

Prior to Gun Control Act of 1968, a very small number of factory HK G3 rifles were imported into the United States by Golden State Arms Co. in Pasadena, California. Some people estimate that only a couple dozen or so were brought into the U.S. and bought by civilians, who had to register them with the ATF. These were date stamped "11/62" meaning they were manufactured in November of 1962. After 1968, if a civilian wished to own a HK G3, he had to purchase a Title 1 HK rifle, either a HK41 or a HK91, and have it converted by a Class II manufacturer to a select fire weapon. This was accomplished by modifying the semi-auto trigger pack and replacing the factory bolt carrier with a full-auto bolt carrier. Most of these converted HK41/91's also had the paddle magazine release installed and some even had the grenade-launching snap rings installed on the barrel.

Advantages and disadvantages

Some frequent complaints are that it is not very ergonomic, has poor pointing and handling characteristics, a heavy trigger pull, and a complicated field strip procedure (although it can be performed completely without tools in typical HK fashion). Users have complained about the location of the charging handle and the lack of a bolt hold-open after the last shot.

It is a heavy rifle, weighing nearly 10 lb (4.5 kg) without a magazine, compared to 9.4 lb (4.3 kg) for the FN FAL, 8.5 lb (3.9 kg) for the M14,and 7.25 lb (3.3 kg) for the early AR-10. Although the G3 is capable of fully automatic fire, in practice this is only useful in close quarters battle, as the recoil generated by the 7.62 NATO cartridge makes fully automatic operation impractical at anything beyond point-blank range for anyone but the most extensively trained, skilled, and stalwart of operators.

Recreational users find that the roller-locking system's extraction cycle is particularly hard on the cartridge case making recycling of cases problematic. Even military operators have noticed this problem as a plastic-cased blank training ammunition was developed to reduce training costs.

Despite all that, the G3 is a reliable weapon system, accurate, and easy to maintain.

  • UFO:_Aftermath PC game has a G3 as one of the rifles that the player can equip the soldiers with.

Additional details

  • Rifling: 4 grooves, right hand, 1:305 mm (1-in-12 inches) twist rate
  • Sights: Rotary diopter (rear); ring with vertical post (front)
  • Maximum effective range: 600 m (~660 yards); 800 m (~880 yards) with scope
  • Maximum range: 3,700 m (~4,110 yards)
  • Magazine capacity: 20 rounds (18 to avoid wearing out the magazine spring)
  • Weight: 4.25 kg (9.37 lb)
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2900–3400 joule (Depending on model and ammunition used)

Operators

Former

  •  Colombia — Replaced by the IMI Galil in 1993, both from IMI and Indumil. (See Colombian Army )
  •  Denmark — G3A5, as the Gevær Model-1975 (Gv m/75). Another variant, designated Gevær Model-1966 (Gv m/66), was produced under licence by Rheinmetall. All G3s in Danish service were replaced in the late 1990s by the Diemaco C7 rifle, designated Gv m/95, and Diemaco C8 carbine, designated Gv m/96. Conscripts are still taught to operate the rifle, due to shortage of M/95 if the Total Defence force is to be activated.
  •  Dominican Republic
  •  France — Formerly made by MAS under a contract from H&K.
  •  Haiti
  •  Philippines
  •  Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka brought a few thousands of Pakistani G3A3s to fight against Tamil militants in early 80s and currently those are replaced by the Chinese Type 56 rifles.
  •  Sweden — Made under license by Förenade Fabriksverken (FFV) as the AK-4 (Automatkarbin 4) or G3A2/A3s. Two subvariants are known to exist, one equipped with rail and Aimpoint sight (AK4B) and one with a 4x magnifying optic (AK4OR). It has since been replaced by the AK-5 (Automatkarbin 5; a modified version of the FN FNC) in the regular army. It is still in use in the Hemvärn ("Swedish Home Guard").
  •  United Kingdom — The G3KA4 is designated L100A1 by the British. These were most likely fabricated from receivers produced locally under license, along with G3A3/4s (designations unknown), at the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield. Now phased out. However, they are still in use with CO19, the police armed response unit.
  •  Zimbabwe

Current

NATO

Non-NATO

See also

Books, Manuals, and Other Publications

References

  1. ^ HKPro forum : [1], [2], [3], [4]; an example of another source reporting G3 use by SEALs : http://www.warboats.org/mst2Bremmer/Stoner_ord_notes/stonerhtml/Heckler_and_Koch_G3.htm
  2. ^ http://www.navyseals.com/community/navyseals/operations_urgentfury.cfm
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