Heckler & Koch G3 series assault rifle (automatic)

Automatic rifle Heckler & Koch G3 (Germany)

In the mid-fifties, the American-developed T65 (7.62x51 mm) ammunition became the standard NATO rifle cartridge. In this regard, European countries were forced to begin rearmament of their armies taking into account the requirements of the organization. The engineers of the Belgian company FN were among the first to solve the new problem, developing the FAL automatic rifle. This weapon was adopted by several European countries, and later became widespread outside Europe. Germany also had its own plans for rearmament.

Initially, the German military wanted to purchase a license to produce FN FAL rifles, but Belgium refused such a deal for a number of reasons. In this regard, Germany in 1957 was forced to adopt the Spanish-made CETME rifle. In the Bundeswehr, this weapon was used under the designation G1 (Gewehr 1 - “Rifle 1”). The production of licensed copies of Spanish weapons was entrusted to Heckler & Koch. Having mastered the production of CETME/G1 rifles, this company began developing its own weapons, which were soon offered to the military.

The new automatic rifle was designated G3. It is noteworthy that this weapon, in terms of the ideas used and principles of operation, was similar to the CETME/G1, but it cannot be considered a modified modification of the Spanish rifle. The fact is that the ideas underlying the two projects were created at the end of World War II by Mauser, and their authors subsequently participated in the creation of both CETME and G3. The main original feature of the two rifles was the automatic action, built on a semi-free bolt.

Most post-war automatic rifles used gas automatics, but the HK G3 rifle received a semi-blowback action with a delay. For a number of reasons, German experts recognized this kind of automation as the most convenient for promising weapons. The main advantage of such automation is the simplification of the design of the weapon due to the absence of a gas engine and some other parts. In addition, it was intended to reduce the number of parts in contact with powder gases.

The main automatic element of the G3 rifle is the bolt of an original complex shape. The bolt carrier, located inside the receiver, has a special protruding pin placed in a special tube above the rifle barrel. Because of this, the blowback rifle looks similar to a weapon using a gas engine. On the side surface of the tube there is a slot through which the shutter cocking handle is brought out. The handle remains motionless when firing. The rear of the bolt pin contacts the recoil spring located at the top of the receiver.

The bolt of the HK G3 rifle itself consists of two main parts and does not have any locking systems. At the same time, the design of the rifle provides a mechanism to slow down the opening of the bolt. At the moment of firing, under the influence of recoil, the bolt begins to move back, and a pair of special rollers slows down the movement of its front part, while simultaneously accelerating the rear. Interacting with the two parts of the bolt and the breech of the barrel, the two rollers provide the required speed of movement of the bolt, due to which the required time intervals between various operations are observed. To avoid “sticking” of the cartridge case, small longitudinal grooves were provided on the inner surface of the chamber, making it easier to remove the cartridge case.

The automation used ensured a rate of fire of 500-600 rounds per minute. A 450 mm long barrel (the basic version of the rifle) made it possible to accelerate a bullet to a speed of 850 m/s. The sighting range of the weapon was 400 m. For new modifications of the rifle, this parameter ranged from 300-600 m.

The HK G3 automatic rifle received a rifled barrel with a flash suppressor. The latter could be removed and replaced with a muzzle device for firing blank cartridges. Subsequently, a muffler was developed, which was also installed in place of the flame arrester. The external dimensions of the flame arrester were determined by NATO standards for rifle grenades. Depending on the type of grenade used, the shooter had to use blank or live ammunition.

The G3 rifle received a receiver consisting of several main parts. The barrel was attached to the upper part of the box, and there was also a bolt group, a return spring and a magazine receiving shaft. The trigger mechanism casing was attached to this part from below, and the butt plate with butt mounts was attached to the rear. The guide rod of the return spring was attached to the buttplate. On the inner surface of the upper part of the receiver there were several guide grooves for the bolt group and rollers.

The hammer-type trigger mechanism was made in the form of a single block and was placed in a special housing, on the lower side of which there was a pistol grip. To attach the trigger housing to the upper part of the receiver, a pin located behind the magazine well was used. The G3 rifle's trigger allowed it to fire both single shots and in bursts. At the request of the customer, the standard trigger could be replaced by a mechanism with the ability to fire in bursts of three shots. The emergence of this possibility was facilitated by the architecture of the trigger mechanism, made in the form of a single removable block.

In the standard version, the rifle trigger received a three-position fire switch. His flag was located on the left surface of the weapon above the pistol grip, near the thumb of the right-handed shooter. On the right surface of the trigger mechanism there was a mechanical indicator that showed the current operating mode of the trigger.

One of the goals of the G3 project was to simplify the production of new weapons as much as possible. Most of the metal parts had to be made by stamping. In particular, the rifles of the first series used a stamped metal forend with holes for barrel cooling. Subsequently, the rifles were equipped with a plastic forend, both with and without holes. The situation was similar with the butt. The basic modification of the G3 rifle received a rigidly fixed plastic butt, and the G3A1 version created in the late fifties had a telescopic design with a rubber butt pad.

The first versions of the HK G3 rifle used an open sight with a front sight in a ring-shaped front sight and a reversible rear sight. Later, new weapon modifications began to receive a diopter sight. It was made in the form of an inclined drum with several holes for firing at ranges from 100 to 400 m.

The G3 rifle and its modifications use the standard 7.62x51 mm NATO rifle cartridge. For ammunition supply, box magazines with 20 rounds of ammunition are used. The magazines are placed in a receiving shaft on the underside of the receiver. To eject cartridges, there is a hole in the right surface of the box.

At the end of the fifties, the German military tested the proposed automatic rifle and were satisfied with its characteristics. In 1959, the Heckler & Koch G3 rifle was adopted by the Bundeswehr. The first order involved the supply of G3 and G3A1 rifles. Over the next decades, she developed several modifications of new weapons:

— G3 – the basic version of the rifle with a plastic butt. Total length – 1025 mm, weight without magazine – 4.4 kg; — G3A1 – a modified version of the basic G3 with a retractable metal stock. The total length of the rifle is 1020 mm, with the butt folded - 840 mm. Weight – 4.8 kg. Its characteristics are similar to the basic modification; — G3A2 and G3A3 – modifications of the basic G3 with a diopter sight. The G3A3 was also equipped with a plastic forend in two versions: with and without holes; — G3A4 – modification of G3A1 with a diopter sight. Due to some modifications, the rifle was lightened to 4.7 kg; — G3KA4 – shortened version of G3A4. It differed from the rifle taken as a basis because it had a barrel length of 315 mm. Due to this modification, the length of the rifle was reduced to 885/705 mm (with the butt extended/retracted), and the weight was reduced to 4 kg. At the same time, the effective firing range decreased to 300 m; — G3A3A1, G3A4A1 and G3KA4A1 – versions of G3A3, G3A4 and G3KA4, respectively, with a double-sided arrangement of the fire switch fuse box.

In addition to these modifications, which had minimal differences from the base rifle, Heckler & Koch also produced other weapons. In addition, the G3 rifle became the basis for weapons of other classes:

— G3SG1 – a sniper version of the rifle, equipped with a new stock, optical sight, folding bipod and a modified trigger. The effective firing range has been increased to 600 m; — HK 41 and HK 91 – self-loading versions of G3 for the civilian market; — HK11 and HK21 – machine guns based on an automatic rifle; — MP5 is a submachine gun based on the design solutions of the G3 rifle.

The HK G3 automatic rifle was adopted by the German army in 1959 and was used until the mid-nineties, when it was replaced by the new HK G36. Soon after the start of production of rifles for the Bundeswehr, German gunsmiths began to receive orders to supply weapons to third countries. In addition, negotiations began on the sale of licenses for the production of these rifles. For more than half a century, the G3 rifle has been adopted by 77 countries around the world. Through the efforts of foreign manufacturers, over 7 million G3 rifles were assembled, which makes this weapon one of the most popular models in the world.

The first foreign countries to purchase a license to produce new German rifles were European NATO member states that needed modern small arms. For example, in 1966 Denmark bought the license and produced the G3 under the name Gevær Model 1966 (Gv M/66). Also in the mid-sixties, Sweden acquired a license and soon began producing rifles under the designation Automatkarbin 4 (Ak 4).

Since the mid-sixties, G3 rifles and their variants have been adopted by 15 NATO countries, including Germany. It is noteworthy that the G3 rifles were withdrawn from service in some countries and shortly thereafter adopted in others. Thus, since the mid-eighties, the Swedish army has been using Bofors Ak 5 automatic rifles, developed on the basis of the Belgian FN FNC. The Ak 4 (G3) considered obsolete were mostly sent to storage. Some of the decommissioned Ak 4 rifles were sold to the Baltic states, where they are still in use today.

The sale of licenses for the production of rifles to various countries led to the emergence of both full-fledged new modifications of the basic G3 and slightly modified weapons. Depending on the requirements of their armies, various states changed the “body kit” of rifles, modified their ergonomics, sights and other components. At the same time, however, almost no one made serious changes to the design of the automation and trigger mechanism.

Due to its advanced age, the G3 rifle is gradually being withdrawn from service in various countries. Germany was one of the first to abandon these weapons. As already mentioned, in the mid-nineties it gave way to the newer Heckler & Koch G36 rifle. Other European countries are also gradually abandoning the G3 in favor of newer and more advanced models. Nevertheless, the old German rifle and its licensed copies remain the main weapon of several dozen armies in Africa, Asia and South America.

Like any other small arms, the HK G3 automatic rifle has both positive and negative sides. The main advantage of this rifle, which had a great influence on its distribution, was its relatively low cost. By simplifying the design, it was possible to reduce the cost of production as much as possible without compromising performance. For this reason, given some choice, many countries chose the G3 over other models.

Another advantage can be considered the 7.62x51 mm NATO cartridge used. This rifle ammunition provided high damaging characteristics when fired at ranges of up to several hundred meters. However, one of the main disadvantages of the rifle was associated with the cartridge. Due to its relatively small mass (no more than 5 kg with magazine), the weapon has insufficient stability when firing in bursts. Due to the excessive power of the cartridge, the rifle does not show high enough accuracy and accuracy of fire when firing in bursts. It should be noted that when shooting single shots, these parameters remain at an acceptable level.

The combination of characteristics, combat capabilities, simplicity and low cost made the Heckler & Koch G3 rifle one of the most successful and successful small arms in the post-war period. In terms of its popularity and distribution, the German G3 can compete with the Soviet Kalashnikov assault rifle and the Belgian FN FAL rifle, as well as their foreign variants and modifications.

Based on materials from the sites: https://world.guns.ru/ https://militaryfactory.com/ https://hk94.com/ https://ar15.com/ https://weapon-planet.ru/

Machine guns and assault rifles

HK G3. Automatic rifle. (Germany)

The German automatic rifle HK G3 was developed in the late 1950s by Heckler & Koch and is a modified version of the Spanish automatic rifle CETME modelo B. In connection with the unification of ammunition in NATO countries in the mid-1950s, the question of rearmament of the Bundeswehr arose in Germany rifles chambered for the new American T-65 rifle and machine gun cartridge (7.62x51mm NATO). 4 rifles were selected as contenders: the Belgian FN FAL, the Swiss SIG SG 510 (modified for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge), the Spanish CETME Modelo B (chambered for the 7.62×51mm CETME cartridge, which differed from the American one in less power) and the American AR-10 made in Sudan. A small number of FN FAL rifles were purchased and adopted by the Bundeswehr under the designation G1 (Gewehr 1 - Rifle 1), but the Belgians refused to sell a production license, and therefore this option was abandoned. The SIG SG 510 and AR-10 rifles did not suit the Bundeswehr leadership and, as a result, the choice was made in favor of the Spanish CETME Modelo B rifle, developed by the German engineer Ludwig Forgrimler, who had previously worked at Mauser. In 1957, Germany acquired a license for this rifle and, based on the results of a tender, transferred production rights to the new company Heckler & Koch, created “from the ruins” of the Mauser company. As a result, Heckler & Koch launched the production of CETME rifles modified for the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, and in 1959 the new automatic rifles entered service with the Bundeswehr under the designation G3. At the same time, the G3A1 modification with a telescopic butt also entered service. In addition to options with fixed (G3/G3A2/G3A3) and telescopic (G3A1/G3A4) stocks, a number of different options and modifications were also released, both by Heckler & Koch itself and by other companies. Shortened (G3KA4) and sniper (G3SG1) versions were also developed. In addition, self-loading versions of the G3 - HK41 and HK91 - were released specifically for the civilian and police markets (based on the latter, the HK SR9 sports rifle was also released).

HK G3. Automatic rifle. (Germany)

The HK G3 automatic rifle as a whole is a fairly successful weapon, possessing high combat characteristics and characterized by high reliability, low cost (thanks to the widespread use of stamped and later plastic parts), as well as ease of maintenance and operation. In addition to Germany, the G3 rifle has also been adopted in more than 75 countries, including Italy, Austria, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Turkey, Greece, Georgia, Mexico, South Africa, Portugal, etc. Also, production of various variants of the G3 under license was started in other countries, including France, Norway (AG-3), Great Britain (MC51), Turkey (G3A7), Greece, Pakistan (G3P4), Mexico, Sweden (Ak4), Sudan ( Dinar), Iran (G3A6, DIO G3-A3 Bullpup), Portugal (m/961 and m/963), etc. The G3 rifle has been used in a number of armed conflicts, including the Second Chimurenga, the Ethiopian and Sierra Leonean civil wars, the Portuguese Colonial War, the Turkish-Kurdish conflict, the Carnation Revolution, Iraq and Afghanistan. On the basis of the HK G3 automatic rifle, the HK MP5 submachine gun, the HK33 assault rifle, the HK MSG-90 and HK PSG-1 sniper rifles, as well as the HK21 machine gun and its subsequent modifications (HK11, HK23, HK13 and HK73) were subsequently created. An experimental version of the G3 was also developed for the Soviet 7.62x39mm cartridge (HK32). By the end of the 1960s, the German command decided to replace the HK G3 in the troops with a new assault rifle chambered for a low-pulse cartridge. The new rifle, the development of which was entrusted to Heckler & Koch, received the designation G11 and used a new 4.7x33mm caseless cartridge (DM11), but was never put into service. The HK G3 rifle remained in service with the Bundeswehr until 1995, when it was replaced by the new 5.56 mm HK G36 assault rifle, but production of the G3 was finally discontinued only in 2001.

The HK G3 rifle operates according to a semi-blowback design (Forgrimler design). The shutter rollback is slowed down using a pair of rollers placed between the bolt body (its rear part) and its combat cylinder (its front part). The front part of the bolt body, which has bevels on the sides, displaces the rollers from the bolt, holding them in shaped grooves in the barrel coupling. At the top, the bolt body has an extension in the form of a long hollow cylinder, placed in a casing located above the barrel and externally resembling a gas outlet tube. Inside this hollow cylinder is a return spring that holds the bolt in its forward position. When fired, the cartridge case begins to move back under the action of powder gases, shifting the combat cylinder, which rests on the rollers and begins to move them back. In this case, the rollers, moving along the figured grooves of the coupling, begin to be pressed into the bolt. Shifting, the rollers put pressure on the bevels of the front part of the bolt body and begin to move it back relative to the combat cylinder. Thus, the bolt cylinder slows down significantly, spending most of its energy pushing back the massive bolt body, which is moving at a higher speed. By the time the rollers are completely retracted into the bolt, the pressure in the barrel is reduced to acceptable values. After this, the cylinder and the bolt body continue to move backward as a single unit, completely removing the spent cartridge from the chamber and throwing out the spent cartridge case. The G3 chamber is equipped with 12 “Rivelli grooves”, eliminating the possibility of the cartridge case “sticking” in the chamber. The window for ejecting spent cartridges is located on the right side of the receiver. During the reverse movement, under the action of the return spring, the bolt is captured from the magazine and a new cartridge is sent into the chamber. In this case, the front part of the shutter body, with its side bevels, squeezes the rollers from the shutter into the grooves of the coupling, bringing the system to its original position.

HK G3. Automatic rifle. (Germany)

The trigger for the HK G3 automatic rifle is made in the form of a single module, attached to the receiver using a pin located behind the magazine socket. The trigger trigger allows you to fire in continuous bursts or single shots, but the module can be replaced with another one that allows you to fire in fixed bursts with a cut-off of 3 rounds. The flag-type safety-translator lever is located on the left side of the trigger module, above the pistol grip and can be used with the thumb without lifting the hand from the grip. On the right side there is a duplicate marking with a pointer showing the current position of the fuse-translator. To feed the G3 cartridges, double-row metal magazines with a capacity of 20 rounds are used. The magazine release lever is located between the magazine and the trigger guard (similar to a Kalashnikov assault rifle). Above the lever, on the left side of the weapon, there is also an additional magazine release button (similar to the M16 assault rifle). The cocking handle is located on the left, on a cylindrical casing located above the barrel and housing the elongated front end of the bolt. The handle is in the folded position and bends 90° when cocked. Remains motionless when shooting. At the rear of the slot along which the handle moves, there is a transverse cutout that allows it to be fixed in the rearmost position. Sights on the early versions (G3/G3A1) consisted of a front sight in a ring-shaped front sight and an open rear sight. In the G3A2 model (and all subsequent ones), the flip rear sight was replaced with a diopter, made in the form of a drum with holes at 100, 200, 300 and 400 meters. It is also possible to mount other sighting devices (optical, night, collimator, etc.) on the appropriate brackets.

The receiver of the HK G3 automatic rifle is stamped from sheet steel. The trigger module body and handguard (early production versions of the G3) on early models were also stamped from steel. Later the forend was replaced with wood and then with plastic. The forend on most variants is perforated for better barrel cooling. On later models, the plastic housing of the trigger module is made of a single piece with a pistol grip and trigger guard. The pistol grip on all models is made of plastic and has an ergonomic shape with recesses for the fingers, which increases the comfort of holding the weapon when shooting. The wide trigger guard allows the weapon to be used with winter gloves. The G3 stock can be of 2 types: fixed wooden (G3/G3A2) / plastic (G3A3) or steel telescopic (G3A1/G3A4/G3KA4). The butts are attached to the receiver using a pair of pins, while the front wall of the butt is also the butt plate of the receiver, to which the return spring guide is attached. The fixed stock has 2 holes for storing pins during disassembly (to avoid loss) and a sling swivel for attaching a weapon belt. The G3 barrel is threaded to accept a slotted flash suppressor. The standard flash suppressor allows the use of rifle (barrel) grenades. Instead of a flame arrester, a silencer or a device for training firing with blank cartridges can also be installed. The barrel also has a mount for installing a bayonet, which is located above the barrel and can be used simultaneously with an under-barrel grenade launcher (HK79). Also on the forend of later models there is a mount for installing a folding bipod.

HK G3. Automatic rifle. (Germany)

Options and modifications of HK G3:

• G3 - the basic version with a wooden perforated fore-end and butt, as well as a reversible open rear sight; early versions had a metal perforated forend (G3TGS - a variant with a 40-mm HK79 under-barrel grenade launcher);
• G3A1 - G3 variant with telescopic stock;
• G3A2 - G3 variant with diopter sight;
• G3A3 - a variant of the G3A2 with a fixed plastic stock and a plastic forend in 2 versions: perforated or smooth with recesses for a folding bipod (G3A3A1 - a variant with double-sided controls, G3A3 ZF - a variant with a 4x24mm Hensoldt sniper scope);
• G3A4 - version of G3A3 with a telescopic butt (G3A4A1 - version with double-sided controls);
• G3KA4 (Karabiner) - version of G3A4 with a shortened barrel (G3KA4A1 - version with double-sided controls);
• G3SG1 (Scharfschutzengewehr) - a sniper version, developed in 1973, with an adjustable trigger, optical sight, folding bipod and cheek stock (G3A3 rifles are used for production, which showed the highest shooting accuracy during factory tests);
• HK41, HK91 (HK911), PTR 91F ​​and SAR-3 (SAR-8) - self-loading options for the police and civilian markets;
• HK SR9 is a sniper version developed in 1990 on the basis of the HK91 (SR9T - stock from HK MSG90, trigger from HK PSG1; SR9TC - stock and trigger from HK PSG1).

Characteristics:

• Weight, kg: 4.4 (G3, G3A2, G3A3), 4.8 (G3A1), 4.9 (G3A3 ZF), 4.7 (G3A4), 4.0 (G3KA4) without cartridges;
• Length, mm: 1025 (G3 G3A2 G3A3 G3A3 ZF), 1020/840 (G3A1 G3A4), 885/705 (G3KA4) with stock extended/folded;
• Barrel length, mm: 450, 315 (G3KA4);
• Cartridge: 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Winchester);
• Caliber, mm: 7.62;
• Operating principles: semi-free shutter with roller retardation;
• Rate of fire, rounds/min: 500-600;
• Initial bullet speed, m/s: 850;
• Sighting range, m: 400;
• Type of ammunition: box magazine for 20 rounds;
• Sight: front sight in a ring front sight and a reversible open rear sight (G3 and G3A1), front sight with an annular guard and diopter rear sight (G3A2, G3A3, G3A4), a mount for optical sights can also be installed.