In the early 90s in the German Bundeswehr, reorganization of army structures was carried out with subsequent rearmament. Then in service was the well-known rifle Heckler und Koch G3 in the world. To replace was provided a new development of German gunsmiths - G11. However, NATO did not approve of these changes, as it sought to unify and standardize all the rifle systems and their ammunition. Since the new rifle used a special caseless cartridge of 4.73 mm caliber, it was decided to leave it for arming reservists, and in exchange to develop a new weapon. This was facilitated by the reunification of the two republics - East and West Germany - in 1990, and the associated significant financial costs. So there was a completely new weapon - the German assault rifle G36.
Rearmament reasons and the history of the rifle
These developments were also accompanied by changes in NATO. The Alliance was actively distributing a new 5.56 mm cartridge in the troops, which required Germany to use this cartridge. In 1992, senior management introduced the concept of a new weapons system - IDZ (Foot soldier of the future). This concept included an assault rifle, a light machine gun, which were supposed to complement the MG-3 that was in service. Their purpose was to support infantry units. And the German gunsmiths actively took up the development of new models.
September 1, 1993 appeared the terms of reference created by experts from the Office for the purchase of weapons. After that, it became clear that all the samples that are in service with the Bundeswehr do not meet the requirements left. Thus, the task became even more complicated, because now all the weapons had to be completely replaced, and not just one model. When fulfilling the order, two main competitors appeared - the German company Heckler und Koch and the Austrians Steyr.
Under such stressful conditions, H&K managed to prove themselves in the best way. The company's designers were able to create a simple, cheap, but reliable family of weapons - the HK.50 machine gun and the MG.50 machine gun based on it, in a very short time. These samples turned out to be much better than the then popular Austrian AUG 77 and the AUG / HBAR machine gun developed on its basis. The management liked them so much that they were soon adopted by the Bundeswehr under the indices G36 and MG36. However, in the first months of the system’s existence, a relatively small number of units were produced (approximately 35,000 rifles and 200 machine guns). This was due to financial difficulties in Germany.
Design features
What is noteworthy, usually pedantic Germans this time abandoned the tradition. Typically, the company used the principle of the automation of its weapons, based on the recoil of a half-free shutter, while the barrel remained motionless. The rolling shutter-based locking system has also been rejected. Even the Kalashnikov system, which could become the basis of the new rifle, was rejected. To create an automatic rifle G36 decided to use the scheme of another popular weapon - the American M16.
The G36 assault rifle (automatic) consists of such parts - a receiver (which includes a fixed barrel, a carrying handle with a built-in optical sight), a folding type butt, a trigger mechanism with a pistol grip, a magazine and magazine receiver, forend, movable automation and bayonet.
Automation Functioning
The principle of automation is standard - the removal of powder gases from the bore. In G36, the designers realized their own invention - an original gas engine in design, which is made with the separation of the shutter frame, which now does not depend on the gas piston with a short stroke. When fired, the piston acts on the bolt and moves it to the rear position. The barrel channel is locked thanks to special combat stops (there are 7 in total), while the shutter must be rotated 30 degrees using the stem. This design of the gas outlet allowed to reduce the weight of the rifle and reduce the impact of working automation on the stability of the weapon during firing and reducing the weight of the locking unit itself.
Features of the trigger mechanism
USM (trigger mechanism) is completely similar to its predecessor - G3. It is assembled in a special box, which also contains a trigger, a pistol grip and a bracket. Which increases the convenience of control and firing. To secure the box to the receiver, transverse pins are used. USM itself is of the trigger type. It is designed for both single and automatic fire. The fuse and translator of the fire mode are combined, a two-way flag that performs this task is installed above the pistol grip, which makes it easier to switch shooting modes in battle. At the same time, the factory settings may vary - the rifle can be delivered with various combinations of modes - conducting only single fire, single and automatic fire, single and in bursts of two shots, or with three modes at once.
Headset and performance
Another design feature of the weapon is the ability to fire both with the right and left hand. The reloading handle is mounted on the top of the receiver in such a way that it can be folded in any direction by 90 degrees. It acts on the moving parts of the automation when retracting. When shooting, the handle moves with the shutter frame. Compared with the G3 rifle, its design has made many changes that have improved the functioning of the reload system, especially in adverse conditions. In this case, the receiver is reliably protected from contamination, since the slot for the passage of the handle is removed. The ejection of spent cartridges occurs through a special extraction window on the right side of the receiver. Originally made and a handle for carrying a rifle mounted on the top of the receiver immediately above the reload handle. Thus, the center of gravity of the rifle is located just under the carrying handle. Another of its functions is the ability to aim, since the devices for this are mounted in its rear part. A distinctive feature of this rifle is a permanent three-fold sight. It is designed for a distance of approximately 800 meters and is equipped with a laser target designator. In addition, there is also a standard collimator sight, which allows for effective shooting at distances up to 200 meters. The handle also allows you to mount other sights on it - for example, Zeiss released the Hensoldt AG night sight for this rifle without illumination, shooting with it is possible up to 350 meters.
Convenience and compactness
Another distinguishing feature possessed by the German automatic rifle G36 is its exceptional compactness. Since modern troops are extremely maneuverable, they need not only effective and simple, but also convenient weapons. For this purpose, the designers introduced a folding butt into the G36 design, which reduces the total length of the weapon from 1000 mm to 758 mm, which allows the infantry to comfortably land from armored personnel carriers or make parachute jumps.
Weapon power
The G36 assault rifle feeds on ammunition from a magazine with a capacity of 30 rounds. It is made of transparent plastic, which allows you to monitor the consumption of cartridges, also on the sides it has special recesses that allow you to attach a spare magazine. For a comfortable filling of the store, a clip with a capacity of 10 rounds and an adapter is made. Directly in battle, built or twin stores are used, which increases the ammunition carried by the shooter. Since the receiver is made taking into account NATO standards, the rifle can use any stores with 5.56 NATO rounds.
Design and features of the receiver
The receiver is stamped from sheet steel. At the same time, developers are not shy about experimenting and apply such innovations in production as shaped rolled products, powder metallurgy, or casting by smelted models. At the same time, common materials like impact-resistant polyamide or fiberglass-reinforced plastic are used to produce such important parts as the trigger, butt, magazine, and barrel trim.
To reduce thermal radiation during shooting, in order to mask the shooter from thermal imagers, all metal parts of the rifle are processed - they are coated with a special heat-insulating coating.
Combat characteristics, application features
Tests conducted at the training grounds and during operation, showed that the rifle has high combat characteristics. Experts noted that when shooting, there is almost no overturning moment, the weapon is stable when firing in bursts. In particular, this result was achieved due to the layout. The moving parts of the automation are located above the barrel, and the bed is on the same axis with it. In addition, the sound during the shot is quite quiet compared to other weapons. And the accuracy of the battle at altitude; G36 is a rifle that for the first time in many years has demonstrated much higher performance than the best examples of NATO rifles. For example, when shooting in short (3-5 rounds) bursts at a range of 100 m, the spread did not exceed 12 cm, along with high survivability of the barrel (about 10,000 rounds), this gives a significant advantage over the enemy. The main type of fire is automatic, as a rule, they fire in bursts of up to 5 shots, but you can also fire in long (up to 10 shots) bursts, and from the MG36 machine gun - continuously.
H&K Family
Based on this rifle, Heckler & Koch developed a whole family of weapons, which includes the MG36 machine gun, as well as the G36 K and G36 C carbines. At the same time, the German G36 rifle is a weapon that is very easy to turn into a machine gun, for this, it’s enough to install a heavy barrel with bipods , and also attach to the receiver a magazine for 100 rounds, designed specifically for such cases. The peculiarity of the store is that it is also manufactured according to the NATO standard STANAG 4179 and its use in a machine gun turned out to be very successful.
The German gunsmiths also took over the global trend - to create many samples on the basis of the rifle (from a submachine gun to a heavy machine gun). The Americans became the starting point of the M16, in Russia - the AK-74. Following them, the Germans began to develop other models of personal weapons. Then a niche formed in the army, which was once occupied by submachine guns. They were designed for shooting at close range due to low-power cartridge. As the experience of the Americans using the M4 and XM177 carbines during the Vietnam War, the troops of any country need a compact and fairly powerful weapon for fighting in urban conditions, as well as the jungle, forest, etc. The Bundeswehr also needed such a model.
To solve the problem, the designers created a compact version of the G36 - a shortened rifle (carbine) with a barrel length of 318 mm. But this necessitated the use of a more powerful muzzle brake, since recoil during a shot increased significantly. For use in special forces, a carbine can be equipped with a night sight, a target indicator, and also a tactical flashlight. The main advantage remained the possibility of using the same cartridge as for the G36. Already in 1996, the Bundeswehr adopted this family, and their mass production was established. Also, export models were developed, first marked with the letter E, and later with V. They were equipped with a 1.5x sight without a target. A little later, another model appeared - the HK G36 C, in which the carrying handle was replaced with a Picatinny rail, which made it possible to mount absolutely all sights and devices standardized by NATO on it.
Combat use
The first combat use of the rifle occurred during the conflict in Kosovo, where the Bundeswehr also took part. This made it possible to test weapons in conditions that are as similar as possible to combat, since in fact the Germans did not participate in the battles. Nevertheless, the rifle has confirmed its high combat effectiveness, maintainability, the ability to operate in any conditions and reliability. The G36 series has now been used by German troops in Afghanistan since 2001. Also, the HK G36 rifle was used during the conflict in Chechnya, part of which was captured by Russian troops as trophies.
Currently, the German G36 rifle is in service with a number of countries - Lithuania, Spain, Great Britain, special forces of the USA, Poland, France and Albania.
Airsoft and other uses
Now Heckler & Koch are actively supplying weapons to the civilian market. In particular, for civilian use, developed the SL8, which is designed to fire only single shots. There are also airsoft (G36 - a rifle with which airsoft becomes an exciting and easy task), hunting and sports modifications, which, like the "parent", show exceptional characteristics and results.
Therefore, without a doubt, the G36 assault rifle is one of the highest-class weapons - it is lightweight, reliable, comfortable, highly effective in combat and accurate. However, it is quite common and is not a secret - G36 - a rifle, a photo of which can be freely found on the Internet or books.