Firearms / Assault rifles / G3
G3
General Facts
- TYPE
Battle rifle - ORIGIN
Germany - NICKNAMES
Ak-4 (Swedish designation)
AG-3 (Norwegian G3A3)
AG-3F1 (Norwegian G3A4)
Dinar (Sudanese production)
G3A5 (Danish G3A3)
G3A6 (Iranian G3A3)
G3A7 (Turkish G3A3)
G3A7A1 (Turkish G3A4)
G3P4 (Pakistani G3A4)
Gevaer M/66 (Danish designation)
Gevaer M/75 (Danish designation)
m/961 (Portugese G3)
m/963 (Portugese G3A3) - DESIGNED
1950's - DESIGNER
Heckler & Koch - PRODUCTION
1964 - present - PRODUCERS
France - MAS
Germany - Heckler & Koch
Greece - Hellenic Arms Industry
Iran - DIO
Mexico - SEDENA
Myanmar - Ka Pa SA
Norway - Kongsberg
Pakistan - POF
Portugal - INDEP
Saudi Arabia - Al Kharj
Sudan - MIC
Sweden - Carl Gustav
Turkey - MKE
United Kingdom - Royal Ordnance - QUANTITY
Over 7 million produced - UNIT COST
Higher unit cost than - CHARACTERISTICS
Very good accuracy
Rugged and very reliable
Large caliber
Expensive to produce
Difficult to attach accessories
Heavy
Introduction
The G3 is a battle rifle of German origin. It was developed in the 1950s by Heckler & Koch to supply the German military with a new rifle after World War 2. The design of the G3 is based on the early developments of the Spanish CETME Model 58 rifle, which itself was based on German development at later stages of World War 2. The G3 is the grandfather of a wide range of Heckler & Koch weapons such as the famous MP5 sub machine gun, HK 33 assault rifle, the PSG-1 sniper rifle and the HK 21 machinegun.
Design
The G3 has a conventional layout and features the roller delayed blowback mechanism. The very earliest models had wooden stocks and handguards. These soon changed to a light green or light brown plastic stock and slimline handguard. Later on the wider tropical handguard was fitted, which was available in green and black.
Firepower
The G3 fires the 7.62x51mm NATO round from 20 round metal or plastic magazines. The G3 fires semi-automatic and fully automatic at a rate of fire of about 550 rounds per minute. Due to the high production quality and roller delayed blowback mechanism the G3 is very accurate.
Users
The G3 was the standard issue rifle of the German army for several decades. It was adopted by many nations as their standard issue rifle and was nearly as successful as the Belgian FAL. The G3 remains in active use today, although nowadays the G3 is more and more replaced by lighter and more modern assault rifles.
G3-K
The G3-K is the carbine version of the full size G3. K stands for Kurz, German for short. All G3-K are fitted with a retractable stock, resulting in the designation G3-KA4, although in theory a fixed stock could be fitted as well. Since the G3-K is a somewhat newer development virtually all G3-K are fitted with the wide tropical handguard.
- Specifications:
- G3-KA4
Type | Battle rifle |
---|---|
Caliber | 7.62x51mm NATO |
Magazine | 20 round box |
Operation | Roller locked delayed blowback |
Fire selector | 0-1-F |
Rate of fire | 500 - 600 rpm |
Barrel length | 315 mm |
---|---|
Rifling | 4 grooves, 305 mm right hand twist |
Muzzle velocity | 780 m/s |
Stock | Retractable |
Length | 895 mm / 711 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 4.1 kg |
Sights | Iron sights diopter rear sight, hooded post front sight, 100 - 400 m gradations, 572mm sight radius |
Remarks | - |
G3
The G3 is the original full size rifle of the G3 family. The G3A3 has a fixed stock while the G3A4 has a retractable stock. The very earliest models had wooden stocks and handguards. These soon changed to a light green plastic stock and slimline handguard, which are available in light brown as well. Later on the wider tropical handguard was fitted, which was available in green and black. All G3s can be fitted with the HK 79 under barrel grenade launcher. This setup is called the TGS which is short for Tragbares Granat System, German for portable grenade system.
Type | Battle rifle |
---|---|
Caliber | 7.62x51mm NATO |
Magazine | 20 round box |
Operation | Roller locked delayed blowback |
Fire selector | 0-1-F |
Rate of fire | 500 - 600 rpm |
Barrel length | 450 mm |
---|---|
Rifling | 4 grooves, 305 mm right hand twist |
Muzzle velocity | 800 m/s |
Stock | Fixed |
Length | 1.023 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 4.4 kg |
Sights | Iron sights diopter rear sight, hooded post front sight, 100 - 400 m gradations, 572mm sight radius |
Remarks | - |
Type | Battle rifle |
---|---|
Caliber | 7.62x51mm NATO |
Magazine | 20 round box |
Operation | Roller locked delayed blowback |
Fire selector | 0-1-F |
Rate of fire | 500 - 600 rpm |
Barrel length | 450 mm |
---|---|
Rifling | 4 grooves, 305 mm right hand twist |
Muzzle velocity | 800 m/s |
Stock | Retractable |
Length | 1.026 mm / 840 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 4.7 kg |
Sights | Iron sights diopter rear sight, hooded post front sight, 100 - 400 m gradations, 572mm sight radius |
Remarks | - |
G3ZF
The G3ZF or G3A3ZF is designated marksman rifle based on the G3. ZF stands for Zielfernrohr, German for scope. The G3ZF is simply standard G3A3 model that has been handpicked for accuracy and fitted with a 4x scope. Sometimes a cheeckpiece and bipod are fitted as well.
- Specifications:
- G3A3ZF
Type | Battle rifle |
---|---|
Caliber | 7.62x51mm NATO |
Magazine | 20 round box |
Operation | Roller locked delayed blowback |
Fire selector | 0-1-F |
Rate of fire | 500 - 600 rpm |
Barrel length | 450 mm |
---|---|
Rifling | 4 grooves, 305 mm right hand twist |
Muzzle velocity | 800 m/s |
Stock | Fixed |
Length | 1.023 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 4.5 kg without optics |
Sights | Hensoldt 4x24 sight Iron sights diopter rear sight, hooded post front sight, 100 - 400 m gradations, 572mm sight radius |
Remarks | Fixed foldable bipod |
G3SG/1
The G3SG/1 is a sniper rifle based on the G3. It consists of a full size G3 that has been handpicked for accuracy. A special trigger group, bipod, chiekpiece and 1.5-6x scope have been fitted. The intricate G3SG/1 trigger group has a button to set the trigger just behind the trigger itself. It is one of the best designed trigger groups to this day and still allows for automatic fire.
- Specifications:
- G3SG/1
Type | Sniper rifle |
---|---|
Caliber | 7.62x51mm NATO |
Magazine | 20 round box |
Operation | Roller locked delayed blowback |
Fire selector | 0-1-F |
Rate of fire | 500 - 600 rpm |
Barrel length | 450 mm |
---|---|
Rifling | 4 grooves, 305 mm right hand twist |
Muzzle velocity | 800 m/s |
Stock | Fixed |
Length | 1.023 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 5.54 kg with optics |
Sights | Zeiss 1.5-6x sight Iron sights diopter rear sight, hooded post front sight, 100 - 400 m gradations, 572mm sight radius |
Remarks | Fixed foldable bipod |