Infantry weapons / Grenade launchers / AGS-17
AGS-17
General Facts
- TYPE
Automatic grenade launcher - ORIGIN
USSR - NICKNAMES
Plamya (Russian nickname)
TKB-722K (early development name for AGS-30)
AGL-30 (Bulgarian production)
BGA 30 (Serbian production AGS-17)
M93 (Serbian production AGS-17)
30 KrKK AGS-17 (Finnish military designation) - DESIGNED
1967 - 1969 - DESIGNER
OKB-16 (KPB Tula) - PRODUCTION
1971 - present (AGS-17)
1994 - present (AGS-30) - PRODUCERS
Bulgaria - Arsenal
China - Norinco
Russia - KBP Tula
Serbia - Zastava
USSR - KBP Tula - QUANTITY
Unknown - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
Good reliability
Good range
Limited weight
Average firepower
Introduction
The AGS-17 is an automatic grenade launcher of Soviet origin. It was designed in the late 1960's due to experiences with the US automatic grenade launchers in Vietnam. Such a weapon was thought to be an excellent weapon to fight off the waves of Chinese infantry as experienced in the earlier Sino-Soviet border conflict. AGS stands for Avtomatischeskyi Granatmyot Stankovyi, which is Russian for . It is also kwown under the nickname Plamya, which is Russian for flame.
Design
The AGS-17 is a blowback operated weapon that fires the 30mm grenades from 30 round belts. The rifled barrel features cooling ribs and can be changed quickly. The belts are held in a metal drum and feed from right to left. Most AGS-17 are fitted on a foldable tripod. Iron sights and an optical sight are fitted. A special model has been developed for use on helicopters.
Firepower
The AGS-17 fires 30x28mm grenades from 30 round belts. The AGS-17 is a select-fire weapon with a cyclic rate of fire is 350 to 400 rounds per minute. The helicopter model has an increased rate of fire of 420 to 500 rpm. The maximum effective range is 1.7 km.
Users
The AGS-17 was widely used by Soviet forces and remains in widespread use today. The AGS-17 was also exported to most Soviet allies. It is a common weapon in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and South America.
AGS-17
The AGS-17 is the orignal model of the AGS-17 family. It is mounted on a tripod and can be fitted on vehicles as well, although this is uncommon. The AG-17A is a derivative developed for use on helicopters. It has a heavier barrel, increased rate of fire and is solenoid fired. The AG-17A is also used on various armored vehicles. The AG-17A is usually fed by a 300 round belt. The AGS-17 has been replaced in production by the product improved AGS-30.
- Specifications:
- AGS-17
| Type | Automatic grenade launcher |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 30x28mm Soviet |
| Magazine | Belt fed, 29 rounds |
| Operation | Blowback |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 350 - 400 rpm |
| Barrel length | 290 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 16 grooves, right hand twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 185 m/s |
| Stock | - |
| Length | 840 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 18 kg (gun only), 31 kg (incl tripod) |
| Sights | Iron sights, up to 800 m gradations, optical sight for use out to 1.700 m |
| Remarks | - |
AGS-30
The AGS-30 is a product improved version of the AGS-17. It has much fewer parts and is much lighter. The AGS-30 can be identified by its flat top. The whole weapon system is also much lighter as a much lighter tripod is used and the ammunition box is lighter as well. The AGS-30 also has an improved lethality and range due to the use of new ammunition, which can also be fired by the AGS-17.
- Specifications:
- AGS-30
| Type | Automatic grenade launcher |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 30x28mm Soviet |
| Magazine | Belt fed, 30 rounds |
| Operation | Blowback |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 400 rpm |
| Barrel length | ? |
|---|---|
| Rifling | ? |
| Muzzle velocity | 185 m/s |
| Stock | - |
| Length | 1.165 mm |
| Width | 490 mm |
| Height | 735 mm (on tripod?) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 17 kg (empty, on tripod) |
| Sights | Iron sights, optical sight |
| Remarks | - |
Media
Mk 19
The AGS-17 can be considered the Soviet counterpart of the American Mk 19 grenade machine gun. However, it is more aimed at infantry use. As such it is a smaller weapon firing a smaller grenade.
