Heckler & Koch G36
G36E ("Export"—Lacks reflex sight and only 1.5× magnification)
Type	Assault rifle, Service rifle
Place of origin	Germany
Service history
In service	1995-present
Used by	Germany, Australia, Canada, Chile, Croatia, France, Greece, Jordan, Indonesia, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States
Wars	Afghan War, Iraq War
Production history
Designed	1990
Manufacturer	Heckler & Koch
Produced	1995–present
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Weight	See Variants
Length	See Variants
Barrel length	See Variants
Cartridge	5.56 × 45 mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated, Rotating bolt
Rate of fire	750 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	920 m/s
Effective range	200 to 800 m Sight Marks
Feed system	30 round detachable box magazine, 100-round C-Mag drum magazine
Sights	Reflex sight with 3x magnification (1.5× for export)

The G36 (company designation, Bundeswehr designation Gewehr G36) is an assault rifle designed in the early 1990s and manufactured in Germany by Heckler & Koch. It is the service rifle of the German Armed Forces. A family of variants exists many of which have been adopted by police or military forces. This work is copyrighted. ... The AK-47 is the worlds most common assault rifle. ... The service rifle (also known as standard-issue rifle) of a given army or force is that which it issues as standard to its soldiers. ... A series of three wars between Britain and the Afghans in the 19th century and early 20th century was formerly called the Afghan Wars but is now referred to as the Anglo-Afghan wars perhaps to distinguish them from the civil strife in the 1980s. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... Heckler & Koch G41 Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K) (pronounced //) is a German weapons manufacturing company famous for various series of small firearms, notably the MP5 submachine gun, the MP7 personal defense weapon, USP series handguns, high-precision PSG1 sniper rifle, and the G3 and G36 assault rifles. ... The G36 (company designation, Bundeswehr designation Gewehr G36) is an assault rifle designed in the early 1990s and manufactured in Germany by Heckler & Koch. ... The G36 (company designation, Bundeswehr designation Gewehr G36) is an assault rifle designed in the early 1990s and manufactured in Germany by Heckler & Koch. ... The G36 (company designation, Bundeswehr designation Gewehr G36) is an assault rifle designed in the early 1990s and manufactured in Germany by Heckler & Koch. ... The barrel of a gun or other firearm is the tube, usually metal, through which a controlled explosion is released in order to propel a projectile out of the end at great speed. ... The G36 (company designation, Bundeswehr designation Gewehr G36) is an assault rifle designed in the early 1990s and manufactured in Germany by Heckler & Koch. ... It has been suggested that Firearm brass and Casing (ammunition) be merged into this article or section. ... U.S. Military 5. ... In firearms terminology, an action is the system of operation that the firearm employs to seal the breech (in a breech-loading firearm), and to load consecutive rounds. ... The gas-operated system for implementing automatic reloading of a firearm is one of five such systems, the others being recoil-operated, gatling, chain, and blowback. ... Rotating bolt of a Sig 550 rifle. ... The Rate of fire is the speed at which a specific firearm or artillery piece can operate. ... A guns muzzle velocity is the speed at which the projectile leaves the muzzle of the gun. ... A 30-round STANAG magazine. ... The Beta C-Mag is a hundred-round high capacity magazine designed for assault rifles and SMGs firing the 5. ... A red dot sight is a type of optical aiming device for firearms. ... The Bundeswehr (Federal Defense Force,  ) is the organization that controls and administers the armed forces of Germany. ... The AK-47 is the worlds most common assault rifle. ... Germans dancing on the Berlin Wall in late 1989, the symbol of the cold war divide falls down as the world unites in the 1990s. ... Heckler & Koch G41 Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K) (pronounced //) is a German weapons manufacturing company famous for various series of small firearms, notably the MP5 submachine gun, the MP7 personal defense weapon, USP series handguns, high-precision PSG1 sniper rifle, and the G3 and G36 assault rifles. ... The service rifle (also known as standard-issue rifle) of a given army or force is that which it issues as standard to its soldiers. ... The Bundeswehr (Federal Defense Force,  ) is the organization that controls and administers the armed forces of Germany. ...

History

Heckler & Koch started designing the G36 in 1990, when the Bundeswehr asked them to develop a new weapon system to replace the 1950s vintage 7.62 × 51 mm G3 rifle. Two earlier HK replacements were both rejected in the 1980s, the revolutionary G11 and the more conventional G41. This article is about the year. ... The 1950s was the decade spanning from the 1st of January, 1950 to the 31st December, 1959. ... NATO 7. ... The G3 (Gewehr 3) is a family of select fire battle rifles manufactured by Heckler & Koch. ... The Heckler & Koch G11 is a non-production prototype assault rifle developed during the 1970s and 1980s by Gesellschaft für Hülsenlose Gewehrsysteme (GSHG) (Ger Corporation for Caseless Rifle Systems), a conglomeration of companies headed by firearm manufacturer Heckler & Koch (mechanical engineering and weapon design), Dynamit Nobel (propellant composition... The Heckler & Koch G41 was an attempt by Heckler & Koch to produce a next generation rifle for Germany. ...

For their new HK50 (or Project 50), the company borrowed features from a variety of older designs and added a few novel innovations guided by experience with the previous HK 36, VP70, and G11. The firing system is most similar to the Armalite AR-18, utilizing a gas-operated short-stroke piston and rotating Johnson/Stoner bolt. Where the AR-18 used a conventional piston and dual guide rods, the G36 utilizes a piston with gas rings similar to the M16 and only a single guide rod. Early in the 1970s, small calibres had become more popular thanks to the American adoption of the M16 and its 5. ... The VP70 (VP for Volkspistole, , ´70 for the year of the first edition: 1970) is a 9mm, 18-round, double action only, semi-automatic/three-round burst capable polymer frame pistol manufactured by German arms firm Heckler & Koch GmbH. It predates the Glock as the first polymer-framed pistol. ... The AR-18 is an assault rifle which fires 5. ... The M1941 Rifle was an American short-recoil operated semi-automatic rifle designed by Melvin Johnson prior to World War II. The M1941 competed unsuccessfully with the U.S. M1 Garand. ... Mikhail Kalashnikov (holding an M16A2) and Eugene Stoner, designer of M16 (holding an AK-47) Eugene Morrison Stoner (November 22, 1922 – April 24, 1997) is the man most associated with the design of the AR-15, which was adopted by the military as the M16. ...

The kinetic energy component of the U.S. Objective Individual Combat Weapon program was developed by H&K in the late 1990s, using the G36 as basis. Like many other U.S. Army programs, the OICW was reworked in favor of developing the rifle and grenade launcher separately. The kinetic energy component was reborn as the XM8 rifle, which was eventually cancelled (as of 2005). The XM8 rifle program still exists at H&K and will likely continue to compete for American contracts as they come up for bid, now with competition from the recently adopted FN SCAR. Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... An early XM8 mockup after the break up; became part of OICW Increment 1 A working XM25 prototype is tested in 2005; this was part of OICW Increment 2 OICW prototype; similar to the planned OICW Increment 3 Early Springfield Armory SPIW prototype (Circa 1964) Final Springfield Armory SPIW prototype... The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States armed forces and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... A grenade launcher is weapon that fires or launches a grenade to longer distances than a soldier could throw by hand. ... Final version of the XM8 before it was cancelled A Marine holds a XM8 Carbine during the Infantry Operations Chief Symposium in August 2005 The XM8 is the project name for a lightweight assault rifle system that was under development by the United States Army from the late 1990s to... FN SCAR-L / Mk. ...

Users

The G36 has been the main infantry weapon of the Bundeswehr since 1995 and has been used by the Ejército de Tierra (Spanish Army) since 1999. It has also been used since the late 1990s by the Norwegian Coastal Ranger Command. In the late 1990s a small number of G36s were procured by the British Army with a view to possibly adopting it as the standard infantry weapon of the British Army; however, no decision has been made to the successor of the L85A2. The G36 is also used by a number of European police forces, such as various Armed Response Units of the British Police, French RAID and GIGN, Bundespolizei (German Federal Police), Portuguese National Republican Guard, and Dutch police forces. The Polish police has equipped its counter-terrorist units with G36C and G36E. It is also used by a number of North American law enforcement agencies including, but not limited to, the United States Capitol Police, the Los Angeles Police Department, and Beaufort County (SC) Sheriff's Office. A small batch of G36 rifles are currently used by Philippine Navy SWAG (Special Warfare Group) and LRB (Light Reaction Battalion) personnel; as like Portuguese Navy Marines. Several armies, including the Norwegian Army and the Chilean Army, are currently evaluating the G36 as a replacement for their current service rifle, the G3. Lithuanian special forces (SOJ) uses HK G-36 with AG-36 grenade launcher. In 2006, the Latvian Army also adopted G36 as their main assault rifle. Malaysia and Indonesia's elite arm forces, such as Kopassus, Grup Gerak Khas and Pasukan Gerakan Khas purchased HK G36, especially G36C (Compact) version. The Spanish Army (Ejército de Tierra in Spanish; literally, Land Army) is one branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, in charge of land operations. ... Combatboat 90 The Norwegian Coastal Ranger Command (Kystjegerkommandoen) was created when it became clear that the coastal fortresses had to be abandoned due to their vulnerability to modern precision guided weapons. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... L85A1 in use by C Company, 1 STAFFS, in a live firing exercise, during Operation GRANBY, 6 January 1991 As above SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) is a family of related arms that include the British Armed Forcess standard combat rifle. ... Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion (Research, Assistance, Intervention, Deterrence) is the counter-terrorist unit of the French National Police. ... The GIGN (Groupe dIntervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale) is the French Gendarmeries elite counter-terrorism and hostage rescue unit. ... Bundespolizei or BPol for short, is the Federal Police of Germany. ... The Republican National Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana or GNR in Portuguese) is a Portuguese security organization of the Gendarmerie type, whose soldiers, unlike the officers of the PSP - Polícia de Segurança Pública (Public Safety Police), are subject to military law and organization. ... This article, image, template or category should belong in one or more categories. ... The United States Capitol Police (USCP) is a police force charged with protecting the United States Congress within the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its territories. ... LAPD redirects here. ... The Philippine Navy is the navy of the Republic of the Philippines. ... Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, National Republican Guard Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,534,872 (2000 est. ... The Portuguese Navy Marines, presently named Corpo de Fuzileiros (Fusilier Corps), are a force of about 2000 men organized in a Base, a School, two Naval Infantry Battalions, a Special Actions Detachment, a Naval Police Unit, plus other support units, like dive sappers The Portuguese Marines were created in 1621... Ranks Norwegian military ranks The Norwegian Army (Norwegian: Hæren) is Norways military land force. ... This article, image, template or category should belong in one or more categories. ... The service rifle (also known as standard-issue rifle) of a given army or force is that which it issues as standard to its soldiers. ... Kopassus (abbreviation for Komando Pasukan Khusus) is an Indonesian special forces group that conducts special operations missions for the Indonesian government, such as direct action, unconventional warfare, sabotage, counter-terrorism, and intelligence. ... 21 Gerup Gerak Khas is a brigade sized formation that acts as the command element and coordinates and deploys the 3 special forces battalions of the Malaysian Army. ... Pasukan Gerakan Khas (PGK; Special Operations Force) is an elite arm and high profile counter terrorism unit of the Royal Malaysian Police (Malay: Polis Di-Raja Malaysia) which includes Komando 69 (VAT 69) and Unit Tindakan Khas (UTK; Special Actions Unit). ...

Design

A German infantryman stands at the ready with his G36 during a practice exercise in 2004 (Photo: US Navy)

The rifle fires the NATO standard 5.56 × 45 mm round at a rate of approximately 750 round/min. Other modes include semi-automatic, bursts of two or three rounds (depending on the model) and fully automatic. The firing mechanism is gas-operated with a rotating bolt. The rifle uses a short-stroke gas system, keeping the receiver relatively clean. The rifle is able to fire tens of thousands of rounds without cleaning. This is in contrast with the direct impingement system of the M16, which requires more frequent cleaning to cycle reliably. The bolt carrier hangs from the recoil spring guide rod and is restricted in side-to-side movement by steel plates embedded in the receiver. The rifle can be fitted with the AG36 40 mm grenade launcher and an AK-74 bayonet (many of which are left over in Germany from stocks of the former East German army). ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2000x1312, 1972 KB) Summary 040610-N-1823S-348 Ustka, Poland (June 10, 2004) - A German Army infantryman uses a dummy grenade to assault a room during glass-house training. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2000x1312, 1972 KB) Summary 040610-N-1823S-348 Ustka, Poland (June 10, 2004) - A German Army infantryman uses a dummy grenade to assault a room during glass-house training. ... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation[1] (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for collective security established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on 4 April 1949. ... STANAG is the NATO abbreviation for Standardization Agreement, which set up processes, procedures, terms and conditions for common military or technical procedures between the member countries of the alliance. ... U.S. Military 5. ... Rotating bolt of a Sig 550 rifle. ... The gas-operated system for implementing automatic reloading of a firearm is one of five such systems, the others being recoil-operated, gatling, chain, and blowback. ... A gas-operated firearm that uses direct impingement is a firearm where gas from a fired catridge is routed directly to bolt carrier or slide assembly to cycle the action in the firearm. ... M16 is the U.S. Military designation for a family of rifles derived from the ArmaLite AR-15. ... The AG36 is a single shot 40 mm x 46 mm grenade launcher for the G36 assault rifle, designed by the German weapons manufacturing company Heckler & Koch. ... The 40mm grenade is the calibre used by the US military for their M79, Colt XM148 and M203 grenade launchers. ... AK74 assault rifle The AK-74 assault rifle is the modernized version of the AK-47 developed in 1974, chambered in a smaller cartridge (5. ... The US Marine Corps OKC-3S Bayonet A bayonet (from French baïonnette) is a knife- or dagger-shaped weapon designed to fit on or over the muzzle of a rifle barrel or similar weapon. ... GDR redirects here. ... NVA troops on parade, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of East Germany in 1989 The National Peoples Army (German: Nationale Volksarmee, NVA) was the army of East Germany (German Democratic Republic). ...

The full-size rifle is slightly under a meter long with a 480 mm barrel and weighs 3.4 kg (7.6 lb) empty. It is equipped with a folding skeleton stock that allows the gun to be fired when the stock is folded. Most of the rifle's receiver is constructed of carbon fiber–reinforced polymer. It was the first production rifle to use such material for the receiver. The weapon can be stripped and re-assembled without tools through a system of cross-pins similar to that used on earlier HK designs. The distinctive translucent plastic magazine holds 30 rounds, weighs 400 g, and is fitted with studs to allow magazines to be clipped together easily. A 100-round drum magazine can also be fitted. The layout of the controls is ambidextrous and user friendly. Spent casings eject to the right and a brass deflector keeps cases from striking left-handed operators in the face. Carbon fiber composite is a strong, light and very expensive material. ... Polymer is a term used to describe large molecules consisting of repeating structural units, or monomers, connected by covalent chemical bonds. ... The Beta C-Mag is a 100-round capacity magazine designed for assault rifles and submachine guns firing the 5. ... Cross-dominance, also known as mixed-handedness, mixed dominance and cross laterality, is a motor skills manifestation in which a person not necessarily being truly ambidextrous favors one hand for some crucial and precise fine motor skill operations and the other hand for others tasks. ... Usability is a term used to denote the ease with which people can employ a particular tool or other human-made object in order to achieve a particular goal. ...

Sights

3.0 x Optical sight topped with electronic red dot sight

Optical sight reticle pattern, G36 and G36K
(click for Description)

The Bundeswehr version has a unique dual sighting system with two optics on top of each other. The lower optical sight is a standard 3.0x magnification. The upper sight is a red-dot reflex sight with 1x magnification, to be used with both eyes open. The sighting "bridge" also functions as a carrying handle. Image File history File links HKV_G36. ... Image File history File links HKV_G36. ... Image File history File links StrichplatteG36. ... Image File history File links StrichplatteG36. ... A red dot sight is a type of optical aiming device for firearms. ...

Design criticisms

• The forearm could overheat in early versions, making the weapon uncomfortable to hold; this problem was corrected with a heat shield in newer models.
• The integral sights of the export version are claimed to shift when the weapon is knocked heavily against the ground.
• The red dot aiming device relies on ambient light at day and battery power in zero light environment, since tritium, which is often used to illuminate weapon sights, is restricted in Germany. (Third-party tritium sights are available.)

Tritium (symbol T or 3H) is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. ...

Variants

The weapon is manufactured in three main variants, G36, G36K (kurz: short) and G36C (compact/commando). A fourth variant was the SL8 designed strictly to cater to the US civilian market. While mechanically almost identical to the G36, it lacked automatic fire capability. The weapon was altered to comply with U.S. gun restriction laws. The magazine well features an indent that makes it impossible to load a high capacity 30-round magazine into the weapon. A thumbhole stock replaced the pistol grip and folding buttstock. Finally, the carrying handle/sight unit was replaced with a simple optics rail equipped with an open sight. A fifth version is the LMG36 which is the standard weapon equipped with a heavier barrel, bipod, and 100-round drum magazine. All versions except for the SL8 and the LMG are in service with the Bundeswehr.

The Mexican Army Designed the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl which is based on the G36. In the past years the army secretly started the new project, to build a Mexican assault rifle, nobody knew about it until this rifle was presented to the High Command for ready use. ...

HK G36 with bipod and 100 round drum magazine. Note: That is not a LMG36!

Trigger groups

For the G36K/C/KE versions the standard safety/trigger group has four possible safety positions: A US Army 45 Colt. ...

• S: safe (Sicher), E: single shot (Einzelschuss), 2 (two shots), F: continuous (Feuerstoß)

For the G36/G36E there exist five different trigger groups:

• S (safe), E (single shot), F (continuous) (standard for Bundeswehr)
• S (safe), E (single shot)
• S (safe), E (single shot), 2 (two shots), F (continuous)
• 0 (safe), 1 (single shot), 2 (two shots)
• 0 (safe), 1 (single shot), 2 (two shots), 3 (three shots)

¹ Length: Stock Extended (Stock Retracted)

² Mass: Empty Magazine (Full Magazine)

View through a 4x rifle scope A telescopic sight, commonly referred to as a scope, is a device used to give an accurate point of aim for a firearm. ... The red dot sight, infinity sight or reflex sight is an optical firearm sight, sometimes also used as an aiming sight for telescopes. ... M4A Modular Weapons System carbine with M1913 rails on receiver and foregrip Picatinny Rail Dimensions, Cross Section The Picatinny rail is a bracket used on some firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform for scopes and other accessories such as tactical lights and laser sighting modules. ... With regard to firearms, the term iron sights refers to the open unmagnified sighting system which comes as standard with most weapons. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: G36

• G36 in Parts
• Modern Firearms & Ammunitions: G36
• Nazarian's Gun Recognition Guide
• The Official H&K G36 Product Page
• Video of G36C being fired at law enforcement demonstration.