Heckler & Koch G36

The G36 is a German 5.56 mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by a team of engineers from Heckler & Koch GmbH (HK) and accepted into service with the German Armed Forces in 1995, replacing the 7.62 mm G3 automatic rifle.

Development
Work on a replacement for the venerable G3 rifle had been ongoing in Germany since the latter half of the 1970s. These efforts resulted in the innovative 4.73 mm G11 assault rifle (developed by a group of companies led by HK), that used caseless ammunition (designed by the Dynamit Nobel company). It had been predicted that this weapon would eventually replace the G3, therefore further development of HK's platform of weapons chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge had been halted. Heckler & Koch had no incentive to pursue a new 5.56 mm weapon design, content with the export-oriented 5.56 mm HK33 and G41 assault rifles. However, the G11 program came to an abrupt end when the Bundeswehr rejected the design and HK had been acquired in 1991 by British Aerospace's Royal Ordnance division (known today as BAE Systems).

Increasing interest in Germany for a modern 5.56 mm weapon platform led HK to offer the German armed forces the G41 rifle, which too was rejected. Design work was then initiated on a modern 5.56 mm assault rifle, designated “Project 50” or HK50. The prototype was then trialled, where it was rated higher than the Austrian Steyr AUG system. Shortly thereafter, the HK50 was introduced as the new Bundeswehr service rifle known as the Gewehr G36, and deliveries were first made to the Quick Reaction Force in the autumn of 1995. The Spanish Armed Forces also chose to adopt the G36 export version in 1998, replacing the 5.56 mm CETME Model L and LC rifles.

The G36 is manufactured in three primary versions: the G36 standard rifle, the G36K carbine (K – Kurz) and the MG36 light machine gun (M – Maschinengewehr). An export version of the series is also produced (these weapons have a simplified sighting system) parallel to the standard line-up, called the G36E, G36KE and MG36E respectively. Heckler & Koch has since then changed the export model suffix from “E” to “V” resulting in the identical G36V and G36KV models (the MG36 and MG36E are no longer offered by HK).

Design details
The G36 has a conventional layout and a modular component design. Common to all variants of the G36 family are: the receiver and buttstock assembly, bolt carrier group with bolt and the return mechanism and guide rod. The receiver contains the barrel, carry handle with integrated sights, trigger group with pistol grip, handguard and magazine socket.

The G36 is selective fire gas-operated weapon that uses burnt powder gases from the barrel, bled through a port near the muzzle to provide automation to the moving assembly; it fires from a closed bolt. The weapon uses a self-regulating short-stroke gas piston system (without a gas valve). The rotary bolt features 7 locking lugs and its rotation is controlled by a cam pin guided inside a camming guide cut-out in the bolt carrier. The bolt also houses a spring-loaded casing extractor and ejector. Spent cartridge casings are ejected through a port located on the right side of the receiver. A brass deflector keeps cases from striking left-handed operators in the face. There is no ejection port cover as the bolt closes the ejection port to particulates when it is forward. The weapon features a hammer-type striker mechanism and a trigger with a fire control selector and an integrated, manual safety mechanism that prevents accidental firing (this is an improved trigger group from the G3 rifle). The fire and safety selector is ambidextrous and has controls on both sides of the receiver; the selector settings are described with letters: “S” – safe, “E” – semi-automatic fire and “F” – continuous fire. The weapon safety disables the trigger when engaged. HK also offers several other trigger options, including the so-called “Navy” trigger group, with settings analogous to the standard trigger, but the selector positions have been illustrated with pictograms. A semi-automatic only trigger unit (lacks the “F” setting) is also available. The G36 feeds from proprietary 30-round curved magazines with cartridges loaded in a double-column pattern. The magazines are molded from a high-strength translucent polymer and can be clipped together using built-in studs into 2 or 3-magazine packs. The magazines are not compatible with other NATO standard M16-type magazines. However, the G36 can be used with Beta C-MAG drum magazines (produced by Beta Company), that have a 100-round cartridge capacity and are intended to be used primarily with the MG36 light support weapon. The bolt is automatically locked to the rear when the last round is expended, but the bolt catch can be deactivated. The bolt catch button is located at the forward end of the trigger guard. The folding cocking handle extends forward in line with the barrel of the rifle (it is located on top of the receiver, beneath the carry handle). It automatically rotates left or right, depending on whether the user is right or left-handed and is locked when pressed inward. When locked at a perpendicular angle to the receiver, the handle can be used as a forward assist to force the bolt into battery, or to extract a stuck cartridge case (the cocking handle is protected in the US by patent number 5821445, by Manfred Guhring).

Standard versions of the G36 are equipped with a dual optical sight that combines a 3x magnified telescopic sight (with the main reticule designed for firing at 300 m, a bullet drop compensator with: 200, 400, 600 and 800 m crosshairs and a range-finding scale) and an unmagnified reflex red-dot sight (calibrated for firing at 200 m) mounted on top of the telescopic sight. The red dot sight is activated by ambient light during the day and requires battery power in a zero light environment. The export versions have a single optical sight with a 1.5x magnification and an aiming reticule fixed at 300 m. All rifles are adapted to use the Hensoldt NSA 80 II third-generation night sight, which clamps into the G36 carry handle adapter in front of the optical sight housing and mates with the rifle's standard optical sight. The sighting bridge also functions as a carrying handle and features auxiliary open sights molded on top of the handle that consist of a forward blade and rear notch, but these can only be used with the red dot sight removed, as in the G36V. The optical sight system is produced by Hensoldt AG (currently Carl Zeiss AG).

The G36 employs a free-floating barrel (the barrel does not contact the handguard), which can be changed-out. The barrel is fastened to the receiver with a barrel nut, which can be removed with a torque wrench. The barrel is produced using a cold hammer forging process and features a chrome-plated bore with 6 right-hand grooves at 178 mm (1:7 in) twist rate. The barrel is fitted with a gas block, a collar with a bayonet lug that is also used to launch rifle grenades and a slotted flash suppressor.

The weapon is equipped with a side-folding skeletonized stock and a detachable folding bipod, which folds into recesses in the handguard. The G36 can be fired with the stock collapsed.

The G36 employs a large number of lightweight, corrosion-resistant synthetic materials in its design; the receiver housing, stock, trigger group (including the fire control selector and firing mechanism parts), magazine well, handguard and carry handle are all made of a carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide. The receiver has an integrated steel barrel trunnion (with locking recesses) and the reciprocating parts move on steel rails molded into the receiver (this feature was issued a US patent, number 5513461, authored by Helmut Weldle).

The rifle can be fitted with a 40 mm AG36 (AG – Anbau-Granatwerfer) under-barrel grenade launcher, which is a breech-loaded break-action weapon with a side-tilting barrel.

The weapon can be stripped and re-assembled without tools through a system of cross-pins similar to that used on earlier HK designs. For cleaning purposes, the G36 disassembles into the following groups: receiver housing, return mechanism, bolt carrier group and trigger group.

Standard equipment supplied with the G36 include: spare magazines, a cleaning and maintenance kit, sling, speed-loading device and an AK-74 blade bayonet (many of which are left over in Germany from stocks of the former East German army).

Variants
The MG36 light machine gun differs from the G36, having a heavier barrel (with an increased heat and cook-off capacity), while the G36K carbine has a shorter barrel (fitted with an open-type flash suppressor) and a shorter handguard, which includes a bottom rail that can be used to attach tactical accessories, such as a UTL halogen flashlight from the USP pistol. The carbine’s barrel lacks the capability to propel rifle grenades and it cannot mount a bayonet. The weapon retained the ability to be used with the AG36 grenade launcher. The G36C (C – Compact) is a further development of the G36K. It has a short barrel and a shorter (than the G36K), 4-prong open-type flash suppressor. The use of a reduced length 228 mm barrel forced designers to move the gas block closer to the muzzle end and a shortened gas piston was used. The handguard and stock were also reduced in length and the fixed carry handle (with optical sights) was replaced with a carry handle with an integrated MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail. The carbine was equipped with rail-mounted iron sights that consist of a hooded front post and a flip rear aperture sight.

Based on the G36, Heckler & Koch also created the semi-automatic SL8 rifle and the straight-pull, bolt-action R8, which are offered to the civilian sport shooting community. The SL8 is substantially different from the G36, it has a different receiver and a fixed thumbhole stock with a cheek rest, which is integrated with the trigger group. The SL8 has a heavy profile, extended, 510 mm barrel that does not have a flash hider or bayonet lug. The rifle uses a shortened 10-round single-stack magazine and an extended top rail used to mount a wide variety of Picatinny-standard optics. Mounted to the rail are a set of iron sights with a hooded foresight and adjustable flip rear aperture. The SL8 can also mount the G36 carry handle and integrated sight assembly, after removing the mechanical iron sights. The SL8 has an unloaded weight of 4.3 kg, overall length – 980-1030 mm and a trigger rated at 20 N.

Users



 * 🇦🇺 Australia - Australian Federal Police (G36C).
 * 🇧🇷 Brazil - Brazilian Federal Police.
 * 🇨🇦 Canada - Used by the Victoria Police Department.
 * 🇭🇷 Croatia - Limited numbers in use with certain specialized units.
 * 🇨🇾 Cyprus - Cypriot National Guard.
 * 🇫🇮 Finland - Finnish Border Guard rapid response units.
 * 🇫🇷 France - French GIGN and RAID.
 * 🇩🇪 Germany - Bundeswehr, Bundespolizei (German Federal Police) and Spezialeinsatzkommandos of the State Police.
 * Georgia - Georgian Army special operating forces, presidential guard.
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia - Indonesian Army Kopassus and Indonesian Marine Corps Denjaka (G36C and G36K).
 * Republic of Ireland - Irish Army Rangers.
 * 🇮🇹 Italy - Italian Gruppo di Intervento Speciale special operations group of the Carabinieri, Aeronautica Militare for the RIAM Special Forces group.
 * 🇯🇴 Jordan - Jordan Special Forces.
 * 🇱🇻 Latvia - Latvian Army and Speciālo uzdevumu vienība (Latvian special forces).
 * 🇱🇹 Lithuania - Lithuanian Army adopted the G36V and G36KV in 2007.
 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia - Malaysian Army Grup Gerak Khas and Royal Malaysian Police Pasukan Gerakan Khas counter-terrorist units (G36C).
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico - law enforcement agencies such as state and federal polices.
 * The Netherlands - Several police units.
 * 🇳🇵 Nepal- Nepalese Army.
 * 🇳🇴 Norway - Norwegian Navy Kystjegerkommandoen.
 * 🇵🇭 Philippines - Philippine Navy Special Warfare Group and Philippine Army Light Reaction Battalion.
 * 🇵🇱 Poland - Polish police (G36C, G36KA 1), special forces GROM (G36K, G36) and FORMOZA (G36KV), Government Protection Bureau (G36K, G36KV and G36C), The Internal Security Agency (G36C), Central Bureau of Investigation (G36C)
 * 🇵🇹 Portugal - Portuguese Marine Corps, Portuguese Republican National Guard, Portuguese Air Force Polícia Aérea (military police) and NFOT (former-RESCOM).
 * 🇸🇬 Singapore - Singaporean STAR unit.
 * 🇪🇸 Spain - Purchased the G36E to equip all branches of the Spanish Armed Forces. 75,219 units acquired with deliveries starting in 1999 and completed in 2005; 60,000 rifles were issued to the Spanish Army, 7,559 were allotted to the Spanish Navy and the Spanish Air Force received a total of 7,660 weapons. Naval G36's are slightly different in that they feature a 3x optical sight. The rifles are manufactured jointly by both Heckler & Koch in Oberndorf am Neckar and the General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas facility in A Coruña, Spain at a unit cost of €778.99.
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden - Särskilda Skyddsgruppen (Special Protection Group, SSG) and Nationella insatsstyrkan (National Task Force, NI).
 * 🇹🇭 Thailand - Royal Thai Navy SEALs, Royal Thai Marine Corps Recon Battalion (G36C).
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom - UKSF and many AFO's including CO19.
 * 🇺🇸 United States - United States Capitol Police, Los Angeles Police Department, the Milwaukie Police Department in Oregon, the Roanoke Police Department SWAT Squad in Virginia and the Metropolitan St. Louis Police Department in Missouri.