History of the G36

Heckler & Koch started designing the G36 in 1990, when the Bundeswehr asked them to develop a new weapon system to replace the 1950s vintage G3 rifle, which fired the older 7.62 x 51 mm round. Two earlier HK replacements were both rejected in the 1980s, the unusual G-11 and the more conventional G-41.Initially called the HK50 (or Project 50), the company based the weapon on features from a variety of older designs. Guided by experience with the previous HK36, VP70 and G11 designs and incorporating many other features. The overall rifle fires the NATO standard 5.56 x 45 mm round at a maximum rate of 750 rounds per min, the gun can also fire semi-automatically, or in two- or three-round burst. The firing mechanism is gas-operation with a rotating bolt, rather than the roller-delay blowback system previously used by HK in the HK G3. The rifle uses a short-stroke gas system, which keeps the receiver very clean and jam-free, making the rifle able to fire 10,000s of rounds without cleaning. Description and Specifications From the technical point of view, the G36 is a radical departure from all the previous H&K rifles, based on the proven G3 roller-delayed system. The G36 is a conventional gas operated, selective fire rifle, made from most modern materials and using most modern technologies.

The receiver and most of the others external parts of the G36 are made from reinforced polymers, with steel inserts where appropriate. The operating system appears to be a modification of the older American Armalite AR-18 rifle, with its short stroke gas piston, located above the barrel, square-shaped bolt carrier and the typical rotating bolt with 7 locking lugs. Of cause, there also are many differences from the AR-18. The bolt carrier rides on a single guide rod, with the return spring around it. The charging handle is attached to the top of the bolt carrier and can be rotated to the left or to the right. When not in use, the charging handle aligns itself with the axis of the weapon under the pressure of its spring, and reciprocates with the bolt group at the top of the receiver. The gas block is fitted with the selfadjustable gas valve, which expels all the used gases forward, away from the shooter. The ejection window is located at the right side of the receiver and features a spent cases deflector to propel the ejected cases away from the face of the left-handed shooter. All the major parts are assembled on the receiver using the cross-pins, so rifle can be disassembled and reassembled back without any tools.

The typical H&K trigger unit is assembled in a separate plastic housing, integral with the pistol grip and the trigger guard. Thanks to this feature, a wide variety of firing mode combinations can be used on any rifle, simply by installing the appropriate trigger unit. Standard options are single shots, full automatic fire, 2 or 3 round bursts in any reasonable combinations. The default version is the single shots + 2 rounds burst + full auto. The ambidextrous fire selector lever also serves as a safety switch.

G36 is fed from the proprietary 30-rounds box magazines, made from translucent plastic. All magazines have special studs on its sides, so two or three magazines can be clipped together for faster reloading. The magazine housings of the G36 are made as a separate part, so G36 can be easily adjusted to the various magazine interfaces. By the standard, the magazine release catch is located just behind the magazine, in

the G3 or AK-47 style, rather than on the side of the magazine housing (M16-style). A 100-round Beta-C dual drum magazines of U.S. origins also can be used (these magazines are standard for the MG36 squad automatic versions of the G36).

G3 and G36 The side-folding, sturdy skeletonized butt stock is standard on all G36 rifles. It folds to the right side and does not interfere with rifle operation when folded. The standard sighting equipment of the G36 consists of the two scopes one 3.5X telescope sight below, with the second 1X red-dot sight above it. The sights are completely independent, with the former suitable for long range accurate shooting, and the latter suitable for the fast target acquisition at the short ranges. Both sights are built into the plastic carrying handle. The export versions of the G36 are available with the single 1.5X telescope sight, with the emergency open sights molded into the top of the carrying handle. The subcompact G36K Commando version is available with the integral Picatinny-type scope and accessory rail instead of the carrying handle and standard sights. The G36 uses an AK-74-type bayonet, which are left from the now nonexistent East Germany Army stocks.

Weight

G36: 3.63 kg (8.00 lb) G36V: 3.33 kg (7.3 lb) G36K: 3.30 kg (7.3 lb) G36KV: 3.0 kg (6.6 lb) G36C: 2.82 kg (6.2 lb) MG36: 3.83 kg (8.4 lb) MG36E: 3.50 kg (7.7 lb) G36, G36V, MG36, MG36E: 999 mm (39.3 in) stock extracted / 758 mm (29.8 in) stock folded G36K, G36KV: 860 mm (33.9 in) stock extended / 615 mm (24.2 in) stock folded G36C: 720 mm (28.3 in) stock extended / 500 mm (19.7 in) stock folded

Length

Barrel length

G36, G36V, MG36, MG36E: 480 mm (18.9 in) G36K, G36KV: 318 mm (12.5 in) G36C: 228 mm (9.0 in)

Width Height

64 mm (2.5 in) G36, G36K, MG36: 320 mm (12.6 in) G36V, G36KV, MG36E: 285 mm (11.2 in) G36C: 278 mm (10.9 in)

Cartridge Action Rate of fire

5.56x45mm NATO Gas-operated, rotating bolt 750 rounds/min cyclic

Muzzle velocity Effective range Feed system Sights

G36, G36V, MG36, MG36E: 920 m/s (3,018 ft/s) G36K, G36KV: 850 m/s (2,788.7 ft/s) 800 metres (870 yd), 200 600 m sight adjustment 30-round detachable box magazine or 100-round CMag drum magazine Reflex sight with 1x magnification, telescopic sight with 3x magnification (export version has a 1.5x magnified sight) and back-up fixed notch sigh