G-36
Summary
| Country | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| Category | Assault rifle |
| Manufacturer | Heckler & Koch |
Technical specifications
| G-36 | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | 750 rounds/min. |
| Caliber | 5.56 x 45 mm OTAN |
| Magazine | 30 rounds |
| Length | 998 mm (39.3 in) |
| Weight | 3.6 kg (7.9 lb) |
| Range | 450 m (1476 ft) |
Description
The Heckler & Koch G36 (Gewehr 36) assault rifle was developed in the early 1990s by Heckler & Koch. Chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO, it was designed to replace the Bundeswehr's 7.62×51mm G3 rifle, following the cancellation of the G11 caseless ammunition rifle program. Heckler & Koch initially focused on their HK33 and G41 rifles for export but started designing a new rifle, designated Project 50 or HK50, which was completed in 1995. The HK50 was selected for service and adopted by the Bundeswehr as the G36 in 1997, with an initial order for 33,000 rifles. Production began in 1996. In 2012, reports emerged about accuracy issues linked to thermal expansion during prolonged firing, leading the Bundeswehr to initiate a search for a replacement in 2017.
The G36 is a gas-operated rifle that fires from a closed rotary bolt and is chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO. It utilizes a short-stroke piston operating system and incorporates lightweight, corrosion-resistant synthetic materials, including a carbon fibre-reinforced polyamide receiver, stock, and other components, integrated with a steel barrel trunnion. It features a free-floating, cold hammer-forged barrel with a chrome-lined bore and 1:7 inch rifling twist rate. The fire selector is ambidextrous, offering "S" (safe), "E" (semi-automatic), and "F" (automatic) settings, typically with a 0°/45°/90° rotation. The standard magazine is a translucent, 30-round detachable box type with interlocking studs. A folding stock is standard, incorporating pin storage holes. Standard German military versions are equipped with a ZF 3×4° dual optical sight combining a 3× magnified scope with a reflex sight, while export versions often feature a single 1.5× or 3× scope.
Several variants of the G36 exist:
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G36: The base model, featuring an 18.9 inch barrel.
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G36V: The export variant, sometimes referred to as the G36E, characterized by an altered sight setup and NATO bayonet mount.
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G36A2: An upgraded Bundeswehr variant with a Picatinny rail-mounted reflex sight, G36C stock, aluminium handguard, optional rails, and a vertical foregrip. Further modernizations exist as G36A3 and G36A4, as well as G36A1.1 based on upgraded G36A1 receivers.
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G36K: A carbine version with a shorter barrel and forend. The G36KV (formerly G36KE) is the export variant of the G36K. The G36KA4 is a modernized G36K for special forces.
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G36C: A compact variant with a significantly shorter barrel and handguard, utilizing rail-mounted iron sights instead of integrated optics.
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MG36: A light machine gun variant with a heavier barrel, though no longer offered by the manufacturer.
Civilian variants include the semi-automatic SL8 and HK243/HK293, loosely based on the G36 design, and the bolt-action R8.
Following its acceptance by the Bundeswehr in 1997, the G36 saw service with Germany's NATO Quick Reaction Force. Spain adopted the G36 for its armed forces in 1998, with deliveries starting in 1999 and license production occurring locally until 2005. The rifle was also licensed for local production in Saudi Arabia. Operationally, the G36 has been used in various conflicts, including the Kosovo War, the Afghanistan War, the Iraq War, the Mexican Drug War, and the Russo-Georgian War. Its operational history is marked by the accuracy concerns that surfaced in 2012, particularly in sustained firing conditions in Afghanistan. These issues led to legal proceedings and the decision by the Bundeswehr to phase out the G36. A replacement effort, the System Sturmgewehr Bundeswehr, commenced in 2017, leading to the selection of the G95A1 (HK416) in 2022. Users include Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom.