Heckler & Koch G36 German Assault Rifle

The Heckler & Koch G36 is a German 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by Heckler & Koch (H&K) and accepted into service with the Bundeswehr in 1997, replacing the 7.62mm G3 battle rifle.

G36
Type	Assault rifle
Place of origin	Germany
Service history
In service	1997–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	Kosovo War, Afghan War, Iraq War, War in South Ossetia (2008)
Production history
Designer	Heckler & Koch
Designed	1990–1995
Manufacturer	Heckler & Koch
Produced	1996–present
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Weight	G36: 3.63 kg (8 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)
Length	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
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	64 mm (2.5 in)
Height	G36, G36K, MG36: 320 mm (12.6 in) G36V, G36KV, MG36E: 285 mm (11.2 in) G36C: 278 mm (10.9 in)
Cartridge	5.56x45mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	750 rounds/min cyclic
Muzzle velocity	G36, G36V, MG36, MG36E: 920 m/s (3,018 ft/s) G36K, G36KV: 850 m/s (2,788.7 ft/s)
Effective range	200–600 m sight adjustment
Feed system	30-round detachable box magazine or 100-round C-Mag drum magazine
Sights	Reflex sight with 1x magnification, telescopic sight with 3x magnification (export version has a 1.5x magnified sight) and back-up fixed notch sight

The Heckler & Koch G36 is a selective fire 5.56mm assault rifle, firing from a closed rotary bolt. The G36 has a conventional layout and a modular component design. Common to all variants of the G36 family are: the receiver and butt stock 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, hand guard and magazine socket.

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

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 Heckler & Koch G36 disassembles into the following groups: receiver housing, return mechanism, bolt carrier group and trigger group.