GP-25
- For the locomotive model, see EMD GP30
The GP-30 Obuvka, GP-25 Kastyor and BG-15 Mukha are under barrel grenade launchers for the AK-series of assault rifle. They were first seen by the west in 1984 during the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan. The initial version was designated BG-15, and was fitted under the barrel of AK-74 assault rifles. The main production version, the GP-25 has a different sighting system. The latest version the GP-30 is an evolved version of the GP-25, being lighter, easier to make, and easier to use.
Development
Development of the weapon began in 1966 at the Sporting and Hunting Arms Central Design and Research Bureau. Development continued into the 1970s, and in 1978 it was accepted into service. The GP-30 first entered service in 1989, and is intended for use with the AK-100 series of assault rifles.
Description
The grenade launchers are similar in appearance and fire the same 40 mm ammunition.
The GP-30 is a stripped-down model grenade launcher, consisting of a very short rifled 40 mm barrel in front of a basic trigger mechanism with minimal hand grip. On top of the barrel is mounting gear to attach the weapon under the barrel of an AK-series assault rifle, where it is designed to be fired from.
A grenade is first muzzle loaded into the barrel, the weapon is aimed, then the self cocking trigger is pulled to fire the weapon. This fires the percussion cap at the base of the grenade which triggers the nitrocellulose propellant inside the body of the grenade. The hot expanding gas from the propellant is forced through vents in the base of the grenade that move grenade along the barrel, and at the same time force the driving band to engage with the twelve rifling grooves. The rifling imparts stabilizing spin to the projectile.
The barrel has a life of about 400 rounds.
Ammunition
The grenade launchers fire a series of special 40 mm grenades. Originally the main grenade was the VOG-15 (7P17) fragmentation grenade. This was superseded by the steel cased VOG-25 fragmentation grenade.
A bounding grenade, the VOG-25P is also available, on impact a small charge in the nose of the grenade is detonated which raises the grenade 0.5 to 1.5 m in the air, before an impact delay fuze detonates it.
Smoke grenades are also available - initially a grenade called GRD-40. Now there are a series of smoke grenades designed for use at different ranges called GRD-50, GRD-100 and GRD-200 for use at 50, 100 and 200 meters respectively. They are capable of producing a 20 meter cube of smoke that lasts for one minute in winds up to five meters per second.
A CS gas grenade called the Gvozd and a baton grenade are also available.
Specifications
- Calibre: 40 mm
- Weight: 1.3 kg (GP-30) 1.5 kg (GP-25)
- Length 276 mm (GP-30) 323 mm (GP-30)
- Performance:
- Muzzle velocity: 76 m/s (250 ft/s)
- Rate of fire: 4-5 round/min.
- Sighting range: 400 m (1300 ft)
Grenades
- Fuze arming range: 10-40 m (33-130 ft)
- Fuze self-destruction time: 14-19 s
- VOG-25 specifications:
- Weight: 250 g (0.55 lb)
- Warhead: 48 g of A-IX-1 explosive.
- VOG-25P specifications:
- Weight: 278 g (0.61 lb)
- Warhead: 37 g of TNT.
- GRD-50/100/200 specifications
- Weight: 265 g
- Warhead: 90 g
References
- Jane's Infantry Weapons 2004-2005