Heckler & Koch HK417

Heckler & Koch HK417

HK417 and accessories in service with the Australian Army.
Type Battle rifle
Place of origin Germany
Service history
In service 2005-present
Used by See Users
Wars See Conflicts
Production history
Designer Heckler & Koch
Manufacturer Heckler & Koch
Variants See Variants
Specifications
Weight Assaulter: 3.87 kg (8.5 lb)
Recce: 4.05 kg (8.9 lb)
Sniper: 4.23 kg (9.3 lb)
G28 E2 (Standard): 5.8 kg (13 lb)
G28 E3 (Patrol): 5.15 kg (11.4 lb)
HK417 A2 - 13": 4.22 kg (9.3 lb)
HK417 A2 - 16.5": 4.4 kg (9.7 lb)
HK417 A2 - 20": 4.74 kg (10.4 lb)
Length Assaulter: 885 mm (34.8 in) stock extended / 805 mm (31.7 in) stock collapsed
Recce: 985 mm (38.8 in) stock extended / 905 mm (35.6 in) stock collapsed
Sniper: 1,085 mm (42.7 in) stock extended / 1,005 mm (39.6 in) stock collapsed
G28: 1,082 mm (42.6 in) stock extended / 965 mm (38.0 in) stock collapsed
HK417 A2 - 13": 904 mm (35.6 in) stock extended / 824 mm (32.4 in) stock collapsed
HK417 A2 - 16.5": 994 mm (39.1 in) stock extended / 914 mm (36.0 in) stock collapsed
HK417 A2 - 20": 1,082 mm (42.6 in) stock extended / 1,002 mm (39.4 in) stock collapsed
Barrel length Assaulter: 305 mm (12.0 in)
Recce: 406 mm (16.0 in)
Sniper: 508 mm (20.0 in)
G28: 419 mm (16.5 in)
HK417 A2 - 13": 330 mm (13.0 in)
HK417 A2 - 16.5": 419 mm (16.5 in)
HK417 A2 - 20": 508 mm (20.0 in)
Width 78 mm (3.1 in)
Height HK417: 213 mm (8.4 in)
G28 E2 (Standard): 340 mm (13.4 in)
G28 E3 (Patrol): 280 mm (11.0 in)
Cartridge 7.62×51mm NATO
Caliber 7.62mm
Action Short-stroke piston, rotating bolt
Rate of fire 600 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 709 m/s (12 in)
742 m/s (13 in)
750 m/s (16 in)
775 m/s (16.5 in)
789 m/s (20 in)
817 m/s (20 in) HK417 A2 - 20"
Feed system 10 or 20-round detachable box magazine
Optional 50-round drum magazine
Sights Accessory diopter/rotary or optics
G28 E2 (Standard): Schmidt & Bender PMII 3-20×50
G28 E3 (Patrol): Schmidt & Bender PMII 1-8×24

The Heckler & Koch HK417 is a battle rifle designed and manufactured by Heckler & Koch in Germany. It is a gas-operated, selective fire rifle with a rotating bolt and is essentially an enlarged HK416 assault rifle. Chambered for the full-power 7.62×51mm NATO round, instead of the less powerful 5.56×45mm NATO intermediate cartridge, the HK417 is intended for use as a designated marksman rifle, and in other roles where the greater penetrative power and range of the 7.62×51mm NATO round are required. It has been adopted for service by a number of armed forces, special forces, and police organizations.

Design Details

The HK417 is similar in internal design to the HK416, but the receiver and working parts are enlarged to suit the larger 7.62×51mm NATO round. The bolt is a 7-lug rotating type, which sits in a bolt carrier and operates in a forged alloy receiver resembling those of the Stoner-designed AR-10, AR-15 and M16 rifle series weapons.

Like the HK416, the HK417 is a gas-operated, with a short-stroke piston design similar to that of the Heckler & Koch G36. The short-stroke piston is more reliable than the original direct impingement operation of the AR-10 and AR-15 designs because, unlike these weapons, it does not vent propellant gases directly into the receiver, which deposits carbon fouling onto the bolt mechanism as well as heating it up.[1]

The early prototype HK417 used 20-round magazines from the Heckler & Koch G3 rifle family, which did not feature a bolt hold-open device. Later prototypes, however, switched to a polymer magazine with bolt hold-open. The magazine resembles an enlarged version of the G36 series transparent magazine, except without the pins for holding more than one magazine together. In addition, a 50-round, low profile drum magazine developed by HK for the HK21E machine gun can be fitted to the HK417 for use in support and sustained fire applications.

Role

Purchasers of the HK417 have typically intended it to complement lighter assault rifles chambered for less powerful intermediate cartridges (often 5.56×45mm NATO), for the designated marksman's role. The HK417's greater accuracy, effective range, and penetration offset its greater expense, its lower rate of fire, and its smaller ammunition capacity both in magazine and carriage.[2]

The HK417 is available only to such government agencies as law enforcement, security forces, and the military.

Variants

Military and law enforcement

The HK417 models chambered for 7.62×51mm NATO available to the military and law enforcement market are:

As of 2013, the HK417 A2 models chambered for 7.62×51mm NATO available to the military and law enforcement market are:

Accurized barrels provide 1 MOA accuracy (with match grade ammunition). A barrel can be changed in under two minutes with simple tools. All HK417 barrels are cold hammer forged and chrome-lined and use a conventional lands and grooves bore profile with a 279.4 mm (1 in 11 in) twist rate. They are designed to function reliably with bullet weights ranging from less than 9.3 to 11.34 g (147 to 175 grains) and are threaded for flash hider, muzzle compensator, and sound suppressor attachment.[2][3]

The HK417 A2 is the improved version. The design of the receiver, barrel interface, gas port and the bore axis alignment of the rifle have been further optimised to increase its accuracy and reliability.[2][4]

Small caliber

Related developments

Civilian

Civilian variants of the HK416 and HK417 introduced in 2007 were known as MR223 and MR308.[5] Both are semi-automatic rifles with several "sporterized" features. At the 2009 SHOT Show, the two firearms were introduced to the American civilian market renamed respectively MR556 and MR762.[6] Since then both were replaced by the improved MR556A1 and MR762A1.[7][8]

G28

A G28 of the German Army

The civilian MR308 was used to develop the G28, a designated marksman rifle for the German Bundeswehr (Federal Army) deployment to the Afghanistan war. The semi-automatic G28 designated marksman rifle is chambered for 7.62×51mm NATO and has a factory warranted accuracy of 45 mm dispersion at 100 meters (1.5 MOA) when fired with 10 rounds using OTM/HPBT/Sierra Match King ammunition. The G28 features STANAG 4694 NATO Accessory Rails that are backwards-compatible with the STANAG 2324 or MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny rails. The upper receiver is made from steel instead of HK's aluminium alloy. Approximately 75% of the parts are interchangeable with the HK417. There are two different versions of the G28: G28 E2 (Standard) with Schmidt & Bender PMII 3-20×50 and the G28 E3 (Patrol) with Schmidt & Bender PMII 1-8×24.[9]

Conflicts

The Heckler & Koch HK417 has been used in the following conflicts:

Gallery

Users

Country Organization name Model Quantity Date Reference
 Albania Special Operations Battalion (Albania) - - [2][10]
 Australia Australian Army (acquired the 16-inch variant paired with 6× ACOG for an interim marksman solution for use in Afghanistan, with permanent fielding expected in future) - - 2010 [2][11][12]
 Brazil Brazilian Federal Police - - 2012 [13]
 Denmark Danish Army uses it as a marksman rifle. 20" Sniper - - [14]
 France Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (COS) - - - [15]
 Germany German Army uses the G28, a modified version of the Heckler & Koch MR308, as a designated marksman rifle. And the standard HK417 A2 with a 13" barrel as "G27". [16] - - - [2][17]
GSG-9 sniper teams of the German Federal Police - - - [18]
 Ireland Defence Forces Army Ranger Wing sniper teams - - 2010 [2][19]
 Japan Special Forces Group (Japan), Japan Ground Self-Defense Force - - 2014 [20]
 Malaysia Pasukan Khas Laut sniper teams of the Royal Malaysian Navy - - - [2][21]
 Netherlands Korps Commandotroepen (KCT) of the Royal Netherlands Army (acquired the 16-inch variant paired with Schmidt & Bender 3-12×50 or Aimpoint CompM2) - - 2011 [2][22][23]
 Norway Norwegian Armed Forces uses it as a marksman rifle - - - [2][24][25]
 Poland Policja - - - [2][26]
 Russia Spetsnaz snipers of law enforcement agencies MR308 - - [27][28]
FSB Alpha Group MR308 - - [29]
 Sweden Särskilda operationsgruppen - - -
 Turkey Gendarmerie Special Operations Command HK417 G28 -
 United Kingdom Special Air Service sniper teams of the British Army HK417 - - [2][30]
Surrey Police sniper teams - - [31][32]
West Mercia Police sniper teams -
 United States Delta Force sniper teams of the United States Army _ _ _ [33]
SEAL Team Six sniper teams of the United States Navy _ _ _ [34]
United States Army G28 3,643 (planned) _ [35]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Newer carbines outperform M4 in dust test". Army Times. 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Heckler & Koch HK 417 Battle Rifle / Sniper Rifle (2006)". Military Factory. June 22, 2014. Retrieved 2014-12-23.
  3. ↑ "2008 Heckler & Koch Military and LE brochure" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-01-30.
  4. ↑ "HK417 A2 - Effective and versatile". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  5. ↑ Approving the MR223 and MR308 for civilian sale inside Germany Retrieved 2014-09-03
  6. ↑ HK MR-556 and MR-762 rifles for the American market
  7. ↑ New HK Products for 2012 Retrieved 2014-09-03
  8. ↑ HK-USA Rifles Retrieved 2014-09-03
  9. ↑ "G28 – A DMR-System – far more than just another rifle with a scope". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  10. ↑ Special Operations Battalion (Albania)
  11. ↑ "Contract Notice View – CN352591". AusTender. Australian Government. December 14, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
  12. ↑ Juchniewicz, Nathan (July 21, 2011). "New weapon to go the distance". Army News (Australia). Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  13. ↑ "DefesaNet - Armas - PF - 200 novos fuzis de assalto HK 417 são distribuídos.". DefesaNet. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Geværer" (in Danish). Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  15. ↑ "HK 417- fusil d'assaut de la firme Heckler & Koch" (in French). French Land Army official website. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
  16. ↑ http://www.bundeswehr.de/portal/a/bwde/!ut/p/c4/NYs9E4IwEET_US4p1IFOhkZLKQQaJ8AN3pgP5jxM4483Kdydec3bhRFyg_3QaoVisA56GGaqp6SmtKCyL9nROXyrhCTI-JAnegxwL8c8mGNAKRQMQpkrW4mstsjiitmZs1G0wKBN25iT_sd8q7G7Vt1RH9pLc4PN-_MPSKxqYw!!/
  17. ↑ "G28 Marksman rifle Heckler & Koch". armyrecognition.com. September 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  18. ↑ Writer, Staff (2016-02-18). "GSG-9 German Special Police Weapons". Military Factory. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  19. ↑ Tactical Weapons, May 2010 Issue. Guns of the Elite: Multi-Mission Warriors, page 92.
  20. ↑ http://www.mod.go.jp/gsdf/gmcc/hoto/hkou/14hk093.pdf
  21. ↑ Abas, Marhalim (2010-04-23). "DSA 2010 Part III". Malaysian Defence. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  22. ↑ "SF Operator is a special profession" (in Dutch). Dutch Defence Press. June 6, 2009. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
  23. ↑ "KCT sniper teams are using the Heckler & Koch 417" (in Dutch). Dutch Defence Press. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
  24. ↑ Offisersbladet nr. 3, May 2007: Heckler & Koch 416: Vårt nye håndvåpen
  25. ↑ Kapten Trond Setså. "Sniper Course". Defense Net (in Norwegian). Norwegian Defense. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
  26. ↑ "Police Headquarters Official Gazette No. 13" (pdf) (in Polish). September 25, 2009. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
  27. ↑ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bna78e-h3RI&feature=youtu.be
  28. ↑ Writer, Staff (2016-02-20). "Russian SPETSNAZ Weapons". Military Factory. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  29. ↑ http://www.hkpro.com/forum/chef-s-corner-hk-action-series-continues/187480-hk-russia-2.html
  30. ↑ Harding, Thomas (June 26, 2009). "SAS parachuted in to Baghdad". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
  31. ↑ Middleton, Ashley (2012-10-27). "Firearms unit | Flickr - Photo Sharing!". Flickr.com. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  32. ↑ "All sizes | Throckmorton | Flickr - Photo Sharing!". Flickr.com. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  33. ↑ Writer, Staff (June 23, 2014). "Delta Force Weapons". Military Factory. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
  34. ↑ Writer, Staff (May 12, 2015). "Navy SEALs Weapons". Military Factory. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
  35. ↑ H&K confirms: This is the Army's new and improved sniper rifle - Armytimes.com, 8 April 2016

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to HK 417.
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