@historicalfirearms / www.historicalfirearms.info
We've previously seen HK416s in use with a variety of Ukrainian units, but since mid-August there have been sightings of a small numbers of some interesting Heckler & Koch rifles in Ukraine - HK G36s and the new HK433. In this video we'll examine which units are using, where they've been sighted and try and get to the bottom of how many might be in Ukraine.
In 1970 Heckler & Koch introduced the futuristic looking VP70 (VP standing for Volkspistole/People’s Pistol). Building on the idea behind the Mauser’s 9x19mm blowback Volkspistole. Heckler & Koch designed the pistol to be simple and cost effective and utilised a revolutionary polymer frame - making the VP70 the first production polymer handgun.
The VP70 was designed by a team headed by Alex Seidel, Tilo Moller and Helmut Weldle. It was chambered in 9x19mm and fed from a double-stack, double-feed 18-round magazine. This was a marked increase on Heckler & Koch’s first commercial pistol, the HK4. Work began on the design in 1968 and the pistol was was introduced in 1970, predating the Austrian Glock 17 by 12 years. The pistol used a polymer frame and receiver which supports the barrel.
The weapon used a standard blowback action, while this is typically ill-advised with 9x19mm ammunition Heckler & Koch alleviated the potential problems of the blowback action by machining extra deep rifling which allowed propellant gases to bleed past the projectile as it moved up the barrel. This dropped the pressure in the barrel - though in turn reducing the round’s muzzle velocity by around 10%.
The VP70′s action was striker fired with a very heavy double action trigger. The VP70 doesn’t lock open on an empty magazine and has no manual slide lock. Unloaded the VP70 weighed 0.82kg/29oz, significantly heavier than the later Glock at 0.65kg/23oz. Unlike the Glock, the civilian VP70 had a conventional cross-bolt safety positioned behind the trigger. The magazine release is located on the heel of the magazine - common with European pistols.
Patent drawing showing the stock assembly for the VP70M (source)
The VP70 was designed with an impending Soviet invasion in mind, it was designed to be cheap and easy to manufacture. It was intended to arm the German people should they need to resist a Soviet invasion, though what good arming the population with handguns would do is unclear. It was reportedly intended for stay-behind guerilla elements inside territory occupied by advancing Russian forces. Its possible to see it in this role as a concealable weapon offering considerable controllable close range firepower when used with its stock. The military variant, the VP70M (Militar)’s attachable polymer stock/holster is perhaps the pistol’s most interesting feature. It allowed the weapon to become a select-fire personal defence weapon (PDW), with a controllable 3-round burst option. The selector switch is located on the left hand side of the stock. While ostensibly designed as a cheap and simple weapon for mass production the addition of the stock’s burst mode necessitated a somewhat complex trigger mechanism. From examination of the pistols its clear the final product was not intended as a throwaway.
The pistol was also entered into the US military’s Joint Services Small Arms Program Trials in the late 1970s but suffered ammunition-related cycling issues and was rejected. Though originally designed for military purposes a civilian variant, the semi-automatic VP70Z (’Zivil’/Civil) was marketed. A limited run of VP70Z pistols were also chambered in 9x21mm for the Italian market. An even smaller run of ‘ZH’ pistols were produced with the civilian gun being sold with the attachable holster, without the burst fire mechanism.
The VP70 combined elements of the past and present with features like its holster/stock harking back the the earliest German automatic pistols while its polymer construction was at the cutting edge of manufacturing techniques in 1970. Production ceased in 1989 but the VP line continues with the unrelated HK VP9.
Military Small Arms, I. Hogg & J. Weeks, (1985)
‘The H&K VP70 Machine Pistol’, Firearms News, L. Thompson, (source)
‘Self-loading pistol with a stock’, US Patent #3861273, 23/06/73, (source)
‘Self-loading pistol having forwardly extending breech slide’, US Patent #3696706, 10/10/72, (source)
‘Self-loading pistol with cocking trigger‘, US Patent #3678800, 25/07/72, (source)
_______________________________________________________
In 1970 Heckler & Koch introduced the futuristic looking VP70 (VP standing for Volkspistole/People’s Pistol). Building on the idea behind the Mauser’s 9x19mm blowback Volkspistole. Heckler & Koch designed the pistol to be simple and cost effective and utilised a revolutionary polymer frame - making the VP70 the first production polymer handgun.
The VP70 was designed by a team headed by Alex Seidel, Tilo Moller and Helmut Weldle. It was chambered in 9x19mm and fed from a double-stack, double-feed 18-round magazine. This was a marked increase on Heckler & Koch’s first commercial pistol, the HK4. Work began on the design in 1968 and the pistol was was introduced in 1970, predating the Austrian Glock 17 by 12 years. The pistol used a polymer frame and receiver which supports the barrel.
The weapon used a standard blowback action, while this is typically ill-advised with 9x19mm ammunition Heckler & Koch alleviated the potential problems of the blowback action by machining extra deep rifling which allowed propellant gases to bleed past the projectile as it moved up the barrel. This dropped the pressure in the barrel - though in turn reducing the round's muzzle velocity by around 10%.
The VP70′s action was striker fired with a very heavy double action trigger. The VP70 doesn’t lock open on an empty magazine and has no manual slide lock. Unloaded the VP70 weighed 0.82kg/29oz, significantly heavier than the later Glock at 0.65kg/23oz. Unlike the Glock, the civilian VP70 had a conventional cross-bolt safety positioned behind the trigger. The magazine release is located on the heel of the magazine - common with European pistols.
Patent drawing showing the stock assembly for the VP70M (source)
The VP70 was designed with an impending Soviet invasion in mind, it was designed to be cheap and easy to manufacture. It was intended to arm the German people should they need to resist a Soviet invasion, though what good arming the population with handguns would do is unclear. It was reportedly intended for stay-behind guerilla elements inside territory occupied by advancing Russian forces. Its possible to see it in this role as a concealable weapon offering considerable controllable close range firepower when used with its stock. The military variant, the VP70M (Militar)’s attachable polymer stock/holster is perhaps the pistol’s most interesting feature. It allowed the weapon to become a select-fire personal defence weapon (PDW), with a controllable 3-round burst option. The selector switch is located on the left hand side of the stock. While ostensibly designed as a cheap and simple weapon for mass production the addition of the stock's burst mode necessitated a somewhat complex trigger mechanism. From examination of the pistols its clear the final product was not intended as a throwaway.
The pistol was also entered into the US military’s Joint Services Small Arms Program Trials in the late 1970s but suffered ammunition-related cycling issues and was rejected. Though originally designed for military purposes a civilian variant, the semi-automatic VP70Z (’Zivil’/Civil) was marketed. A limited run of VP70Z pistols were also chambered in 9x21mm for the Italian market. An even smaller run of 'ZH' pistols were produced with the civilian gun being sold with the attachable holster, without the burst fire mechanism.
The VP70 combined elements of the past and present with features like its holster/stock harking back the the earliest German automatic pistols while its polymer construction was at the cutting edge of manufacturing techniques in 1970. Production ceased in 1989 but the VP line continues with the unrelated HK VP9.
Military Small Arms, I. Hogg & J. Weeks, (1985)
‘The H&K VP70 Machine Pistol’, Firearms News, L. Thompson, (source)
‘Self-loading pistol with a stock’, US Patent #3861273, 23/06/73, (source)
‘Self-loading pistol having forwardly extending breech slide’, US Patent #3696706, 10/10/72, (source)
‘Self-loading pistol with cocking trigger‘, US Patent #3678800, 25/07/72, (source)
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In 1976, with criminal and terrorist activity on the rise the West German Federal Police launched a search for a new small, lightweight service pistol to replace their stocks of Walther P38/P1′s and various 7.65×17mm pistols.
Entries to the trials included the Walther P5, the HK PSP (P7) and the SIG Sauer P225 (P6). All three pistols performed well and saw various police forces adopt them.
Firstly, thanks for reading Historical Firearms this year, I hope you’ve found the content interesting and I will be redoubling my efforts to continue posting regularly in the new year!
Many of you also watch my videos on The Armourer’s Bench, for that I am eternally grateful - the support for that has been wonderful. It's been a busy year and I hope that you've all enjoyed the videos, we’ll be back with more in the new year.
Here’s our last video of the year, an update, some colouring and a thank you:
If you’d like a copy you can still pick up an ACR colouring book or the G11 stickers we put together for tab at www.armourersbench.com/shop.
I’ll be back posting soon, in the meantime I hope you all have a nice Christmas/holiday season!
~ Matt
Yesterday I announced my new book, a colouring book! Featuring the iconic US Army Advanced Combat Rifle trials prototypes from Steyr, Colt, AAI and of course Heckler & Koch - the legendary Kraut Space Magic - the G11!
Check out my video introducing it below if you missed it:
The 8x6" (or A5 sized) booklets 8 pages long and each page has some brilliant, original illustrations of the rifles. You can colour them whatever colours you like, above I’ve gone for a ‘colour-accurate’ Steyr ACR and a more colourful G11.
The funds raised from the ACR informative colouring book will go towards supporting the project next year, I really hope you guys like the idea, just wanted to do something different, a little fun!
The books are available now from our website for $6.00, plus shipping, you can find out more about the book here!
I’m very pleased to announce my new book, a colouring book! Featuring such iconic prototypes as the Steyr ACR and the legendary Kraut Space Magic - the HK G11!
Check out my video introducing it here:
Each of the prototype guns is featured with brilliant, original illustrations drawn from my photographs of the actual weapons. Each page includes a short history & description of how the gun worked!
The 8-page booklets are 8x6" (or A5 sized) and are available now from our website for $6.00, plus shipping. There’s also a cool new vinyl G11 sticker too!
The sales of the new TAB merch will go towards supporting the project next year, I really hope you guys like the idea, I think it’s pretty fun!
In this week’s Armourer’s Bench video I take a look at Heckler & Koch’s first 5.56x45mm rifle, the HK33. Introduced in the late 1960s, the HK33 was Heckler & Koch’s response to the emergence of the new 5.56x45mm round and FN’s introduction of the FN CAL. While the HK33 wasn’t adopted by West Germany it proved a popular export rifle and remained into production into the 1980s.
Check out our accompanying blog on the HK33 over at armourersbench.com. If you enjoyed the video and would like to support the project, check out the TAB Patreon page here, we’ve just added come cool new perks.
Thanks for watching, hope you enjoy the video!
- Matt
Hi guys,
In our this week’s Armourer’s Bench video I take a look at Heckler & Koch's first 5.56x45mm rifle, the HK33. Introduced in the late 1960s, the HK33 was Heckler & Koch's response to the emergence of the new 5.56x45mm round and FN's introduction of the FN CAL. While the HK33 wasn't adopted by West Germany it proved a popular export rifle and remained into production into the 1980s.
Check out our accompanying blog on the HK33 over at armourersbench.com. If you enjoyed the video and would like to support the project, check out the TAB Patreon page here, we've just added come cool new perks.
Thanks for watching, hope you enjoy the video!
- Matt
Perhaps the most famous of Heckler & Koch's designs from the 1980s is the G11 caseless ammunition-firing individual weapon, but another infantry rifle developed by HK in the late 70s and early 80s is almost as rare.
Heckler & Koch developed the G41, as an answer to the M16A2, FN FNC and the Steyr AUG. With NATO adding 5.56x45mm to their list of standard calibres HK needed a new rifle which could use M16 magazines. The result was the G41 which included a number of new features including a forward assist and a new recoil spring. The G41 would be the last infantry service rifle, developed by HK, to use the roller-delayed blowback action that is synonymous with the company.
Check out my new video looking at the G41 below, I discuss the rifle’s design, development and history as well as comparing it side-by-side to its predecessor the HK33. Check out the full video here:
The G11 and G41 couldn't have been more different in design and operation but both both proved to be equally ill-fated. The G11 programme was shelved following the reunification of Germany in 1990 and the G41 struggled to attract sales.
You can also find my full in-depth blog about the G41 over on the Armourer’s Bench site here.
Sorry I’ve been quiet the last few days, I’ve been hard at work putting together the next Armourer’s Bench video on the ill-fated Heckler & Koch G41!
Coming soon!
In the early 1980s, with NATO standardising to 5.56x45mm Heckler & Koch, having been preoccupied with the G11 caseless ammunition individual weapon, scrambled to develop a suitable rifle which could be offered to European nations seeking to transition away from 7.62x51mm battle rifles.
The result was the HK G41, a re-development of HK’s favoured roller-delayed blowback action. The G41 had a new lower receiver which enabled it to feed from STANAG magazines rather than the proprietary magazines used by HK’s earlier 5.56x45mm rifle, the HK33.
Heckler & Koch G41 (Matthew Moss)
The G41 proved unsuccessful at cornering the emerging 5.56x45mm market, rejected numerous times, missing out on contracts in Ireland, Sweden and Italy. In Italy, HK entered into a partnership with Lugi Franchi who entered the G41 in Italy’s trials to find a replacement for the BM59.
Franchi submitted the original HK configuration, with Franchi-marked receivers (see image #1), and also the develop their own, slightly modified version, the Franchi Mod. 641 (see image #2). The Mod. 641 had a ribbed front grip, a re-profiled buttstock, an added carrying handle and a new rear sight. It also added a mounting point for a bipod. It retained the G41′s action, its lower receiver and fire control group and forward assist. Franchi’s submissions to the trials proved unsuccessful and the Beretta AR70/90 was eventually selected.
Sources:
Images: 1 2
The World's Assault Rifles, G.P. Johnston & T.B. Nelson, (2016)
Full Circle: A Treatise on Roller Locking, R. Blake Stevens (2006)
While these two designs are separated by just over two centuries they both represent attempts to use rotation to push forward the firearms technology of their day. While very different designs the engineering that went into the two rifles is incredibly impressive.
The Ferguson, dating from 1776, was based on an existing rotating breech plug system that allowed a plug to be rotated up and down to seal the breech after powder and ball had been placed in the chamber. It was used briefly during the American War of Independence and was one of, if not the first breechloader to see service with the British Army.
More on the Ferguson here
The Heckler & Koch G11 was an advanced experimental rifle that fired caseless ammunition and used a breech cylinder that rotated 90 degrees to feed from a magazine above. It could fire a 3 round burst as a speed of 2,000 rounds per minute and had an advanced recoil mitigation system.It was abandoned as too complex and costly in the early 1990s.
More on the G11 here
Few experimental weapons have cultivated myth and legend like Heckler & Koch’s G11. Affectionately described as ‘Kraut Space Magic’ the G11 is an incredibly complex weapon made up of well over 400 individual parts.
A couple of months ago I had the chance to field strip one and get a look inside. In the latest Armourer’s Bench video I attempt to explain and show you just how the ‘space magic’ works. I field strip the rifle and then take a look at the major assemblies and component parts. It is as complex as you’d imagine!
I’m really excited to share this one with you guys, it took over a week to put together in a way that explains how the rifle works as clearly as possible. I believe this is the very first video to show the internals in detail and attempt to explain just how the mythical beast works. The G11 truly was an extremely complex weapon but it was also an incredible piece of engineering.
I’ve also shared more close up photos of the G11 over on the TAB website, you can check those out here! I hope you enjoy the video, the G11 is a fascinating piece of small arms history. If you haven’t yet please subscribe to the channel, many more videos to come!
The latest Armourer’s Bench video looks at the ‘Spezialkoffer’ or ‘Special Case’ developed by H&K in the late 1970s. It was designed as a discreet, clandestine weapon system designed for personal protection details who wanted to keep things business casual. The ‘Special Case’ offered the firepower of an MP5K in a concealed package which could be brought into action rapidly.
I also put together a full accompanying blog, with more photos, about the ‘Spezialkoffer’ over on the TAB website, check that out here!
Developed by H&K in the late 1970s, the 'Special Case' was designed as a discreet, clandestine weapon system designed for personal protection details. The 'Special Case' offered the firepower of an MP5K in a concealed package which could be rapidly brought into action.
I discuss the history of HK's briefcase gun and take a look at how the MP5K fit inside and how the trigger mechanism worked to allow the gun to be fired.
Check out my full article on it here
