M79 grenade launcher3/8/2023 ![]() ![]() The round is designed to be effective at breaking through windows and exploding inside, blowing up doors, producing multiple casualties, destroying bunkers or emplacements, and damaging or disabling soft-skinned vehicles. The M203 grenade launcher is intended to be used as close fire support against point and area targets. The M320 features an advanced day/night sight, a double-action firing mechanism (as opposed to the M203's single-action) as well as other benefits, such as an unobstructed side-loading breech. The United States Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Navy continued to use the older M203, although the Marines began issuing the M320 in June 2017. when the target is at close range or near friendly troops), an under-barrel system has the advantage of allowing its user to also carry a rifle, and to easily switch between the two.Ī new grenade launcher, the M320, will eventually replace the M203 in the United States Army. Because the size and weight of 40 mm ammunition limits the quantities that can be carried on patrol, and because a grenade is often not an appropriate weapon for a given engagement (i.e. However, while the M79 was a stand-alone weapon (and usually the primary weapon of troops who carried it), the M203 was designed as an under-barrel device attached to an existing rifle. military forces during the early 1970s, replacing the M79 grenade launcher and the conceptually similar Colt XM148 design. The M203 has been in service since 1969 and was introduced to U.S. The M203 was the only part of the army's Special Purpose Individual Weapon (SPIW) project to go into production. 7 Civilian ownership in the United States.The version fitted to the Canadian C7 has a sight attached to the side of the launcher, either on the left or right depending on the user's needs. A separate, right-handed only, sighting system is added to rifles fitted with the M203, as the rifle's standard sights are not matched to the launcher. ![]() The rifle magazine functions as a hand grip when firing the M203. The device attaches under the barrel, the launcher trigger being in the rear of the launcher, just forward of the rifle magazine. ![]() Stand-alone variants of the M203 exist, as do versions designed specifically for many other rifles. The launcher can also be mounted onto a C7, a Canadian version of the M16 rifle however, this requires the prior removal of the bottom handguard. Quite versatile and compatible with many rifle models, the M203 was originally designed for the U.S. It uses the same rounds as the older stand-alone M79 break-action grenade launcher, which utilizes the high-low propulsion system to keep recoil forces low. The M203 is a single-shot 40 mm under-barrel grenade launcher designed to attach to a rifle. Our collection of M79 parts includes stocks, bandoliers, sights, a wide variety of hardware, and more.382 yds (350 m) fire-team sized area target 164 yds (150 m) vehicle or weapon point target Army Special Forces in recent years, the M79 has been replaced by the M203, which can be mounted to an M16. While it was used effectively during the Vietnam War, its slow rate of fire made it difficult to employ effectively against a highly mobile enemy that was capable of returning a high rate of fire. Its simple break action operation and ease of use and maintenance made it quickly popular among United States servicemen in the 1960s. Though it had a relatively low rate of fire (dependent on the speed and training of the operator), it was more portable than mortars and had a better range than rifle grenades. The M79 Grenade Launcher is a single shot, break open shoulder-fired weapon that was developed as an attempt to expand the volume of fire-power that could be carried by infantry. Illumination rounds have also been developed for this platform. They were developed in a variety of configurations, including but not limited to HE and AB (High Explosive and Airburst shells), S (Smoke), G (Gas), and even TB (Thermobaric) rounds. These “Eggs” used a High-Low Propulsion System with low-pressure propellant to help manage the recoil generated from the heavy rounds. This latter designation was no doubt a reference to the 40x46mm grenades this shoulder-fired grenade launcher was designed around. ![]() American Forces that carried the M79 (predominantly through the Vietnam War) variously called it the “Thumper,” “Blooper,” “The 79,” the “Thump Gun,” or even the “Elephant Gun.” Soldiers also commonly referred to the 40mm grenades it fired as “Eggs.” The M79 Grenade Launcher almost looks like something that belongs in another place and time, especially given the list of nicknames that it earned in its name. ![]()
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