Irreplaceable "grenade launchers". Irreplaceable "grenade launchers" 40 mm grenade launcher GP 25

The issue of fire support for infantry units on the battlefield has been and is facing any army in the world. The problem of large and small caliber, the effectiveness of ammunition and the maximum lethal force is a priority for all military men and designers.

In the offensive, as well as in defense, it was not always possible to provide effective support with something more serious than personal small arms. For these purposes, in the USSR in the 1970s, the development of a new type of weapon for the country began - the GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher, which received the name "Bonfire".

The history of the underbarrel grenade launcher "Bonfire"

With the invention of grenades, the question arose of a simple and effective delivery of them to the enemy. Hand-held mortars and bombards were not effective due to the strong recoil or were difficult to use due to the weight and size of the ammunition.

The First World War gave a new life to this type of weapon. Positional combat required new types of weapons capable of firing a powerful charge along a hinged and direct trajectory.

Developed at the beginning of the twentieth century, muzzle grenade launchers had many drawbacks. A close shot-tromblon made it impossible to quickly switch to fire with conventional ammunition, and an accidental shot with the wrong type of cartridges could lead to sad consequences for the shooter.

The samples used did not have good enough characteristics to make a serious contribution to the picture of the battle or to occupy a worthy niche in the armament of the countries participating in the Second World War.

It was only in the post-war period that the idea of ​​small rifle grenade launchers was revisited using new technical ideas.

During the Vietnam War, the US Army successfully tested a sample of the M203 underbarrel grenade launcher. Attached to an assault rifle, this weapon was a full-fledged automatic-grenade launcher, not ideal, but contributing to the successful actions of the military.

Soviet intelligence immediately learned about the developments of a potential enemy, and the engineers were tasked with developing weapons of the same class. Design Bureau "Iskra" coped with the task by 1978. In the same year it is adopted.

However, mass production was launched only in 1980, with the outbreak of hostilities in Afghanistan and the birth of a new tactic of military operations in the mountains. Tula gunsmiths took up production. The model was adapted for all types of AK brand assault rifles used by the Soviet army.

In the future, taking into account the experience of the war, the Koster was upgraded to the GP-30 Obuvka. The already simple design was lightened and simplified.

Design features of GP-25

The Soviet model, unlike the American underbarrel grenade launcher, is distinguished by its simplicity of design. This is a single-shot model, muzzle-loading type. Barrel with 12 right-hand rifling caliber 40 mm. The whole device is assembled from 3 parts, plus 2 parts in addition. This is:

• breech;
• barrel with mount and sight;
• trigger mechanism;
• rubber gasket for the butt;
• weapon care tool.

Additionally, the kit included a reinforced type AK return mechanism, since the standard AKM / AK-74 receiver covers were not designed for such loads and were torn off when fired from the GP-25.

For less weight, the grenade launcher has a plastic hollow handle.

Shock-trigger design of self-cocking, with a trigger. The shot is carried out due to the hook moving in a straight line, pulling the trigger and actuating the mainspring.

The trigger breaks, the firing pin is activated, breaking the primer and ejecting the grenade. There is a flag type fuse. A special mechanism has been developed that prevents a shot from being fired if the weapon is incorrectly installed. The block also operates in case of incomplete charge transfer.

A special extractor makes it possible to defuse the "Bonfire" without a shot.

Fire can be fired at a distance of 400 meters, both mounted and flat fire. Sleevelessness also provides a high rate of fire, 4-5 rounds per minute.

Shots for a grenade launcher

The main type of ammunition for the "Bonfire" is VOG-25, developed by the Snegirev Institute in Balashikha. 40 mm charge without case, with main body and expelling charge. 48 grams of explosive provide significant damage to enemy manpower, even hidden behind shelters.

In total, several modifications of this shot are known:

• VOG-25IN, an inert model required for training, as well as a sample of the attached GP-25;
• VUS-25, training model;
• VOG-25P, or "foundling", with a device that provides a "bouncing" charge for a larger radius of destruction at break;
• "Nail", for firing tear gas;
• VDG-40 for setting smoke screens;
• ASZ-40, which is a light-noise design, as well as a smoke version, is not lethal;
• VOG-25PM, modernization, which absorbed the experience of the best samples of previous years;
• several new developments related to beacons and smoke screens.

New types of ammunition continue to appear depending on the needs of the military, and due to the great demand for well-established additions to weapons.

Combat use of "Bonfire"

Since the 1980s, the grenade launcher has been involved in all conflicts on the territory of the USSR and countries that had supplies from the country of the Soviets. The war in Afghanistan quickly revealed all the advantages of weapons.

So, when shooting in the mountains, a fighter could easily cover an enemy located above with a well-aimed shot along a hinged trajectory.

As participants in the war noted, even a schoolboy could easily switch from automatic fire to an underbarrel grenade launcher. In battle, when fractions of a second count, a simple and reliable design saved the lives of hundreds of soldiers. The small weight and dimensions also added love to the GP-25.

The mass added accuracy when firing. The gravity kept the AK barrel from jumping up when fired, reducing the well-known unpleasant feature of the entire line of machine guns. For carrying shots, a special bag was supposed, two rows of cases for 5 VOGs.

On combat exits, the fighters took two of these, increasing the stock of shots to 20 pieces. According to the recollections of the participants in the battles, no one complained about the grenade launcher, its quality or serious design defects.

His simplicity and combat power were given their due, sincerely falling in love with this weapon.

With the end of the Afghan war, the career of "Bonfire" did not end. Chechnya has again shown the advantages of grenade launchers. The replacement for "Obuvka" in the conditions of constant economic and political crises was not carried out in full, and "Bonfires" were not obsolete models. Trouble-free when shooting, they again rescued the soldiers more than once.

So, in one of the episodes of the campaign, the division of the Russian army, in the absence of cartridges, had to repel attacks with underbarrel grenade launchers for 4 hours. The high quality of the Tula masters made itself felt, the soldiers received help and were saved.

Currently, the GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher and its modifications are still in service with the Russian army. The quality is at the level of Western analogues, in some places even surpassing them. It is too early to talk about the decommissioning of this simple but effective weapon.

Video

After the M203 underbarrel grenade launcher appeared in service with the US Army, our military had a belated desire to have something similar.
The development of an underbarrel grenade launcher to expand the combat capabilities of infantry was launched in the USSR in 1975. The development was based on the experience gained in the second half of the 1960s when creating experimental underbarrel grenade launchers on the Iskra theme.

In 1978, the underbarrel grenade launcher GP 25 "Koster" (index 6G15), created at TsKIB SOO V.N. Teleshem for use in combination with AKM, AKMS, AK 74 and AKS 74 assault rifles. The production of a grenade launcher was established by the Tula Arms Plant.
GP 25 has a simple device, it belongs to muzzle-loading rifled systems. The caliber fragmentation shot VOG 25 or VOG 25P developed by the State Research and Production Enterprise "Pribor" combines a grenade and a propellant charge in the sleeve and is inserted into the barrel without effort, entering the rifling of the barrel with 12 ledges of the leading belt, held in the barrel under a spring retainer.
The grenade launcher has a self-cocking hammer-type trigger mechanism with a safety lever that locks the trigger. The grenade launcher is mounted on the handguard of the machine gun with a bracket with a fence and is fixed with a latch. To mitigate the effect of recoil on the shooter and the weapon, a rubber butt plate is attached to the butt, the frame of the GP 25 trigger mechanism body protects the forearm of the machine gun from damage, and the elastic insert of the frame softens the impact on the receiver.
The accessory includes a return spring rod with a hook, which replaces the usual guide rod of the machine gun in order to prevent the receiver cover from tearing off when fired from a grenade launcher.
The quadrant mechanical sight is designed for direct or semi-direct fire, and a correction for grenade erivation is automatically introduced. At a distance of 400 m, the median deviations of the hit are 6.6 m in range and 3 m in front. Direct fire is usually carried out: at a distance of up to 200 m - with the butt resting on the shoulder, 200-400 m - with the butt clamped under the arm, and along a steep hinged trajectory - with the butt resting on the ground.

GP-25 "Koster" is a Soviet single-shot underbarrel grenade launcher, developed in the late 70s by the gunsmiths of the Tula Design Bureau and specialists of the Moscow State Research and Production Enterprise "Pribor". This weapon is designed to defeat enemy manpower, both openly and hiding in trenches, trenches or behind terrain folds. The GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher is designed for installation on various types of Kalashnikov assault rifles of 7.62 mm and 5.45 mm caliber. GP-25 "Bonfire" is a rifled muzzle-loading weapon.

The baptism of fire of this grenade launcher was the Afghan war, during which the GP-25 proved to be a reliable and effective weapon. After that, there were numerous conflicts in the post-Soviet space, including two Chechen campaigns. Currently, the GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher is actively used by all parties to the civil conflict in Syria.

The GP-25 was put into service in 1978, and its mass production began at the same time. This weapon is still in use by the Russian army, in addition, the GP-25 is used by the Ukrainian and Bulgarian armed forces. The release of the grenade launcher continues today.

In the late 80s, a more advanced version of the grenade launcher, the GP-30, was developed, with a smaller mass and a simpler design.

History of creation

Well-known rocket-propelled grenade launchers began to be actively used during the Second World War. Very quickly they established themselves as a simple and effective anti-tank weapon. However, it was ill-suited to combat enemy infantry.

The forerunners of modern underbarrel grenade launchers can be considered the so-called rifle grenades, which appeared on the eve of the First World War. Although, the idea of ​​​​using a regular infantryman’s firearms for throwing hand grenades is much older: back in the 18th century, special funnels were invented that were worn on the barrel of muskets. With their help, various explosive objects were thrown into the thick of the enemy troops. Most often, such weapons were used in the defense of fortresses by their garrisons.

During the First World War, a hand grenade became one of the main means of defeating enemy personnel both in the offensive and in defense. During positional battles, the trenches of the opposing sides were often at a distance of throwing a hand grenade. Therefore, the soldiers began to come up with various ways to throw a grenade further and more accurately. Initially, various slings and catapults were used. However, very soon they were replaced by rifle grenades.

Another reason for the appearance of this weapon was the "dead" zone between the maximum range of hand grenades (about 50 meters) and the minimum distance of mortar fire (from 150 meters). The infantry had absolutely nothing to suppress enemy firing points in this range, except for small arms fire, which could not always cope with the task.

The idea was very simple: a special grenade was inserted into the barrel of the most ordinary serial rifle, and with the help of a blank shot, it was sent towards the enemy. The energy of the shot was enough to throw the ammunition several tens of meters. Rifle grenades had several basic types of designs, they were equipped with percussion or remote action fuses. For firing rifle grenades, various nozzles were installed on the barrel of the weapon, as well as special sights.

Designers from different countries actively worked on improving rifle grenades in the period between the two world wars. This type of weapon was also used in the Second World War, but with its end, he began to gradually disappear from the scene. The main disadvantage of rifle grenades was the inability to use small arms in normal mode until the grenade was fired.

After the end of the war, light grenade launchers began to be developed to arm the infantry, which very quickly became a very serious assault weapon. The pioneers in this area were the Germans, they mastered the production of special grenades for signal pistols. In the 60s, the Americans created the M79 hand grenade launcher, the design of which resembled an ordinary hunting rifle. Its barrel was broken, and a grenade was inserted into it. M79 had a wooden stock and special sights. This grenade launcher is still in service with the US Army today. The Americans used it very actively in Vietnam.

However, although such a weapon had significant firepower, it had a number of serious drawbacks, the main of which was the need for additional small arms. The M79 weighed 2.7 kg and had a fairly solid size, so it was inconvenient for a fighter to carry (let alone use) it with an automatic rifle or submachine gun. The solution to this problem was in the air: in the late 60s, the US Army signed a contract to create an underbarrel grenade launcher for the M-16 rifle. Already in 1970, an experimental batch of grenade launchers went to the Vietnamese jungle.

The Soviet military very quickly learned about the existence of a new American weapon and wanted to adopt its analogue. It cannot be said that up to this point in the USSR no one had been developing such grenade launchers (the Iskra project, for example), but they did not arouse much interest. The development of an underbarrel grenade launcher was entrusted to several design bureaus at once, but all prototypes did not have the required technical and operational characteristics.

Among the developers of new weapons was the Tula Design Bureau, which had rich experience in creating hunting and combat weapons. The designer-gunsmith V.N. Teleshe was instructed to deal directly with the grenade launcher; he carried out the work together with specialists from the Moscow State Research and Production Enterprise "Pribor". The result of this cooperation was the GP-25 Koster underbarrel grenade launcher, which was put into service in 1978. However, the mass production of these weapons was deployed only in 1980, after the start of the war in Afghanistan. And in the conditions of real combat operations, this grenade launcher showed the highest reliability and efficiency.

The grenade launcher could be mounted on Kalashnikov assault rifles of any caliber. The GP-25 device was extremely simple, with a minimum of moving parts, so there was practically nothing to break in it. The fighter just had to insert a grenade into the barrel, aim and fire. At the same time, it was possible to fire both direct fire and along a hinged trajectory, hitting opponents hidden behind natural barriers. This was especially important during the fighting in the mountains.

During the battle, the soldier could almost instantly switch from a machine gun to a grenade launcher. Special training for the use of the GP-25 was not required; any fighter could master this weapon in the shortest possible time. The grenade launcher could be used both as a means of fire support and for various assault actions.

With a relatively small weight (about 1.5 kg) and dimensions (330 mm), the grenade launcher has an excellent aiming range and excellent rate of fire. From the GP-25, it is not necessary to remove the used cartridge cases, to manipulate the shutter, which significantly increases its practical rate of fire and distinguishes it favorably from foreign analogues. In a minute, a fighter can fire up to five shots. Muzzle-loading and the absence of a cartridge case are the unequivocal advantages of the Soviet grenade launcher.

But that's not all. In the memoirs of Afghan soldiers, it is difficult to find at least one mention of the failure of the “grenade launcher”. The fighter's standard ammunition consisted of ten grenades placed in two cloth bags, five pieces each. They were located on the sides of the body, which was very convenient and made it possible to get grenades in almost any position. It was possible to take additional ammunition, in this case the number of shots for the GP-25 increased to 20. The VOG-25 and VOG-25P shots made it possible to confidently hit enemy infantry at a distance of up to 400 meters.

In 1989, on the basis of the GP-25, an improved modification of this weapon, the GP-30 Obuvka, was developed. When it was created, the experience of using underbarrel grenade launchers in the Afghan campaign was fully taken into account. The GP-30 received a new sight that did not require switching in range, the weight of the grenade launcher decreased by 200 grams, and the rate of fire increased to 10-12 rounds per minute. It should be noted that outwardly GP-25 and GP-30 differ very slightly.

When using an underbarrel grenade launcher, a fighter should take into account some nuances. With the "grenade launcher" the machine becomes much heavier. So, for example, the mass of the AK-74 increases to 5.1 kg. In addition, the center of gravity of the weapon is shifted forward. However, this only benefits the Kalash: the weighted front of the weapon does not allow the machine to “goat” so much after a shot, which increases the accuracy of fire. But in any case, shooting with an underbarrel grenade launcher has its own differences and it takes some practice to get used to them.

Design Description

The GP-25 is a single-shot muzzle-loading rifled grenade launcher. The weapon consists of three parts: a breech, a barrel with a mount and a sight, as well as a firing mechanism. To carry a grenade launcher, it is usually disassembled into two parts: a barrel with a sight and a mount, as well as a breech with a firing mechanism. The grenade launcher kit also includes a special rubber recoil pad for the stock and tools for cleaning and maintaining weapons.

The length of the GP-25 barrel is five calibers of the grenade launcher (205 mm), it has 12 right-hand rifling, a special spring-loaded latch holds the grenade in the bore.

The trigger mechanism GP-25 is a trigger type, self-cocking. The descent of the grenade launcher moves in a straight line, with the help of a hook, it pulls back the trigger and compresses the mainspring. Then the trigger breaks off the hook and sends forward the drummer, which breaks the grenade primer. The GP-25 has a safety lever with two positions, as well as a special mechanism that blocks the impact mechanism in case the grenade launcher is incorrectly installed on the machine. The latch in the barrel is also connected with the percussion mechanism, and if the grenade is not fully sent, then it is impossible to make a shot - the drummer is blocked.

For convenience, the shooter GP-25 is equipped with a plastic hollow handle.

The sights of the grenade launcher allow direct and semi-direct fire. The maximum range of both mounted and flat firing is 400 meters.

The grenade launcher can be discharged using a special extractor.

The standard shot for the GP-25 is the VOG-25, which is made according to a caseless scheme. This means that both the primer and the propellant are inside its body (at the bottom). Such a scheme made it possible to significantly simplify the design of the ammunition, as well as several times increase the rate of fire of the weapon.

The grenade has a steel body, under which there is a cardboard mesh, which contributes to the rational formation of fragments during the explosion.

On the outer surface of the body are ready-made rifling, which give the ammunition a rotational movement. It is with his help that the grenade is stabilized in flight.

The grenade is equipped with a contact action head fuse with long-range cocking and a self-liquidator. On combat platoon, the ammunition becomes at a distance of 10-40 meters from the muzzle. The self-liquidator works 12-14 seconds after the shot.

In addition to the VOG-25 ammunition, the GP-25 can use VOG-25P jump grenades and the Gvozd tear gas grenade. VOG-25P has a special charge that is triggered after a grenade collides with an obstacle and throws it up to 0.5-1 meter. And only then the fuse goes off.

VOG-25 has an effective destruction radius of five meters.

Characteristics

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As a result of the work of the design teams of the TsKIB SOO in Tula and the State Research and Production Enterprise "Pribor" in Moscow, they were developed, successfully tested and in 1978, based on the results of the PI, the 6G15 grenade launcher was recommended for service with the SA (later assigned the index GP-25, the theme "Bonfire") and a shot towards him with a VOG-25 fragmentation grenade.

The 40 mm GP-25 grenade launcher is an underbarrel grenade launcher mounted under the barrel of a Kalashnikov assault rifle of all modifications, 5.45 mm and 7.62 mm calibers (with the exception of AK74U), as well as a 5.45 mm Nikonov assault rifle (AN94, theme "Abakan", ind. 6PZZ) and is designed to combat open manpower, as well as manpower located in open trenches, trenches and on the reverse slopes of the terrain.

The grenade launcher includes the following main assembly units:

barrel with bracket; case with a breech; receiver cover fixing unit; butt pad with belt.

The grenade launcher kit also includes a banner for cleaning and lubricating the barrel.

The grenade launcher is loaded with a shot from the muzzle of the barrel. The shot must be inserted into the barrel until it stops against the end of the breech. In this case, the shot in the barrel is fixed with a special latch, which, in turn, is connected to the transmission lever that blocks the trigger in such a way that if the shot is not fully fired, it becomes impossible to fire. The design of the grenade launcher also includes a device that blocks the firing mechanism, which excludes the possibility of firing from a grenade launcher not attached or not fully attached to the machine (the locking mechanism is automatically turned off when the grenade launcher is correctly positioned and fixed on the machine).

The trigger mechanism of the grenade launcher is a self-cocking type. In addition, the grenade launcher is equipped with a conventional flag-type fuse, which excludes accidental shots when the grenade launcher is loaded.

The grenade launcher uses an open-type mechanical sight that allows aimed shooting at ranges from 100 m to 400 m. ratchet". The sight has a plumb line to give the grenade launcher the required elevation angle when firing at an invisible target (for example, on the reverse slopes of a hill, etc.) and a scale for mounted shooting (at barrel elevation angles of more than 45 °) at ranges from 200 to 400 meters. In order to ensure mounted firing at a minimum range (100 meters), a crane device was introduced into the design of the grenade launcher. When the valve is open, part of the powder gases from the combustion of the propellant charge is discharged from the bore into the atmosphere and, thereby, the initial velocity of the grenade decreases (from 76 m/s to 55 m/s). However, the results of military tests revealed the inexpediency of having a crane and, later, in the production of grenade launchers, the crane device was excluded from the design, and the minimum firing range for mounted firing increased to 200 meters.

Depending on the assigned combat mission, firing range and features of the firing position, the submachine gunner can fire from the following positions:

• lying down;
from the knee from the shoulder, from under the arm, with the butt resting on the ground; sitting from under the arm or with the butt resting on the ground; standing from the shoulder or from under the arm.

If necessary, the grenade launcher can be easily discharged using a special extractor.

The regular 40-mm round VOG-25 (7P17) is unitary in its design and is made according to the "sleeveless" scheme, i.e. the propellant charge, together with the means of ignition, is located in the bottom of the grenade body. Such a shot scheme in domestic practice was used for the first time. It made it possible to greatly simplify the design of the grenade launcher and, accordingly, increase the reliability of the operation of the weapon, coupled with an increase in the combat rate of fire. Shot grenade - fragmentation grenade with a steel case. Inside the body of the grenade (between the explosive charge and the body) there is a grid of cardboard for the rational crushing of the body into fragments, which helps to increase the fragmentation action. Here it is simply necessary to note that the VOG-25 grenade is 1.5 times more effective at the target than the OFZ projectile of a 30-mm round for the 2A42 cannon, which the BMP-2 is equipped with.

Outside the body of the grenade, ready-made rifling is made, which serve to give the grenade a rotational movement (the grenade is stabilized in flight due to rotation) during its movement along the bore. The grenade fuse (index VMG-K) is a head, percussion, instantaneous and inertial action, semi-safety type with pyrotechnic long-range cocking and self-liquidator. The cocking distance is from 10 to 40 meters from the muzzle of the grenade launcher. Such a significant variation is due to the temperature range of weapons (from minus 40 ° C to 50 ° C). Response time of the self-destruct mechanism -14-19 sec.

In 1978, comparative tests of the GP-25 grenade launcher with a VOG-25 shot and a 40-mm M-203 underbarrel grenade launcher mounted on an M16 rifle with an M-406 shot were carried out. Tests showed a significant advantage of the domestic grenade launcher and a shot to it over a similar US-made system. To install the M-203 grenade launcher on the M16A1 rifle, incomplete disassembly of the latter is required, and to load the grenade launcher, three manual operations are required (unlike the GP-25, where one operation is necessary for this purpose - to send the grenade into the barrel): - disconnect the grenade launcher barrel from breech, moving it forward (in this case, the sleeve from the previous shot is extracted); - insert a new shot into the barrel (shots for the M-203 grenade launcher are made according to the classic "unitary" scheme with a sleeve separating after the shot); - connect the barrel to the breech of the grenade launcher. It is quite obvious that performing three operations instead of one for loading a weapon leads to a decrease in its rate of fire.

The VOG-25 and M-406 shots were compared by shooting at the area where the target environment was located, imitating an openly located manpower (lying growth targets). During these tests, it was found that the frequency of hitting targets on the tactical field from a VOG-25 grenade rupture is 3-4 times higher than from an M-406 fragmentation grenade rupture.

While the designers from TsKIB SOO were designing the GP-25 grenade launcher, namely in 1974, a new task was set before their colleagues from the Pribor GNPP. It was necessary to develop a new 40-mm round for an underbarrel grenade launcher with increased fragmentation efficiency against manpower that lay down and are in unprotected shelters (trenches, trenches, stones, etc.), compared to the VOG-25 grenade, in 1 .5-2 times (without reducing the effectiveness of fragmentation against growth targets). This, frankly speaking, not an easy technical task was brilliantly solved by the team of designers of the State Research and Production Enterprise "Pribor". In 1979, a new 40-mm shot with a VOG-25P fragmentation grenade ("Foundling", index 7P24) was presented for field tests, and in the same year a new shot was recommended for use by the SA. The main and main difference between the new shot was the head fuse, which received the VMG-P index.

An expelling charge and a pyrotechnic retarder were introduced into the design of the VMG-P fuse, which ensured the "bouncing" of the grenade after hitting the ground and its rupture in the air when firing at all "ranges of combat use of the grenade launcher. The height of the grenade rupture when firing at medium-hard ground was 0, 75 m, which made it possible to increase the efficiency of fragmentation in comparison with the VOG-25 grenade.

GP-25 "Bonfire" - grenade launcher. In 1971, an assignment was issued for the development of a 40-mm underbarrel grenade launcher according to the Koster R&D. At the Central Design and Research Bureau of Sporting and Hunting Weapons (TsKIB SOO, Tula), this work was headed by designer V.N. Telesh, as having already had experience in creating a SGC.

GP-25 Koster - video

The work was carried out jointly with the State Scientific and Production Enterprise "Pribor" (Moscow). The result was the adoption in 1978 of the GP-25 "Koster" single-shot grenade launcher, designed for use in combination with AKM, AKMS, AK-74 and AKS-74 assault rifles. However, mass deliveries of grenade launchers to the troops began only in 1980 - this was required by the experience of the first months of fighting in Afghanistan. The production of a grenade launcher was established by the Tula Arms Plant.

The 40-mm grenade launcher GP-25 is an individual weapon and is designed to destroy open manpower, as well as manpower located in open trenches, trenches and on the reverse slopes of the terrain.

The grenade launcher is used in combination with 7.62-mm and 5.45-mm Kalashnikov assault rifles (AKM, AKMS, AK74 and AKS74). When an underbarrel grenade launcher is attached, the submachine gunner, depending on the task, can fire both from a grenade launcher and from a machine gun.

For firing from an underbarrel grenade launcher, VOG-25 (7P17), VOG-25P (7P24 "Foundling"), VOG-25M, VOG-25PM rounds with a fragmentation grenade equipped with an instantaneous head fuse with a self-liquidator are used.

The grenade launcher consists of 3 main parts:

Barrel with sights and a bracket for mounting a grenade launcher on the machine
- breech
- cases of the trigger mechanism with a handle

The grenade launcher kit consists of:

GP-25 grenade launcher
- Rubber recoil pad with strap
- Latched recoil guide rod
- Bag for a grenade launcher (GRAU index 6Sh47)
- Bag for shots (GRAU index 6Sh48)
- Bannik

The barrel has a length of 205 mm (about 5 calibers of a grenade launcher), 12 right-handed screw rifling is made in its channel. The shot inserted into the barrel is held in it by a spring-loaded latch. If necessary, the shot can be removed from the barrel using an extractor - a special rod with a finger key. By pressing the extractor on the latch, the grenade is released and removed from the barrel.

The bracket with a fence serves to mount the grenade launcher on the weapon - it is mounted on the forend of the machine, and its latch fixes the position of the GP-25 under the barrel. Ahead the bracket has a spring shock absorber.

The trigger mechanism is self-cocking, trigger type. When you press a rectilinearly moving trigger, it pulls the trigger back with its hook, compressing the mainspring. With further withdrawal of the descent back, the trigger breaks off the hook. Turning, he sends forward a drummer hinged to him, breaking the primer of the shot. On the left side of the case there is a fuse box with two positions - "PR" (protection) and "OG" (fire). In the "PR" position, the safety locks the trigger. There is also a kind of automatic fuse: a special system of levers blocks the trigger if the GP-25 is incorrectly connected to the machine.

The GRAU index of the GP-25 grenade launcher is 6G15. The GP-25 grenade launcher project was named "Bonfire".

For the convenience of shooting, a plastic hollow pistol grip with a hole for the thumb is attached to the body of the trigger mechanism. The right-handed shooter "works" with the handle and the trigger with the left hand. Sights are designed for direct or semi-direct fire. They are installed on the left wall of the bracket, here is a distance scale in the form of an arc with divisions. For direct aiming, a folding rear sight and a movable front sight are used. When setting the sight at a distance, a special cam slightly shifts the body of the front sight to the side: in this way, a correction is introduced for the derivation of the grenade. Semi-direct aiming is carried out: in direction - with the help of a rear sight and front sight, in range - with the help of a distance scale and a plumb line suspended on the axis of the sight (the "quadrant" method). Semi-direct aiming is carried out during mounted firing. The maximum aiming range of both flat and mounted fire is 400 m, the minimum range of mounted fire is 150-200 m. m, along the front - 3 m. For comparison: firing from a 30-mm automatic grenade launcher AGS-17 "Flame" at the same range gives median deviations: 4.3 m in range and 0.2 m along the front. It should be borne in mind that with a steep trajectory, a side wind has a great influence on the flight of a grenade and the results of firing. Crosswind corrections can be made by moving the front sight.

Shots for the underbarrel grenade launcher GP-25 "Bonfire"

Special measures have been taken to mitigate the effect of the recoil of the grenade launcher on the shooter and on the machine gun. A rubber butt plate is attached to the butt of the machine; moreover, the design of the butt plate allows you to mount it both on a wooden or plastic AKM and AK-74 stock, and on AKMS and AKS-74 folding stocks. The frame of the body of the GP-25 trigger mechanism protects the fore-end of the machine gun from damage, and the elastic insert of the frame softens the impact on the receiver when fired from a grenade launcher. When testing the GP-25 in the troops, another unpleasant recoil effect was revealed - when fired from a grenade launcher, the cover of the receiver of the machine gun was torn off, held, as you know, by the head of the return spring rod. I had to introduce a special rod with a hook into the accessory of the grenade launcher, which is used to replace the usual one when installing the GP-25. For the new AK74M assault rifle, such a rod has become standard.

General deviceunderbarrel grenade launcher GP-25 "Bonfire"

Ammunition of 10 shots is carried by the shooter in a "bag", which is two cloth cassettes with sockets for shots, 5 in each. Cassettes are located on straps on both sides of the shooter's body, so that shots are available, in whatever position the shooter is. In unloading vests, special pockets for shots for the GP-25 can also be made. Fire from the GP-25 is fired from a standing position, kneeling or sitting. Shooting direct fire, along a flat trajectory, is carried out, as a rule: at a distance of up to 200 m - with the butt resting on the shoulder, 200-400 m - "from under the arm", i.e. with the butt clamped under the arm. Shooting along a steep trajectory - with the butt resting on the ground, side or roof of the BMP (BTR). Two riflemen are armed in the GP-25 motorized rifle squad, so that the "grenade launchers" make the smallest units more independent, serve as a means of support for them and as an "assault weapon" in close combat, which plays the greatest role in modern tactics.

Trigger mechanism and blocking device of the underbarrel grenade launcher GP-25 "Bonfire"

The low muzzle velocity of the grenade facilitates firing at large angles - the trajectory does not rise too high, the flight time is reduced and the grenade is less blown away by the wind. But with a headwind, the demolition of a grenade becomes dangerous for a grenade launcher. The grenade launcher not only increases the total mass of the weapon (an AKM or AK-74 assault rifle with a GP-25 weighs 5.1 kg), but also shifts the center of gravity forward and downward. Accordingly, the middle point of hits also shifts down - the weapon begins to "lower", especially when shooting without a stop. The grenade shooter should get used to firing from his machine gun. However, as he gets used to it, he may find that the bursts of fire are much more accurate, a natural result of the heavier weapons and the indicated shift in the center of gravity.

Sights underbarrel grenade launcher GP-25 "Bonfire"

GP-25 also came into service with the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This caused changes in the grenade launcher ammunition. In particular, the Gvozd round with a gas grenade loaded with CS irritating poison was developed for the GP-25. The weight of the grenade is 170 g, the maximum firing range is 250 m, and the minimum allowable one is 50 m, the gas release time is up to 15 s, the volume of the cloud formed is 500 cubic meters. The Institute of Special Equipment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs decided to adapt the "Bonfire" for shooting ammunition with gas grenades, plastic and rubber bullets from a 23-mm special carbine KS-23: this is how the detachable (or interchangeable) 23-mm rifled barrel "Larry" appeared.

The performance characteristics of the GP-25 Bonfire

Designed by: 1972-1978
Manufacturer: Instrument Design Bureau, Tula Arms Plant
Weight, kg: 1.5 (without grenade); 1.76 (with grenade)
Length, mm: 323
Barrel length, mm: 205
Cartridge: 40 mm grenades (VOG-25, VOG-25P, "Nail")
Caliber, mm: 40
The length of the threaded part of the bore, mm: 98
Number of grooves: 12
Work principles: single shot
Rate of fire, shots / min: 4-5
The initial speed of the grenade, m / s: 76
Sighting range, m: 400
Maximum range, m: 400
Wearable rounds of ammunition: 10

Photo GP-25 Bonfire

Using a plumb line when aiming for mounted shooting from the GP-25 "Bonfire"