The Heckler & Koch HK417 is a
battle rifle
A battle rifle is a service rifle chambered to fire a fully powered cartridge.
The term "battle rifle" is a retronym created largely out of a need to better differentiate the intermediate-powered assault rifles (e.g. the StG-44, AK-47, M16, ...
designed and manufactured by
Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch GmbH (HK; ) is a German defense manufacturing company that manufactures handguns, rifles, submachine guns, and grenade launchers. The company is located in Oberndorf am Neckar in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, and also ...
.
Being the larger caliber version of the
Heckler & Koch HK416
The Heckler & Koch HK416 is a gas-operated assault rifle chambered for the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge. It is designed and manufactured by the German company Heckler & Koch.
Although the design is based on the AR-15 class of firearm (specifical ...
, and chambered for the
7.62×51mm NATO
The 7.62×51mm NATO (official NATO nomenclature 7.62 NATO) is a rimless, bottlenecked rifle cartridge. It is a standard for small arms among NATO countries.
First developed in the 1950s, the cartridge had first been introduced in U.S. service f ...
rifle cartridge
A rifle cartridge is a firearm cartridge primarily designed and intended for use in a rifle/carbine, or machine gun.
Types Full-powered
A full-powered cartridge is a rifle cartridge used interchangeably between service rifles, sniper rifle ...
, it is intended for use where the penetrative power,
stopping power
Stopping power is the ability of a weapon – typically a ranged weapon such as a firearm – to cause a target (human or animal) to be incapacitated or immobilized. Stopping power contrasts with lethality in that it pertains only to a weapo ...
, and range of the
5.56×45mm NATO HK416 would otherwise be insufficient. The HK417 is
gas-operated
Gas-operation is a system of operation used to provide energy to operate locked breech, autoloading firearms. In gas-operation, a portion of high-pressure gas from the cartridge being fired is used to power a mechanism to dispose of the spent ...
, has a
rotating bolt
Rotating bolt is a method of locking the breech (or rear barrel) of a firearm closed for firing. Johann Nicolaus von Dreyse developed the first rotating bolt firearm, the " Dreyse needle gun", in 1836. The Dreyse locked using the bolt handle ...
and is capable of
selective fire
Selective fire is the capability of a weapon to be adjusted to fire in semi-automatic, fully automatic, and/or burst mode. The modes are chosen by means of a selector switch, which varies depending on the weapon's design. Some selective-fire w ...
.
The HK417 has been adopted for service by a number of
armed forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
,
special forces
Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equi ...
, and
police
The police are a Law enforcement organization, constituted body of Law enforcement officer, persons empowered by a State (polity), state, with the aim to law enforcement, enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citize ...
organizations throughout the world, including the ''
Bundeswehr
The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...
'',
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
Joint Special Operations Command
The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) is a joint component command of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and is charged with studying special operations requirements and techniques to ensure interoperability and equi ...
, the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
, Russian
Spetsnaz
Spetsnaz are special forces in numerous post-Soviet states. (The term is borrowed from rus, спецназ, p=spʲɪtsˈnas; abbreviation for or 'Special Purpose Military Units'; or .)
Historically, the term ''spetsnaz'' referred to the ...
forces such as
FSB Alpha Group, and others.
Design and features
The HK417 is similar in internal design to the
HK416
The Heckler & Koch HK416 is a gas-operated assault rifle chambered for the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge. It is designed and manufactured by the German company Heckler & Koch.
Although the design is based on the AR-15 class of firearm (specific ...
, although the receiver and working parts are enlarged to suit the larger 7.62×51mm cartridge. The bolt is a seven-lug
rotating type, which sits in a bolt carrier and operates in a forged alloy receiver resembling those of the Stoner-designed
AR-10
The ArmaLite AR-10 is a 7.62×51mm NATO battle rifle designed by Eugene Stoner in the late 1950s and manufactured by ArmaLite (then a division of the Fairchild Aircraft Corporation). When first introduced in 1956, the AR-10 used an innovative com ...
,
AR-15
An AR-15-style rifle is any lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design. The original ArmaLite AR-15 is a scaled-down derivative of Eugene Stoner's ArmaLite AR-10 design. The then Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation ...
and
M16 rifle
The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-r ...
s.
Like the HK416, the HK417 is
gas-operated
Gas-operation is a system of operation used to provide energy to operate locked breech, autoloading firearms. In gas-operation, a portion of high-pressure gas from the cartridge being fired is used to power a mechanism to dispose of the spent ...
with a
short-stroke piston design similar to that of the
Heckler & Koch G36
The Heckler & Koch G36 (Gewehr 36) is a 5.56×45mm assault rifle designed in the early 1990s by German weapons manufacturer Heckler & Koch as a replacement for the heavier 7.62×51mm G3 battle rifle. It was accepted into service with the ''Bu ...
. The short-stroke piston may be more reliable than the original
direct impingement
Direct impingement is a type of gas operation for a firearm that directs gas from a fired cartridge indirectly (through the barrel, through a gas block, and then through a gas tube) into the bolt carrier or slide assembly to cycle the action. F ...
operation of the
AR-15
An AR-15-style rifle is any lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design. The original ArmaLite AR-15 is a scaled-down derivative of Eugene Stoner's ArmaLite AR-10 design. The then Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation ...
design 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.
The early HK417 prototype used 20-round magazines from the
Heckler & Koch G3
The Heckler & Koch G3 (''Gewehr'' 3) is a 7.62×51mm NATO, select-fire battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch (H&K) in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CET ...
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's transparent magazine, except without the pins for
holding more than one magazine together.
Use
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
A designated marksman (DM), squad advanced marksman (AD) or squad designated marksman (SDM) is a military marksman role in an infantry squad. The term ''sniper'' was used in Soviet doctrine although the soldiers using the Dragunov SVD were the ...
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.
Variants
Military and law enforcement
The HK417 models chambered for 7.62×51mm NATO available to the military and law enforcement market are:
* HK417 12″ 'Assaulter': carbine with standard barrel
* HK417 16″ 'Recce': "Recon" rifle with standard or accurized barrel
* HK417 20″ 'Sniper': "full size" rifle with accurized barrel
Improved model
The HK417A2 is an 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.
The
German Army uses the HK417 A2 - 13″ with the designation G27.
As of 2013, the HK417A2 models chambered for 7.62×51mm NATO available to the military and law enforcement market are:
* HK417A2 - 13″: carbine with barrel
* HK417A2 - 16.5″: rifle with barrel
* HK417A2 - 20″: "full size" rifle with barrel
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 twist rate of 1 turn in . They are designed to function reliably with bullet weights ranging from and are threaded for a
flash hider
A flash suppressor, also known as a flash guard, flash eliminator, flash hider, or flash cone, is a muzzle device attached to the muzzle of a rifle that reduces its visible signature while firing by cooling or dispersing the burning gases that ...
or sound
suppressor
A silencer, also known as a sound suppressor, suppressor, or sound moderator, is a muzzle device that reduces the acoustic intensity of the muzzle report (sound of a gunshot) and muzzle rise when a gun (firearm or air gun) is discharged, b ...
. Optional accurized barrels with a different chrome treatment can provide up to 0.3
mil (1
moa
Moa are extinct giant flightless birds native to New Zealand.
The term has also come to be used for chicken in many Polynesian cultures and is found in the names of many chicken recipes, such as
Kale moa and Moa Samoa.
Moa or MOA may also refe ...
) accuracy (with
match grade
Match grade frequently refers to quality firearm parts and ammunition that are suitable for a competitive match. Sometimes it also refers to other devices and parts that are made with high precision in mind.
Description
In firearms, the term is ...
ammunition).
G28
![20131223 G28 Afghanistan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/20131223_G28_Afghanistan.jpg)
After using the HK417 as a stopgap
designated marksman rifle
A designated marksman rifle (DMR) is a modern scoped high-precision rifle used by infantrymen in the designated marksman (DM) role. It generally fills the engagement range gap between a service rifle and a dedicated sniper rifle, at aroun ...
under the G27 designation, the civilian MR308 was used to develop the G28, a designated marksman rifle for the German
Bundeswehr
The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...
(''Federal Army'') deployment to the
War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to:
*Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC)
* Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709)
*Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see al ...
. The semi-automatic G28 is chambered for 7.62×51mm NATO and has a factory warrantied accuracy of 45 mm dispersion at 100 meters (0.45 mil or 1.5 moa) when fired with 10 rounds using OTM/HPBT/Sierra Match King ammunition. The G28 features STANAG 4694
NATO Accessory Rail
The NATO Accessory Rail (NAR), defined by NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 4694, is a rail interface system standard for mounting accessory equipments such as telescopic sights, tactical lights, laser aiming modules, night vision devi ...
s that are backwards-compatible with the STANAG 2324/MIL-STD-1913
Picatinny rail
The Picatinny rail ( or ), or Pic rail for short, also known as a MIL-STD-1913 rail, 1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail (cancelled), is a military standard rail interface system that provides a mounting platform for firearm accessories. It was ...
s. The upper receiver is made from
steel instead of HK's
aluminium alloy
An aluminium alloy (or aluminum alloy; see spelling differences) is an alloy in which aluminium (Al) is the predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon, tin, nickel and zinc. There are two principa ...
. Approximately 75% of the parts are interchangeable with the HK417. There are two different versions of the G28: G28 E2 (Standard) with a
Schmidt & Bender
Schmidt & Bender (often abbreviated as S&B) is a German company specialized in producing high end telescopic sights for hunting, sports, law enforcement and military arms.
The company was founded in 1957 by instrument maker Helmut Schmidt and mast ...
3–20×50 PM II (modified to
Bundeswehr
The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...
requirements) and the G28 E3 (Patrol) with Schmidt & Bender 1–8×24 PM II. By October 2017, Heckler & Koch had renamed the G28 as the HK241, though G28 remains its Bundeswehr designation.
M110A1
The M110A1 CSASS is the Army's type designation for the
Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System.
In April 2016, Heckler & Koch confirmed that a lighter version of the G28 had won the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
's CSASS contract to replace the
M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System
The M110 Semi Automatic Sniper System (M110 SASS) is an American semi-automatic precision rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO round. It is manufactured by Knight's Armament Company, developed from the Knight's Armament Company SR- ...
.
The M110A1 uses an aluminum upper receiver instead of steel to meet weight requirements, weighing unloaded and reaching some loaded and with accessories; the M110A1 features a Geissele
M-LOK rail handguard,
Schmidt & Bender
Schmidt & Bender (often abbreviated as S&B) is a German company specialized in producing high end telescopic sights for hunting, sports, law enforcement and military arms.
The company was founded in 1957 by instrument maker Helmut Schmidt and mast ...
3–20×50 PM II Ultra Short
telescopic sight
A telescopic sight, commonly called a scope informally, is an optical sighting device based on a refracting telescope. It is equipped with some form of a referencing pattern – known as a '' reticle'' – mounted in a focally appropriate ...
, Geissele optic mount, OSS SRM6 suppressor, 6-9 Harris bipod and mount, and a collapsible stock with adjustable comb.
In May 2018, the
U.S. Marine Corps will begin receiving the CSASS, also to replace the M110.
There has been some small-scale testing of the CSASS since then but no news of widespread fielding or adoption.
However, the Army has shown small scale testing and use of the M110A2, an upgraded version of Knight's Armament Company's M110 SASS.
The Navy and Marine Corps have also designated funding for a M110 SASS Product Improvement Program (PIP).
The M110A1 SDMR is a Squad
Designated Marksman Rifle
A designated marksman rifle (DMR) is a modern scoped high-precision rifle used by infantrymen in the designated marksman (DM) role. It generally fills the engagement range gap between a service rifle and a dedicated sniper rifle, at aroun ...
(SDMR) being issued to US Army infantry squads to replace the
M14 EBR.
In March 2018, the Army announced that a version of the G28E-110 would be issued to infantry squads as the service's standard SDMR. While undergoing evaluation by PEO Soldier, it was designated as M110E1.
Issuing a 7.62×51mm NATO SDMR is meant to increase individual squads' ability to engage distant threats and defeat enemy body armor that standard 5.56×45mm NATO rounds cannot penetrate. The M14 EBR was previously issued for this role, but because it was based on an operational needs statement they had to be turned in by units at the end of a combat deployment.
Unlike the sniper configuration, the SDMR model will be equipped with a different buttstock and barrel twist than the CSASS model. The SDMR model will also fire M80A1 Enhanced Performance Rounds or XM1158 Advanced Armor Piercing Rounds rather than sniper rounds.
The marksman version is fitted with a simpler SIG TANGO6 1-6×24 telescopic sight to make quick adjustments between and features a red horseshoe dot for fast aiming and an illuminated Extended Range Bullet Drop Compensation (BDC) illuminated front focal plane reticle.
It will also be fielded with a suppressor to lessen its sound signature. Roughly 6,000 are planned to be fielded with one per
squad in infantry, engineer and scout formations.
Early testing began with several U.S. Army combat units receiving the first M110A1 SDMRs in fall 2018.
Fielding to all close combat squads is expected to be completed in late 2023.
Civilian
The MR308 is a civilian variant of the HK417, introduced in 2007 alongside the MR223, a civilian HK416. It is a
semi-automatic rifle
A semi-automatic rifle is an autoloading rifle that fires a single cartridge with each pull of the trigger, and uses part of the fired cartridge's energy to eject the case and load another cartridge into the chamber. For comparison, a bolt-a ...
with several "sporterized" features. At the 2009
SHOT Show, the two rifles were introduced to the American civilian market as the MR762 and MR556, respectively. Since then, both were replaced by the improved MR762A1 and MR556A1.
Users
Conflicts
2000s
*
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
The War in Afghanistan was an armed conflict that began when an international military coalition led by the United States launched an invasion of Afghanistan, toppling the Taliban-ruled Islamic Emirate and establishing the internationally r ...
2010s
*
Militias-Comando Vermelho conflict (2010–present)
Gallery
File:HK 417 080810 44.jpg, A Croatian Army
The Croatian Army ( hr, Hrvatska kopnena vojska or HKoV) is the largest and most significant component of the Croatian Armed Forces (CAF).
Role and deployment
The fundamental role and purpose of the Croatian Army is to protect vital national i ...
HK417 12″ 'Assaulter' model on display.
File:ARMS & Hunting 2012 exhibition (473-31).jpg, From top to bottom: a .338 Lapua Magnum
The .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6×70 mm or 8.58×70 mm) is a rimless, bottlenecked, centerfire rifle cartridge. It was developed during the 1980s as a high-powered, long-range cartridge for military snipers. It was used in the War in Afghanistan and ...
Sako TRG-42
The Sako TRG is a bolt-action sniper rifle line designed and manufactured by Finnish firearms manufacturer SAKO of Riihimäki. The TRG-21 and TRG-22 are designed to fire standard .308 Winchester ( 7.62×51mm NATO) sized cartridges, while the TRG ...
, .308 Winchester
The .308 Winchester is a smokeless powder rimless bottlenecked rifle cartridge widely used for hunting, target shooting, police, military, and personal protection applications globally. It is similar but not identical to the 7.62×51mm NATO ...
MR308, .223 Remington
The .223 Remington (designated as the 223 Remington by the SAAMI and 223 Rem by the CIP) is a rimless, bottlenecked rifle cartridge. It was developed in 1957 by Remington Arms and Fairchild Industries for the U.S. Continental Army Command ...
Schmeisser GmbH AR15 M5 and a 9 mm AR-15
An AR-15-style rifle is any lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design. The original ArmaLite AR-15 is a scaled-down derivative of Eugene Stoner's ArmaLite AR-10 design. The then Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation ...
on display at the 2012 ARMS & Hunting exhibition.
File:Heckler&Koch HK MR308 linke Seite.jpg, An MR308
File:Australian Army Pvt. Brent Rothwell patrols in Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan province, Afghanistan, July 26, 2013 130726-Z-FS372-355.jpg, Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (CA), wh ...
Pvt. Brent Rothwell patrols in Tarin Kowt with an HK417, Uruzgan
Uruzgan ( Dari), also spelled as Urozgan or Oruzgan, is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Uruzgan is located in the center of the country. The population is 436,079, and the province is mostly a tribal society. Tarinkot serves as ...
province, Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
, July 26, 2013.
File:D150310ge2124.jpg, HK417 16″ 'Recce' paired with Schmidt & Bender 3–12×50 PM II used by a Netherlands Maritime Special Operations Forces (NLMARSOF) sniper.
File:ARW 30th Anniversary - 4478683088.jpg, Irish Army Ranger Wing
, image =
, caption = Shoulder flash and insignia of the Army Ranger Wing
, dates = – present
, country =
, branch =
, command_structure = Defence Forces
, garrison = DFTC, Curragh Camp, County Kildare
, size = Classified
, typ ...
airborne sniper team on a helicopter during the 30th anniversary of the ARW.
File:Skarpskytter.jpg, A sniper from the Norwegian Home Guard
The Norwegian Home Guard ( no, Heimevernet – "HV") is the rapid mobilisation force within the Norwegian armed forces. Its main focus is local defense and civil support, but it can also detach volunteers for international operations. Its main ta ...
's task force "Bjørn West" armed with an HK417 designated marksman rifle
A designated marksman rifle (DMR) is a modern scoped high-precision rifle used by infantrymen in the designated marksman (DM) role. It generally fills the engagement range gap between a service rifle and a dedicated sniper rifle, at aroun ...
.
File:59th Merdeka Day, Picture 7.jpg, Royal Malaysian Navy PASKAL
The Pasukan Khas Laut (''Naval Special Warfare Forces,'' Jawi: ), commonly abbreviated to PASKAL, is the principal special operations force of the Royal Malaysian Navy.
PASKAL's task is to conduct small-unit maritime military operations that ...
operators on standby during the 59th National Day Parade of Malaysia at Merdeka Square, Kuala Lumpur
, anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera''
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia
, pushpin_map_caption =
, coordinates =
, sub ...
. One is armed with a 7.62mm HK417 Sniper Rifle (left), with a 8X scope attached, mounted backwards.
See also
*
List of battle rifles
Battle rifles are full-powered rifles, full-length, fully automatic or semi-automatic rifles that have been adopted by a nation's military. The difference between a battle rifle and a designated marksman rifle is often only one of terminology wit ...
*
Heckler & Koch G3
The Heckler & Koch G3 (''Gewehr'' 3) is a 7.62×51mm NATO, select-fire battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch (H&K) in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CET ...
*
Heckler & Koch HK416
The Heckler & Koch HK416 is a gas-operated assault rifle chambered for the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge. It is designed and manufactured by the German company Heckler & Koch.
Although the design is based on the AR-15 class of firearm (specifical ...
*
Barrett MRAD
The Barrett MRAD (Multi-role Adaptive Design) is a bolt-action sniper rifle designed by Barrett to meet the requirements of the SOCOM PSR. The MRAD is based on the Barrett 98B and includes a number of modifications and improvements. The Barre ...
References
External links
Heckler & Koch page*
ttp://photos.imageevent.com/smglee/cltactical/HK%20Military%20LE%20Catalog.pdf 2008 Heckler & Koch Military and LE brochure
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heckler and Koch Hk417
7.62×51mm NATO rifles
Battle rifles
Sniper rifles of Germany
Short stroke piston firearms
417
Post–Cold War weapons of Germany
Police weapons
Designated marksman rifles
ArmaLite AR-10 derivatives
Weapons and ammunition introduced in 2006