AKMS and AK74M equipped with GP-25 grenade launchers.
The 40-mm GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher is an issue weapon of the
Russian Army. It is also used by Special Forces including SPETSNAZ of the
Federal Security Service (former KGB) and Ministry of Justice, OMON and
Groups of Rapid Deployment of the Ministry of Interior. In the military
slang, GR-25 is sometimes referred to as "small artillery" indicating its
firepower and effectiveness.
GP-25, with barrel removed. One can see the pin of extractor and elements of
trigger mechanism. Safety is located above the extractor. Knob in vertical
position brings firing mechanism into safety. Knob in horizontal position is
"Fire". For greater firing comfort, the launcher has a grip.
The underbarrel launcher is designed to destroy exposed targets, the targets
located behind light barricades, trenches or on reverse sides of slopes of
hills at ranges from 50 to 400 meters. According to SPETSNAZ, GP-25 is
indispensable also in a variety of operations like "Dynamic Entry" or
"Territory Clearing". Supposing, a team has a mission of entering and
clearing the premises occupied by a group of terrorists. Numerous situations
like that revealed that the enemy may substantially fortify the premises and
is ready to counter attack at any time. The SPETSNAZ group is like to have
problems with entering without preliminary "fire preparations". In a word,
before approaching the house and kicking the door out the team leader should
be aware of the enemy is ready to meet his men with intensive suppressive
gunfire. To prevent such unwanted blunders, the group should use a grenade
launcher by firing through the windows, doors and other openings attempting
to cover as much room inside as possible. By doing so, the group strongly
discourages the enemy. It is exactly the moment when the team may approach
the house. Now it is time to make use of hand grenades by throwing them
inside the premises with greater precision paying special attention to
enemy's strongholds, cavities and niches where Bad Guys may be looking for
additional shelter. Stunned with blasts and suffering casualties from
grenades, the enemy offers a lower level of resistance.
The grenade launcher assembled and ready for deployment: barrel and mount
are attached to the main frame with grip and trigger. On the left side of
mount one can see sighting scale: white marking are for direct fire; red
markings are for curved trajectory. The front sight is of a pin type,
adjustable for elevation. The side folding rear sight is of a "U"-notch
type, non-adjustable. To set sights to any specific range, depress the knob
located on the upper rib of sighting bracket and place an arrow against
selected range marking. Firing on a curved trajectory, place an arrow
against desired red marking. Once position of sighting pendulum coincides
with position of the arrow, the range is set.
The grenade launcher fits readily to the full-sized assault rifles AKM,
AKMS, AK74, AK74M, AK101, AK103 and AN-94. No adjustments are required.
GP-25 specifications
Caliber, mm:
40
Overall length, mm:
323
Weight, empty, kg:
1,5
Average rate of fire, rds/min
( Well trained soldier fires one grenade every 4-6 seconds)
5
Sighting range, m:
400
To fire from GP-25 two types of rounds are used: VOG-25 with fragmentation
grenade and VOG-25P with fragmentation bounding "Frog" grenade.
Specifications of VOG-25 and VOG-25P
Caliber, mm:
40
Weight, kg:
VOG-25
VOG-25P
0,250 0,270
Range of fire, m
50 - 400
Radius of entire casualty, m:
6
GP-25 is being attached to the AN-94 Nikonov assault rifle.
VOG-25P "Frog" ensures aerial burst at the height of 50 to 150 centimeters
thus enabling destruction of enemy's manpower located in trenches or behind
light barricades.
Both rounds have a self-destruct device, which sets off 14 seconds after the
round is launched.
GP-25 features a self-cocking trigger mechanism. The round is loaded through
the muzzle until it clicks in place and cocks the trigger.
The sights make it possible to fire on both direct (flat) and curved
trajectories.
As the situation may require, the unused round can be removed from the
launcher by means of a manual extracting mechanism.
A soldier attaches grenade launcher to the AKMS Kalashnikov assault rifle.
GP-25 attached to AKMS, ready for deployment.
Left is VOG-25P "Frog" round. VOG-25 is on the right. To destroy multiple
human targets, the VOG-25P bounding round suits best. VOG-25 is an effective
round against materiel: doors, barricades, vehicles, missile launching
facilities, etc.
Left: bottom section of VOG-25P: ignition cap and booster ports. Propelling
charge colored purple.
Right: bottom section of VOG-25: ignition cap and
booster ports. Propelling charge colored green.
Loading the round into the muzzle. Push the round into barrel all the way
through, until it clicks in place and cocks the trigger. The assault rifle
should be placed into "Safety" as the recoil pulse of GP-25 may heavily kick
bolt carrier and perform the cycle of reloading when it is least wanted.
To unload grenade launcher, push extractor knob and remove the round with
your free hand. Safety precaution: never allow the round drop down on hard
surface.
Sights adjusted and the round loaded, GP-25 is ready to fire. Remove safety
and depress trigger. Here goes The Bang!
SPETSNAZ soldier fires GP-25 attached to the AK74M assault rifle.
It is the way the door looks when hit with VOG-25: a hole about 25 cm of diameter and traces of numerous fragments.
Range: 100 meters. Two breast-size targets - supposedly a machine gun crew -
are seen through a window frame. By direct hit, the machine gun operator is
removed. Assistant fatally wounded with several fragments. Mission
completed.
View of fragments on the target.
The GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher can be used to destroy enemy's
vehicles, defense installations and fuel depots. By hitting the canisters
with fuel, the depot is set on fire and destroyed.
Exploding on the ground surface, VOG-25 makes a crater 10 to 15 cm deep and
50 to 60 cm of diameter.
Fragments recovered from targets.
To destroy multiple targets, one operator can use the following technique:
VOG-25P is fired on the curved trajectory first. Knowing that it takes from
10 to 12 seconds for the round to reach the target, the operator keeps
counting, loads the second round - VOG-25 - and on "nine" fires it directly
on the target. Both grenades detonate almost simultaneously. Such a
technique may mislead the enemy and make him think that two operators were
firing salvo.
