AGS-17

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The AGS-17 is a Soviet-designed automatic grenade launcher currently in production in Russia and in service worldwide.

[edit] Description

Not unlike a heavy machine gun, the AGS-17 is a heavy infantry support weapon designed to operate from a tripod or be mounted on an installation or vehicle. The automatic grenade launcher fires a steady rate of special 30 mm grenades in either direct or indirect fire modes to provide suppressive and lethal fire support against soft targets. The weapon has limited anti-armor capability.

The weapon operates using a blowback mechanic to sustain operation. Rounds are fired through a rifled barrel which is removable quickly to reduce barrel stress. Ammunition is held in a metal box feed, and is linked. Standard boxes contain 29 rounds of linked ammunition. The tripod is equipped with fine leveling gear for indirect fire trajectories.

Versions of the AGS-17 have been designed to equip vehicles and helicopters.

[edit] Ammunition

Two types of ammunition are currently commonly fired from the AGS-17. The VOG-17M is the currently available version of the original 30 mm grenade ammunition, and has a basic high explosive fragmentation warhead. The VOG-30 is similar but contain better explosive filler and an enhanced fragmentation design that greatly increases the effective blast radius.