Milkor MGL
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| MGL | |
|---|---|
 A Marine tests the new M32 MGL (MGL-140) in Iraq. |
|
| Type | Grenade launcher |
| Place of origin | South Africa |
| Service history | |
| Used by | South Africa, Malaysian Armed Forces, U.S. Marine Corps, Colombian Army |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Project Team from Armscor — the design has been in the public domain since 1998 |
| Designed | 1981 |
| Produced | 1983—present |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 5.9 kg (13 lb) empty |
| Length | 812 mm (32 in), stock extended
711 mm (28 in), stock collapsed |
| Barrel length | 310 mm (12 in) |
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|
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| Cartridge | 40 mm grenade |
| Action | Double action |
| Rate of fire | 2 rounds/sec (semi-auto)
18 rounds/min (sustained) |
| Effective range | 375 m (400 yd) |
| Feed system | 6 rounds, non-removable cylinder |
The MGL is a grenade launcher manufactured in South Africa.
It is a semi-automatic multiple-shot weapon, intended to significantly increase a small squad's firepower when compared to traditional single-shot grenade launchers like the M203. The MGL is designed to be simple, rugged and reliable. After its introduction in 1983, the MGL was gradually adopted by over 30 countries; it has since proven its effectiveness in harsh environments ranging from jungles to deserts.
In the last decade, several upgrades were made to the original design.
[edit] MGL
The original MGL was designed in 1981. It began production in 1983 for the South African Defense Force, under the designation Y2. It features a rotating revolver-style cylinder magazine with six chambers, capable of accepting most 40 mm grenades. The cylinder is spring-loaded and rotates automatically while firing, but it must be wound back up after every reload. The rear of the cylinder (including the pistol grip) is unlatched and pivoted counter-clockwise to expose the chambers during reload. Each new round is loaded manually, one by one, because the cylinder cannot be removed like a magazine.
The weapon features a folding metal stock and an adjustable, IR-capable Trijicon Armson Occluded Eye Gunsight (red dot sight) that allows precision fire at ranges up to 375 m. The position of the front vertical grip is adjustable for comfort. The weapon also has a fire selector safety switch just above the rear pistol grip.
[edit] MGL Mk-1
The Mk-1 is a modified version of the original design. It began production in 1996.
Two "product improved" variants were introduced in 2004 by Milkor Marketing (Pty) Ltd. The first is the Mk-1S, which replaces the aluminum construction of the Mk-1 with a stronger stainless steel body, and adds several Picatinny rails — four around the barrel, and one more on top of the main frame. The folding Mk-1S stock is also adjustable for length of pull.
The second variant is the Mk-1L, which features a new sliding butt-stock and a 140 mm long cylinder. Certain special-purpose grenades such as tear gas canisters and less-lethal impact rounds are too long to fit in older models of the MGL, but they will fit in the Mk-1L's extended chambers. As a result, the weapon can fire a wider range of ordnance, and is more suitable for use in peacekeeping and riot control operations. The Mk-1L also incorporates all the improvements found in the Mk-1S.
[edit] MGL-140
The MGL-140 was introduced in 2005 by Milkor USA. It features a Crane-style Vltor Modstock, a "Sopmod Tan" finish, and a weighted two-stage trigger. It has a 140 mm long chamber designed to accept new Hellhound "hyper-lethal" wide blast radius ammunition manufactured by Martin Electronics Inc (MEI). The MGL/Hellhound combo is being touted as a significant improvement over traditional grenade launcher systems.
[edit] M-32 MGL
In late October 2005, the United States Marine Corps awarded Milkor USA a contract to produce 9000 MGL-140 launchers, featuring unspecified modifications made at the USMC's request. The order was manufactured in the United States. The new versions, designated M32 Multiple Grenade Launcher, were deployed to Iraq in March 2006 for testing with all Marine battalions.
[edit] See also
- List of individual weapons of U.S. Armed Forces
- M79 Grenade launcher
- China Lake NATIC (EX-41)
- M203
- XM320
- MK19
- SAG-30
- MEI HELLHOUND round
