The hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher is an individual, compact and at the same time powerful firearm for hitting a wide range of armored targets on the battlefield. What are RPGs and what are the main characteristics of weapons – read in the ICTV Facts material.
What is a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher
An RPG is a type of grenade launcher capable of hitting armored vehicles, infantry and fortifications with a grenade launcher shot.
The hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher consists of a reusable launcher, in the form of a smooth-bore telescopic tube, and a grenade inserted into the launcher.
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The launcher is designed to direct the flight of the grenade. It consists of an outer and an inner pipe.
According to the main types, grenade launchers are divided into:
- manual;
- trunks;
- muzzle;
- stemless;
- under-barreled;
- reactive;
- easel
According to the possibility of use:
- disposable;
- reusable
Hand grenade launchers have the form of separate shooting devices that fire a unitary grenade launcher cartridge. Such cartridges are made according to a two-chamber scheme, similar to a mini mortar, but with the use of a sleeve and the use of a threaded barrel.
When fired, the powder charge breaks the cap on the bottom of the sleeve and the powder gases slowly enter the main chamber, and their increasing pressure disperses the grenade. This scheme allows you to have a small recoil with a high mass of the projectile being thrown (180-500 g). However, this limits the initial range, speed and accuracy of the shot. The firing range of an RPG can reach from 100 to 700 m.
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Technical characteristics of the RPG
The Ukrainian military has a variety of grenade launchers.
Among them, you can highlight:
- RPG-18 (Mukha) is the first Soviet hand-held reactive anti-tank grenade. It is designed to combat BMPs, tanks, self-propelled artillery, as well as to destroy the enemy’s manpower.
- RPG-22 Netto is a reactive anti-tank grenade. Single-use firearms.
- RPG-29 Vampire is a modern weapon of the motorized rifle division, which is used to defeat armored and non-armored vehicles, all types of modern tanks and manpower in defense structures of various types. Despite the rather large weight and dimensions, this weapon is simple and convenient to use. Her combat staff consists of two people.
- RPG-7 is a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher of Soviet production, designed to combat tanks, self-propelled artillery and other enemy armored vehicles. It is also used to destroy enemy manpower in light shelters and urban structures.
Initially, the RPG-7 was intended to destroy tanks and other armored vehicles, which are protected by homogeneous steel armor and have no means of dynamic protection. Later, thanks to the use of improved ammunition, he got the opportunity to penetrate the anti-aircraft guns and hit the enemy’s manpower.
RPG-7’s effectiveness and affordable price have ensured its use around the world.
RPG-7 is a light dynamoreactive (no recoil when fired) weapon. It consists of:
- a barrel with optical and mechanical sights — serves to create the direction of the grenade’s flight and the discharge of powder gases during the shot;
- shock-trigger mechanism with fuse — serves to lower the trigger from the combat platoon;
- combat mechanism.
Tactical and technical characteristics (characteristics) of the RPG-7 (RPG-7D) grenade launcher:
- grenade launcher caliber — 40 mm;
- grenade caliber (in the main part) PG-7V / VM — 85-80 mm;
- the length of the RPG-7 grenade launcher is 950 mm;
- length of RPG-7D grenade launcher — 960 / 630 mm;
- weight of RPG-7 (RPG-7D) with an optical sight — 6.3 / 6.7 kg;
- the weight of the PG-7B / VM shot with a powder charge is 2.2 / 2.0 kg;
- the weight of a bag with two rounds of PG-7B / VM and ZIP — 7.1 / 6.7 kg;
- length of the cover with grenades — 700 mm;
- the initial speed of the PG-7 / PG-7VM grenade is 120 / 140 m/s;
- the maximum speed of the grenade is 300 m/s;
- aiming distance — 500 m;
- magnification of the optical sight, multiplicity – 2.7
- field of vision — 13 degrees.
The distance of a direct shot at a target 2 meters high:
The main one for the RPG-7 is the PHO-7 optical sight. It is designed to monitor the battlefield, determine the distance to the target, introduce corrections to the range and speed of the target, taking into account the ballistics of various ammunition, and guide the grenade launcher to the target taking into account the corrections.
Shooting from the grenade launcher is carried out with PG-7B and PG-7VM shots with a super-caliber anti-tank grenade of cumulative effect. The grenade has an armor-piercing property, which makes it possible to fight effectively against all types of modern tanks, self-propelled guns of the enemy. This grenade launcher provides fire at a distance of up to 500 meters.
The military, who use RPG-7 to defeat the enemy, note that in order to observe safety measures when firing this grenade launcher, the most important thing is hearing protection. It is prohibited to go behind the back of the grenade launcher when firing, because it can kill with the jet itself, which comes out of the rear nozzle.
The Ukrainian military said that before pulling the trigger, it is necessary to warn loudly about the shot. People around should know that there will be a fire now. No one should be behind the nozzle, and everyone should have time to close their ears.
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