Possibly the coolest small arm used by the United States in the Vietnam War was the China Lake 40mm pump action grenade launcher. Only 24 of these were made, each fitted by hand. Of those, 2 went to MACVSOG, 2 to Army Force Recon, and the remaining 20 the the Navy SEALS. They were used as an ambush initiation weapon, with 4 rounds of rapid-fire 40mm HE grenades available.
Only five original examples survive today; four in US museums and military institutions and one in a museum in Saigon. An effort was made in 2004 to build reproductions, it is one of those used in this video. This project was not ultimately successful, but did lead to a very interesting series of events with the Airtronic company and the US Marine Corps, which will be detailed in a following video. Special thanks to Dutch Hillenburg and Kevin Dockery for making this video possible!
Ian, Force recon is a Marine, not an Army unit; MACVSOG was a joint command.
In the video, he states Marine Force Recon. Despite typo, pretty sure he knows the difference.
Mark II – Steel locking thingie replaces aluminum one
Mark III – Synthetic furniture replaces wood (imagine the way VN heat and humidity warped wood)
This indeed is a cool design with greatly augmented fire-power. It is straight forward and logical in the format it is in.
As I recall, it had a continuation in form of more powerful version while the shot they used was “reduced power” version of 40x53mm high velocity shot. It proved to be a ‘bear’ and development was stopped. Even firing the low velocity grenade is a considerable burden for bearer/ shooter.
“(…)continuation in form of more powerful version while the shot they used was “reduced power” version of 40x53mm high velocity shot. ”
This does sound like EX-41 Shoulder Fire Grenade Launcher
https://guns.fandom.com/wiki/EX-41_grenade_launcher
which was firing grenade which was a hybrid between low- and high-velocity grenades;
One person said firing it was like being punched in the face
Is this weapon you described?
Being lazy to search in my paper files… but yes, I believe that’s the one. Designed by Knight Armaments, build in Naval Ordnance Station in Kentucky.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Ordnance_Station_Louisville
In the same way that the Japanese “knee mortar” was used.
The use of the M203 (which denotes the whole rifle + launcher weapon) allows the grenadier to also have a rifle, but can result in carrying LOTS of ammo, and often results in M203 equipped troops limiting the load of one of the two types of ammo. Issuing a pistol to a grenadier using the pump action launcher might offer a better choice when fighting in close (urban/jungle) environments.
Please upload this video to some other platform, such as your Utreon channel.
I’ve seen the one in the museum in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon, though many natives still call it that). That was around 2006 and I remember thinking “do video game companies know abou this?!”
“(…)around 2006 and I remember thinking “do video game companies know abou this?!””
Back then – I do not know, but this weapon appears in Fallout: New Vegas (released 2010) as Grenade Launcher https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Grenade_launcher_(Fallout:_New_Vegas)
I remember it from this game( I already knew about it from some books about SEALs in Vietnam)
http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Call_of_Duty:_Black_Ops
Also Payday 2 https://payday.fandom.com/wiki/China_Puff_40mm
Okay, fellers. When I proposed a 4-barrel 40 mm pepperbox design in a comment on Ian’s recent M79 vid, I was lectured on the weight and, especially, the +complexity+ of my idea. (I suggested SA/DA lockwork, but DA-only would probably be better, allowing a 100% enclosed action, no need for a safety, and less of that damn +complexity.+) Full reloads would be quicker than the tube mag we see here. Overall length would be less, esp. w/ a folding stock.* Speed would be greater: 4 trigger pulls.
I was also chid about loading the grenadier down with too much ammo. SEALS and Marines don’t get chid, of course.
Not that this pump gun 40 mm is not a cool design. If somebody put a foot or hand outside the box and designed it for a box mag, it might actually persuade me to shut up about my pepperbox.
* OW! My cheekbone! Okay, file that idea for another time.
Well, the pepper box grenade launcher might work in a niche role. The user would just have to be a dedicated grenadier. Would a static barrel cluster with one striker per barrel work okay?
“(…)pepper box grenade launcher(…)”
If you need such weapon then get РГС-33
http://weaponland.ru/load/granatomet_rgs_33/61-1-0-255
That was four full barrels and a breech face or block for all 4 IN ADDITION to all the rest. This is adding ONE lighter weight tube, a pump sleeve, and an elevator. If you had suggested a pump shotgun style launcher, I would have said what a neat idea!
As is your box mag suggestion.
“(…)40 mm(…)box mag(…)”
If Polish 40 mm grenade (for Pallad launcher) is acceptable to you, then answer is Pallad M
https://guns.fandom.com/wiki/Pallad_M
photo for scale: https://www.reddit.com/r/GunPorn/comments/46k8vq/absolute_beast_polish_palladm_grenade_launcher/
empty mass is 8,7 kg, battle ready 10,5 kg, magazine capacity is 7, it is selective-fire weapon, length 880 mm, width 95 mm, height 405 mm, Rate-of-Fire 120 rpm
data from: http://zonwar.ru/granatomet/ru4nie/Pallad-M_GA-1000.html
Friends,
After use:
Ouch!
My cheekbone is bruised.
My vision is blurred.
To the doctor:
Detached retina!
Nothing hit my eye.
How did that happen?
Q
I’m not sure how true this is.
But I met a mention that the device was not developed as a grenade launcher but as an RIOT control tool.
But the seals (who were allowed to try everything new) liked him as a grenade launcher.
I think I remember hearing that Airtronic tried shopping the idea of a 37mm version around to law enforcement, though I don’t think they ever actually made any.
Maybe that’s what you’re thinking of?
Nothing ours about the 37mm version.
But the batons are mentioned.
http://www.defensereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/Airtronic_China_Lake_40mm_Pump_Action_Grenade_Launcher_Spec_Sheet.pdf
http://www.defensereview.com/airtonic-usa-china-lake-pump-action-40mm-grenade-launcher-system-for-special-operations/
Have a link?
Probably the opposite. The police were also offered.
I think they are not the only ones who tried to find a use for the leftovers from the SPIW program.
https://www.smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=2449
Ian,
I have seen a 4 shot box magazine for 40mm, which gun does it fit ?
I believe there was an experimental magazine fed version – Leeds has several different variations.
This could work like a fine upgrade in Resident Evil style game.