AGS-40 Balkan. The Saga of the Firing Stool

The national grenade launcher complex AGS-40 "Balkan" (or 6G27 according to the GRAU index) has been manufactured in Russia since 2008. It is designed as a descendant weapon based on domestic development - the automatic grenade launcher "Kozlik". This type of weapon is designed to annihilate enemy forces, infantry accumulations and damage to telecommunications lines. About him and will be discussed in this article.

Design Features

When AGS-40 "Balkan" is mentioned, as well as the fact that this weapon is a grenade launcher, a person who is ignorant immediately comes to mind with a weapon that looks like either the well-known RPG-7 or the RPG-26 tube-shaped one.

Unlike the mentioned models, the automatic grenade launcher AGS-40 "Balkan" has in its design the supports to which it is attached. Because of the peculiarity of conducting fire (almost a burst), the grenade launcher constantly jerks. Therefore, between the back support frames there is an armchair so that the shooter with his weight presses the weapon to the ground during the shooting. The caliber of the projectile is 40 mm.

Automatic grenade launcher AGS-40 "Balkan" and its characteristics

Unlike the automatic grenade launcher AGS-17 "Flame", which fires shells of the 30th caliber, now in service, this grenade launcher shows much more effective results of shooting. Rate of fire AGS-40 "Balkan" has a very impressive figure - 400 rounds per minute. That is, in a minute this gun is capable of releasing 400 deadly shells, each of which behaves like an exploding grenade.

The grenade launcher store includes 20 garnet ribbons for 7P39. These are fireless shells, the technology of their use is similar to the projectiles for the VOG-25 grenade launcher . That is, the chamber of the projectile flies out of the trunk together with the grenade itself, is an integral part of that.

The weight of the weapon on the machine is 32 kg. The length of the barrel is 400 mm, the firing distance is 2500 meters. This is the AGS-40 Balkan.

Grenade Launcher

Russia has long been famous for the development of weapons. Complex "Balkan" was developed in the early nineties. The main elements were successfully constructed and tested in action, but due to the difficult economic situation in the country the development was not adopted, the idea of serial production was postponed. Or maybe they just decided to leave for such a significant "trump card in the sleeve". After all, at that time, "Kozlik" fully justified himself.

This combat "animal" has a 40-millimeter caliber and 16 kilograms of weight. Due to its small weight, it is easy to carry, but when shooting, the complex needs additional weighting. The shooter actually has to squeeze the weapon to the ground with the whole mass of the body.

When comparing with it the AGS-40 "Balkan" immediately strikes a weight of 32 kg. With the weighting of the issues, the more so that the seat for the shooter is provided, so that it is more convenient to press the shooting monster to the ground. But with transportation there will be some difficulties. On the other hand, when carried to the back, the seat plate is attached, and not the corners of the machine supports.

Additional accessories

In addition to the machine, which is attached to the grenade launcher, it is possible to install additional devices, for example, an optical sight, which makes it possible to correct the shooting.

Feeding shells is possible both with tape and by installing a box magazine.

And also it should be mentioned that domestic designers have improved the principle of fireless shooting by increasing the mass of explosives in the shells of the Balkan from 40 grams to 90, according to Oleg Chizhevsky, the director of Pribor, which produces the Balkans together with Izhmash.

Comparison with AGS-17 "Flame"

Taken to the armament of the USSR army in the early 70's. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the republics that were part of it joined the arsenal. It was used in many local military conflicts. In particular, in Afghanistan.

Experienced military often conducted a "run-in" recruits by firing blank shells of shelters, so that soldiers are accustomed to the combat situation.

The grenade launcher has a machine that allows you to adjust the angle of fire and hit the enemy in closed and hard-to-reach positions: on the back of the hill, in trenches, fortified ditches, etc.

In Afghanistan, the practice of welding AGS-17 to tanks and armored personnel carriers became widespread. Thanks to such "grenade launchers" it was convenient to etch the Mujahideen out of shelters.

The kit included "smart projectiles", equipped with a rangefinder, fuse and liquidator. That is, the calculation did not have to be afraid of a fragment from its own projectile - if it fell less than twenty meters, there will not be an explosion. On the other hand, a grenade that has flown more than a kilometer will explode automatically.

The grenade launcher was convenient, quickly shot in battle, but during transportation both soldiers from the calculation of this grenade launcher were involved in order to drag it from place to place. When firing, one participant shoots, another fires cartridges and holds the tape.

Thanks to the improved design of the AGS-40 Balkan, the tape no longer sticks. If necessary, a box is used. And with transportation one person can easily cope.

Conclusion

In the end I would like to say that the very idea of creating the first grenade launcher in the world appeared when a person decided to expand the capabilities of a grenadier - a soldier throwing a grenade.

The first automatic grenade launcher allowed to throw grenades not only further than a man, but also bursts. Gradually, there was also a struggle against difficulties in the operation of such a structure. Technical thought and scientific progress do not stand still.