Germany's Heckler & Koch is looking into producing new versions of firearms across its catalog in Soviet-designed calibers, such as the 7.62x39 rd made famous by the AK-47 rifle. A major driving factor has been the ongoing war in Ukraine, where that country's armed forces continue to make heavy use of cold war firearms and derivatives thereof. At the same time, guns that fire Soviet ammunition types remain in widespread use around the world and the famed German gunmaker has had an on-again-off-again interest in trying to tap into those markets for decades.
German news outlet Welt published a story yesterday touching on Heckler & Koch's (H&K) future product plans as part of a broader push by the company to increase sales.
"H&K is planning to expand its product range to include assault rifles and machine guns for Kalashnikov ammunition and other calibers from the former Warsaw Pact," according to a machine translation of the German-language piece from Welt. "'There are corresponding needs, so conceptual studies have already begun,' said the [H&K] spokesman. There are development projects, but no production yet."
Welt did not name the cartridges that H&K is now considering rechambering some of its existing guns to fire. The most prolific types developed in the Soviet Union during the Cold War for rifles and machine guns were the 7.62x39mm and 5.56x39mm rounds.
Welt did note that last December H&K had unveiled the HK132E, a 7.62x39mm version of its HK433 assault rifle, the baseline version of which is chambered to fire the NATO-standard 5.56x45mm round. From what has been seen of it to date, the HK132E looks largely unchanged from its parent gun except in barrel caliber, magazine well, and magazine. The 7.62x39mm cartridge has a tapered case that requires magazines with more pronounced curvatures to feed reliably compared to ones for 5.56x45mm ammunition.
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German news outlet Welt published a story yesterday touching on Heckler & Koch's (H&K) future product plans as part of a broader push by the company to increase sales.
"H&K is planning to expand its product range to include assault rifles and machine guns for Kalashnikov ammunition and other calibers from the former Warsaw Pact," according to a machine translation of the German-language piece from Welt. "'There are corresponding needs, so conceptual studies have already begun,' said the [H&K] spokesman. There are development projects, but no production yet."
Welt did not name the cartridges that H&K is now considering rechambering some of its existing guns to fire. The most prolific types developed in the Soviet Union during the Cold War for rifles and machine guns were the 7.62x39mm and 5.56x39mm rounds.
Welt did note that last December H&K had unveiled the HK132E, a 7.62x39mm version of its HK433 assault rifle, the baseline version of which is chambered to fire the NATO-standard 5.56x45mm round. From what has been seen of it to date, the HK132E looks largely unchanged from its parent gun except in barrel caliber, magazine well, and magazine. The 7.62x39mm cartridge has a tapered case that requires magazines with more pronounced curvatures to feed reliably compared to ones for 5.56x45mm ammunition.
Heckler & Koch Eyes Adapting Its Rifles To Fire Soviet-Designed Ammo
The war in Ukraine is helping drive HK's interest in guns that fire Soviet rounds, but it could open doors to many other markets.
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