The 82nd Airborne recently took delivery of the first production batch of the new M320 grenade launcher developed by PEO Soldier.
Made by H&K, the M320 replaces the M203 which has been in service across the U.S. military since the 1960s. The coolest thing about the M320 is that it can be operated as a stand-alone 40mm grenade slinger as well as a component of the M4 and M16 rifle. I remember seeing a couple grunts (Marines) and some Joes in Iraq with old-school M79s slung over their shoulders. I never had the opportunity to ask where they got them, but it was clear that having the extra bit of Bang Bang as a separate system was easier to manage than the bulky M203 slung under an M16 barrel.
According to a PEO Soldier release, the M320 has a side-opening breach that can take 40mm projectiles that are a bit longer and pack more of a punch than the current M203 can. it has Picatinny rails that can accept optics and Laser/IR pointers, a collapsible stock and a “double action” trigger.
I’m still searching for some video of the M320 in action — last year when I went out to Aberdeen to test out some of the Army’s new armaments, I did get a chance to shoot it. The simple operation and updated ergonomics are a necessary update to an unglamorous weapon that can add a heck of a punch to a ground pounder where weight and mobility are key. And the siting system is pretty sweet as well, making the usual dead-reckoning lob technique a thing of the past.
The best part of the system, however, is the integrated electronic sighting system that comes with it. Developed by Insight Technology, the optic uses an iron sight reticule that’s precision balanced. A soldier uses a hand-held range finder to determine the distance to a target, dials in the yardage in five-yard intervals on the XM320 sight and a handy green/red light and digital bar tells the shooter whether he’s on target and shooting level. I hit the target at 150 yards on my first shot. The rifle-mounted laser illuminator can be used at night with the system to find a target even in darkness, making the new grenade launcher far more effective in all conditions, said Maj. Larry Dring, assistant product manager for individual weapons with PEO Soldier.
It’s also interesting to note that although H&K got sidelined from the XM8 controversy, the components designed alongside that platform are finding their way into the hands of warfighters anyway — the ultimate “spiraling out” as it were.
The Army plans to field nearly 72,000 M320s into the force over the next few years.
– Christian
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
This thing is a piece of junk compared to the universal mounting R/M Equipment launcher. Ck it out at: http://www.40mm.com
Piece of junk huh? It is used by more than 13 countries (just since 2000) to include Spain, Norway, UK, Germany and select US SOF units. If the 1967 era R/M M203 copy is so good then why did the HK candidate win the XM320 competition? Maybe you work for R/M?
It is in fact an excellent, combat proven launcher that will serve the US war fighter well either “underslug” on the M4 or M16 or in stand-alone mode w/ or w/o the stock attached. An update version of the DayNight sight is also in the works that includes the laser range finder in an even smaller package. Medim velocity (800 m MER) ammo is also under development for the M320.
The article has a typo – it is 72,000, not 7200.
Piece of junk my ass. Idiot. Bet you never even handled one.
I wonder if this thing will be made compatible with the 20mm airbursting munition so our troops can add even more precision to their strikes.
yeah i know the germans use but theyre not exactly in close combat while in the nco german nco club swilling down beer in khandar.it seems like a lot of work from the story stand still,then lase with range finder, turn dials until a green light comes on then fire grenade.from personal experience the reason a lot of 203 guys miss is the lack of live fire training time in the states.going to a range 1-2 times a year dosent make you a proficient shot with anything.ive seen grenadiers w/203′s nail targets almost to the outer limits of the grenade with accuracy because they were able to take time get good with it. i would hate to see joes getting hit while doing algebra to fire one grenade.
Thanks for the head’s up Bud…guess I still needed that second shot of Joe before hitting “publish”…
This is awesome! I wish we had been issued these in Iraq. I had an M203, and while I was quite proficient with the quadrant sights, we got rid of those when we were issued our ACOGs. So then we went to leaf sights. I got mine sighted in “fairly” well (I’d say about a 50% first shot hit rate to 250yds)… and RIGHT before deployment they made us turn in our leaf sights and get issued the PSQ-18A. This is also known as the worst POS sight ever. It’s the most bulky piece of plastic I’ve ever seen, adds a pound to a weapon that’s already approaching the empty weight of an M249, and it breaks. Mine broke the first week in country. So then I had NO sight to use with my M203. The one time I had to fire it I just guessed. On a side note the PSQ-18 was supposed to be able to be used at night to achieve good accuracy… well on mine the night range did not illuminate, so I would have had to use a flashlight to fire the thing. Total Fail. Good job on the army for replacing an obsolete system with something really well thought out. And yes, my battalion also “found” some M79′s as well as some new 6shot M32s and we carried those to great effect.
Nice comment based on experience, Steve M.
It makes me a bit concerned though. Are there any other effects or costs associated with quadrant sights, leaf sights or the PSQ-18A. One would think that the army tested the sights in a realistic manner, to find out wich of them would work out best in real combat situations. Getting assigned 3 different sights in a short time frame seems strange. And when you got a good sight, is it not obvious that you need to train with it, before you go into combat?
The 20 mm airburst munition for infantry is dead along with the OICW that was going to shoot it. There’s a 25 mm airburst munition that will be used by the XM25 currently under development. There’s an airburst 40 X 53 mm grenade under development as ammo for an alternative to the XM307. The M79, M203 & M320 shoot 40 X 46 mm ammo.
The six-shot M32 seems like a better solution.
I carried the M79, with C-CO 2/501 101st Airborne Geronimo’s 1969, in the DMZ. It was a valued weapon, and I didn’t need night vision, in a combat night assualt. I used that weapon in cornering a platoon in the open, to there bunker & instrumental in wiping it out & using flares as well all night, by having spooky on station over cloud cover. Are flares available in the battlefield areas of Iraq & Afganistan, I see that as need in those hills & mountains ? What about buck shot, for close encounters? It looks like a valued weapon, but I would still take the M-79, on a sling, for backup, there’s no breaking parts, Geronimo!