M79 Grenade Launcher

What is the M79?

The M79 launcher single-shot, shoulder-fired break-action grenade launcher which shoots a grenade measuring 40x46mm, which makes use of is known as the US Army calls the High-Low Propulsion System to ensure that recoil forces are kept low and was first used in the Vietnam War. Due to its unique report that it is known for, it has earned it the nicknames in the eyes of American soldiers, and "Can Cannon" in reference to the size of the grenade; Australian units referred to it as the "Wombat Gun". The M79 is able to fire a range of 40mm rounds, which include explosives smoke, anti-personnel, flechette, buckshot (pointed steel projectiles sporting an elongated tail to ensure stable flight) and also lighting. Although mostly replaced by M203 it is not completely gone. The M79 remains in service in a variety of units around the world with specific roles.

The M79 was the product of US Army's Project Niblick, an attempt to boost the firepower of the infantryman with an explosive projectile that is more precise that had a longer distance than rifle grenades but much more compact than mortars. Project Niblick developed the 40x46mm weapon, but was unable to design a suitable launcher to deliver more than a single shot. The launcher used at Springfield Armory was the three-shot "harmonica" T148 (not to be confused with the more recent underbarrel XM148) It was produced in a limited capacity and field testing in Vietnam However, problems with the magazine's three rounds prevented its widespread adoption. The other model was a single-shot break-open shoulder-fired weapon, called the S-3. It was further refined into the S-5 it was akin to a large single-barrel shotgun. In a bid to resolve the issues with the launcher that had multiple shots and the T148 launcher, the Army took this version of the S-5 in the form of an XM79. With a new view and a new launcher, this XM79 was officially accepted as the M79 on the 15th of December 1960.

In 1961 the first M79 launchers for grenades were shipped by the US Army. Because of its user-friendliness the reliability, dependability, and power the M79 was a hit with American troops, and they called it "the platoon commander's artillery". A few soldiers would cut down the barrel and the stock for the purpose of making the M79 even more mobile.

From Vietnam to Iraq

The M79 were involved in combat during the Vietnam War starting in the beginning of the war in 1965, at the time that M79 Grenadiers assigned in major Army divisions were first able to fight during the war in Vietnam in 1965. These included that of the 1st Cavalry Division, the 1st Infantry Division, the 101st Airborne Division, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. They were part of the specialist 4 Grenadier unit in both fire teams with 4-5 members organic in the Army rifle squad that was led by a leader of the squad. The Marines have assigned one grenadier to their three fire team of 14 riflemen.

But its single-shot design had a disadvantage. Reloading every shot was a sign of the firing rate was slow and inability to keep an even flow of fire during a battle. This caused the Navy to create an instrument called the China Lake Grenade Launcher, made for deployed SEAL Teams. In close-in scenarios the range of arming required was the minimum (the round travels 30m in order to arm the grenade) in addition to the blast radius, that a Grenadier needed to shoot with his .45 caliber. (11.43 millimeters) pistol or fire and be hopeful that the grenade would act as a massive slow-moving bullet. Special grenades specifically designed for close-in combat were developed to counteract this for this, even though soldiers were not always able to carry one in the midst of combat. In addition, its size meant that a grenadier equipped with the M79 was not able to carry a rifle, requiring only a sidearm that could be used in a battle after expelling his grenades. However, some soldiers carried the mounted M16 rifle instead of an extra weapon.

Launchers for grenades underbarrel like those like the XM148 or the M203 that were designed to be attachments to M16 rifles. M16 gun, created at the time of the Vietnam War, allowing the grenadier to also serve as rifleman. It was not easy to make the XM148 was plagued by issues and the project was eventually abandoned. The M203 was however a great success which was standardized in. It was replacing the M79 at the close of the war. M79s were still in use for Reserve or National Guard units.
Certain US Navy SEALs and Army Special Forces in Iraq have been making use of M79 in recent years. M79 in recent times due to its superior accuracy and range in comparison against M203. M203 (350 metres effective, versus 150m effective). It is the M79 has seen limited usage in Operation Iraqi Freedom, such as to clear IEDs. The launcher of grenades also is expected to continue to be used as a tool for missions. Special warfare combatant craft crew members.

How the M79 Works

Visually it appears that the M79 launcher looks like the large bore break-action sawed-off shotgun and is easy to build with just five main components: a receiver group with a fore-end, an assembly for the barrel as well as a sight assembly and the stock. The fore-end assembly connects the barrel onto the receiver. The stock is constructed of either fiberglass or wood. A rubber pad that is attached to the buttstock helps absorb some recoil. Front sighting is fixed blade. Its rear view on M79 is a ladder-style folding leaf sight. Once folded the sight is an objective that is fixed in close proximity. A grenadier can shoot or point at the target with great precision. When the sight is unfolded the leaf sight is able to be adjusted for distances ranging from 75-375 meters in increments of 25 meters. In addition, Appendix A to the U.S. Army field manual for the M203 provides instructions for mounting the M16 rifle sights to the stock of the M79 and marking the sling to allow indirect firing at higher elevations than 40deg.

Although they aren't the manufacturers for M79, M79, Milcor and Denel Mechem from South Africa do re-manufacture M-79 launchers for grenades to contemporary standards. The leaf sight is replaced with an optical one and replace the wood stock with an upgraded R-4/R-5 stock.

The M79 is simple to operate. When loading, the grenadier pulls the locking latch of the barrel at the rear of the receiver to the left. The force of gravity will push away from the barrel releasing the action, and expose the breech. The hammer is cocked after the breech has been opened. The round can then be loaded. The break action has to be shut manually. The breech must be closed to cause the locking latch for the barrel to return to its center. The safety is then moved forward to prepare the weapon to fire.

Numerous ammunition types were developed specifically for M79 (and later to M203). M203). In addition to the illumination and smoke rounds, three types of ammunition are evident as explosive, close-range in addition to non-lethal crowd-control. The break-open mechanism of the M79 permits it to use longer rounds than the regular M203 is not able to use without difficulties.

The 40mm high explosive (high explosive) ammunitions shot from the M79 move at 75 meters/second. It was estimated that the M406 included enough explosive to explode into more than 300 fragments which travel at a speed of 1,524 meters per second in a radius five meters. The round had an activation feature that spins, which stops the grenade from firing in close proximity to the shooter. It fired after traveling between 14 and 27 meters. The round did not fire at ranges of point blank, and, in general, didn't have enough power to kill, though it occasionally penetrated the abdomen or caused huge hemorrhages.

Best Uses of the M79 in Combat

For close-range fighting Two types that fired M79 round were created. The first was a flechette , or Bee Hive round (so named due to the sound that the flechettes produced while in flight) that fired 45 10 grain steel flechettes. Flechettes were not effective as they rarely be able to penetrate point-first. Instead, they would bounce off sideways, and then hit the target off. In 1966, the round was replaced with the M576 buckshot cartridge. It contained twenty-four steel pellets (M576E1) or twenty-seven 24 gram metallic pellets (M576E2) This round can be deadly in close proximity. As the it increased in range, the pellets expanded so fast that it was uneffective. The M576E2 even with the larger amount of shot however, was less effective in the range of the M576E1 due to the fact that its shot spread more quickly and would completely fail to hit the target.

The M79 has been extensively used also to control crowds in situations where it is beneficial that a firearm be devoted only towards non-lethal force. The three most commonly used rounds that are less lethal include the M651 gas CS as well as M1006 grenade, M1006 sponge grenade, and M1029 the rounds for crowd control.

A grenade launcher M79 also called 'the Thumper is one-shot 40mm grenade launcher that dates back to the Vietnam war. Despite its time, the M79 frequently employed on the battlefield, particularly for U.S. special operations forces (SOF).

The M79 was said to have been favored by certain operators over the M203 launchers that were underslung and being used in a wide range. Because of its longer barrel and longer barrel, the M79 was believed to be more powerful and had better precision over the M203. For some, using the grenade launcher on an individual weapon was preferred than being integrated with the primary weapon. The M203 added weight and bulk to the rifle, and actually not any faster to switch from it to an M203 as it would be to change to an M79. The M79's break-open mechanism also permits more 40mm-long rounds fired in comparison to the M203.

A more current stand-alone launcher M320, a stand-alone launcher with the latest technology M320 (in the unmounted version) is now available in U.S. service but has some issues in the beginning.

The M79 is able to fire multiple rounds

- M406 High-Explosive round (H-E)
- M433 High-Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP)
- M576 Buckshot
- M670 Smoke Canopy
- M585 White Star Cluster
- M651 Tactical CS Grenade

Workhorse of the U.S. Military

DEVGRU SEAL Team 6", are recognized for using a altered version of the M79 which is commonly referred to as the "Pirate Gun.' With its sawn off butt-stock, the short barrel and the reflex sight, the weapon definitely looks like a pirate's flintlock gun.

The Springfield Armory M79 grenade launcher was the first weapon of this type. It wasn't just one of the very first weapons in this kind and, by all reports the weapon was one of the most powerful ever produced.

When World War 2 and the Korean War that was still going on at the time The US Army decided regular rifle grenades were not adequate for general fire support, with these weapons were very slow and difficult to throw. This created a large and very risky gap between the maximum range that an typical soldier was required to throw a gun and the maximum effective distance of the most compact mortars. To bridge that gap in the first place, the Army began "Project Niblick" to create a new mortar. In the year 1952 Project Niblick had determined that a spherical 40mm projectile that had explosive charges was the best choice to perform the task. The tests, however, ultimately proved that a cylindrical 40mm projectile that had an rounded nose was the best choice, as it had more ballistics and could contain a greater volume of explosives. It was also confirmed that in order to fire the 40mm explosives, they had to be fired using a single cartridge that had a low-pressure charge. A casing with a low velocity of 46 millimeters in length was designed to be used with man-portable launchers. an extended 52mm casing was created to launch ammunition from mounted weapons.

Then they had the low-velocity grenade 40x46mm that was being used, and they US Army needed a weapon to use it. The Army demanded Springfield Armory to devise such an weapon in 1953, which was the first to present the T148 launcher for grenades (not in any way to confuse it with the XM148 grenade launcher, a later weapon that had an very different style). The T148 utilized an "harmonica" type magazine that had the capacity of three rounds, however it found it difficult to test and was ultimately rejected. Springfield introduced the S-3 that was derived from the T148 and featured the break-action loading mechanism, similar to the one used in numerous shotguns. The S-3 was a success, and then was refined to become the S-5 that finally was a hit with the Army. Following the addition of an improved sighting system, the Army purchased a number of S-5s in the latter half of 1950 for testing and evaluation, and then type-classified this weapon as "XM79". Incredibly pleased with the performance of this gun, the weapon was officially accepted as the official weapon of the Army on the 15th of December, 1960, as the M79 which was followed by large-scale deliveries that began the following year.

The M79 looks like an old sawed-off shotgun due to its break-action mechanism as well as its inverted rifle-style buttstock foregrip as well as the wooden furniture. Without a sling, the M79 comprises four parts including the foregrip, barrel as well as the receiver and buttstock.

To start firing the M79 to fire, the user has to first secure the weapon and then push the latch that locks the barrel all up to the right; this is what will "break" it opening to allow the chamber is accessible. The barrel's opening opens the weapon and automatically cocks it. If there's a casing that is empty (or an unfired round, maybe a shite) inside the chamber, the shooter must take it out using their hands, as the M79 is not equipped with any automatic mechanism for extraction. After loading an entirely new cartridge as deep in as it is able to be able to go, the barrel needs to get back to firing location, which does not just complete the chambering process but also puts the barrel back into the position it was in. The gun is ready to fire at the moment the operator is ready to fire the fire selector has to change the fire selector's status to change the fire selector from "safe" and change it to "fire".

The weapon can shoot from any angle that shotguns or rifles could be fired. In kneeling or prone places, it can also be fired at higher altitudes, with the buttplate placed in the floor, similar to as mortars. But, the shooter must also be aware when firing at flat trajectories due to the fact explosives drop very quickly when they follow a flat path as compared to regular bullets and aiming at a flat trajectory towards an object that is low and near could send an exploding grenade in the ground so that it could explode but not close enough to where the shooter is likely to be within the radius of casualties!

There also also possible to shoot the M79 with one hand as an AK-47 (in fact their stocks have been known to have been cut off in order to make them easier to draw) because of their lightweight weight and soft recoil. But it also creates the gun harder to shoot.

All grenades with a diameter of 40x46mm contain fuses that are activated when they are more than 30 meters in order to ensure safety that is why the grenadier who is who is armed with an M79 combating targets closer to them will require buckshot or a canister round to directly strike the soldier in front with a grenade or change weapon. When fired at a distance, the M79 is distinguished by its muzzle sound similar like a cork being removed from bottles. This is the reason, it gained by the names to "Blooper" as well as "Thumper".

The sights comprise two blades, one in front and the other at the rear leaf when you raise the sight on your ladder. raised. The sight ladder is essential for precise long or medium range shooting. Once it is raised, it transforms into your weapon's front sight. The sight ladder can be used at ranges of 75m to 375 meters, with increments of 25 meters. However, experienced users usually do not bother using the ladder sightbecause the time needed to lift it and aim "by according to the manual" usually isn't readily available during the firefight.

Specialty Ammo and More

There are many different kinds of 40 mm grenades which can be fired with the M79. Here is a brief list.

The M381 can be described as an HE (High Exlosive) round, which weighs 0.23 kg and comprising 32 grams in Composition B. It has a range of 400 meters and arms with a range of 8 m, the lethal range of 5 meters, and a range of 130 meters. Early M381s could be were armed earlier in flight than they were designed to, leading to severe injuries for the user and their companions in the event of accidental discharges or when the grenade struck vegetation during flight.

The M382 is one of the Tp (Training Practice) round, which serves as a replacement for the M381 round with HE. Its weight, size shape, balance and ballistics are similar to the M381, however it only contains a small pellet of RDX explosives, as well as 4.54 grams from inert yellow color. It releases an intense blue cloud of smoke upon its impact. Even though it is very small, it's classified as having a risk distance of 20 meters, in order to protect the range.

The M406 is yet another high-energy round, having the identical explosives, weight and ballistic performance of the M381, while also with a more efficient arming mechanism that can be activated during mid-air flight at distances between 14 to 27 meters.

M433 HEDP round M433 HEDP (High Explosvie Dual Purpose) round is a shaped munition that has an armor penetration capability as well as additional fragmentation effects that allow it to be used efficiently against structures and vehicles. It can be fired mid-air with distances between 14m to 27 m and has a distance of 400 m. The M433 comes with an 0.23 kg projectile that contains 45 g of Composition A It has the lethal range of 5m and an incapacitation radius of 15 meters, as well as an injury radius of 130 meters. The penetrator created by the charge's shape will go through 50 millimeters from steel plates, 30 millimeters of wood, and 400 millimeters from concrete and 500 millimeters of Sandbags. It can also quickly blast a loophole big enough to allow a rifle to penetrate the walls of the majority of structures.

The M576 Buckshot round is an intriguing one as loading it turns the M79-style shotgun into a real shotgun. This is a direct-fire round that has to be fired at a straight trajectory. It shoots 20-24 g steel buckshot pellets, with the muzzle speed of 269 m/sec. This gives the effective distance of 30 meters. The result is identical to an very big buckshot round which is why this round should be used for closed terrain and restricted spaces. Field manuals suggest that the M576 should be pointed at the base of the target, most likely due to the fact that the M79's sights aren't as effective as those of the genuine shotgun.

It is an illumination round that can be seen from a distance of almost 5 km and up to the altitude of 1 km. It is comprised of an 0.22 kg projectile that contains an 85-gram illumination candle. On the top of the projectile's circle it opens a parachute and slows the descent as the candle gets lit and then burns brightly, with the red color. The flame can last as long as 40 seconds with a luminous intensity of 20 000 candles.

The M992 infrared illumination round functions similar to the M662 however, it produces infrared light. Its weight is 0.22 kg and it comes with an illumination candle of 50 g. It performs the same function that the M662, however, it appears very insignificant for the uninitiated similar to an ember or lit cigarette. However, with night vision optics equipped with infrared capabilities it appears to glow almost like daytime. This is a highly valuable tool in the face of enemies with limited or no night vision capability.

Its M531 is a non-lethal crowd control shot that releases tear gas. It weighs 0.29 kilograms and the projectile is loaded with weight of 57 grams of Agent CS, including a mix of pyrotechnics. When it hits the projectile produces an erupting clouds that is filled with CS gas for as long as 25 seconds. It is capable of covering the area by 120 sq m. CS is a powerful irritating irritant to the eyes and lungs but is not usually dangerous.

It is also a less-lethal round. M1006 is also a non-lethal round which shoots an inflatable projectile. The force of impact is strong enough to disarm or frighten an attacker, but it isn't enough to trigger harm or death. It can be effective the range of 50 meters or more however, the instructions for training prohibits the shooter from shooting the round at anyone who are within 10 meters, as even with such a gentle projectile it is possible to cause fatal injuries in this range.

The M1029 is a different round that is less deadly packed with hard rubber .48 calibre balls. It is a weapon that can be utilized against only one offender, like the M1006 however, it's also effective in tackling crowds. It's most effective when it's 15 to 30 meters however it has an effective range of up to 100 meters. However, as with the M1006 the training manuals prohibit the shooter to shoot the M1029 at those within 10 meters or more, the projectiles might be able to mimic more effects of buckshot, rather than their dispersal.

The first use in combat of M79 in combat M79 occurred in the Vietnam War. Although a variety of other modern US weapons failed in this war (the M16 and M60 in particular) The M79 proved to be extremely robust, deadly and powerful. It also offered US as well as South Vietnamese (ARVN) soldiers superior firepower to an enemy who used commando mortars, recoilless riles, grenades for rifles and rocket launchers as their fire support equipment that were a bit cumbersome in the thick forest and jungles of Vietnam. This resulted in M79 the M79 one among the top effective and valuable weaponry for it's ARVN along with its allies which was widely valued. It was this achievement over all other factors that validated the new grenade launcher, which made it a weapon sought-after by nearly every military organization in the world.

The M79 was produced from 1961 to 1971, with more than 350 000 units manufactured. This also does not include the production of the M79 overseas and in other countries, where it continued be produced for a longer period of time.

The most powerful launcher for grenades ever The M79 has been utilized by numerous nations. They include Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Chad, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Oman, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United States, Vietnam, and Yemen. It is also employed by numerous non-state organizations, including those of the Kurdish Peshmerga.

There are fewer M79s on inventory in the US inventory, as they were mostly discarded in favor of the M203, however they're still issued occasionally. In particular, the numerous situations that occurred in the recent wars, in which the United States have been evolved and re-emerged, have forced the return of a number of M79s to frontline service they had were sat in storage at warehouses and armories. Even after the introduction repeated grenade launchers, such as MGL, the MGL The M79 is believed to be in a constant state of getting into fights around the globe.

It is therefore probable that, despite its age, the M79 will continue to be in service for a long time into the future.

In the 1960s, when it was first developed and it was developed in the 1960s. M79 grenade launcher came into use during the Vietnam War - and for those who carried it the choice was between instantly adored or endured hatred.

The gun was easy to operate. Similar to a shotgun, the weapon was an open-break shoulder-fire weapon , which could shoot the size of a 40mm grenade. It employed an "high-low propulsion" system for launching that reduced the recoil, but also let shooters throw the grenade for up to 400 feet, a lot more than hand grenades could throw. The barrel with a rifle provided the round with an right-hand spin that also assured accuracy.

M79. The M79 increased its "reach" of the infantryman, which increased the effectiveness of the range of a hand grenade and the minimal range of the mortar. It was more precise and had a greater range than rifle grenades and could also shoot grenades with 2.5 pounds of tear gas, high explosives smokes, or pellets. The non-lethal crowd controls "rubber bullets" and CS gas grenades were later designed to work in conjunction with the M79.

In Country

In during the Vietnam War, the weapon was mostly utilized for U.S. Army soldiers and U.S. Marines at targets that were between 150 and 300 yards. In addition, it also was effective on Viet Cong bunkers or other fortified areas. A skilled shooter is said to be able to shoot a man-sized target from 150 yards. Although it was designed to be an arm-fired weapon that could be used for direct firing but the M79 also proved to be effective in indirect fire. In this case, the shooter placed the buttstock onto the floor and then fired as the mortar.

The moment it was fired, the M79 was fired, it generated distinct sound, which has led to its numerous names, including"the "Thumper," "Thump Gun," "Bloop Tube" and "Blooper." Australian soldiers also identified it as"the "Wombat guns."

The disadvantage to the firearm was its bullets required a distance of about 40 yards before being armed it, which meant that soldiers who carried the M79 required an additional weapon, and in Vietnam it was usually the use of a sidearm. Furthermore, it was only a single shot weapon, and needed to be manually reloaded, which reduced its effectiveness and the capability to keep the same amount of fire in combat.

It was in the process of being replaced. M79 was replaced with M203, which was the M203 underslung launcher that was fitted to M16 rifles. M16 rifle starting in 1971. But, the M79 remains used by militaries and police forces across the globe, and has a loyal following within that of U.S. Special Forces, who consider it to be simple to use because it is more precise and can ring more effectively when compared with the M203. The M79 was a hit in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where it was employed to remove IEDs, also known as improvised explosive devices (IEDs).