Heckler & Koch G11 Facts for Kids

Heckler & Koch G11
G11
Type	Assault rifle (G11) Light machine gun (LMG11) Personal defense weapon (G11 PDW)
Place of origin	West Germany
Production history
Designer	Heckler & Koch
Variants	Assault Rifle Light Machine Gun (LMG11) Personal Defence Weapon (G11 PDW)
Specifications
Mass	3.6 kg (8.0 lb) empty, 4.3 kg (9.5 lb) loaded
Length	750 mm (29.5 in)
Barrel length	540 mm (155 mm per twist)

Cartridge	4.73x33mm caseless ammunition (DM11): G11 K2, LMG11 4.7x2mm, 4.3mm, 4.9mm for other G11 prototypes 4.73x25mm caseless: G11 PDW
Action	Gas operated, rotary breech (for G11 series), select fire
Rate of fire	460 rounds/min (full auto) 2000 rounds/min (3-round burst)
Muzzle velocity	Approx. 930 m/s (3,050 ft/s)
Effective firing range	400 m
Feed system	45 or 50-round detachable box magazine
Sights	Integrated optical sight

The G11 was a special kind of assault rifle made in Germany. It was designed by a company called Heckler & Koch between 1968 and 1990. What made it unique was its "caseless" ammunition. This meant the bullets didn't have a metal casing that usually gets thrown out after shooting.

The G11 was tested by the German army (Bundeswehr) and the US Army. However, it was never mass-produced. This was because it became too expensive after the Cold War ended. So, it remained a prototype, which means it was a test model that never went into full production.

What Made the G11 Special?
- Caseless Ammunition
- How it Fired
Why it Wasn't Used
- The Cold War Ends
- Too Expensive
Images for kids
See also

What Made the G11 Special?

The G11 was designed to be very advanced for its time. It could shoot in different ways. You could fire a single shot, a quick burst of three shots, or continuously (full auto).

Caseless Ammunition

One of the most interesting things about the G11 was its "caseless" ammunition. Most bullets come in a metal casing. When you fire a regular gun, this casing is ejected. But with the G11, the bullet and its propellant (the stuff that makes it go) were all one piece, without a metal case. This made the ammunition lighter and smaller.

How it Fired

The G11 used a special system to load and fire its unique bullets. It had a magazine that could hold 45 or 50 of these caseless rounds. The rifle was designed to be very stable when firing, especially during its super-fast three-round burst mode.

Why it Wasn't Used

Even though the G11 was very innovative, it never became a standard weapon for any army.

The Cold War Ends

The G11 was developed during the Cold War. This was a long period of tension between big world powers, like the United States and the Soviet Union. When the Cold War ended, countries started looking for ways to save money.

Too Expensive

Because the G11 was so advanced and used special ammunition, it was very expensive to make. After the Cold War, armies decided it was too costly to produce and use. They chose to stick with less expensive, more traditional rifles. So, the G11 remained a fascinating piece of engineering history.

Images for kids

Heckler & Koch ACR prototype
Prototypes 13 (top) and 14 (bottom) in the collection of the Wehrtechnische Studiensammlung Koblenz.
An early functioning prototype of the G11 mechanism.
A sectional of the final prototype.
This diagram illustrates the G11's unique feeding cycle.

Heckler & Koch G11 facts for kids

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