Heckler & Koch HK121 (MG5)

General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) Project

Germany | 2005

"The Heckler and Koch HK121 GPMG was adopted as the MG5 by the German Army in 2005 and is the direct successor to the storied Cold War-era MG3 series."

Image from the US DoD DVIDS imagery database; Public Release.

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Heckler & Koch HK121 (MG5). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

1,970 ft
600.5 m | 656.7 yds
Max.Eff.Range

800
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire

2,656 ft/sec
810 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity

Physical
The physical qualities of the Heckler & Koch HK121 (MG5). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

1,165 mm
45.87 in
O/A Length

550 mm
21.65 in
Barrel Length

23.81 lb
10.80 kg
Weight

Gas-Operated; Full-Automatic Fire Only
Action

7.62x51mm NATO
Caliber(s)

50-round belt or drum; 120-round belt box
Feed

Diopter Sight
Sights

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Heckler & Koch HK121 (MG5) General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) Project family line.

HK 121 - Base Company Designation; model of 2010; 7,114 procured by German Army for initial evaluation.

MG5 - German Army designation.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/16/2023 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The Heckler & Koch HK121 fulfills the General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) product slot for German gunmaker Heckler & Koch. It stands as a 7.62x51mm NATO-chambered offshoot of the 5.56x45mm HK MG4 squad automatic weapon. At its core is a proven gas-operated system performing at 600 to 800 rounds-per-minute with feeding from an ammunition belt. Effective range reaches out to 600 meters with a maximum range double that - sighting through a standard diopter arrangement or iron sights. The weapon exhibits a weight of 10.8 kilograms and length of 1,165mm with a barrel length of 550mm while also showcasing very little observable recoil when fired. The HK 121 has been adopted in limited numbers by the German Army since 2005 and is intended to replace the MG3 GPMG line, itself a post-World War 2 (1939-1945) development of the MG42.

MG5 is the official German Army designation for the HK121

As a GPMG, the HK121 follows accepted practice as a belt-fed, air-cooled multi-use weapon. It can be fired from the shoulder with support from a shoulder strap and foregrip, along the ground through use of a folding bipod, from a tripod assembly or from a vehicle as a suppression weapon. The design is dominated by a large rectangular receiver with an optional shoulder stock while the pistol grip and trigger unit are integral. Along the top of the receiver is a length of rail for the adoption of various optics and night vision accessories to suit both customer requirements and mission needs. The barrel is of a "quick-change" design which is required of a good air-cooled machine gun and the included carrying handle aids in its changing for a process lasting just seconds. The gas cylinder sits under the barrel in the usual way.

Vehicle versions lose the full shoulder stock and are given spade grips that interact direction with the trigger unit (the pistol grip is still retained). Portability for the infantryman is broadened by use of the shoulder strap with vertical foregrip or by way of the folding bipod. The heavy-duty tripod allows the weapon a very stable gunnery platform that reduces recoil to nil. As a belt-fed weapon, the HK 121 can use exposed ammunition belts, a 50-round drum container or a 120-round box as a feeding sourcing. Robustness is key with the HK121 product, its operation suffering not when even fully submersed in water and fired thereafter - with no degradation of the action.

The HK121 certainly has large shoes to fill as the MG3 is a proven winner and has been adopted in large numbers by many world armies while also license-produced by local factories is several countries.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Heckler & Koch HK121 (MG5). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): Heckler & Koch GmbH - Germany

[ Germany ]

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Image from the US DoD DVIDS imagery database; Public Release.

Going Further...
The Heckler & Koch HK121 (MG5) General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) Project appears in the following collections:

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