From Citizendium - Reading time: 1 min
Developed by Heckler & Koch for the U.S. Army, the 40mm M320 Grenade Launcher Module replaces both the handheld M79 grenade launcher and the M203 grenade launcher, which attaches under the barrel of an M16 rifle. A detachable stock allows it to be used as a standalone weapon like the M79.
It can fire all the 40x46mm cartriges used by the M79 and M203:
- M406 High-explosive (HE)
- M433 High-explosive dual purpose (HEDP)
- M441 HE
- M583A1 40MM WS PARA ILLUM
- M585 White star cluster
- M661 Green star cluster
- M662 Red star cluster
- M676 Yellow smoke canopy
- M680 White smoke canopy
- M682 Red smoke canopy
- M713 Ground marker - Red
- M715 Ground marker - Green
- M716 Ground marker - Yellow
- M918 Target Practice
- M992 Infrared Illuminant Cartridge (IRIC)
- M1001 Canister Cartridge (Infantry)
- M1006 Sponge Round (Point)
- M1029 Crowd Dispersal Cartridge (Infantry)
- M1060 thermobaric cartridge
Because it is fed through a side rather than a bottom slot, the M320 can take longer cartridges currently being developed. The M320 attaches to the Picatinny rail system.