GM-94

GM-94
GM-94
Type	Pump action grenade launcher
Place of origin	Russia
Service history
Used by	Spetsnaz, FSB, MVD and National Guard
Wars	2005 raid on Nalchik[1] Libyan Civil War[2] Crimean Crisis 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine[2]
Production history
Designer	KBP
Manufacturer	KBP
Specifications
Mass	4.8 kg (10.6 lb) unloaded 5.8 kg (12.8 lb) loaded
Length	810 mm (31.9 in) stock extended 540 mm (21.3 in) stock folded
Cartridge	43×30mm
Action	Double action
Muzzle velocity	85 m/s (280 ft/s)
Effective firing range	300 m (330 yd)
Maximum firing range	500 m (550 yd)
Feed system	3 round pump action above-barrel tubular magazine
Sights	Iron sights

The GM-94 (Гранатомет Магазинный образца 1994 Granatomet Magazinnyy obraztsa 1994, lit. "magazine-fed grenade launcher, model of 1994") is a pump action grenade launcher for use by Russian special and security forces. Development of the GM-94 grenade launcher began in 1993, under the guidance of Vasilij Gryazev, chief designer of the KBP design bureau (Konstruktorskoye Byuro Priborostroyeniya; (Конструкторское Бюро Приборостроения; KBP), in Tula, Russia. ^[3]

Description

The GM-94 is a short range weapon, allowing it to be used in close urban environments. With a minimum safe distance of only 10 meters,^[4][5] the GM-94 is well suited to close, room-to-room fighting. Its simple design and operation allows it to operate in dusty and dirty environments and even after being immersed in water.

The launcher is capable of firing VGM-93.900 high explosive fragmentation, VGM-93.100 thermobaric, VGM-93.300 smoke and VGM-93.200 tear gas canisters, VGM-93.600 rubber slugs and other non-lethal payloads.^[4]

The VGM-93.100 thermobaric grenade contains around 160 grams of explosive filler. It can penetrate up to 8 mm of mild steel or interior wall with its blast, while producing minimal primary fragmentation.^[4]

In June 2005, GM-94 with thermobaric VGM-93.100 ammunition was adopted by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.^[6] In October 2007, the Russian armed forces adopted the launcher designated as LPO-97 (Legkiy Pekhotnyy Ognemet; Легкий Пехотный Огнемет; ‘light infantry flamethrower’)^[3] developed in the KBP Instrument Design Bureau on the basis of the GM-94 with a thermobaric grenade,^[3][7] in 2008 GM-94 was adopted for the branches of the Federal Security Service.^[8] The weapon was used in the battle of Nalchik in 2005 and in Crimea 2014.^[9] Though the launcher was initially intended for use by Russian security forces, the GM-94 has been spotted as far afield as Kazakhstan, where it is in service with the Kazakhstani paramilitary police tactical unit Sunkar ("Hawk") and in the hands of non-state combatants during the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime in Libya 2011.^[2]

Russian forces have used this weapon to fire non-lethal tear gas grenades on protesters in Ukraine in March 2022.^[10]

Users

Map with GM-94 users in blue

•  Belarus^[11]
•  Kazakhstan^[2]
•  Libya^[2]
•  Mongolia^{[citation needed]}
•  Russian Federation^[1][12]
•  Ukraine^[13]

See also

• China Lake grenade launcher
• DP-64
• Neopup PAW-20
• RG-6 grenade launcher
• RGM-40 Kastet
• RGS-50M
• RGSh-30

References

Bibliography

• Popenker, Maxim; Jenzen-Jones, N.R. (September 2015). The Russian GM-94 Grenade Launcher. Arms & Munitions Brief. Armament Research. ISBN 978-0-9924624-5-1. http://armamentresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/The-Russian-GM-94-Grenade-Launcher.pdf. 

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