HK G3
- Category
- Battle Rifle
- Barrel
- 450 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.40 kg
- Introduced
- 1959
About
What it is, and why it matters
The HK G3 is a select-fire battle rifle chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, produced by Heckler & Koch GmbH since 1959. This German-manufactured firearm reflects the engineering traditions and quality standards of its country of origin, designed to meet the demands of both civilian and professional users in a competitive global marketplace. Featuring a 20-round magazine capacity, this battle rifle offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. The 17.7-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 4400g (155.2 oz), this is a substantial firearm whose weight contributes to reduced felt recoil and enhanced stability during precision shooting. The steel frame provides a solid, premium feel with the durability to withstand decades of regular use and thousands of rounds. This firearm represents its manufacturer's commitment to delivering a well-engineered, reliable product that serves the needs of discerning shooters seeking quality, accuracy, and dependable performance from a proven platform.
The G3 was born from a rejected Spanish rifle design. When Spain's CETME couldn't secure NATO adoption, West Germany saw potential in its roller-delayed system and partnered with a small firearms company called Heckler & Koch to refine it. The result became one of the Cold War's most successful battle rifles, outselling its famous rival, the FN FAL.
The G3's roller-delayed blowback system uses a two-piece bolt with sliding cylindrical rollers that lock into the barrel extension. This system was derived from the MG42 machine gun's operating mechanism. The stamped steel construction made it significantly cheaper to manufacture than competing rifles like the FN FAL or M14. Production ceased around 2000-2001, replaced in German service by the HK G36. The 'fluted chamber' design helped extraction by allowing gases to flow around the cartridge case during firing.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Heckler & Koch
- Category
- Battle Rifle
- Country
- Germany
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1959 to 2001
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 450 mm
- Overall length
- 1025 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.40 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 5.10 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Roller delayed blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 20
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 800 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 3042 J
- Effective range
- 400 m
- Maximum range
- 3000 m
- Rate of fire
- 550 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Select fire
Stamped steel construction
Adjustable iron sights
Optics mount
Drum type rear sight
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 86 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles | 4.40 kg | 4.30 kg | Heavier than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 85 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles | 1025 mm | 1025 mm | Near the median |
| Barrel lengthAmong 87 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles | 450 mm | 458 mm | Shorter than about 70% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 87 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles | 20 | 20 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the HK G3
How much does the HK G3 weigh?
The HK G3 weighs 4.40 kg (9.70 lb) empty and 5.10 kg (11.24 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the HK G3?
The HK G3 is chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO.
How many rounds does the HK G3 hold?
The HK G3 holds 20 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the HK G3?
The HK G3 is 1025 mm (40.4 in) long overall, with a 450 mm (17.7 in) barrel.
Who makes the HK G3?
The HK G3 is made by Heckler & Koch (Germany). It was designed by CETME / Heckler & Koch.
When was the HK G3 introduced?
The HK G3 was introduced in 1959 and discontinued in 2001.
How does the HK G3 operate?
The HK G3 uses a roller delayed blowback action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- German Bundeswehr
- 1959
- Turkish Armed Forces
- 1967
- Greek Armed Forces
- 1976
- Norwegian Armed Forces
- 1961
- Swedish Armed Forces
- 1964
- Iranian Armed Forces
- 1971
- Pakistan Army
- 1968
- Portuguese Armed Forces
- 1961
- Mexican Armed Forces
- 1975
- Saudi Arabian Armed Forces
- Saudi Arabia
Provenance
Confidence in this record
87%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/hk-g3' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "hk-g3", "name": "HK G3", "manufacturer": { "id": "heckler-koch", "name": "Heckler & Koch", "countryCode": "DE", "foundedYear": 1949, "website": "https://www.heckler-koch.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "updatedAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "version": "ae60994f5b45d604da21fcd14b728cfa9d2e62000c92e596de4c48c4be768979" }, "category": { "id": "battle-rifle", "name": "Battle Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in full-power cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "DE", "year_introduced": 1959, "barrel_length_mm": 450, "weight_empty_g": 4400, "action_type": "roller_delayed_blowback"}