HK G3A3
- Category
- Battle Rifle
- Barrel
- 450 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.40 kg
- Introduced
- 1964
About
What it is, and why it matters
The HK G3A3 is the definitive fixed-stock, select-fire production model of Heckler & Koch's G3 battle rifle, chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO and adopted as the standard service rifle of the German Bundeswehr. Operating on the roller-delayed blowback system derived from the wartime MG42 and the Spanish CETME, the G3A3 uses a two-piece bolt with cylindrical locking rollers and a fluted chamber to ensure reliable extraction. Its largely stamped-steel construction made it cheaper to mass-produce than its machined rivals, the FN FAL and M14, and it was license-produced across dozens of nations. The A3 model standardized the fixed synthetic buttstock, rotary drum rear sight, and prong-type flash hider.
The G3A3 became the backbone of West German and NATO-aligned militaries during the Cold War, and its roller-delayed action - a direct descendant of the MG42 machine gun and Spain's CETME rifle - was so successful it spawned an entire HK weapon family, from the MP5 submachine gun to the PSG1 sniper rifle.
The G3A3 has a fixed polymer stock; the otherwise identical G3A4 uses a retractable stock. Cyclic rate is approximately 500-600 rpm. Barrel length is commonly cited as 450 mm (HK figure); some sources list 488 mm including the flash hider. Roller-delayed blowback transmits sharp recoil, partly offsetting the heavy rifle's weight.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Heckler & Koch
- Category
- Battle Rifle
- Country
- Germany
- Status
- In service
- Produced
- 1964 to 2001
- Variant of
- Fixed stock
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
Fixed polymer stock
Fluted chamber
Rotary drum rear sight
Prong type flash hider
Optics mount
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 G3A3
How much does the HK G3A3 weigh?
The HK G3A3 weighs 4.40 kg (9.70 lb) empty and 5.10 kg (11.24 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the HK G3A3?
The HK G3A3 is chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO.
How many rounds does the HK G3A3 hold?
The HK G3A3 holds 20 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the HK G3A3?
The HK G3A3 is 1025 mm (40.4 in) long overall, with a 450 mm (17.7 in) barrel.
Who makes the HK G3A3?
The HK G3A3 is made by Heckler & Koch (Germany). It was designed by CETME / Heckler & Koch.
When was the HK G3A3 introduced?
The HK G3A3 was introduced in 1964 and discontinued in 2001.
How does the HK G3A3 operate?
The HK G3A3 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
- 1964
- Turkish Armed Forces
- 1967
- Greek Armed Forces
- 1976
- Pakistan Army
- 1968
- Portuguese Armed Forces
- 1964
Provenance
Confidence in this record
85%
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-g3a3' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "hk-g3a3", "name": "HK G3A3", "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": 1964, "barrel_length_mm": 450, "weight_empty_g": 4400, "action_type": "roller_delayed_blowback"}