Heckler & Koch HK13
- Category
- Machine Gun
- Barrel
- 450 mm
- Weight, empty
- 8.00 kg
- Introduced
- 1972
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Heckler & Koch HK13 is a 5.56x45mm NATO magazine-fed light machine gun, part of H&K's modular roller-delayed blowback support weapon family that includes the 7.62mm HK11 and belt-fed HK21/HK23. The HK13 shares its action with the G3/HK33 rifle line and feeds from standard 25- or 40-round HK33-pattern box magazines, with a quick-change barrel and folding bipod for the squad automatic role.
The HK13 was H&K's bid for a true squad automatic weapon that could share magazines, training and 80% of its parts with the soldier's standard rifle, anticipating the SAW concept that the FN Minimi would later dominate.
The improved HK13E export variant added a STANAG/M16-magazine adaptor and a three-round-burst option. The HK13 used the same fluted chamber and roller-delayed action as the rest of the H&K small-arms family, easing logistics and training.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Heckler & Koch
- Category
- Machine Gun
- Country
- Germany
- Status
- Out of production
- Produced
- 1972
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 450 mm
- Overall length
- 1030 mm
- Weight, empty
- 8.00 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Roller delayed blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 25
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Phosphate
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 920 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1767 J
- Effective range
- 600 m
- Rate of fire
- 700 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.
Quick change barrel
Folding bipod
Magazine fed- Interchangeable with hk33 magazines
Fluted chamber
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 27 5.56x45mm NATO machine guns | 8.00 kg | 6.35 kg | Heavier than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 25 5.56x45mm NATO machine guns | 1030 mm | 1020 mm | Longer than about 70% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 26 5.56x45mm NATO machine guns | 450 mm | 465 mm | Shorter than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 26 5.56x45mm NATO machine guns | 25 | 200 | Among the smallest capacities |
Answers
Questions about the Heckler & Koch HK13
How much does the Heckler & Koch HK13 weigh?
The Heckler & Koch HK13 weighs 8.00 kg (17.64 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Heckler & Koch HK13?
The Heckler & Koch HK13 is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the Heckler & Koch HK13 hold?
The Heckler & Koch HK13 holds 25 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Heckler & Koch HK13?
The Heckler & Koch HK13 is 1030 mm (40.6 in) long overall, with a 450 mm (17.7 in) barrel.
Who makes the Heckler & Koch HK13?
The Heckler & Koch HK13 is made by Heckler & Koch (Germany). It was designed by Heckler & Koch.
When was the Heckler & Koch HK13 introduced?
The Heckler & Koch HK13 was introduced in 1972.
How does the Heckler & Koch HK13 operate?
The Heckler & Koch HK13 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
- Malaysian Armed Forces
- Malaysia
Provenance
Confidence in this record
66%
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/hk13' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "hk13", "name": "Heckler & Koch HK13", "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": "machine-gun", "name": "Machine Gun", "description": "Fully automatic firearms for sustained fire" }, "country_of_origin": "DE", "year_introduced": 1972, "barrel_length_mm": 450, "weight_empty_g": 8000, "action_type": "roller_delayed_blowback"}