IMBEL MD-3
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 453 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.57 kg
- Introduced
- 1985
About
What it is, and why it matters
The IMBEL MD-3 is a Brazilian select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, produced by Industria de Material Belico do Brasil. It is a variant of the MD-2 that replaces the tubular side-folding metal buttstock with a fixed polymer stock, otherwise sharing the same FAL-derived, gas-operated action fitted with an M16-type rotating bolt. Fed from STANAG-compatible 20- or 30-round box magazines, the MD-3 fires from a closed bolt in semi-automatic and full-automatic modes at a cyclic rate of about 700 rounds per minute, and serves with the Brazilian armed forces and police alongside the folding-stock MD-2.
When Brazil transitioned from the 7.62mm FAL to the NATO-standard 5.56mm cartridge, IMBEL offered its new rifle in two flavors so units could pick their trade-off: the MD-2 with a compact side-folding stock for vehicle and airborne troops, and the MD-3 with a rugged fixed polymer stock for line infantry who valued durability and a steadier cheek weld.
The MD-3 is mechanically identical to the MD-2 apart from its fixed synthetic stock, which slightly increases the empty weight to roughly 4.57 kg. Like the rest of the MD family it retains the FAL silhouette and controls while adopting a rotating bolt and STANAG magazines. Produced primarily for Brazilian domestic military and police use; no significant export sales are recorded.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Industria de Material Belico do Brasil
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Brazil
- Status
- In service
- Produced
- 1985
- Variant of
- Fixed stock
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 453 mm
- Overall length
- 1010 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.57 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 5.02 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated short stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Parkerized
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 915 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1675 J
- Effective range
- 400 m
- Maximum range
- 3600 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.
Select fire
Fixed stock
Stanag magazine compatible
Fal derived action
Rotating bolt
Bayonet mount
Flash hider
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 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 4.57 kg | 3.60 kg | Heavier than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 156 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 1010 mm | 920 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 157 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 453 mm | 449 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the IMBEL MD-3
How much does the IMBEL MD-3 weigh?
The IMBEL MD-3 weighs 4.57 kg (10.08 lb) empty and 5.02 kg (11.07 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the IMBEL MD-3?
The IMBEL MD-3 is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the IMBEL MD-3 hold?
The IMBEL MD-3 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the IMBEL MD-3?
The IMBEL MD-3 is 1010 mm (39.8 in) long overall, with a 453 mm (17.8 in) barrel.
Who makes the IMBEL MD-3?
The IMBEL MD-3 is made by Industria de Material Belico do Brasil (Brazil).
When was the IMBEL MD-3 introduced?
The IMBEL MD-3 was introduced in 1985.
How does the IMBEL MD-3 operate?
The IMBEL MD-3 uses a gas operated short stroke 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
- Brazilian Army
- Brazil
- Brazilian Military Police
- Brazil
Provenance
Confidence in this record
72%
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/imbel-md-3' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "imbel-md-3", "name": "IMBEL MD-3", "manufacturer": { "id": "imbel", "name": "Industria de Material Belico do Brasil", "countryCode": "BR", "foundedYear": 1811, "website": "https://www.imbel.gov.br", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "abd830829db0a0869f83782ce7bd8fbb8e86959a21412dd0f411dd4237334163" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "BR", "year_introduced": 1985, "barrel_length_mm": 453, "weight_empty_g": 4570, "action_type": "gas_operated_short_stroke"}