Khaybar KH2002
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 510 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.70 kg
- Introduced
- 2004
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Khaybar KH2002 is an Iranian bullpup select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and manufactured by the Defense Industries Organization. First shown in 2004, it is a bullpup conversion of Iran's S 5.56 rifle, itself a copy of the Chinese Norinco CQ clone of the American M16, and uses an M16-pattern direct-impingement gas system with a multi-lug rotating bolt. The bullpup layout packs a full-length barrel into a compact 780mm overall length, and the rifle feeds from STANAG-compatible 30-round magazines through a select-fire trigger offering semi-automatic, three-round burst, and full-automatic modes. It was developed to replace Iran's aging 7.62x51mm Heckler & Koch G3 rifles with a lighter, more compact 5.56mm platform for infantry and security forces.
Named after the Battle of Khaybar (628 AD) in early Islamic history, the KH2002 was Iran's effort to modernize its infantry small arms despite international arms embargoes. Its lineage traces a notable path: the American M16 design, copied by China as the Norinco CQ, acquired by Iran as the S 5.56, then reworked into a domestic bullpup as the Khaybar KH2002.
Development began in 2001, with samples produced in 2003 and serial production from 2004. Offered in three barrel configurations: short (carbine), medium (standard), and long (designated marksman). The M16-type bolt carrier group is broadly interchangeable with M16 family parts, and the rifle uses M16/STANAG magazines. Iran's domestic 5.56x45mm production supports the rifle's logistics chain despite arms embargoes. Reported overall lengths vary by source and barrel configuration (roughly 730-780mm).
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Defense Industries Organization
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Iran
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2004
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 510 mm
- Overall length
- 780 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.70 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.06 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated direct impingement
- 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 and polymer
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 900 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1620 J
- Effective range
- 450 m
- Maximum range
- 800 m
- Rate of fire
- 825 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.
Bullpup configuration
Select fire
Picatinny rail
M16 type rotating bolt
Stanag magazine compatible
Optical sight rail
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 | 3.70 kg | 3.60 kg | Heavier than about 60% |
| Overall lengthAmong 156 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 780 mm | 920 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 157 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 510 mm | 449 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the Khaybar KH2002
How much does the Khaybar KH2002 weigh?
The Khaybar KH2002 weighs 3.70 kg (8.16 lb) empty and 4.06 kg (8.95 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Khaybar KH2002?
The Khaybar KH2002 is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the Khaybar KH2002 hold?
The Khaybar KH2002 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Khaybar KH2002?
The Khaybar KH2002 is 780 mm (30.7 in) long overall, with a 510 mm (20.1 in) barrel.
Who makes the Khaybar KH2002?
The Khaybar KH2002 is made by Defense Industries Organization (Iran).
When was the Khaybar KH2002 introduced?
The Khaybar KH2002 was introduced in 2004.
How does the Khaybar KH2002 operate?
The Khaybar KH2002 uses a gas operated direct impingement 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
- Iranian Armed Forces
- 2004
- Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
- 2005
- Iranian Law Enforcement Forces (NAJA)
- Iran
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/khaybar-kh2002' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "khaybar-kh2002", "name": "Khaybar KH2002", "manufacturer": { "id": "dio", "name": "Defense Industries Organization", "countryCode": "IR", "foundedYear": 1981, "website": "https://www.diomil.ir", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:42", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:46", "version": "73a23efd83312b8206364872d2a6d56ecece408ad3e70868592ee29e0ee2c00c" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "IR", "year_introduced": 2004, "barrel_length_mm": 510, "weight_empty_g": 3700, "action_type": "gas_operated_direct_impingement"}