VHS-2
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 500 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.90 kg
- Introduced
- 2013
About
What it is, and why it matters
The VHS-2 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, produced by HS Produkt since 2013. This Croatian-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 30-round magazine capacity, this assault rifle offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. The 19.7-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 3900g (137.6 oz), this is a substantial firearm whose weight contributes to reduced felt recoil and enhanced stability during precision shooting. Safety features include ambidextrous safety selector, firing pin block, reflecting modern design standards that prioritize safe handling and operation. 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 VHS-2 is one of the few bullpup rifles to feature truly ambidextrous ejection, allowing the shooter to switch ejection sides without any parts changes. It competed in France's FAMAS replacement trials but lost to the HK416. The civilian semi-auto version sold by Springfield Armory as the 'Hellion' introduced many American shooters to the Croatian bullpup design for the first time.
Specifications listed are for the VHS-D2 standard rifle variant. The VHS-K2 carbine variant has a 410mm barrel, weighs 3.75 kg, has an overall length of 710-760mm, and a rate of fire of 830 rpm. The VHS-F2 variant was produced for the French military FAMAS replacement trials but lost to the HK416. The adjustable buttpad length ranges from 800mm to 850mm overall length for the VHS-D2. STANAG 4179 magazine compatible.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- HS Produkt
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Croatia
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2013
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 500 mm
- Overall length
- 800 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.90 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.32 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
- Polymer reinforced
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer reinforced
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 940 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1767 J
- Effective range
- 500 m
- Maximum range
- 800 m
- Rate of fire
- 850 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
Rotating bolt
Select fire
Ambidextrous ejection
Ambidextrous controls
Adjustable buttpad
Picatinny rail top
Stanag magazine compatible
Grenade launcher compatible
Chrome lined barrel
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 | 3.90 kg | 3.60 kg | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 156 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 800 mm | 920 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 157 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 500 mm | 449 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the VHS-2
How much does the VHS-2 weigh?
The VHS-2 weighs 3.90 kg (8.60 lb) empty and 4.32 kg (9.52 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the VHS-2?
The VHS-2 is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the VHS-2 hold?
The VHS-2 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the VHS-2?
The VHS-2 is 800 mm (31.5 in) long overall, with a 500 mm (19.7 in) barrel.
Who makes the VHS-2?
The VHS-2 is made by HS Produkt (Croatia).
When was the VHS-2 introduced?
The VHS-2 was introduced in 2013.
How does the VHS-2 operate?
The VHS-2 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
- Croatian Armed Forces
- 2009
- Iraqi Federal Police
- Iraq
- Iraqi Ground Forces
- Iraq
- Togolese Armed Forces
- Togo
- Syrian Arab Army
- Syria
- Cameroonian Armed Forces
- Cameroon
- Albanian Armed Forces
- Albania
Provenance
Confidence in this record
75%
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/vhs-2' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "vhs-2", "name": "VHS-2", "manufacturer": { "id": "hs-produkt", "name": "HS Produkt", "countryCode": "HR", "foundedYear": 1991, "website": "https://www.hs-produkt.hr", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "0b492188d11fd9f833ecf90200927bfbf45ab028b868e45810418aad7d17e95d" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "HR", "year_introduced": 2013, "barrel_length_mm": 500, "weight_empty_g": 3900, "action_type": "gas_operated_short_stroke"}