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Weapons System

M203 Grenade Launcher

Grenades And Explosives

The M203 is a single-shot, pump-action 40mm grenade launcher designed by AAI Corporation to attach beneath the barrel of a rifle, originally the M16 rifle and later the M4 carbine. It fires the same 40x46mm SR ammunition as the earlier stand-alone M79 launcher, using a high-low propulsion system to reduce recoil, with the host rifle's own magazine well acting as a forward grip; because the rifle's iron sights do not align with the launcher's trajectory, a separate sight is fitted. Adopted by the United States in 1969, it has remained in service since, manufactured over the years by Colt Defense, Diemaco and several other makers. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Classification
Caliber
40mm 1
Caliber
40x46mm 1
Service Status
In Service 2
Weapon Class
Under-barrel grenade launcher 3
Introduced Year
1969 1
Weapon Class
Weapon Class (category)
Rifle 3
Connections

Used In

Cambodian Civil War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: M203 grenade launcher
Falklands War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: M203 grenade launcher
Gulf War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: M203 grenade launcher
Iraq War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: M203 grenade launcher
Laotian Civil War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: M203 grenade launcher
Soviet-Afghan War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: M203 grenade launcher
Syrian Civil War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: M203 grenade launcher
Vietnam War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: M203 grenade launcher
War in Afghanistan (2001-2021), Wars
Source Wikipedia: M203 grenade launcher
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Wikidata: M203 Grenade Launcher
Wikidata Q907351, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
2. Wikipedia: M203 grenade launcher
  • service-status
    service = 1969-present
  • Caliber attribute (m203-grenade-launcher)
    It fires the same 40x46mm SR ammunition as the earlier stand-alone M79 launcher, using a high-low propulsion system to reduce recoil, with the host rifle's own magazine well acting as a forward grip; because the rifle's iron sights do not align with the launcher's trajectory, a separate sight is fitted.
  • Used In: Vietnam War, Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: Vietnam War
  • Used In: Laotian Civil War, Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: Laotian Civil War
  • Used In: Cambodian Civil War, Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: Cambodian Civil War
  • Used In: Soviet-Afghan War, Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: Soviet-Afghan War
  • Used In: Falklands War, Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: Falklands War
  • Used In: Gulf War, Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: Gulf War
  • Used In: War in Afghanistan (2001-2021), Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: War in Afghanistan (2001-2021)
  • Used In: Iraq War, Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: Iraq War
  • Used In: Syrian Civil War, Infobox, wars field
    Infobox wars field lists: Syrian Civil War
View the Source
3. Wikipedia: M203 grenade launcher
  • Introduction
    is a single-shot, pump action, 40 mm under-barrel grenade launcher designed to attach to a rifle.
  • History
    The M203 has been in service since 1969
  • Weapon class classified from the entity's own sourced description text.
View the Source
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