G3 guide? G3a1 and G3a1 identification

G3 original model based off of CETME model b, G3a1 folding stock wood? metal? handgaurd wood? metal?. G3a2 free floating barrel folding stock wood? metal? handgaurd wood? metal? G3a3 fixed stock handgaurd plastic. G3a4 retractable stock plastic. If someone could tell me what G3a1 and a2`s appearances looked like. Thank you

 

G3 with wood handguard and wood stock adopted in 1959.
G3A1 with wood handguard and retractable stock adopted in October 1963.
G3A2 with plastic handguard and buttstock adopted in June 1962.
G3A3 the first with the Freischwinger (FS) handguard attachment (free floating) adopted in December 1964.
G3A4 the G3FS with retractable stock also adopted in December 1964.
G3A3ZF fitted with the telescopic sight (Zeilfernrohr), adopted in December 1964.

The above dates are per Technische Dienstvorschrift (Technical Service Instruction) 1005/005-50

The final version "G3A3 A1" the metal grip frame was replaced with a black plastic grip frame (navy style), new green slimline type handguard and a shell deflector was welded on the receiver behind the ejection port.

I think that is what you want to know. The G3A1 had the wood handguard and the concave retractable stock which was later replaced by the convex that held up to grenade launching. The G3A2 had a slimline plastic handguard and plastic stock. The early plastic stocks had 3 holes for the takedown pins and later ones had only two. Both of these had the triple frame that the cocking tube did not free float.

 

Thank you for your help but some quick questions

G3 with wood handguard and wood stock adopted in 1959.
G3A1 with wood handguard and retractable stock adopted in October 1963.
G3A2 with plastic handguard and buttstock adopted in June 1962.
G3A3 the first with the Freischwinger (FS) handguard attachment (free floating) adopted in December 1964.
G3A4 the G3FS with retractable stock also adopted in December 1964.
G3A3ZF fitted with the telescopic sight (Zeilfernrohr), adopted in December 1964.

I think that is what you want to know. The G3A1 had the wood handguard and the concave retractable stock which was later replaced by the convex that held up to grenade launching. The G3A2 had a slimline plastic handguard and plastic stock. The early plastic stocks had 3 holes for the takedown pins and later ones had only two. Both of these had the triple frame that the cocking tube did not free float.

Ok #1 if you go to world of H&K click on g3 and look for the early original model below the CETME one doesnt have a metal or iron handgaurd??#2 For G3a1 did they make the handgaurd out of wood because of the cetme model c? And for G3a2 i want you to type in gunwiki under google web once you get there type in g3a2 and look at the stock to see if its plastic (it looks like plastic but is designed as wood) i want to know what you think it is i personally dont know. One last thing was the g3a3 the first g3 with plastic or a2 because that picture on gunwiki looks wood and plastic at the same time. Which is not possible thank you for your time.

 

But in the end, a G-3 is a G-3 is a G-3 . LOL

 

Another thing didnt the g3a1 come before g3a2 the dates are unusual? and doesnt the g3a2 have a free floating barrel?

 

The reference book I have (Full Circle) shows the translated date incorrectly, the G3A1 DOES come before the G3A2, 1962 and 1963 respectively. Sorry for the confusion. The G3A2 does NOT have the free floated barrel. The free floating barrel came on the G3A3. However, when this was adopted in 1964, older rifles were retrofitted with this and marked "FS" on the receiver magazine well.

 

Ok and the CETME model i was talking about was model b the other CETME picture and one thing can you tell be what gun this is? http://www.gun-world.net/german/hk/g3/2008119.jpg. So here is what we know G3 wood or metal handgaurd?? still not sure because of model b which is what is was based off of. G3a1 all wood . G3a2 all plastic (i thought g3a3 was first with plastic) oh well. G3a3 plastic. G3a4 plastic. One little question how can you tell the difference between a g3a3 and a g3a2. If they both have plastic on em it could be very similar.One last thing once you see that picture it looks like it has rotating sights. Very confusing.

 

The picture is a G3 with wood furniture. It does not have the free floated barrel. Just because the weapon shown has either wood, metal or plastic handguard does not mean that it was originally issued in that configuration. If something breaks then it is replaced and it would probably be replaced with the latest version handguard or who knows what. There is no way to tell the country of origin of the weapon without looking at what is stamped on the magazine well.

The end of the cocking tube near the front sight is necked down with an upside down "U" shaped piece of metal attached. This is what the handguard is supported off of the cocking tube with on the FS versions.

You need to understand that the CETME (Spain) and the G3 (Germany) are not exactly the same weapon. They have different sights and furniture. Aside from that, the G3 has been manufactured by 14 different countries under license by HK and they have been issued to armies in 50 countries world wide. Each country may have slightly different variations. So just looking at a picture will not be able to tell you exactly what version it is.

 

Heres model b cetme which is the same as the original g3 http://world.guns.ru/assault/cetme_b30.jpg and the g3 image http://www.hkpro.com/image/g3old.jpg also a picture that looks like some g3 model with a retractable stock very unusual. http://www.hkpro.com/image/g3retractold.jpg

 

I see CETME is way different from H&K . One thing though how can you tell the difference between the g3a2 and the g3a3 if they both have plastic? thats my last question. One last little thing if the original model g3 has a wood handgaurd why is it metal in these pictures? http://www.hkpro.com/image/g3old.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fc/West_German_Mechanized_Infantry.jpg the g3 is the guy on the right in the second picture.

 

One thing though how can you tell the difference between the g3a2 and the g3a3 if they both have plastic?

As mentioned above, the end of the cocking tube near the front sight on the A3 is necked down with an upside down "U" shaped piece of metal attached. This is how the handguard is supported off of the cocking tube on the FS versions. The non floating version just has the handguard retaining pin going between the cocking tube and barrel and the cocking tube has no neck and goes into the front sight.

One last little thing if the original model g3 has a wood handgaurd why is it metal in these pictures? http://www.hkpro.com/image/g3old.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fc/West_German_Mechanized_Infantry.jpg the g3 is the guy on the right in the second picture.

The wood handguard was declared standard in January 1959. There are different prototypes, one of them is a metal with bipod as shown. When evaluating a weapon there are troop trials. The weapon that is being tested is issued to troops for evaluation. If there are things that the troops don't like then they are removed or replaced. I believe in this case the sheet metal handguards were not liked and they were replaced with wood. These have a tendency to get hot under rapid fire.

 

Ok i see about the g3 and g3a1 so now i am on g3a2 and g3a3. So here is a picture of the front sight on a g3a3 i cant find the upside down U on it http://www.flickr.com/photos/beaty/3616122115/in/photostream/ and a side view of it http://www.flickr.com/photos/beaty/3629779531/in/photostream/ and now i just need to see a picture of a g3a2 which i understand there is a pin going in between the cocking tube and the barrel. I dont know what you mean by the cocking tube having no neck but i know what you mean by the cocking tube going into the front sight.There still is a front sight its just the cocking tube is going through the hole in the front sight. Now i just need a picture of the g3a2 to actually see it. One little thing this is a dumb question is the plastic on both a3 and a2 green? since every g3a3 is green what about the color of a2?

 

Here's a pic of the cocking tube and the U shaped hanger (pic is from http://www.robertrtg.com)...

Here's a pic of the cocking tube and hanger assembled...

Here's an early cocking tube that is straight.

Colors of the plastic can be green, black which are most common. Other colors depend on country, some countries like Saudi Arabia had desert tan colored furniture.

I would like to reiterate that any picture you see on the internet can be a mix of different parts from new to old.

 

Never mind i dont need to know what it looks like i get the idea it just doesnt have that U piece at the end but i still dont know what you mean by the cocking tube having no neck and how it goes through the front sight. Dont all cocking tubes go through the front sight? Like the cocking tube goes through the sight for all g3`s because if it didnt the cocking tube would sort of fall down wards. I dont know i would have to see a picture of a g3`s front sight from an angle so i can see through it.

 

Ok now thats the g3a3 cocking tube what would it look like on a g3a2?

It would look like a G3A3.

Why all the questions, what are you trying to accomplish?

 

Sorry about asking you so many. Heres the last question i swear. For G3a1 you said retractable stock but where i read everywhere it says folding stock . Under world of h&k on g3a1 it says folding stock that hinges to the left im not saying your wrong about the g3a1 stock description but it says in the article about g3 that it has a folding one. It could be either retractable or folding even both. I just wanted to know what you know about the stock of the gun. And im not trying to accomplish anything i was just curious about both of these models original a1 and a2.Also read my edited question above.

 

So what your telling me is that the name of this gun changes because of a small upside down U shaped piece that basically supports the handgaurd that is connected onto the cocking tube? How is this so its such a small difference how could anybody notice. There has to be more differences other than that.

 

Nope, that is it. The straight cocking tube fits tight into the front sight post, and the tapered cocking tube leaves room for the barrel and front sight post to "free-float" to enhance accuracy. Any G3 made by HK marked G3FS are either a G3A3 or a G3A4 depending on stock configuration. Any G3A2 with the fresichwinger mod and FS restamp will therefore be a G3A3/A4.
And if you really are that interested in all kinds of detail differences, go buy "The full circle", lots of info there.

Like that the steel handguard G3 is really early HK-made CETME prototypes/T&E models for the german government, IIRC called CETME DM3 or similar meaning CETME Deutsche Modell 3 or german model 3 in english.

And again, go buy the full circle....

mg42 over and out.

 

Never mind i know now. I just need the question above that answered previously about the stock on the g3a1. Read whats about my second question which has been answered.

 

Ok i see but one thing i dont even know what FS is haha. Is it some type of trigger option? all i know is the three basic different modes S safe E semi auto and F full auto. And also see my question above the onw you answered previously about the stock on the g3a1.

Try reading some of the answers to your questions above. FS is not a selector marking.

 

Some one please tell what this type of g3 is this http://www.hkpro.com/image/g3retractold.jpg it could be a g3a1? but yet again everthing i read even hkpro world of hk says that the g3a1 has a folding stock that hinges to the left. My last question please answer it someone thanks.

 

Just need the question above answered. What kind if stock did g3a1 because in this picture it has retracting and in alot of descriptions it says it folds but im not sure.I didnt post the picture its above this reply...

 

One last thing that came to mind was the stock to the G3a2 folding or fixed?

 

And another thing what does the FS mod look like?

 

See post #15 by blfuller it is clearly depicted there.

And btw the only factory folding stock I have ever seen on a G3 type rifle is the Cetme top folder which you can see in HKpro member Bo's Assault rifle page second pic from the top.

 

mg42 iws correct. Per the G3 Armorers manual. No folding stock has been produced by HK for production. Choate makes a folding stock for the HK. It folds to the right side of the receiver. None of the Bundeswehr manufactured rifles came with them. On the differences in the hanger model and non hanger model G3's the differences are: Tapered cocking tube end, triple frame cocking tube recess smaller, barrel profile taper slightly different. The advantage is allowing the cocking tube to mount the hand guard and thereby keeping the forearm from directly touching the barrel. "Free floating" So vibrations are not transmitted from the forearm to the barrel disrupting barrel harmonics. A simple, yet elegant solution which on other rifle designs can cost hundreds to accomplish.