HK416A8 in Der Haus: German Army Issues First Heckler & Koch G95 Rifles
The German federal army recently issued out the first of at least 122,000 HK416A8 rifles to army infantrymen – and more guns are on the way.
Heckler & Koch has had a lock on German infantry rifles going back to the 7.62 NATO Gewehr 3 (G3), which was adopted in 1959 and is still in limited service. The newly adopted G95A1 in 5.56 NATO is replacing the futuristic-looking G36 in the same caliber, which in turn has been supplementing the G3 since 1996.
HK416A8, Germany's new standard issue rifle, type classified as the G95A1. (Photo: Bundeswehr)
The first of the new rifles was issued to troops of Panzergrenadier Battalion 122, garrisoned in Oberviechtach on the Czech border.
It appears that all of the recently issued rifles are the shorter G95KA1 variant, with the "K" for "kurz" or short, as it has a 14-inch barrel. (Photo: Bundeswehr)
The G95A1, adopted in 2022, will be fielded in both the standard 16-inch G95A1 and shorter G95KA1, both of which are lighter and shorter than the G36 they are replacing. The Elcan Specter DR 1-4x is the companion day optic of record. (Photo: Bundeswehr)
The G95, as with the HK416 in general, uses a robust, AR-18-style short-stroke gas piston system rather than the more traditional direct gas impingement. (Photos: Bundeswehr)
It uses STANAG 4694 rails with M-LOK slots and has an adjustable gas block.
Unlike the G36, the G95, in all Bundeswehr variants, will no longer be black or FDE, but a greenish-brown, a colorway that has been described by some as "ekelhaftgelb" (disgusting yellow). The reason: black has a higher infrared signature and is therefore easier to detect. (Photo: Bundeswehr)
The Budget Committee of the Bundestag, Germany's parliament, last week approved the purchase of more G95 series rifles, complete with optics and lights. The country, with an ever-more aggressive Russia to the East, is looking to up its military spending and is even flirting with the prospect of returning to peacetime conscription.
HK is also supplying the German military with MG5 machine guns, with over 15,000 delivered thus far.
First selected by the Bundeswehr in 2014 in its A5 variant for use as the G28 designated marksman rifle, the country also fields the HK416A7 as the standard G95 (no A1), which has been in use with Germany's special operations units since at least 2018. The above shows a German KSK commando with a "50 shades of FDE" HK416A7/G95 outfitted with an EoTech XPS HWS system with a magnifier. (Photo: Bundeswehr)
The German Dexheimer channel earlier this year went on a visit to HK's factory in Oberndorf to get the tour and background on the G95. Even if you don't speak German, you can auto-dub it in English, although you don't really need it.
