RPG

The Small Arms Review • Vol. 10 No. 3 • December, 2006

Seasons Greetings from the staff at Small Arms Review!

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Shoulder fired rocket launchers arenothing new. Neither are rifles with in-tegral grenade launchers for that matter.In the 18th century, there were seven footlong flintlock style rifles that a rocketshaft was aligned in, and a transfer baroperated the flintlock mechanism locatedout at the front of the launcher. Thebuttstock, trigger group, etc., look nor-mal, then the lock was out at the veryfront. There was another design fromthe same period where the buttstock wascylindrical and opened up at the shoul-der end to make a cup style grenade

RAFFICA SPECIALThe RPG-7 System

Dear readers of Raffica: On occasion a subject question becomes too large for our normal Q&A format.When that occurs, we move to a “Raffica Special” and we are in that position right now. We have had so manyquestions regarding the operation of the RPG-7 system that the only way to properly answer this is with a“Special.” Since I have been working on a photo ID series of the various basic RPG systems for many years,and we were just preparing to do the ultimate worldwide ID Guide to these launchers, we decided to prep thereaders with this How It Works guide first. Several other articles will soon follow including the RPG IDGuide and an in-depth analysis of the sighting systems. We hope this guide helps dispel many of the mythssurrounding the RPG-7 system, and educates our readers to the basic functions and differences. - Dan

launcher. The lock was able to fire ei-ther the musket barrel or the grenadelauncher with the flick of a switch. Thegrenade launcher was used mortar styleof course. These are mentioned simplyto show that weapons designers havebeen making man portable launchers andhurlers for centuries. It is only in themodern times that we have fine tuned theprocess.

The roots of the RPG-7 launcher canbe found in the German Panzerfaust (lit-erally “Tank-Fist” in German) of WorldWar II. This was little more than a tube

with a firing mechanism to launch aprimitive warhead, but it gave the infan-tryman the ability to launch an explosivecharge farther than he had been able topreviously. Developments during andafter World War II went in several di-rections, with some countries concentrat-ing on the recoilless rifle principle andothers looking more to shoulder firedrocket launchers.

In 1948-49, the Soviets introduced theRPG-2 system. The RPG-2 initially wasa simple tube with a ballisticallylaunched grenade that was fired from it.

Soviet RPG-2 launcher with strap,covers and grenade in firing position.This specimen dates from 1952.


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Behind the grenade was an ejectioncharge that basically threw the rocketforward from the tube, and an unassistedballistic trajectory was followed. In somelater rounds, a pyrotechnic fuze fired arocket when it was safely in front of theoperator. Those experimental RPG-2rockets were not reliably timed for fir-ing so the accuracy degraded at dis-tances beyond 100 meters. Stabilizationcame from six thin sheet metal fins atthe rear of the rocket motor, which did areasonable job for accuracy. The RPG-2series had an expected range of 150meters, so the sights were fixed laddertypes with no allowance for adjustment.Later models had some modifications,such as a rudimentary blast shield at therear to help keep any blastback awayfrom the operator. This was neither a

People’s Republic of China Type 56 variant of the RPG-2. This is the 40mmstraight tube launcher primarily used by the Viet Cong forces early on during theVietnam War. It was referred to as the B40, and some B40s were made in NorthVietnam. Later in the war- approximately 1967- the RPG-7 was used. This speci-men dates from 1956.

Above, left: Rudimentary blast deflector on the rear of this RPG-2 was designed as an afterthought to prevent any of thebackblast coming forward onto the operator. Above, right: The RPG-2 round has a raised metal projection that indexesinto a channel on the top of the RPG-2 launcher directly in front of the flip up front sight. Part of the assistant gunner’sjob was to ensure that the round was positively in position when he loaded it. If it wasn’t indexed and seated, then theprimer would not be in the proper position for the firing pin, resulting in a “No-fire” situation. Of all problems on theRPG series, lack of proper alignment is the cause of most failures to fire in the field.

blast cone nor a venturi.The RPG-2 system was manufactured

until its replacement, the RPG-7, ap-peared in 1961. The Communist Chi-

nese built and distributed the Type 56,an RPG-2 variant, and the Yugoslav’sbuilt a much heavier similar launchercalled the M57.

Above: Dummy RPG-2 round with fins extended, and one type of dummy ejec-tion charge underneath it. The ejection charge would be removed from packag-ing directly before firing and screwed onto the back of the round. The chargesare very moisture and physical damage sensitive, but less so than RPG-7 charges.



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It is strongly recommended against fir-ing RPG-2, M57, or B-40 rounds as therehas not been recent manufacture and thechemical compositions and fuzes arenow untrustworthy. Unless the operatorcan verify recent manufacture, theseshould be avoided. The launchers them-selves are simple mechanical devices sowith fresh ammunition they would befieldable. Antique, outdated and out-classed, but fieldable. RPG-2 series gre-nades do not have timed safety self de-struct fuzes, so a “dud” round will be-come a UXO (Un-Exploded Ordnance)hazard.

Above, left: RPG-2 fins extended. At the front of the fins, towards the nose cone, there are some spring steel wire rings.These are normally over the fins, holding them to the body of the rocket section. When the ejection charge is screwed on,then the grenade is inserted into the RPG-2 tube, these rings are pushed forward by the tube, and the six fins try to open.These fins exert outward pressure on the inside of the RPG-2 tube, and hold the grenade in place. Above, right: If theRPG-2 round is removed from the RPG-2, the fins will extend. In this photo, the ejection charge has been unscrewed, andthe fins are being manually held in. This shows that the fins can be held down enough to reinsert the round into the RPG-2 launcher (Ejection charge would be on for this). However, once the fins have been extended, and the operator desires toput the round away for storage, it would require holding the fins down firmly enough to slide the retaining rings backover them. This can not generally be done by hand. There is a cup shaped metal tool with six slots in it that can be slid overthe extended fins, then rotated with the fin direction, folding the fins down. Once wound completely on, the retainingrings can be slid in place and the round can be stored again. Return to storage or carrier also depends on if there is anytype of fuze safety involved (Later Yugo style) that must be replaced before storage.

RPG-7V, left hand view. This example is dated 1966. Notethe much larger central tube section, the blast cone at therear, and the addition of a second handgrip.

Close up view of one of the signature ap-pearances of the RPG-7 series; the Blastcone at the rear. This is actually a diver-gent nozzle, which will accelerate super-sonic gases.



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Right side view of a fully cutaway RPG-7V tube.

RPG-7

For the purposes of this article, we willbe discussing the Russian/Soviet madeRPG-7 series: the RPG-7V and RPG-7D.There are approximately 29 differentvariations made around the world and

RPG-7V trigger groupwith markings.

On the right is the standard diameterof the 40mm tube. The rocket sectionfits here, and the expeller charge fits tothe center of the expansion tube in themiddle. This is one of the major up-grades in the RPG- 7 system. The baseof the expeller charge seats into thenarrowed section to the left.

Left: On the right of this closeup isthe expansion chamber area. The ex-peller charge base slides in from theright and seats firmly into the nar-rowed section at the center. Thefoam plug at the base of the expellercharge actually seats there. Thisphoto also shows the joint betweenthe forward tube and the rear tubein manufacturing. Although this isthreaded, this is not an armorer’s

disassembly point as it is welded. Also, the narrowing at the joint is a venturi: a narrowing of the tube going to anincreased diameter, which changes gas flow pressure direction and speed.

SAR will be covering models and coun-tries of manufacture at a later date in theID Guide. Two of the most basic de-signs have been copied by many coun-tries: the Soviet style and the Chinesestyle. The fastest way to tell whichschool the RPG came from is that the

Chinese style utilizes a bipod, a shoul-der rest, and has adjustable front and rearsights, while the original Russian modeldoes not.

Several initial changes appear in theRPG-7 series. The example in these pho-tos is the second variation, the RPG-7V.

Left side view of Soviet RPG-7D paratrooper take downversion, manufactured in 1973.



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Left side view of So-viet RPG-7D para-trooper take downversion in the “carry”position.

Above, left: RPG-7D locking latch that snaps into place when the tubes are properly mated together and ready to fire. Ifthe tubes are not properly placed, the latch extension blocks the sear. Above, right: Male and female sides of the threelug interlocking section of the RPG-7D tube.

Above, left: The RPG-7D safety latch extension is a rod that leads from the barrel connecting latch down to the sear area,and either blocks or allows the sear to operate. Above, right: The sear block is a sheet metal piece that fits around thefiring pin well, and moves forward or backwards depending on the position of the locking latch.

The “V” model is simply a bit smallerdimensionally, and lighter. The tube in-ner diameter remains at 40mm. Severalmanufacturing method improvementswere instituted.

RPG-7D

The RPG-7D is the paratrooper’s take-down version of the RPG-7 system,which appeared in the early 1970s.There is a three lug turning takedown

point with various safety features builtin to avoid firing without the rear of thetube properly attached. There are twobayonet lugs used to attach the rear sec-tion to the forward tube, making for amuch smaller package for jumping with.



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Above: The front and rear tubes areconnected together with two bayo-net lugs. Once locked into place,they are very securely attached.The hammer needs to be cockedand safety “On” in order for therear tube to slide into place, or thetrigger group needs to be removed.

Left: The RPG-7D trigger grouphas a notch on the top right handplate that fits around the sear blockmechanism. Installation and re-moval of the RPG-7D trigger grouprequires more manipulation than astraight “on-off” like the standardgroups. The operator needs to en-sure the sear block mechanism isnot compromised or bent when heinstalls the trigger group.

Aiming and Boresighting

The objective is to hit the target, and morespecifically, to strike a crippling blow to thetarget. If the target is a tank or self-propelledgun, the goal is to take the gun out of action.Simply taking a tread or other immobilizingshot is good but keep in mind that the opera-tors of the vehicle will be looking to returnfire, and even if they are immobilized, if theycan bring the main gun to bear then the RPGteam is in danger as it takes 8-12 seconds toload another round.

Since the objective is to hit the target accu-rately, there must be a method of ensuring thesights and scope are in line with the bore. In

Right: Standard Russian/Soviet style front sight. There are noadjustments. Chinese style front sights have drift and height ad-justments. This is the only authorized position used for the frontsight for firing an RPG-7.

both cases, this is accom-plished by using a bore sightand a point of aim that is aminimum of 900 metersaway. At the shop it is easyenough to have a set of blocksand a mount in order to im-mobilize the tube for this pro-cedure, but field expedienttricks include sandbags andeither a table or other flat sur-face. Remember to leaveroom with the bags for lineof sight on checking thesights. This should be doneby unit armorers and the op-



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While the Warsaw Pact nations were pursuing the RPG series of shoulder fired rocket propelled grenade launchers thatwere reloadable, the US and her allies were concentrating on disposable single shot launchers; most notably the LAWM72 series of launchers. By the mid 1970s, the Soviets had experimented with their own disposable launcher, and it wascalled the RPG-18. There are numerous job specific RPGs of this style today; RPG-22, RPG-26, RPG-27, the SerbianM80. Essentially, the RPG-18 is like the LAW in most operational regards.

RPG-18

Above, left: At the rear of an RPG-18, just like in the LAW M72, there is a plastic tube with fast burning explosive powderin it that takes the mechanically fired primer gases and transmits the ignition to the rear of the rocket tube to ignite thepropellant. Above, right: There are two sizes of propellant strip in the rocket, that ignite in order. Below: Cutaway viewof the shaped charge of the RPG-18, showing the similar design to the RPG-7; piezo nose fuze, rear firing fuze withexplosive compound and tin coated copper cone for forming the jet.

erators as well, just like checking any otherweapon sight when getting ready to fire. Welltrained teams will constantly check their boresight.

The bore sight is usually composed of twopieces. They are both tubes and the front hasa wire crosshair on it and this is inserted intothe front of the tube. Some of these front piecesrequire the operator to put two strings on it tomake the crosshairs making it possible to im-provise this front section by crossing two

strings over the front of the tube at 90 degreesto each other and securing them in place. Aslong as the crosshairs are centered, this is fine.The rear tube, if used, has either four slotswith an open center, or simply an open center,that slides into the blast cone. Visually checkfrom the rear aperture to the crosshairs in thefront of the tube, and this will give you a borecenter. It is quite possible to bore sight with-out the rear section, by moving back a bit fur-ther from the rear of the tube when sighting.

With the tube immobilized, the operatorshould fix the bore sight onto an object at 900+meters. The object should have some distincthorizontal and vertical features. Once this issighted, the mechanical sights can be checked.Russian style sights do not have much adjust-ment to them, but the Chinese family has fullwindage and elevation adjustment available.Bring the sights in line with the bore sight andthe sights are aligned with the tube at all ranges.The scope itself has a single crosshair up above



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Above, left: Rear sight on the Russian/Soviet style RPG-7 has only up and down movement. Chinese style has moreadjustments. Above, right: The rear sight is locked into either the up or down position with a leaf spring in the base.

Left: Far left - Normal temperaturefiring position for the front sight iswith the auxiliary sight snapped up-wards into the fire position. Center- For firing under 0 degrees centi-grade, the auxiliary front sight issnapped to the down, inactive posi-tion. This lowers the front sight peak,effectively raising the point of aimwhich is necessary due to rocket tra-jectory at lower temperatures. Right- Front sight in normal use. Thewhite line is a photographic enhance-ment to show the difference the aux-iliary front sight adds to the heightof the front post. This is the stan-dard temperature firing position.

RPG-7D showing theoptical sight rail.

RPG-7D with optical sight mounted.

the sighting chart, distinct and by itself. Thiscrosshair is to match the bore sight at 900meters. Right and left windage and up or downadjustment are controlled by two dial knobsat the front of the sight. Full adjustment willbe described in a later article.

The Controversial Optical Sight

Optical sights are controversial because thereare several schools of thought on this unit, and



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Above: RPG-7 standard optical sight left and right side views. Note the fore-head brace above the eyepiece, and front cover in place. The optical sight hasa magnification of 2.7x and a 13 degree field of view. The reticle can be illumi-nated from the battery on the left side with a simple on-off switch.

it does in fact take a lot of training and livefire practice to use the RPG-7 let alone theoptical sight. SAR will be covering the sight-ing in depth at a later date. Suffice it to saythat using this unit requires extensive train-ing.

Advice is frequently given that an operatorshould immediately throw away the opticalsight because it is too complicated for com-bat conditions. This is good advice if the op-

Above: RPG-7 standard opticalsight, front view showing the two ad-justment knobs.

Above, left: Early style RPG-7 optical sight pouch contains spare bulbs, spare batteries, and various lens covers for lowlight, bright light, and haze, as well as the low temperature battery wire set. Modern sight carriers are molded plastic.Above, right: Low temperature battery wire set allows the operator to remove the battery from the optical sight and useit remotely. The battery fits inside the operator’s shirt pocket to keep body heat on the battery. The wire connects thebattery to the optical sight. It is somewhat awkward but an excellent solution to low light/ low temperature situations.Don’t forget that the sight has an adjustment for low temperature aiming as well.

erator is not going to receive a lot of the propertraining; novices should stick to the iron sights.However, most RPG-7 operators are dedi-cated to this job and do receive a lot of train-ing. If that is the case, the optical sight givesmany advantages. Combined with a modernlaser range finder, the optical sight can trulyextend the range of the RPG-7 from its “point-blank” designated 300 meters to a full 500meters, depending on wind conditions.

Again, experience with live fire is criticalto the RPG-7 operator’s accuracy. In the US,it is difficult to get this experience due to ourimportation laws on explosives and the factthat the US military has a very wise policy ofnot allowing the firing of captured ammuni-tion of this type. (In the event that there areUS end users reading this who need to ar-range live fire training outside the US, pleasesee me after class. - Dan)



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Left: Russian/Soviet-style sight reticle.Note that the tank height is defined at2.7 meters. This is an average of NATOand Warsaw Pact height tanks, and theoperator should be aware at all timeswhat the enemy tank heights really areand adjust accordingly.

Center, left: Chinese family opticalsights have two tank height stadia. Theleft stadia labeled 3.0 meters is for UStanks, and it has a second, lower line forgauging the distance of human targetswith the Chinese bounding frag round.It is also used for smaller vehicles. Theright stadia labeled 2.3 meters is forWarsaw Pact style tanks. The Chinesealso added a straight line stadia at thebottom for gauging distance using thelength of a tank.

Above, right: This illustration shows the effect ofcrosswind on the flight of an RPG-7 grenade. It isthe opposite of what one might think, and the op-posite of the M72 LAW rocket. While the RPG-7rocket is firing, the grenade turns into the wind, itdoes not drift with it. This is due to the location ofthe turbine and the fin stabilizers. Once the rocketmotor has burned out, drift sets in and the gre-nade will travel with the wind. Distance obviouslymatters a lot in the planned point of aim, and theoperator has to take into account where the rocketwill burn out.

Left: Percentage of hit comparison with 0 wind and 7mph wind. This illustrates why in crosswind situa-tions at longer distances, the operator will be concen-trating on where the first round hits, because he willlikely need to refine his aiming for a back up shot.



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1) At the joint between the expeller chargeand the rocket booster that is permanently partof the grenade, is the section that initiates thefiring sequence. When the firing pin strikesthe primer (located in the small threaded holeon the center side in this photo, but primer ismissing) the primer ignites a train of events.Immediately the expeller charge to the left inthis photo is ignited. The pyrotechnic pelletin the rocket booster is ignited when enoughforward momentum has compressed thespring to the right in this photo, driving a sec-ond primer onto a fixed firing pin. This is atimed and blocked event- the rocket motorignition delay is separated from the primerflash channel by solid aluminum. The pelletburns in a set time to ignite the rocket boosterwhen it reaches 11 meters in front of thelauncher.

2) When the primer ignites, the expellercharge is fired off by the black powder in thecenter of the expeller tube. The expeller maincharge propellant is double base NC/NGplaced evenly around the central tube, in be-tween the folded stabilizer fins. This is allwrapped with impregnated cardboard and aglued, waterproof tissue. This section is ex-

RPG-7 Rounds

There are many, many rounds on the mar-ket today. SAR will cover these at anothertime. For our purposes, we are going totake a look at the basic HEAT (High Ex-plosive Anti-Tank) round: the PG-7V.

tremely vulnerable to moisture, so it is impor-tant to only remove from the carrying casejust prior to firing. The expeller in an RPG-7is now in an expansion chamber that is largerthan the 40mm tube, so the expanding pro-pellant gases rapidly build pressure and exertit onto the grenade.

3) At the rear of the expeller charge is a hardfoam plug. As pressure builds in the expellerchamber, the grenade has forward pressureon it and eventually this plug breaks up andthe parts of the plug and any unburnt card-board are expelled out through the venturi andthe blast cone. Directly in front of the plug isan aluminum turbine that imparts rotation im-mediately as the grenade shaft leaves the ex-peller chamber and tube.

4) As the grenade leaves the RPG tube, it hasbeen “boosted” out by the expeller charge.Forward motion allows the four stabilizer finsto extend out to the sides, and it is importantto remember this when firing as there must beat least 8 inches of clearance above all ob-stacles in the flight trajectory. This is also agood time to point out another reason not toinstall the expeller cartridge onto the rocketand carry it around. If this is bent or damagedthen the entire trajectory may be thrown off.The pyrotechnic pellet will burn through toignite the rocket booster, as long as the springheld block is out of the way due to properforward momentum. Propellant gases beginthe booster action at 11 meters from leavingthe tube of the launcher.

5) The rocket motor burns and the gases pushforward into the nozzle block expansionchamber at the front joint just behind the gre-nade body. This chamber has six holes thatpoint to the rear and outward, and the pres-sure from the gases blows out the seals andthe six holes drive the grenade assembly for-ward during its assisted flight. It is importantto note that the holes are canted in a directionopposite that of the rotation imparted by thefins. The spin rate imparted by the four fins isslowed after rocket ignition. This preventsoverspin, and reduces spin degradation of theshaped charge on firing. Just behind the nozzleblock is an elastic ring that holds the RPG-7round in the launcher so slight downward fir-ing is possible without the round coming for-ward and misaligning the primer and firingpin. When the rocket burns out, forward mo-mentum keeps the grenade airborne until itreaches a target or approximately 900 meterswhere the safety fuze causes the nose conearea to explode. This does activate the shapedcharge, although this author has observedmany RPG-7 rounds that reached the fivesecond mark, the safety detonated, and theshaped charge was still intact.

6) Cutaway view of the shaped charge. Thepiezo-electric nose fuze fires a spark plug sys-tem at the rear of the shaped explosive con-tent. As the detonation wave moves throughthe explosive, the tin coated copper cone atthe center is transformed to a high-speed, high-temperature jet of metal that penetrates up to13 inches of steel armor.

Below, left: Standard PG-7 nose fuze cover in place. Cover should not be removed until directly before firing, andwhether the fuze cover and safety is removed before loading or after loading is local command doctrine. For a singleoperator it is easier to remove the cap and safety pin before loading. The fuze is rated to be safe for a three meter fall.Below, center: Remove the safety pin using the pull tape. Retain pin and cap in pocket in case of having to remove andstore the grenade. Re-install in the same manner. Many operators keep a couple of sets of cover and safety pin in a frontpocket, and simply discard the covers as they are used so they don’t have to be concerned under combat conditionsabout whether they have a cap and safety should they need it. Below, right: PG-7 grenade nose fuze ready for firing. Thefuze contains direct pressure piezo electric firing as well as timed fuze self destruct capabilities. Some modern designshave a grazing hit feature.

Arming



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Firing sequence

Firing the RPG-7 series of weapons is con-sidered a two man operation: the operator andassistant gunner. Both should be proficientwith the system and should have a lot of livefire training. The skills needed to hit a targetwith an RPG can not be gained from simpletraining drills, especially firing at longerranges. When the RPG team is “hunting,” itis just as important to figure in attempting toconceal their position and the backblast sig-nature from the enemy as it is to find goodfront cover. In the case of needing a secondshot, the backblast will frequently have lo-cated them for the enemy. Aiming so that therear of the RPG-7 is pointed around the cor-ner of a large building or hill can help withthis. A couple of safety points should be em-phasized. Behind the tube, for about 30meters, there is a 70 degree danger zone.Close to the tube is a kill zone. The operatorand his A-gunner should always be ensuringthat there are no obstacles, walls, etc within 2meters behind the RPG. Good advice wouldbe to make that at least 3 meters. Backblastcan be quite deadly. Firing from inside a smallroom is to be discouraged. We at SAR havebeen told that there exists a video clip of anIraqi insurgent firing an RPG-7 from a thirdfloor window with the backblast hurling himforward out the window. If you have this clip,please forward it to us. It contains sage wis-dom for all potential operators.

The operator and A-gunner will haveworked together and developed their ownmethod of communicating these sequences-

but it is usually taught for the A-gunner to beon the left of the operator and reach across toload. This may not always be practical, but itis part of many countries’ training doctrine.This author believes that the A-gunner shouldbe on the right of the operator. Using today’squality range finders is very important, as ac-curate range distance should increase firstround hit probability. Once the pair havestalked their target, found range and targetspeed, and set up the firing position, the fol-lowing sequence of events should occur:

• A-gunner visually clears the tube, then pre-pares the rounds to be fired, attaching the ex-peller charges.

• Operator ensures the push through safety isto the right and the hammer is not cocked,then announces “Load”.

• A-gunner loads a round into the tube, ensur-ing the index is properly occurring and theelastic gasket is snugly in place holding theround in the tube, then visually examines thebackblast area for friendlies, to ensure thereis no danger to the rear, and to ensure thatvarious and assorted Operator and A-gunnerappendages are out of the blast area. He an-nounces “Clear to fire”.

• Operator announces “Ready” and the A-gun-ner removes the fuze protector (this may havebeen done before loading). A-gunner resumeswatching backblast area for friendlies andgives warning to the operator if the situationchanges.

• Operator cocks the hammer, takes carefulaim, pushes the safety to the left, then, squeez-ing the trigger, he fires. The operator thenanalyzes shot effect and decides whether toreload and repeat, or to depart the area withall due haste.

• In the event of a misfire, the operator an-nounces “Misfire,” then pushes the safety tothe right and “On,” announces “Safe” and theA-gunner makes a fast visual inspection to seeif the grenade was properly indexed or not.High probability in a misfire will be that thegrenade was not properly seated. If that is thecase, the A- gunner then immediately reseatsthe grenade and initiates checks. Operatorfires again. If the grenade was in place, thenthe A-gunner should pull the grenade forwardand visually inspect the primer for a hit. If nohit, try again. If there is a dented primer, thenthe grenade should be gingerly moved awayfrom the area and left for EOD (on the range)or blown in place at the first opportunity if inthe field.

• If there is another misfire, then the A-gunnerremoves the grenade and inspects the primer.If there is no hit on the primer, then there mustbe a full check done on the pistol group andfiring pin. The A-gunner should re-install thefuze cover and safety pin, then remove theround and unscrew and store the expellercharges and grenades in their carry cases. Un-der no circumstances should the expellercharges be left attached to the grenades andcarried around. The reasons for this shouldbe clear from the discussion of how the roundswork.

This graph gives a good rule of thumb for the operator. ModernRPG-7 rounds all have self-destruct fuzes, and the fuze is set to gooff at approximately 900 meters, or five seconds of flight time.



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Defending against the RPG

A couple of quick notes on defendingyourself against RPG-7 attacks. Unfortu-nately, for most vehicles it is not practicalto put up any fencing around the vehicle.Perhaps the best defense is high speed andevasive maneuvering. Don’t drive one con-stant speed or straight path. The other help-ful hint goes to suppressive fire - keep theirheads down. If you are hit, remember thata back up shot will probably be coming soon- within 8-12 seconds.

When an RPG-7 is fired towards yourposition, there are three basic signatures.The first and second are simultaneous: theflash and 30 meter blast area behind theoperator’s position, and the flash to the frontof the operator (minimal). The third is thatapproximately 11 meters in front of the op-erator, there will be a larger puff of smokewhere the rocket motor kicks in. This isgenerally quite visible and a good basis foraiming return fire. If you are in the line offire, just aim back into the area and sup-press. If you are oblique to the line of fire(e.g. the RPG was firing at a vehicle in frontof you) aim back 11 meters from the puffand put the hammer down on your guns.

During the Vietnam War, US Forcesbegan building portable fencing structureson their vehicles. This was chain link fence

Above: View of cutaway RPG-7 HEAT round. On the right, the outer ribbed cone is thestandoff, and it creates the outer path of the ignition circuit that continues the entire lengthof the warhead. Just underneath it, observe the inner cone that creates the inner electricalpath. The space between them is an open air insulator area. This is the section that chainlink fence defenses are intended to fracture, short circuit and disrupt.

or very tight barbed wire. The goal wastwo fold. First, the fence could catch theround in mid-flight, holding it and keep-ing it away from the vehicle. If the rounddetonates away from heavy armor, then itprobably will not penetrate the armor.Most RPG-7 rounds are designed asshaped charges, so they need to be a set

distance from the surface ofthe target when they go off,or they are not effective inpenetration. Rounds thathave a self-destruct fuze willexplode 5 seconds after fir-ing, even if trapped in defen-sive fencing. This is a dan-ger to soldiers who are un-protected. While the ATrounds are not designed asanti-personnel, there can beenough fragmentation andblast to kill or cause othercasualties to those near the

explosion. The second reason for the fenc-ing is due to the manner in which the tra-ditional RPG-7 rounds operate. There isa double cone in the front of the stand-offarea. These two cones are intended as thepath for the peizo electric fuze to ignitethe main fuze on the shaped charge. It isquite effective, but if the round strikes thefencing and this cone area is distendedand the cones touch, the fuze can’t oper-ate- it is short circuited. Newer roundshave a bypass system in place, so the bestthe defender can hope for is to hold theround in fencing, away from the skin ofthe vehicle, when it explodes. Damage tounprotected personnel can be expected. Inthe event that the nose fuze strikes a strandof the fence, the round will detonate awayfrom the vehicle, nullifying the shapedcharge effect. The shaped charge can,however, penetrate light armor from sev-eral feet away.

Left: In this cutaway view, we can see that the firing pin at rest doesnot enter the tube, and when it does, the proper firing pin protru-sion that it is capable of. This does not mean this is the proper firingpin protrusion when firing, just that it has not been interfered with.Since the hammer is under its own momentum when it strikes thefiring pin and not under hammer spring pressure, the firing pinreceives just enough pressure to solidly strike the primer. This ob-viously can not be seen in a complete launcher, but a quick viewfrom the front looking down the empty tube towards a light surfacewill show whether the pin is operating properly. Press the firing pinin from the hammer view to ensure there is spring resistance. If noresistance, replace the spring.



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Above: The firing pin plug is squared into its well when properly threadedinto place. This is on an RPG-7D.

Below: Firing pin plug has been threaded out using a common wrench. Dam-age can be seen on the plug from previous operators using improper tools thatslipped off. The plug should be replaced in this condition. A very light coatingof anti-seize compound should be applied to these threads.

Armorer’s Hints for theRPG-7 Series and the RPG-2

Disassembly of the RPG series at theoperator level is confined to removal of thetrigger group, the heat shields, scope, andperforming inspection and maintenance onthese items. There are a number of clean-ing tools supplied including a large brushand swab. The interior of the tube is chro-mium lined but needs frequent cleaning dur-ing use due to the corrosive nature of thepowder in the expeller charge, as well ashow the expeller charge operates. Thecharge has paper, foam, and burning pro-pellant that is supposedly expelled throughthe venturi and to the rear, but on occasionparticles remain that can either block thenext round from being properly inserted, orlead to corrosion. Once the tube is cleaned,a very, very, light coat of oil should be ap-plied internally.

Firing Pin

The firing pin location and projection arekey to the operation of these systems - andare very basic. There is a double headed pinwith a barrel body, which is held in a well inthe bottom side of the launcher. One pin issmaller and is the firing pin. The other largerdiameter pin is for the hammer to strike. Thefiring pin hole in the body is aligned withwhere the primer on the grenade body shouldbe. Any misalignment or change in the ex-tension of the firing pin into the primer willaffect the reliability of the firing sequence.The firing pin is held in position by twopieces: a cup that is replaceable and locatesthe pin in the well, and a threaded plug thatholds it into the well. The plug has a hole init that mirrors the firing pin hole, allowingthe striking end of the firing pin to face thehammer. The central body of the firing pinhas a spring coiled around it, which keepsthe firing pin from entering the firing pin holeunless the hammer has struck it.

Below, left: Left to Right: Firing pin plug, firing pin with spring, firing pin cup.All parts should be inspected for wear, chipping, or breakage.

Below, right: Tip for reassembly: Once you have the cup, the firing pin andspring, and the plug in place, and have started threading the plug in, use a pinpunch to ensure the firing pin can travel all the way in. Then, holding thepunch in place, thread the plug in around it. Snug the plug square and justbeyond hand tight.

Raffica RPG SpecialContinued on page 85



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Disassembly of Trigger Group

Most shooters will recognize the inter-nal parts design from numerous single shothammer fired rifles and shotguns. Thedesign is not unusual. The group is heldin position by a fixed lug at the rear and apush through split takedown pin at thefront. In the case of the B-40, the front isfrequently held in by a screw. There areother variations and removal should be ob-vious by what method is used. There is apush-through trigger blocking safety, andthe hammer is manually cocked. Oncecocked, the safety is engaged; left to rightfrom the operator’s view is “Safe” andpushing through from right to left is “Fire.”This can be accomplished using the insideof the index finger, which rests in that areawhen holding the grip. When the hammeris cocked, the sear engages it and holds itunder spring tension from the hammerspring. Once the safety is off, and the trigger pulled, thehammer moves rapidly upward under tension, but it is themomentum of the hammer itself that causes it to strike thefiring pin. The hammer spring is mechanically kept fromforcing the hammer all the way to the top of its cycle. Therewould be too much force in that case, thus the mechanicalblock. The cycle repeats.

Disassembly is in the following manner, with one excep-tion. The early RPG-2 and B-40 type trigger groups mayhave the pin hole for the hammer spring removal in such amanner that the pivot and spring must be removed underpressure. Early armorers had a program to drill out a straightwell so that once contained under pressure, the spring couldbe removed in that contained state and replaced on reas-sembly.

SAR would like to thank Paul Newhouse and RichardJones for their help in this article.

Send questions to:[email protected] mail to Small Arms Review

Attn: Raffica631 N. Stephanie St #562

Henderson, NV 89014

Raffica RPG SpecialContinued from page 36

Left: Trigger groupfrom RPG-7V circa1966 being removed bypushing the split takedown pin out, thenrocking the assemblydownward.

Below: View from therear of RPG-7 triggergroup showing the pushthrough safety extended

on the left side. This isthe “Fire” position.

Center, right: With the hammer in the fired position,remove the four flat head screws in the side paneland remove the side panel.

Bottom, Right: Remove the sear (flat spring) fromthe top of the group using a flat head screwdriver.Remove the grips from the group by unscrewing thesingle screw at the center of the grips.

RPG Trigger DisassemblyContinued On Next Page



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Trigger group with grips removedhas been placed in a soft jaw vise forease of disassembly. It is entirely pos-sible to do this by hand, but the safetyin particular requires three hands ora very experienced touch. 1: Ham-mer spring / Pivot removal well, 2:Hammer Spring, 3: Hammer Pivot,4: Push through safety, 5: trigger re-taining pin, 6: Trigger, 7: Sear, 8:Hammer.

1) Removal of the sear, if not done before putting in the vise. 2) Remove the trigger pin. It is a one headed pin that canonly be inserted in one direction. 3) Depress the hammer about half way until the hole in the hammer pivot rod is belowthe base of the spring, in the removal well. Insert a pin punch or improvised tool into the hole, locking the spring in acompressed condition. This takes spring pressure off of thehammer. 4) Lift the hammer off of its pivot and remove it.

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5) Remove the hammer spring on the hammer pivot rod. Leave this held under tension for re-installation. If it is neces-sary to remove the spring, then use a vise and it is possible to re-install this by pressing against the edge of a table, but ifpossible, make a tool from small pipe with a channel in the side, then compress in a vise and insert a pin to hold the springunder tension. There is a standard tool for this in the operator’s kit, but it is frequently lost or tossed to save weight. Badmove. The tool is quite handy. 6) Remove the safety and the detent and spring under it. On re-assembly, the spring anddetent go into place, insert a flat head screw driver from the back of the group and hold the detent under pressure, whilesliding the safety into place - pushing the screwdriver out of the way in the process. The safety is held in on one side by therear wall of the trigger group, and by the removable plate on the other side. 7) Slide the trigger out of the trigger well.Reassembly is the reverse of these steps - always put the trigger in first, then the safety and detent. 8) RPG-7V triggergroup disassembled.

Below, left: Soviet RPG-2 trigger group. Note that the pin hole has been elongated to allow for the removal of thehammer spring under tension. Below, right: Chinese RPG-2 trigger group. Note that the pin hole has been elongated toallow for the removal of the hammer spring under tension.

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