Defcom new lighweight polymer grenade launchers
Michigan based Defcom LLC is a new firm that have designed two lightweight grenade launchers which make maximum use of polymers. They are in a sense the Glocks in a world of Beretta M9s.
The DEFCOM XL 79 COMPOSITE is essentially a M79 that has been brought into the 21st century. It weighs 1.41 kg, about half of the original metal-and-wood M79.
The Defcom M79 type product improved grenade launcher receiver, barrel shroud, stock, and front hand guard are manufactured from composite materials. Double action trigger with shotgun-type safety. Matte finish colors: black, desert sand, or woodland green. Top of barrel fitted with MIL_STD 1913 Picatinny rail system. Rear sight is a detachable flip-up scale graduated to 425 meters. Front sight is fixed. Fixed stock launcher has two (2) sling swivels, folding stock has a third swivel mounted on stock hinge. Ambidextrous safety and barrel latch. M16 style pistol grip.
The other Defcom product is the XL 200 under barrel rail mounted launcher. It weights about 40% less than the M203 and M320 launchers.
The XL 200 opens by moving forward, and then tips up at a 40 degree angle, which allows it to be loaded with the new larger low velocity less lethal ammunition.
The Defcom 40 mm grenade launcher is designed to mount to any Mil Spec 1913 Picatinny Rail system. It has a double action trigger with ambidextrous safety and barrel latch. Barrel tilts downward and locks at end of forward travel to permit loading of all low velocity 40 mm ammunition. Titanium breech face. Trigger mechanism is modular and can be easily repaired in field. Barrel meets U.S. military specifications for material and rifling.
I will be watching this new company with interest to see how their products do.
The Defcom website is not yet up, but the sales office can be contacted at 559.585.1712
best underbarrel ever and best looking im using some one elses acount because mines broke
any photos? video?
some specs?
i am very interested.
pro, its being launched at SHOT Show, so not until then.
Defcom at the present time is only making export sales to foreign police and military. We are in the process of contacting the U.S. military. But as has been stated before they have apparently standardized on H&K’s launcher
at approximately $2500.00 to $3000.00 each. Our launcher sells to police and military for about $1500.00 each and is lighter and more user friendly.
ANY NEWS?
Is this project canceled?
Anyone know who sells the Defcon XL 200? Who? Price?
Answer to Lance on 15 Oct 2009:
The Defcom launchers ALL have barrels that meet the U.S. D.O.D. requirements for material and rifling. The only launchers using steel
barrels are the high velocity like the MK 19. Low velocity grenade launchers i.e. M79, M203, XL200A1 are NOT closed breech weapons.
Please read the attached description from Picatinny Arsenal written in the late 1960″s.
40 MM WEAPON SYSTEM DATA SMUPA-DW5 PICATINNY ARSENAL
DOVER, NEW JERSEY
1. Standard 40 mm ammunition utilizes a unique HI-LOW pressure system to provide necessary muzzle velocity without undue recoil when fired from the shoulder. This system was primarily selected because the weapon does not have a sealed breech and the rounds are not obturated (Ordnance: to close (a hole or cavity) so as to prevent a flow of gas through it, esp. the escape of explosive gas from a gun tube during firing in the gun barrel.) The system as designed provides a
shot start and the round literally coasts through the barrel.
2. The cartridge case is a bi-chambered aluminum cup. It contains a press fit primer plug in its base, which seals a thick walled propellant retainer. This retainer holds a 0.127 mm (.005 inch) thick annealed brass propellant cup which contains approximately 365 milligrams (5.63280 grains) of M9 mortar propellant. The retainer contains six tapered vent holes equally spaced about the periphery. When struck by the firing pin, the primer ignites the propellant enclosed in the brass powder cup. The propellant burns creating a pressure of approximately 241,150 kPa (35,000 psi). This pressure ruptures the powder cup at the vent holes in the retainer allowing the propellant gases to expand into the low pressure chamber, the propellant gases, under a pressure of approximately 20,684 kPa (3,000 psi), propel the projectile into the lands of the gun barrel where a spin of approximately 3750 RPM is imparted at a muzzle velocity of 76.2 meters (276 feet per second).
2. It should be noted that the cartridge case is self-sustaining, i.e., the weapon sees little or NO propellant pressure. Pressure-time traces have indicated that peak pressure is reached in the low-pressure chamber between .1 and .2 milliseconds. Within one-half millisecond, the pressure is reduced to 3,447 kPa (500 psi) and within one millisecond the pressure has dropped to less than 689 kPa (100 psi). This data implies that by the time the base of the projectile has moved forward such that it is tangent to the leading edge of the cartridge case, the volume of space between the case and projectile has increased to the point where propellant pressure has been reduced, for all practical purposes, to zero.
3. The gun barrel contains six equally spaced rotating bands (rifling) to impart spin to the projectile. Tests to determine optimum barrel length established that only 152.4 mm (6 inches) of travel was required to provide necessary spin rate for projectile stability. The M79 has a barrel length of 355.6 mm (14 inches) and the M203 has a barrel length of 304.8 mm (12 inches). This length is provided primarily to permit hand support of the weapon and as a safety factor, to insure that the shooter, in holding the weapon, does not accidentally place his hand or fingers in front of the muzzle. ( That is called making it soldier proof)
Any news?
They should mount the XL 200 onto the top of the XL 79, and then put another picatinny rail on the bottom of the XL 200 so they can use the sight!
I hate grenades, but I love grenade launchers! Isn’t that weird?
Not sure if it even have a aluminum barrel is stronger than plastic.
Lance, “If im dealing with explosive ordance I perfer a nice steel barrel to shoot it.”
I do believe the original M-79 40mm grenade launcher had an aluminum barrel!
Wow that is light, nice.
If buying explosive rounds, you need the $200 tax and registration of EACH round!
Chalk practice rounds are more popular for this reason.
I dont know. The fact its all plasitic Polymer dosnt thrill me. The recoil would be very uncomfortable. And the fact the military is already commited to the M-203 (Marines) and the M-320 (Army) this may have come too late.
If im dealing with explosive ordance I perfer a nice steel barrel to shoot it.
You can get 37mm flare launchers that look like the standard m203 but aren’t considered a destructive device because all of the 37mm rounds are either flares, smoke, or less lethal (for police departments)
Another thing to remember about buying a grenade launcher is that you are basically limited to non-explosive rounds. Just like the grenade launcher itself, an explosive round is classified as a “Destructive Device”, and thus, each round will require its own individual tax stamp.
Wow, that thing’s butt-ugly. That being said though, it would certainly beat carrying around and extra kilo of metal on your rifle.
Thanks for the info Steve, Ill bet they are a lot of fun but its hard to justify dropping the cash and doing the paperwork for something that I will, most likely, never fire a live round through.
Whats the legal situation with buying/owning one of these?
I have seen pics of people firing what appear to be smoke rounds at shooting meets. Looks like fun but where can I get such ammo and how much (ballpark) is it?
West, they can be owned but are classed as a destructive device and so you have to jump through BATFE hoops to own one. I am not sure of the cost of smoke rounds.