In response to the recent EMI/WTD 91 audit report on the G36 rifle’s thermal issues, Heckler and Koch has issued a statement rebuking the claims made by the Ernst Mach Institute about the rifle. The statement has been machine translated into English and replicated below:

HECKLER & KOCH
HECKLER & KOCH GMBH, Heckler & Koch-Strasse 1, 78727 Oberndorf aN
Press Release April 21, 2015
Opinion no. 6 of Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifle to Bundeswehr experimenters were introduced HK MG36 gun disregarded

Fire cycles and evaluation methods obviously changed arbitrarily

Comparability of recent results with previous studies, and requirements of Technical Specifications and regulations of the Bundeswehr impossible

MoD denied publication of the report

A few days after the announcement of the latest investigation report to the G36 condense evidence that serious doubts about the credibility of the technical Experimental procedure and the conclusions derived from these reasons. Bundeswehr experimenters were introduced HK MG36 gun disregarded Together with the currently known standard G36 rifle was the mid-1990s under the name MG36, successfully tested a further variant of the G36 and among NATO Stock Numbers 1005-12-336-6892 1005-12-336-6893 and introduced. Thus, the MG36 at any time by the troops on the supply route will be requested or purchased without further testing by the BAAINBw.
The MG36 was a G36 variant in the infantry Waffenmix in the group function a light machine gun to take.
In July 1995, the MG36 by the federal government with a quantity of 4,700 was on Heckler & Koch ordered, but due to a desired part of the Bundeswehr Amending treaty of October Finally, in 1997 was not purchased until further notice. From an actual procurement unaffected, it is in any case for MG36 an officially introduced in the army weapon based on the G36 assault rifle in NATO caliber 5.56mmx45.

The MG36 is identical to the G36, but has a much thicker pipe as the G36; the MG36 weighs just 135g but overall more than G36.

 

Fig. 1: Comparison of the pipe geometry of the MG36 with the gun barrels of the Bundeswehr weapons
G36 assault rifle; MG4 machine gun, as well as the tested light machine gun HK416Bw.2

Can be clearly seen in the above figure that the MG36-tube in the right section (Between the chamber and the gas sampling) is virtually identical to the MG4-tube and thus substantially thicker or heavier than about 135g, the tube of the standard G36. The illustrations also show that the MG36-tube in the left section (between Gas sampling and mouth) an assault rifle geometry is much more similar than one Machine gun tube, but its higher mass in the right rear area still improved heat capacity similar to having a machine gun or match-tube.
Thus, an MG36-pipe is a G36 assault rifle tube technically more similar than Tube of the recently tested special weapon HK416Bw which almost 50% more tube mass has, during the MG36 pipe against the G36-pipe only about 20% more tube mass has.

 

 

Fig. 2 .: Meanwhile publicly accessible Figure 3 from the Bundeswehr recent report for G36. This photo is not only that the presumption by HK was correct that in technically illegal, the special weapon HK416Bw compared with the assault rifle tested wurde.4 The caption rather also shows that the responsible experimenters the WTD91 the physical benefits of a much thicker tube regard. Heat absorption and vibration characteristics were fully aware of, in particular its
Superiority with respect. Treff performance in the hot condition scoring is concerned. The failure to Comparative testing with the introduced MG36, which also has a thick pipe, makes it even more difficult to understand – especially since the MG36 total of only about 135g heavier
than the standard G36 rifle.
This raises the question of why the MG36 has already been introduced in the Bundeswehr has not tested the recent comparative studies, while obviously a technically comparable HK416Bw, as well as models from other manufacturers procured and considered wurden.

Again seem in this context that already in the HK Press release no. 5 WTD91 said two-handed weapons experts to have played a central role, which the so-called. “plastic theory” concerning. the housing material of the G36 set and had spread:
To confirm delivery documents that WTD91 mid-1990s not only more Weapons testing has HK50 and G36 obtained in the variant MG36, but even a complete set of drawings of the G36 variant with thick Rohr. From HK documents is indicate that the WTD91 has received a total of at least eight weapons of the type MG36.

The key question is therefore whether these two experienced staff and the MG36 in particular the fact that this G36 variant has a thick tube, which the hot-shooting physical reasons better performance with respect to parameters. The precision which were actually mentioned in the recent experimental design. Much urgent, however, is the question of why the two experts said the MG36 not in the Latest comparison drawn trials, although scientifically mandatory would have been required, the requirement imposed by these two persons “plastic theory” to verify as the sole problem cause by which the thicker tube of MG36 and the influence of the pipe geometry studied in an identical weapon housing.
In particular, the question of why these two handed weapons experts there is at least refrained between late 2011 and mid-2014, mentioning the MG36, in HK to address known technical discussions or to test even while using media have become known statements under the federal press conference can be shown that obviously weapons from other manufacturers specially procured and together with the technical and tactical not comparable light machine gun Must have been HK416Bw tested against the standard G36.

The translation is decidedly imperfect, but the desperation of the Rottweil district firm is palpable. Heckler and Koch is attacking the report wherever possible, from questioning the report’s credibility, to complaining about what it claims are mercurial requirements set by the Bundeswehr. Mostly, though, the statement essentially argues that if the Bundeswehr had wanted more heat resistant rifles, they could have bought MG36s – the heavy barreled G36 variant. H&K seems to maintain that there is no inherent issue of misalignment with the sights and the barrel due to the plastic receiver, and essentially is blaming the Bundeswehr for attacking them instead of buying heavier barreled weapons from them.

In my estimation, Heckler and Koch is lashing out in an attempt to salvage the G36’s reputation. I have for several years known about the G36’s lack of a direct metal connection between the barrel and the sights, something that I strongly suspected would cause POI shift issues with polymers of higher coefficients of thermal expansion. Two days ago, those suspicions were confirmed. The G36 suffers from an issue stemming from its very architectural design.

Heckler and Koch will have a very difficult time refuting this, and it sounds like they know it, too.