Heckler & Koch have introduced their new 5.56x45mm Gen 3 polymer magazine at the 2018 Enforce Tac law enforcement and defence trade fair at Nürnberg Messe, Germany.

Soldier Systems Daily have the first photos of the new magazine, which is quite a departure from the earlier Gen 2 Heckler & Koch magazines. Unlike the Gen2, the new magazine has an additional small transparent window, shaped like a chevron to fit the magazine’s aesthetic.

The new magazine builds on the aesthetic of the previous generation which featured raised cross-hatching to improve the user’s grip. The Gen 3 has a number of raised angles and a more textured section at the front.

Left-side view of the new Gen 3 mag (Soldier Systems Daily)

The magazine will be offered as standard with both the HK416 and HK433 rifles, as both of these rifles are currently under evaluation with the Bundeswehr, it is possible the Gen 3 was developed for the trials. In addition to the new round count window on the sides of the magazine HK has added a new smaller window at the heel where an orange indicator is visible – showing when the magazine is empty.

The Gen 3 mag’s new heel window (Soldier Systems Daily)

A German defence reporter JPW_FIDES, who runs the strategie-technik blog, posted a photo of the latest iteration of the HK416, the A7. While we’ve seen the HK417A7 before, and previously reported on its adoption by Germany’s Special Forces at the G95, here it’s seen sporting the new Gen 3 HK PMag.

HK416A7 – the possible #G95 Special Forces Assault Rifle of the #Bundeswehr at #Enforcetac2018 #HK #HecklerundKoch pic.twitter.com/NWi9UWi6Ff

— JPW_FIDES (@JPW_FIDES) March 8, 2018

The magazines are said to be available in the RAL 8000 green brown, shown in the photographs, as well as standard black. No word yet on a Gen 3 7.62x51mm magazine, but it is possible features from the 5.56x45mm magazine will feature in upcoming 7.62 magazines.

Sources:

‘Enforce Tac 18 – Heckler & Koch Introduce Gen3 Polymer Magazine’, SSD, retrieved  08/03/18 from source