#MSBS

On January 25, Polish media outlet Onet.pl  published an article about the MSBS GROT, the new service rifle recently introduced by the Polish Armed Forces. The MSBS Grot is produced by Fabryka Broni “Łucznik” in Radom, part of the Polish Armaments Group, a state-owned holding company. The article reported on a series of trials conducted by a team of experts led by Pawel Moszner, a former Polish SOF officer and ex-member of the Polish GROM unit. Moszner decided to test the rifle as it had apparently earned an unpopular reputation among Polish SOF operators.

The Polish government have announced their intention to procure a further 18,000 MSBS-5.56 rifles. Back in September 2019, the Polish Ministry of National Defense  signed contracts to officially begin the production of Poland’s next-generation MSBS “Grot” assault rifles and the VIS 100 pistol for the Polish Army.

On September 30, 2019, the Polish Ministry of National Defense signed contracts to officially begin the production of Poland’s next-generation MSBS “Grot” assault rifles and the VIS 100 pistol for the Polish Army. Before this event, MSBS rifles were produced for the paramilitary Territorial Defense Forces (WOT) under the agreement that WOT would “beta test” them and provide feedback to the manufacturer, FB “Łucznik”.

Taisei Komatsu, the man behind Komatsu Factory’s impressive wooden gun replicas, has been hosted by FB Radom enjoying a tour of the factory and getting some time behind the company’s weapons.

With that disappointment out of the way,  let’s get to the good news:  PGZ (Polish Armaments Group), which consists of FB Radom and Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów has a good system setup now to submit firearms for import approval, and a few have gotten approved!  First off from FB Radom, we have their M22 Beryl.  This is an all-metal gun in .22lr, with a proprietary magazine.  Pricing is yet to be set.  The gun seemed very well made when I handled it.  The semiautomatic pistol version of the PM-98 Glauberyt are being resubmitted for approval soon, as will be the semiautomatic version of the MSBS.

Back in September TFB reported that Poland had officially renamed its new MSBS 5.56x45mm infantry rifle the ‘Grot’. The move to rename the MSBS came as Poland increased its orders for the new rifle.

At the 2017 Association of the United States Army annual meeting, gunmaker FB Radom was present at the Polish pavilion, displaying their MSBS modular assault rifle, recently named “Grot” (arrowhead) by the Polish government. The new rifle has been selected by the Polish government to replace their legacy AK fleet, many of which are the upgraded 5.56mm “Beryl” variant. The first order for the new rifles was signed in mid-September, and will result in the delivery of 53,000 rifles to the Polish government, which is expected to be completed by the end of November.

According to a recent announcement by Mil Mag on the Polish defense magazine’s Facebook page, the semi-automatic version of the recently adopted ( and recently renamed Grot) MSBS rifle by the Polish Land Forces ( 53,000 rifles for the Territorial Reserves) was announced by president of Fabryki Broni to be available by early 2018 for the commercial market (most likely in time for SHOT 2018). Not to get any readers hopes up too much, but the president did specifically mention that only small numbers of this commercial version would be available initially. Although not specified in the announcement, the company is most likely going to be eyeing the U.S. civilian market in the future, starting with the European market with this particular batch. It will probably be at least a year or more if we hope to see them available in the United States with all the import process and ATF approval.

The Polish Army look set to renamed the MSBS-5.56 rifle the ‘Grot’, according to a recent report from MilMag. The move to rename the MSBS comes as Poland looks to make another large order for the rifles made by FB Radom. Radom confirmed the name change in a press release last week.

Polish arms maker Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów (ZMT) has released a new large-caliber semiautomatic sniper rifle system. The 100 year old company, formerly known for their bolt-action sniper rifles and autocannons, introduced the new advanced rifles at the 2017 International Defence Industry Exhibition (Międzynarodowy Salon Przemysłu Obronnego, MSPO) earlier this month. The new rifle system will come in two sizes, one designed for magnum-length rounds like .338 Lapua Magnum, and the other designed for short-action cartridges like .308 Winchester. Called SKW308 and SKW338 after the calibers in which they will be chambered, the rifles stem from a program begun in 2010.

Over 600 companies from 30 countries around the World exhibited at the 24:th International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO in Poland.

The Polish national Central Board of Prison Services has released a solicitation for 600 5.56x45mm rifles and 500 pump action, tubular-magazine fed shotguns. Currently, the Government service has a number of Polish MSBS rifles in the inventory, the most recent of such were seen on parade in a memorial service held by the Central Board of Prison Services. These rifles were also seen in use with what appears to be 10 round magazines inserted. At this point we are guessing that it was a ceremonial practice, possibly loaded with blank rounds Although most likely not used within prisons, the rifles are most likely designated for the special response teams, or more realistically perimeter guards who have to cover long distances around prisons. As is evidenced in the memorial video below, these new MSBS rifles could possibly be ordered to replace Kalashnikov rifles still in service with certain contingents of the Prison Services.

As an update to Miles V’s post from last September, Polish arms manufacturer Fabryka Broni has recently debuted their previously announced polymer magazines for the MSBS rifle. Originally reported on the MilMag Facebook page, the new mags appear to come in both black and semi transparent versions and have the ability to run in other AR-patterned rifles.

The Polish firearms company  Fabrykę Broni has brought their redesigned 40x46mm Low Velocity Under Barrel Grenade Launcher to the public. The company had a previous 40mm UBGL that incorporated a slanted grip with the trigger almost underneath the muzzle of the grenade launcher (this looks like it allows a significant reduction in weight). With this redesign, the company has placed the trigger inline with the barrel, directly in front of the magazine, very similar to Russian GP30 grenade launchers. It appears that the grenade launcher does not require a proprietary handguard to be mounted to the 5.56x45mm MSBS rifle (example shown with 7.62x39mm MSBS).

The Polish magazine Bron Amunicia TAC has recently made light of Fabryka Broni releasing both a 7.62x39mm version of the MSBS at the International Defense Industry Exhibition MSPO in Poland, and a STANAG compatible 5.56x45mm magazine (separate from the exhibition). Having a 7.62x39mm model or conversion has always been of interest since the early 2000s among a number of firearms manufacturers. It originates from a civilian market that wants to make use of the 7.62x39mm round in firearms other than the AK, in addition to a number of military groups that see potential in the round being used for a battlefield pick up, or allowing the ability of forces to convert their existing battle rifles to fire the enemies ammunition. Of course, this scenario is really only forceable with SF types that encounter enemy munitions, and not your line companies that would probably only be around significant enemy ammunition during a siege or similar situation.