Denmark's m/75: A Lease-to-Own Rifle
The History of Roller-Delayed Actions
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6m 19s
Denmark's adoption of the H&K G3 is a rather odd story. First off, the Danes adopted the m/66 H&K as its sniper/DMR rifle in 1966, while retaining the M1 Garand as its standard service rifle. Not until 1973 do they decide to update the M1s, and when they do a. major rifle test, the M16 wins. However, they aren't really excited about the prospect of adopting the M16, so they delay the decision for two years and then decide to simply lease rifles from the Bundeswehr. The Home Guard has already been using the G3 as a sniper's rifle for nearly a decade, so they might as well use the same platform...and so what the Danish military gets are generally the oldest, earliest G3s in West German inventory on loan. These would remain in service (albeit with periodic rebuilds as needed) until 1995, when they are replaced by the Diemaco C7.
Up Next in The History of Roller-Delayed Actions
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HK43: The 5.56mm "Paramilitary" Rifle
Before the H&K 90 series of rifles - the civilian semiautomatic versions - existed, there was the 40-series; the paramilitary rifles. Originally intended for German reservist purchase, the HK41 and HK43 were G3 and HK33 rifles made in semiautomatic only configuration. In the early 1970s, these w...
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Snipers Before Infantry: the Danish m...
The Danes adopted the M1 Garand after World War Two, and continued using it as their standard service rifle all the way until 1975 - and alongside it they used the M1D as a sniper or DMR rifle. The Danish Home Guard decided to upgrade those M1D rifles in the 1960s, however, and looked to H&K for ...
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How Does It Work: Roller Delayed Blow...
Roller delayed blowback originated in the Mauser company R&D department when engineers were attempting to design a roller-locked version of the G43 rifle. They found that when the bolt bounced in automatic fire, the system would sometimes work without being fully locked. With some refinement, thi...
