RG-6 / 6G30 40mm grenade launcher (Russia)

RG-6 grenade launcher in ready position

RG-6 in transportation / carry position (sights folded, buttstock collapsed)

Caliber: 40mm VOG-25
Type: revolver type multi-shot
Overall length: 680 mm buttstock retracted; 520mm buttstock collapsed
Weight: 6.2 kg unloaded
Effective range: up to350 m
Capacity: 6 rounds


The RG-6 (official designation index is 6G30) has been developed between 1993 and 1994 by the TSKIB SOO (Central Design Bureau for Sporting & Hunting Firearms, located in the city of Tula, Russia). The new stand-alone, rapid firing multi-shot launcher was required to increase the firepower of the infantry during the urban combat, specific for recent small-scale conflicts, such as Chechen wars. RG-6 entered limited production by mid-1990 and is now in use by various elements of Russian Army and special forces, as well as by special forces in MVD (Internal Affairs Ministry). RG-6 is designed to fire all standard 40mm "caseless" grenades, available for general issue underbarrel launchers, such as GP-25 and GP-30. These rounds include VOG-25 fragmentation grenade, VOG-25P bouncing fragmentation grenade and "Gvozd" (Nail) less-lethal tear gas grenade for riot control. The design of the RG-6 is, apparently, heavily influenced by the South African Milkor MGL grenade launcher, with some differences. The key difference is that RG-6 uses "caseless" rounds, and thus its cylinder is loaded from the front. The "barrel" is, in fact, a smoothbore tube, which served only as a support for front grip and sights; each chamber in the cylinder is a separate muzzle-loading rifled barrel, similar in design to the GP-25 barrel. The double-action only trigger unit is also modified from GP-25, with manual safety and several automatic safeties. Cylinder is rotated using clockwork-type spring, which is manually wound during reloading. For reloading, the front cylinder plate with the "barrel" tube are unlocked from the frame and then rotated sideways, to expose the front of the cylinder. The sights are folding for more convenient carry and storage, with ladder-type rear sight. The buttstock is telescoped into the frame, when not in use, and fitted with rubber recoil pad.