Infantry Weapons

GP-34 underbarrel grenade launcher

The GP-34 is a Russian 40 mm single-shot underbarrel grenade launcher developed by Izhmash / Kalashnikov Concern as an evolutionary improvement over the GP-25 and GP-30. It uses VOG-25-family grenades, mounts on modern Kalashnikov rifles including the AK-103, and remains in Russian service with military and special police units.

Specifications

Caliber
40 mm
Action
Single-shot, muzzle-loading
Weight
1.4 kg empty
Length
315 mm
Trigger
Double action only
Sights
Adjustable iron sights on the right side
Mounting compatibility
AK-74M, AK-101, AK-103, and similar rifles

Service And Conflict Use

Service History

In service
In current service with Russian military and special police units.
Used by
Russian military, Russian special police units

Compatible Rifles

Kalashnikov Group and Modern Firearms both describe the GP-34 as a launcher for modern Kalashnikov rifles, including the AK-103.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
AK-103 assault rifle7.62x39 mm assault rifle

Kalashnikov Group describes the GP-34 as designed for modern Kalashnikov rifles, and Modern Firearms lists the AK-103 among the rifles on which it can be installed.

Sources: GP-34 catalog page, GP-34 Underbarrel Grenade Launcher - Modern Firearms

GP-34 underbarrel grenade launcher Images

Related Weapon Systems

AK-103-2 assault rifle, 7.62x39mm assault rifle variant, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsAK-103-2 assault rifle7.62x39mm assault rifle variantThe AK-103-2 is the three-round-burst export variant of the Russian AK-103, a 7.62x39mm AK-100-series rifle derived from the AK-74M layout but chambered for the older AKM cartridge. In the Boko Haram Insurgency context, available open-source evidence is limited: the specific AK-103-2 identification comes from visual reporting of Boko Haram militants around Lake Chad, while separate Nigerian court reporting documents alleged AK-103 rifle trafficking from Diffa toward a Boko Haram recipient.
AK-47/AKM rifle family, Selective-fire assault rifle family, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsAK-47/AKM rifle familySelective-fire assault rifle familyAK-47/AKM-family rifles are Kalashnikov-pattern small arms derived from the Soviet AK-47 and 1959 AKM modernization, usually chambered in 7.62 x 39 mm. In the post-2015 archive they appear with FARC dissidents in Colombia, gangs in Haiti, PKK fighters, GNA scouts in Libya, insurgents in Mali, Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria, militants in Sinai, RSF units in Sudan, Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, and Houthi-linked supply chains in Yemen.
AKMS, Folding-stock 7.62x39mm assault rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsAKMSFolding-stock 7.62x39mm assault rifleThe AKMS is the under-folding-stock variant of the Soviet AKM assault rifle, retaining the AKM's stamped receiver, gas-operated selective-fire action, and 7.62x39mm chambering while giving airborne, vehicle-mounted, and compact-carry users a shorter folded profile. In the Russia-Ukraine War, ARES documented a specific AKMS seized by Ukrainian police from an alleged Russian saboteur, illustrating how older Kalashnikov-pattern rifles still appear alongside newer small arms.
RPK/RPK-74, Squad automatic weapon / light machine gun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsRPK/RPK-74Squad automatic weapon / light machine gunThe RPK and RPK-74 are Kalashnikov-pattern squad automatic weapons that extend the AK family with a longer, heavier barrel, bipod, and higher-capacity magazines for sustained fire by infantry sections. The 7.62 x 39 mm RPK paralleled the AKM, while the 5.45 x 39 mm RPK-74 followed the AK-74; both remain relevant in the Russia-Ukraine War because legacy Soviet and Russian stocks continue to appear in front-line small-arms holdings.

Sources