The FB MSBS Grot (Polish: Modułowy System Broni Strzeleckiej „Grot”, English: Modular Firearm System "Spearhead") is a family of modular assault rifle developed and manufactured by FB "Łucznik" Radom. Early prototypes were known as the MSBS-5.56 Radon.
There are two basic variants of the MSBS Grot: a conventional configuration assault rifle and a bullpup configuration.[2] The MSBS is the first machine carbine fully designed and produced completely in Poland since World War II as well as the largest firearms sale contract taken on by the Polish arms industry since 1989.[3]
History
The MSBS program was in development since 2007 by the Military University of Technology (WAT) in Warsaw with cooperation from the firearms manufacturer FB Radom,[4][5] and was designed to replace the FB Beryl rifle used by the Polish military since 1997.
During initial tests conducted by the Military University of Technology, the MSBS-5.56 and its counterpart HK416 were subjected to comparative testing of the barrel and hand-guard for overheating during an intensive firing schedule. According to the tests, MSBS yielded the better results of the two rifles despite having a relatively light and longer barrel profile.[6] Additional tests have also shown that MSBS is less susceptible to jamming when using lower quality ammunition or when it is insufficiently maintained,[7] and had a more manageable recoil when fired in full-auto compared to other assault rifles chambered in the 5.56 cartridge, such as FB Beryl, HK416, FN SCAR-L or CZ BREN 2.[8]
One of the main design characteristics of the MSBS-5.56 is the modular weapon system. If necessary, a soldier can sacrifice, for example, one standard assault rifle to quickly repair a light machine gun during a firefight. Another feature of the MSBS Grot is barrel changeability, as found on the Steyr AUG. This means a soldier may be able to adapt their rifle based on the environment they are in, such as converting a carbine to a designated marksman rifle, in order to engage targets at a greater range. The benefits of this feature allow an infantrysquad to have fewer specialised weapons. MSBS may also be used with components other than the ones manufactured domestically, and it is the first Polish rifle fully compliant with the NATO standards. The MSBS-5.56 features fully ambidextrous controls and Picatinny rail, and it may also be fed from standard STANAG magazines.[9]
On May 9, 2022, the public was informed about the conclusion of an agreement between the Polish Armaments Group and an undefined East African country for the supply of an unspecified number of MSBS Grot assault rifles chambered for 7.62 × 39 mm rounds as specified by the customer, along with 40 mm grenade launchers and optical sights DCM-1 Szafir [14] manufactured by PCO S.A.[15]
Variants
Prototypes of the MSBS-5.56 during the development stage in 2011 in both the conventional and bullpup layoutMSBS Grot B and MSBS Grot CSoldiers of the Territorial Defence Force (WOT) with MSBS Grot C16WOT soldiers with MSBS Grot C16 and Javelin missile launcher
The following variants were designed based on the requests from the Polish Armed Forces to replace currently used firearms such as the AKM, FB Beryl, FB Mini-Beryl, and Pallad grenade launcher.
The MSBS GROT is a selective fire modular assault rifle which is capable of semi-automatic, 3-round burst and fully automatic fire. It has a cyclic rate of fire of around 700–900 rounds per minute.
Currently only the MSBS Grot C in assault rifle, carbine, configuration with a grenade launcher, MSBS Grot R and MSBS Grot S are available. The MSBS Grot B, and the machine gun and designated marksman rifle configurations are not yet produced. Conversion kits between variants are also not yet available. Conversion kit to change the calibre to 7.62×39mm is available.[16]
MSBS Grot C (Polish: klasyczny, English: classic) is the classic configuration of the MSBS-5.56, chambered in either 5.56×45mm NATO or 7.62×39mm cartridge with a folding and retractable stock.[17]
MSBS-5,56A0 - initial production, 1,000 produced.
FB-M1 (MSBS-5,56A1) - first production batch: modified charging handle and additional strap mount point on the picatinny rail.[18]
FB-M2 (MSBS-5,56A2) - second production batch: longer handguard to cover the gas block, reinforced firing pin for dry fire practice, improved pistol grip and buttstock.[19]
MSBS Grot B (Polish: bezkolbowy, English: bullpup) – is similar to the MSBS Grot C but in bullpup configuration. The MSBS Grot was designed to share a universal upper receiver for both the classic and bullpup configurations, which leads to the ease of conversion by simply swapping the lower receiver.
MSBS Grot R – is the representative variant of the MSBS Grot designed to be used by honor guards which has been adapted to fire blanks and withstand drills. With the modularity of the MSBS Grot, the barrel can be swapped to fire live ammunition.
MSBS Grot S – civilian semi-automatic only variant of the MSBS Grot without the bayonet-mount, available with 4 different variants of barrels: 10.5-, 14.5-, and 16-inch in .223 Remington and 16-inch in 7.62×39mm.[20]
Both the MSBS Grot C and MSBS Grot B are planned in 5 different configurations and have many common interchangeable parts and can be converted from one to the other:[21][22]
Assault rifle – a standard assault rifle configuration with 16 in (410 mm) barrel.
Assault rifle with underbarrel grenade launcher – similar to the assault rifle configuration but with a 40×46mm underbarrel grenade launcher equipped.
Carbine – a short barrel variant with a 10 in (250 mm) barrel.
Carbine with underbarrel grenade launcher – similar to the carbine configuration but with a 40×46mm underbarrel grenade launcher equipped.
Machine gun – essentially an automatic rifle variant for both Grot C and Grot B. It features a heavier barrel fitted with a flash hider, and the bayonet-mount was removed. This variant is meant to be used with high-capacity magazines. Surefire MAG5-60 were used for demonstration purposes.[23]
Designated marksman rifle – a designated marksman rifle variant fitted with a lighter and more precise 16 in (410 mm) and 20 in (508 mm) barrel, and has a two stage trigger group.
Polish military adoption
Since the Polish ministry of defence ordered 53,000 of the MSBS assault rifles, Fabryka Broni has introduced a military naming designation for the MSBS series.[24]
Grot – After the official adoption of the MSBS-5.56 by the Polish Armed Forces, the Grot name was added.
C, B, R, S – variants: classic, bullpup, representative, sport (semi-auto civilian). Denoted after the Grot designation.
10, 16, 20 – barrel lengths, in inches. So far only the 16 in (406 mm) has been adopted by the Polish military.
C, G, M, PS – configurations: carbine, variants with grenade launcher, automatic rifle, designated marksman rifle. Denoted after the barrel length designation.
FB – Fabryka Broni, the manufacturer of this weapon system.
M(x) – number of series (x stands for the generation, for examples, M1 means first generation, M2 is second generation, M3 is planned third generation).
The M2 was developed to address the issues found on the early production models.[25][26] The bullpup configuration did not receive the M2 upgrade due to the lack of interest from the Polish military. The changes included a longer upper receiver with M-LOK compatible handguard and heat stop covers, a quick-detach sling mounting points, FB made pistol grip instead of previous Magpul pistol grip due to shortage during mass production, reinforced buttstock, reinforced secondary sights, strengthened, thicker charging handle, reinforced firing pin (not interchangeable with the old one from M1), FB made polymer translucent magazine, new lock (not interchangeable with the old one from M1), and new slide (not interchangeable with the old one from M1).[27]
The MSBS-7.62N project began in the end of 2015 when Polish Military of Defence announced analytical works for the replacement program of their SVD Dragunov marksman rifle and supplement the bolt-actionTRG-22 and Tor sniper rifles currently in service. It was led by the team of Fabryka Broni Łucznik-Radom and Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna (WAT) engineers.[28]
The Grot 7.62N has two different configurations; one with a 508 mm (20 in) barrel with a fixed adjustable stock and the other with 406 mm (16 in) barrel with the MSBS Grot C's adjustable side-folding stock. Both configurations are part of the MSBS family and some of the parts of the Grot 762N, such as the stock, handguard, pistol grip, and trigger are interchangeable between 5.56mm and 7.62mm models.[28][29]
The Grot 7.62N is designed as a semi-automatic rifle but project engineers declared that a fully automatic configuration can be developed if required.[28]
Rwanda: On September 1, 2023, PGZ concluded a contract for the supply of MSBS Grot rifles with an unspecified East-Central African country.[33] On January 31, 2024, the Defense24 portal listed Rwanda as the recipient of Polish-made rifles, but it is not certain whether the deliveries concern Grot or other rifles.[34]
^"Radon MSBS-5.56: Poland's New Battle Rifle". Small Arms Defense Journal. 29 May 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015. The MSBS-5.56 project was to spawn a total of 11 variants, five in classic configuration (standard rifle, grenade launching rifle, carbine, LMG, DMR) and five bull-pup equivalents, plus MSBS-R, a fixed-stock ceremonial rifle for the Polish Army's Honor Guard Battalion.
^Wilewski, Krzysztof (5 September 2017). "Groty dla polskich żołnierzy". polska-zbrojna.pl. Wojskowy Instytut Wydawniczy. Retrieved 23 November 2021. Jest to największy kontrakt na sprzedaż broni strzeleckiej, jaki polski przemysł zbrojeniowy zdobył po 1989 roku. [...] Modułowy system broni strzeleckiej to pierwszy po II wojnie światowej karabinek maszynowy zaprojektowany i w całości wyprodukowany w Polsce
^"MSBS Grot w testach z najlepszymi". Defence24. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2022. Wedle informacji do których dotarł portal Defence24.pl Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna, przeprowadziła testy porównawcze nagrzewania się łóż karabinków automatycznych używanych przez Siły Zbrojne RP, w tym nowo wprowadzanych MSBS-5,56K Grot, Beryli, jak i – dla uzyskania danych porównawczych – niemieckich karabinków Heckler und Koch 416. Test zrealizowano w celu określenia warunków użytkowych broni w przypadku potrzeby prowadzenia ognia o bardzo dużej intensywności. Przebieg prób potwierdził wysokie parametry karabinków MSBS - lepsze niż uznany i ceniony m.in. w środowiskach wojsk specjalnych HK 416. [...] Uzyskanie wyników lepszych od tak popularnej broni jak HK416 sprawia, że można uznać, że MSBS pod względem nagrzewania się nie odbiega od światowej czołówki, a nawet ją przewyższa.
^"MSBS Grot Rifle. A New Generation of Polish Weapons". Defence24. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2022. The tests have shown that Grot is less susceptible to jamming when using low quality ammo or when shooting from a dirty barrel in intense battle, or when it is insufficiently maintained, also when compared to the weapons used by the Special Forces now.
^"MSBS Grot Rifle. A New Generation of Polish Weapons". Defence24. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2022. MSBS may also be used with components other than the ones manufactured domestically. It is the first Polish carbine fully compliant with the NATO standards. Not only does it feature Picatinny rails that may be freely reconfigured, it may also be fed from standard STANAG magazines, such as the ones coming from the German HK416, British SA80 or Czech Bren 2 or the US M4 weapons. During the tests in the Territorial Defence component, the weapon was verified with several magazines delivered by a variety of manufacturers.
^Wilewski, Krzysztof (5 September 2017). "Groty dla polskich żołnierzy". polska-zbrojna.pl. Wojskowy Instytut Wydawniczy. Retrieved 23 November 2021. Przy okazji podpisania kontraktu przedstawiciele producenta – Fabryki Broni „Łucznik" z Radomia – ujawnili, że Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej zgodziło się, aby broń znana do tej pory jako MSBS, nosiła nazwę wyróżniającą Grot. To nawiązanie do konspiracyjnego pseudonimu gen. dyw. Stefana Roweckiego, komendanta głównego Związku Walki Zbrojnej i Armii Krajowej.
^"GROTowisko-22". Defence24. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022. Śiły Zbrojne Ukrainy rozpoczynają eksploatację pierwszej partii >10 tysięcy karabinów GROT głównie w wersji A1+
^"Grot w Afryce. Kolejny klient eksportowy". defence24.pl. 19 May 2022. Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa zawarła kontrakt na dostawy karabinków MSBS Grot na naboje 7,62 × 39 mm wraz z granatnikami kalibru 40 mm i celownikami optycznymi wyprodukowanymi przez Przemysłowe Centrum Optyki (PCO).
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