Russia's pump-action grenade launcher: the GM-94. With firearms and weapon expert Jonathan Ferguson 

"Pump action" and "grenade launcher" are great words to have in the same sentence

In Russia thermobaric weapons are classified as flamethrowers, so such weapons like GM-93 and RPO-A Shmel are classified as flamethrowers despite having thermobaric ammo. Same with TOS-1A Solntsepyok - it has 0 to 2 incediary shells in a volley of 24 mostly thermobaric shells - they call it ""heavy flamethrower system".

Feel obliged to note that a 43mm birdshot shell sounds like the sort of thing that doesn't need sights, just an approximate compass bearing. And possibly a replacement shoulder.

So the British did develop its own repeating grenade launcher, now you absolutely have to do a video about it now that you mentioned it

If this thing hasn't been used as some kind of Star Wars light blaster cannon or something, somebody is not doing their job

A technical note: Jonathan's voice in these videos feels too quiet. I always have to turn the volume much higher and them am deafened by ads and other videos not by your channel. Also, environment seems to be much louder than Jonathan, that massive CLUNK when he ran the pump grip forward almost blew the headphones off my head. Would it be possible at all to tweak the volume a bit?

Well, this grenade launcher is designed for counter-terrorism special forces. So during a short operation, having two weapons is not so hard for a soldier. Such units arrive on an armored truck that has a weapon rack and, if necessary, the grenade launcher can simply be put back. A member of such a unit in the North Caucasus wrote about this in his LiveJournal.

There's also a shotgun based on this thing, the RMB 93. Some say it was developed for russian spec-ops, which was the main marketing point of it. Now available on the civilian market. It's a pretty debatable shotgun, but from what I've seen it's pretty decent.

It's important to remember that shoulder fired multishot GLs like this are generally specialty support weapons, like a shoulder fired Carl Gustav recoilless rifle. You might draw one for a specific mission, might field them at platoon level, but you normally aren't going to field them normally at the squad/section level, due to the weight. What these things offer is the ability to engage a true area target with rapid multiple rounds. For squad level support, its generally better for the single shot launchers because the grenadine needs to be able to keep up with the rest of the squad, and the long reload time generally means the *sustained* rate of fire is faster, as the time to reload a multishot launcher that doesn't use a detachable box magazine is fairly slow. Which is why many US Marine (the USMC being one of the few comventional forces that has attempted to integrate multishot launchers within rifle squads) grenadiers prefer to use the M320 (by HK) single shot GL versus the M32 (US version of the South African Milkor MGL), given the option.

GM-94 and LPO-97 are have a different chamber lengths. LPO have a longer chamber - you can't load LPO-97 grenade into a GM-94. This is the only one difference between them. And yes, both can be loaded with 3+1 grenades.

Audio's a bit low on this whole video aside from the "canned" intro and outro bits, but once I bumped up the gain on my audio mixer to solve that issue, I learned that this is a quite interesting take on the pump-action grenade launcher concept.

Actually those thermobaric rounds hitting quite close to shooter shouldn't be dangerous. They don't have shrapnel and it was marketed as a feature - operator being able to shoot at target 10 meters away without being in danger.

Its a Russian shotgun (RMB-93 magazine shotgun) design scaled up to fit grenades. Maybe some 3D printed rounds for showcase purposes would help in the display. Thermobaric rounds are likely the best for the purpose of this gun: clearing fortified positions and buildings. Cars and streets are fair game too. The teargas is great. But what would be a much better filler for grenade launchers would be a 50% TNT/ 50% paraffin/tetrachloroethylene round with 3mm ball bearings (the same size as used in claymore mines) around it. It will produce phosgene gas once these rounds explode, and if you pump the 4 34mm grenades this thing can hold into a building, and enter with a gas mask a couple of minutes later, the enemy probably is in peril. Or dead, wounded, and choking. If the enemy is not bothered further, they could die of the exposure to phosgene up to 2 days later. So it is very effective. The recipe is from some old German ww2 shell blueprint PDF file. From small 20mm grenades up to the largest shells filled with it (203mm), but these had "sudan red" added to it; probably for the visual effect, or maybe some other effect I am not aware of. It should attach to fatty substance, so it could be that you color completely red, and die miserably from it. Very cool review! Greetings, Jeff

The Comandante did a video with this a while back, really badass weapon!

Volume on this is a bit low and Jonathan sounds a little under the weather, if that's the case, hope he feels better soon or already by now.

Seems like a similar role to the American M202 FLASH, the 4-tube rocket launcher famously seen in the ahnuld movie Commando, not really a 'flamethrower' in the common idea of a napalm hose, but something that launches incendiary rounds.

Great channel, but Jonathan needs to be louder, because when he pumped the thing it almost deafened me. For this channel specifically you need to up your volume to maximum on the phone, but then again, every weapon mechanism deafens you

Most impressive - all those EMs's behind Jonathan. Now that's what I call showing off!

Jonathan: "Can we get a China Lake Grenade Launcher for... Errr... Research purposes?" Boss: "We have a China Lake at the Armouries." *China Lake at the Armouries*

According to the following video, loading four rounds into the launcher is possible. The procedure appears to be - load one round in the magazine, operate the action loading the round into the barrel, then proceed to load three rounds into the magazine. They even state the weight with four rounds as being 5.8kg Edit: meant to add that this info is provided at the 2:25 minute mark ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DoOKuTOeL-w.html

I expect the sprung rear sight would also help with inertia disrupting its angle. I know flip-up ladder sights on old rifles had trouble with folding forward under recoil.

Those thermobaric rounds are insane!

Love your videos, though I do have to say the audio is always extremely low compared to any other video I watch.

Отстрел различных типов боеприпасов из ГМ-94 есть на канале "Крупнокалиберный Переполох".

Thanks for the show and tell, I had never seen one of those.Very handy tool. Been a 37mm user for some time.

Pretty glad you guys talked about this gl, my favourite out there

It would be awesome to see something like this made to fire cannon rounds, like a neopup but pump action

So this is identical in operation to an RMb 93 combat shotgun. I recently acquired an example of one and everything down to the safety interlock and method of attachment of the folding stock is identical. Of course, action, locking system, etc is all identical aside from being a 12 gauge shotgun.

My man Jonathan, rocking that Casio calculator watch.

Thanks for the awesome breakdown + shirt as always. Looked like you were having a rough day there bud. Take care of yourself and have a hug from me :)

It would be much appreciated if you guys would increase the sound volume of future uploads, I've got the video at max volume and am struggling to hear.

Perchance does the collection have a RMB-93 shotgun, the 12 gauge version of this system?

Just noticed in the clip at the end, the sights weren't being used at all, the soldier was just taking snap shots.

seems like a pretty sweet bit of kit

Great video! One thing I've noticed is that your voice's audio level is really low. Could you please turn it up a little bit?

I automatically expected those 2 grip-positions to be for the "pump"-action more than actual holding during use.

How i loved liberating outposts with this baby in Far Cry 3 :D

wiki has an interesting picture of the round used looks like a rubber/plastic bullet style one, but could also be a demo round

That footage seems to show 4 rounds fired, which would imply its at least possible to carry this as 3+1.

Looks heavy, but it would definitely make a nice mobile addition to the belf fed full auto grenade launchers as they are fixed this could move round the trench position and there will naturally be plenty of grenades with a belted about

40mm birdshots Holy sheet, thats a lot of bbs

Fascinating video, but the sound's really quiet!?!

Yeah this is a flamethrower. It throws things that make flame

3 rounds of thermobaric grenades. For when you really want your barbecue lit in a hurry

perfect launcher to shoot at pirates while your girlfriend you just rescued drives in a cinematic escape.

meaning and origin of the British phrase ‘to give it some welly’ Named after Arthur Wellesley (1769-1852), 1st Duke of Wellington, the term wellington (boot) originally denoted a high boot covering the knee in front and cut away behind, later also a somewhat shorter boot worn under trousers. This term now denotes a knee-length waterproof rubber or plastic boot, worn in wet or muddy conditions. In British English, the noun welly, also wellie, short for wellington (boot), is used figuratively in the sense of force, power, frequently in the phrase to give it some welly and variants. This originally referred to putting one’s foot down on the accelerator pedal in a motor vehicle.

It looks so badass

Holy cow whats up with the audio? It is ultra silent.

having shot the M203 it was less recale than the SLR i shot in the TA in the late 80'

You really need to address your audio level.

When I saw the community post, it really surprised me! I am so glad that you have shown this funky grenade launcher, Jonathan!

It just looks like a comedically huge shotgun when you pose with it.

Is it just my laptop that is dying, or is this video extremely quiet?

Has this ever made it into a computer game? If not, why not! Looks perfect.

The video you included shows 4 rounds being shot in the full version thus you are probably correct. Can top it off shotgun style.

Btw, it was designed for police units to use tear-gas grenades, military uses it quite sporadically.

This guy looks like a much happier OG Max Payne.

the volume is too low

First video that I've watched on the channel. Not sure if it applies to the rest of them, but this one in particular is pretty quiet. I suggest to play a bit with volume levels

Great video. Audio was a little bit low though.

I think most of your videos are a bit on the quiet side compared to most videos on youtube - but this one is *really* quiet. I had to set my volume up four times higher than normal. I hope I don't forget in the next twenty minutes and then blow my ears out when I play another video 😐

when a grenade launcher with a shotgun underbarrel

85 metres per second? That would make it legal in Canada, being exempt under Section 84(3).

Any cnahce for reupload with a bit mora of a sound?

Stock also makes a carrying handle

Is this the nighttime stories at royal armories with how quiet the video is :D

The way you open it forwards makes me think of it like an m203 with an m203 alof device

DP-64 (1988 - year of invention), 45-mm fleet handgun for PDS (Protivo-Diversionnaya Sluzhba, Anti-Sabouter Service), or "diver`s death". GM-94 have looong history.=)

just me or is the volume rather low? the gm94 always had that scifi vibe like the spas12

Recently played with this in Far Cry 3 and could not wrap my head around of what it was!! LOL

The forward pump reminds me of the neostead

I wouldn't want to get hit by a 40mm rubber round doing 80 m/s. That would have to hurt.

It does eject last empty catrige...

On the jocko willink podcast he interviews a macvsog veteran. He mentioned briefly when they got the first pump action nade lobbers, as an experimental weapon. I dont remember much else but i believe his squad wasnt goven one so he didnt have much more to say.

How does it make sure the rim of the case gets all the way back to the rails? Is it just shooting out of the magazine tube and hopefully catch the rails at the back with the rim of the cartridge? Also it clearly does not just slide down the rails with gravity as you said because you can see the "pusher" at the top of the lid that drops down to push the cartridge down the rails when the action opens. And i wonder what that "finger" sticking down from the "pusher plate" is for?

Great Combination with AS-VAL

Now that's some proper Dakka!

2:28 it's ambidexterious not because they are thinking about left handed people (with grenade launcher it will not have enough effect on accuracy to require minor compromising on reliability) but because they are primarily designed for urban warfire with how whoever operate this thing will sometime have a need to change hands to use it from the cover. P.S. Reverse pump-action can be called fap-action xD

But does it….”bloop”?

How did the Royal Armory get this? That's the story I want!

im more interested in the EM-2's and XL 60's behind you

Audio too quiet. Shame. Very cool subject.

Louder! Low sound!

love the retro calculator watch!

Why is the audio on these videos constantly getting quieter? This video is almost unwatchable, editor please fix.

Why is the volume so low?

What is that watch that you're wearing? Is that one of the universal remote control watches? Or one with a calculator built in? Very 90s

Hey Royal Armouries, could you please include subtitles in videos? Thank you!

If you ever find the clip if you have telegram..watched one with russian special forces literally decimate a camp with these ..it wasn't really a pretty sight but lets just say its effective if you want to burn or blow up a fob or outpost .

the birds shot sounds like something you want to shoot a drone with.

The closer grip is for when you cant see and need a solid surface to open the tube cause your gloves are covered in blood and fire.

In the footage you guys show of this thing being fired it looks like the user fires four rounds, so there must be a way to load the magazine and the chamber

Actually looks like a pretty decent piece of equipment

I've seen the footage at 23:10 before but never got a straight answer as to what actually happens at the end (not shown in this video but the chap with the GM-94 has a bad day), is it a premature detonation? What would cause that?

Give that to an Ogryn.

Looks like something I can see Cobra using (the Gi Joe enemy not the defense emergency committee in the UK)

Why is the audio so quiet Jonathan?

turn up your volume .... its too quiet, i have mine at max and its hard to hear.

Casual flex of a rack of EM2s behind

Didn't the soldier in the footage fire four times? Not quite sure. So maybe it does hold one in the chamber and three in the magazine tube. That thing is really big for just three rounds, so an increase to four rounds makes it definitely more worth carrying it around.