This week has seen photographs of two intriguing 7.62x51mm Heckler & Koch rifles appear, they feature what appears to be an iconic, and extremely rare, PSG1 and an HK G28E. The first photograph was shared by pmc_ua and universal_mobility_group on Instagram on 14 November. In the photograph a pair of two Ukrainian marksmen pose with an SVD and a PSG1, no further images of the rifle have been shared.
The PSG1 was introduced by HK in the early 1970s as a semi-automatic precision rifle. It is unclear where the PSG1 was acquired from but this is the first time I’ve seen one of the rifles appear in Ukraine. The PSG1 is based on the G3, and as such uses a roller-delayed blowback operating system. Its accuracy is reputed to be better than 1 MOA, the rifle appears to have an original Hensoldt ZF 6×42 PSG1 scope.
PMC_ua, who shared the photograph, confirmed that the rifle is “used where there is an opportunity, fighting and training” but gave no further details. The PSG1 may have been acquired via civilian channels or may have been transferred to Ukraine as aid by one of the many countries who acquired the PSG1 in small numbers over the years. While the PSG1 is of Cold War vintage, the rifle continued to be offered into the 2010s by HK and it is still a very accurate, capable rifle.
The second image was shared on Instagram, on the 17 November, and features what at first glance appeared to be an HK G28 but may also be the civilian-available HK G28Z. The rifle is held by a member of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade and is equipped with a thermal weapon sight.
The rifle has free-floated 16.5 inch barrel, a bi-pod and a vertical front grip mounted on its forend. It is loaded with a 10-round magazine and is fitted with what appears to be an Ase Utra DUAL762-S-BL suppressor. A small number of the RAL 8000-coloured MR308 A3-28s have recently appeared on the civilian market in Ukraine, with one private listing one of the rifles for 29,5000 UAH or $7,145.
An additional photograph showing the rifle being fired was shared in an Instagram story by one of the individuals in the first photograph. This photograph gives us a better look at the receiver of the rifle and shows that the upper is painted/coated rather than treated. This indicates that the rifle is either a G28 or the civilian G28Z variant. [Thank you to CaliFlori for pointing out this detail].
It’s not uncommon to see civilian, semi-automatic, firearms used by Ukrainian personnel. This is more common in terms of precision platforms but various semi-automatic 5.56x45mm platforms are also regularly seen, including HK MR223s and patrol variants of the MR308.
Two subsequent photographs shared by one of the individuals in the initial photograph clearly show the rifle’s lower receiver markings, confirming that the rifle is an HK G28E, not a commercial G28Z. The ‘E’ suffix indicates ‘export’.
The same Ukrainian combatant, who appears to be a member of the GUR, also shared a photograph of ammunition he is using with the rifle. US-manufactured Mk316 Mod 0 is a match-grade cartridge which uses a 175gr projectile. While the ammunition was likely provided by the US, the origins of the rifle are unconfirmed.
It is intriguing to see two generations of Heckler & Koch’s semi-automatic precision rifles appear in Ukraine within days of each other.
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The Armourers Bench 