Grot rifles win praise in Ukraine: a modern assault weapon triumphs

The Grot rifles from Poland have been receiving positive reviews from both Ukrainian soldiers and foreign volunteers fighting alongside them. This article sheds light on the acclaim garnered by this firearm.

Poland's supplied Grot rifles are highly rated by the soldiers in Ukraine, and not just the latest C16 FB-A2 version. At least 10,000 of these rifles have made their way from the Polish army to Ukraine, and Ukraine subsequently placed an order at the weapon factory in Radom for additional pieces.

Recently, a satisfied British volunteer has testified about the reliability of the Grot rifle, the C16 FB-A1 version from 2019, recounting how it never failed him in times of need. However, it is worth mentioning that some of his colleagues were given the C16 FB-A0 models from 2017, which were reportedly prone to jamming. These issues may have stemmed from these being the earliest production models and their extensive wear and tear.

The Grot rifles were conceptualised as a modernised successor to the elongated Beryl rifle, previously optimised and updated to the NATO 5.56x45mm NATO AK system.

The experts at the factory in Radom were inspired by contemporary designs like the Magpul Masada rifle (later known as the Bushmaster ACR) and designed a modular weapon. As a result, the rifle utilises one of the most prevalent military gas systems with a short-stroke piston and a multi-locking bolt.

The rifle's bolt chamber was constructed from an aluminium profile. When combined with the internal steel guides for the movable set and the large-scale use of polymers, the rifle weighs 8 lbs without a magazine, using a 16-inch barrel. Its modular design facilitates easy changes to the barrel, side of casing ejection, or even conversion of the rifle to a stockless variant.

Aside from the technicalities, the Grot rifle is applauded for its good ergonomics. It has duplicated operators, a stationary reloading handle during firing, and an adjustable folding stock equipped with a cheek pad.

Additionally, the Grot is fitted with a two-position gas regulator, which proves useful when shooting with a silencer, using weaker ammunition, or under heavy contamination. Interestingly, Ukrainian users have not reported any prevalent issues with the regulator dropping, which was a significant problem with the C16 FB-A0/A1 versions. It seems that proper training of users, as was the case with the infamous FN FAL rifles, might have solved this issue.