DP-61

DP-61 Duel Other names Duel Country of origin Soviet Union Manufacturer(s) ZiD Designer(s) Bazalt Year(s) designed 1970s Weapon type Grenade launcher Caliber 55mm Action Breech-loaded Weight 13.2 inches (6 kilograms) Magazine/Cylinder capacity Single shot Maximum effective range 500 meters (1640.4 feet)

The DP-61 Duel (ДП-61 дуэль) is a Soviet grenade launcher.

HistoryEdit

The DP-61 was designed based on the MRG-1 Ogonyok multiple barrel grenade launcher, and is meant to fulfill a similar role to the former weapon, with the exception of the DP-61 being more mobile.^[1] The weapon was adopted in the late 1970s and was used to army the Soviet Navy.^[2]

The weapon currently fills a similar role to the DP-64, which is defending dockyards and repelling submarines.

Design DetailsEdit

As mentioned above, the weapon is based on the MRG-1 Ogonyok. The weapon's barrel can be tilted up to 45° upwards for various lines of fire. A cocking handle is located underneath the handguard and needs to be pulled in order to ready the weapon for firing.^[3]

AmmunitionEdit

The DP-61 uses the GRS-55 and GR-55M grenades, both of which bear similarities to a depth charge. The GR-55M grenade is a high-explosive grenade with a solid rocket booster and fuze mounted within the torpedo-shaped body. The GRS-55 grenade, on the other hand, is meant to be a non-lethal grenade used to mark enemy targets in water bodies.

The grenades have a unique shape to them to prevent them from bouncing on water bodies. Normally, the GR-55M grenades explode on contact with water bodies with a blast radius of 16–18 metres (52–59 feet; 17–20 yards), although the grenade's fuze can be set to a variety of different modes to change the grenade's properties.^[1]

ReferencesEdit