FB MSBS Grot 5.56
MSBS Grot C 16 FB-M1 5.56×45mm NATO assault rifle
Type	Assault rifle
Place of origin	Poland
Service history
Used by	See Users
Wars	2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine[1]
Production history
Designer	Adam Gawron, Bartosz Stefaniak, Grzegorz Misiołek, Maciej Sajdak
Designed	2007
Manufacturer	FB "Łucznik" Radom
Produced	2007–2017 (prototypes) 2018–present
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Mass	3.7 kg (8.2 lb) (MSBS Grot C) 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) (MSBS Grot B)
Length	980 mm (39 in) (MSBS Grot C, stock extended) 720 mm (28 in) (MSBS Grot B)
Barrel length	406 mm (16.0 in)
Width	65 mm (2.6 in)
Cartridge	5.56×45mm NATO 7.62×39mm
Action	Short-stroke gas piston, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	700–900 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	890 m/s
Effective firing range	500 m (547 yd)
Feed system	30-round detachable STANAG magazines, 60-round casket magazine (5.56×45mm NATO)
Sights	Integrated Picatinny rail for various optical sights and Picatinny attachable iron sights

The FB Radom MSBS Grot (Polish: Modułowy System Broni Strzeleckiej „Grot”, English: Modular Firearm System "Spearhead") is a modular assault rifle developed and manufactured by FB "Łucznik" Radom.

There are two basic variants of the rifle that are based on a common upper receiver; a conventional layout assault rifle and a carbine.^[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 rifle was in development since 2007 by the Military University of Technology 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 University of Technology, the MSBS rifle 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 rifle 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 rifle 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 infantry squad to have fewer "unique" 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 rifle features fully ambidextrous controls and Picatinny rail, and it may also be fed from standard STANAG magazines.^[7]

n 2021, Onet.pl reported that servicemembers who were issued the M1/A1 version of the rifle reported broken receivers, stocks, and issues with the gas regulator loosening.^[9] Fabryka Broni sued Onet.pl for reporting on the issues and later promised to modernize existing weapons to the M2/A2 standard.^[10]

In the summer of 2020, numerous tests of weapons were carried out, and in the publication in January 2021, in a special report prepared by a team of specialists and soldiers under the leadership of a former GROM special unit officer and shooting instructor Paweł Moszner, it was indicated that the Grot C 16 FB-M1 rifle rusts, overheats, stutters with sand the stock breaks on impact, and some defects prevent firing. The report also stated, inter alia, problems with locks that fell apart, hammers that broke off, or fastening belts that detached themselves, and then there was a problem with fastening them.^[11][12] The publication of the report sparked controversy both in the military community and in the media.^{[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]} All problems and defects are confirmed together with manufacturer FB Radom by military magazines Defence24 ^[21] and Milmag.^[22] They will be removed in Polish Armed Forces by modernizing all the 43 thousand existing M1 rifles to the generation M2 and M3.^{[23][24][25][26]}

Currently, the rifle is in service with the Polish Territorial Defence Forces and is scheduled to replace FB Beryl as the primary infantry weapon and service rifle of the Polish Armed Forces.^[27] Following the adoption of the rifle by the Polish military, the Grot moniker has been added to the MSBS name in honor of the Home Army commander, General Stefan "Grot" Rowecki.^[27][28]

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine an unknown number of Grot C16A2 rifles was sent to the Ukrainian military.^[1][29]

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 rifles with additional equipment.^[30]

Variants

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.

• MSBS Grot C (Polish: klasyczny, English: classic) is the classic variant of the rifle chambered in either 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge with a folding and retractable stock.^[31]
  • 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.^[32]
  • 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.^[33]
• MSBS Grot B (Polish: bezkolbowy, English: bullpup) – will be the bullpup variant of the rifle chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge.
• MSBS Grot R – is the representative variant of the rifle designed to be used by honour guards which has been adapted to fire blanks and withstand drills. With the modularity of the rifle, the barrel can be swapped to fire live ammunition.

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.

Both the Classic and Bullpup variants are planned in 5 different configurations and have many common interchangeable parts and can be in future converted from one to the other.:^[34][35]

• 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.
• Squad automatic weapon – a variant equipped with a heavy profile 16 in (410 mm) barrel.
• Designated marksman rifle – is equipped with a 16 in (410 mm) barrel and a two stage trigger group.

Currently only conventional layout assault rifle, carbine, representational and semi-auto versions are available. Bullpup layout, grenade launcher, squad automatic weapon and designated marksman rifle are not produced. Modules for conversion between versions also are not available. Conversions kit to caliber 7.62×39mm is available.^[36]

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.^[37]

Grot – After the official adoption of the rifle by the Polish Armed Forces, the Grot name was added.

C, B, R, S – variants: classic, bullpup, representative, sport (semi-auto civilian)

10, 14, 16, 20 – barrel lengths, in inches.

G, M, PS – configurations: assault rifle with grenade launcher, light machine gun, marksman rifle

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)

Changes in improved M2 generation:^[38][39]

• longer upper receiver with handguard and heat-shielding covers
• new sling and new sling mounting points
• new front grip
• new main grip
• reinforced buttstock
• reinforced iron sights
• strengthened charging handle
• reinforced firing pin (not interchangeable with the old one from M1)
• new bolt (not interchangeable with the old one from M1)
• new bolt carrier (not interchangeable with the old one from M1)
• new magazines

Changes announced in M3 generation:^[40]

• new gas block
• new upper receiver with differently placed cooling holes
• reinforcement of mechanical sights,
• a gas regulator adapted to the assembly of a silencer,
• sealing the lock tensioner guide, preventing sand from getting inside,
• change the fire selector system to 90 degrees, which is to increase the safety,
• weight reduction.

MSBS-7.62N derivative

The MSBS-7.62N is a semi-automatic sniper rifle/designated marksman rifle chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge.

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-action TRG-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.^[41]

The MSBS-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 rifle, such as the stock, handguard, pistol grip, and trigger are interchangeable between 5.56m and 7.62m models.^[41][42]

The MSBS-7.62N is designed as a semi-automatic rifle but project engineers declared that a fully automatic configuration can be developed if required.^[41]

In September, 2019 the MSBS-7.62N was officially announced at MSPO 2019, but since 2022 its production has still not been started.^[42]

Users

•  Poland: Used in secondary units. As of January 2021 total 40 520 variant M1 delivered^[43] and additional around 30,000 variant M2 are on order.^[44][45][27]
  • Territorial Defence Force: 69,000 Grot C 16 FB-M1 and C 16 FB-M2 are on order. Around 39,000 delivered as of January 2021. First batch delivered on 30 November 2017.^[46]
  • Polish Land Forces: C16 FB-M1^{[47][48][49][50][51]}
  • Border Guard: 713 Grot C 16 FB-M1 and C 10.5 FB-M1. First batch delivered on 21 December 2018.^[52][53][54]
  • Representative Honor Guard Regiment: 490 Grot R 20 FB-M1^[55]
•  Ukraine: Undisclosed number of Grot C16A2 rifles sent to the Ukrainian Ground Forces during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[1]

Failed bids

•  Poland:
  • Polish Prison Service, the winner is Beretta ARX160A3^[56]
  • Polish Police, the winners are Haenel MK 556^[57] and Heckler & Koch HK417^[58]
  • GROM special forces unit, the winners are Heckler & Koch HK416 ^[59] and LaRue Tactical OBR^[60][61]
  • Formoza special forces unit, the winner is SIG MCX^{[62][63][64][65]}
•  Estonia: FB Radom qualified for the tender of Estonian Defence Forces rifle procurement,^[66] but was not among the four companies who eventually presented an offer. The winner was LMT MARS in L and H variant^[67][68]
•  Hungary: FB Radom lost the tender of the Hungarian Defence Forces are adopting the CZ BREN 2 assault rifle, replacing the current AK-63D.^[69]
•  Romania: FB Radom was on of contenders for the Romanian Armed Forces, however the Beretta ARX160A3 was chosen to replace the old PM Md.1963 and PM Md.1986 of the Romanian Land Forces.^[70][71]
•  Portugal: FB Radom lost competition Sistemas de Combate do Soldado of Portuguese Army, the winner is FN Herstal with FN SCAR in L and H variant ^[72]
•  France: FB Radom was part in a trials tender Arme Individuelle Future to find a new service rifle for the French Armed Forces, but lost to the Heckler & Koch HK416.
•  Germany: FB Radom together with Walther was the competitors in German tender of System Sturmgewehr for Bundeswehr, the winner was Haenel MK 556.^[73]

See also

• List of assault rifles
• List of battle rifles
• List of bullpup firearms

References

Other sources

• (in Polish) Pierwszy pokaz MSBS-5,56 in: Altair, 12 December 2009
• (in Polish) Nowa polska broń – MSBS-5,56 in: Altair, 15 December 2009
• (in Polish) MSBS-5,56 już strzela in: Altair, 16 December 2009
• (in Polish) Rodzina MSBS-5.56 W Czerwcu in: Altair, 22 March 2010
• (in Polish) Nowy MSBS-5,56 in: Altair, 9 August 2010
• (in Polish) MSBS-5,56 w nowej szacie in: Altair, 5 October 2010
• (in Polish) Giwera przyszłości in: Polska zbrojna, 30 December 2008
• (in Polish) MSBS-5,56 w Pułtusku in: Altair, 4 June 2011
• (in Polish) MSBS do amunicji 7,62mm x 39 in: Altair, 21 September 2014
• (in Polish) Prototypy karabinów MSBS-7,62 na MSPO in Altair, 9 January 2016

External links

• Fabryka Broni "Łucznik" Radom home page