South African Small Arms Inventory

[HCV]

I have compiled this list from various sources and am now looking for corrections, additions, updates, etc. Many thanks!

Cheers

HANS

Handguns
Designation: ?
Common Name: vz. 70
Calibre: 7.65×17mmSR
Origin: Česká Zbrojovka a.s. (ČZ), Uherský Brod, Czechoslovakia.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. OBSOLETE.

Designation: ?
Common Name: Mod 92
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Pietro Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia, Italy.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. OBSOLETE.

Designation: ?
Common Name: CZ75
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Česká Zbrojovka a.s. (ČZ), Uherský Brod, Czechoslovakia.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. OBSOLETE.

Common Name: Glock 17
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Glock GmbH, Deutsch-Wagram, Austria.
Use: Police forces: limited service. In use with some local departments.

Designation: ?
Common Name: Z88 (Mod 92F)
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria (copy not licensed by Beretta, Gardone Val Trompia, Italy).
Use: Armed forces: general service. Standard sidearm.
Police forces: general service. OBSOLESCENT.

Designation: ?
Common Name: Vektor SP1
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria.
Use: Armed forces: general service.

Common Name: RAP 401
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Republican Arms, Jeppestown.
Use: Police forces: general service (1997-). In use with detectives and female officers.

Common Name: Vektor SP1
Calibre: 10×21mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria.
Use: Police forces: general service. Standard sidearm, replacing the Z88.

Submachine Guns
1,259 IMI Uzi submachine guns were scheduled for destruction in 1999.

Common Name: MP5A3
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf, Germany.
Use: Police forces: special service. In use with STF.
Details: Retractable stock.

Designation: S1
Common Name: Uzi
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Israel Military Industries (IMI), Ramat Ha Sharon, Israel; Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria (licensed).
Use: Armed forces: out of service (1961-1990s). OBSOLETE.
Police forces: special service. In use with STF.
Details: Folding stock.

Common Name: Mini-Uzi
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Israel Military Industries (IMI), Ramat Ha Sharon, Israel
Use: Police forces: special service. In use with STF.
Details: Folding stock.

Designation: S?
Common Name: BXP
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Milkor, Lynn East.
Use: Armed forces: general service. Standard submachine gun (1988-).
Police forces: general service. Standard submachine gun.
Details: Folding stock.

Rifles
199,832 LIW R1 rifles, 12,237 LIW R2 rifles, and 3,708 Springfield M1 rifles were scheduled for destruction in 1999.

Designation: R4
Common Name: Galil ARM
Calibre: 5.56×45mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria (licensed from IMI, Ramat Ha Sharon, Israel).
Use: Armed forces: general service (1982-). 1979?
Police forces: general service.
Details: Folding stock. Bipod.

Designation: R5
Common Name: Galil SAR
Calibre: 5.56×45mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria (licensed from IMI, Ramat Ha Sharon, Israel).
Use: Armed forces: general service (1982-). In use with air forces and marines.
Police forces: general service.
Details: Carbine with 332mm barrel. Folding stock.

Designation: R6
Common Name: R6
Calibre: 5.56×45mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria (licensed from IMI, Ramat Ha Sharon, Israel).
Use: Armed forces: limited service (1994-). In use with vehicle crews and parachutists.
Police forces: special service. In use with STF.
Details: Carbine with 280mm barrel. Folding stock.

Common Name: AW
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Accuracy International Ltd, Portsmouth, England.
Use: Armed forces: special service?
Details: Schmidt & Bender 3-12× scope.

Common Name: PSG1
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf, Germany.
Use: Police forces: special service. In use with STF.
Details: Hensoldt 6× scope.

Common Name: Galil SR
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Israel Military Industries (IMI), Ramat Ha Sharon, Israel.
Use: Police forces: special service. In use with STF.
Details: Folding stock. Bipod. Scope.

Common Name: Model 700 (M24)
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Remington Arms Co, Bridgeport, USA.
Use: Armed forces: special service.
Details: Leupold M3A 10× scope. Bipod.

Common Name: NTW20
Calibre: 20×82mmRB
Origin: Mechem, Silverton.
Use: Armed forces: special service (1998-). 30+ acquired.
Details: Bipod. 8× scope.

Shotguns
Common Name: M3 Super 90
Calibre: 18.5×76mmR
Origin: Benelli Armi SpA, Urbino, Italy.
Use: Police forces: special service. In use with STF.

Common Name: RS 200
Calibre: 18.5×76mmR
Origin: Pietro Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia, Italy.
Use: Armed forces: limited service? In use with SAAF regiment.

Common Name: Model 88?
Calibre: 18.5×76mmR
Origin: Maverick Arms, Inc, Eagle Pass, USA.
Use: Police forces: limited service?

Common Name: Model 500ATP8SPL
Calibre: 18.5×76mmR
Origin: Mossberg & Sons, Inc, North Haven, USA.
Use: Police forces: limited service?

Common Name: Model 870P
Calibre: 18.5×76mmR
Origin: Remington Arms Co, Inc, Madison, USA.
Use: Police forces: limited service?

Common Name: Musler
Calibre: 18.5×76mmR
Origin: Republican Arms, Jeppestown.
Use: Police forces: general service. Standard shotgun.

Machine Guns
3,637 RSAF L4A1 BREN light machine guns, 2,256 Vickers L1 machine guns, and 412 Browning L3 machine guns were scheduled for destruction in 1999.

Designation: L?
Common Name: Vektor Mini-SS
Calibre: 5.56×45mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria.
Use: Armed forces: general service. Standard machine gun.
Details: Folding stock. Bipod. Optional tripod.

Designation: L7A1
Common Name: MAG-60-20 T7 (L7A1)
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Guerre SA (FN), Herstal, Belgium.
Use: Armed forces: general service (1960-). Gradually being replaced by SS77
Details: Bipod. Optional tripod.

Designation: L3
Common Name: Browning M1919A4 (Vektor MG4 AA)
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria.
Use: Armed forces: general service. In use as flexible gun on vehicles

Designation: L3
Common Name: Browning M1919A4 (Vektor MG4 CA)
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria.
Use: Armed forces: general service. In use as coaxial gun on armoured vehicles

Designation: L?
Common Name: Vektor SS77
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria.
Use: Armed forces: general service (1987-). Standard machine gun.
Details: Folding stock. Bipod. Optional tripod.

Designation: L?
Common Name: Browning M2HB
Calibre: 12.7×99mm
Origin: USA; ARAM Ltd, Pretoria.
Use: Armed forces: limited service.

Hand Grenades
Designation: ?
Common Name: M26
Origin: Swartklip Products, Cape Town.
Use: Armed forces: general service.
Details: Defensive grenade.

Grenade Launchers
Designation: Y?
Common Name: AGS-17 Plamya
Calibre: 30×28mmB
Origin: Zavod imeni V.A. Degytarev (ZiD), Kovrov, Russia; Konstruktorskoe Buro Priborostroeniya (KBP), Tula, Russia; Vyatsko-Polyaniskney Mashinostroitelniy Zavod Molot, Vyatskiye Polyany, Russia.
Use: Armed forces: limited service.
Details: 2.7× scope. Tripod.

Common Name: Stopper
Calibre: 37×122mmSR
Origin: Milkor Ltd, Lynn East.
Use: Police forces: general service.

Designation: Y?
Common Name: M79
Calibre: 40×46mmSR
Origin: Hsing-Ho Arsenal, Kaohsuing, Taiwan (licensed from Colt, Hartford, USA).
Use: Armed forces: reserve service. OBSOLETE.

Designation: Y?
Common Name: M79
Calibre: 40×46mmSR
Origin: ARAM Ltd, Pretoria?
Use: Armed forces: general service.
Details: Folding stock.

Designation: Y2
Common Name: MGL
Calibre: 40×46mmSR
Origin: Milkor Ltd, Lynn East.
Use: Armed forces: general service (1985-).
Details: 6-round revolving drum. Folding stock. Trijicon Armson OEG collimating sight.

Designation: Y5?
Common Name: MGL MK1
Calibre: 40×46mmSR
Origin: Milkor Ltd, Lynn East.
Use: Armed forces: general service.
Details: 6-round revolving drum. Folding stock. Trijicon Armson OEG collimating sight.

Designation: Y3
Common Name: Vektor AGL
Calibre: 40×53mmSR
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria.
Use: Armed forces: general service (2002-).
Details: Tripod.

Light Mortars
Designation: M4 Commando
Common Name: M4 Commando
Calibre: 60mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria.
Use: Armed forces: general service.

Light Antitank Weapons
Designation: ?
Common Name: RPG-7
Calibre: 40mm (85mm warhead)
Origin: Russia.
Use: Armed forces: general service.
Details: 2.5× scope.

Designation: ?
Common Name: FT5
Calibre: 92mm
Origin: SOMCHEM, Somerset.
Use: Armed forces: general service. 1,020+ acquired.

Cannon
Designation: ?
Common Name: Vektor GA1
Calibre: 20×82mmRB
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. In use on helicopters.

Designation: ?
Common Name: Vektor G12 (M693)
Calibre: 20×139mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria (licensed from GIAT, Versailles, France).
Use: Armed forces: general service. In use on Ratel-20 armoured personnel carrier.
Details: Dual feed.

Designation: ?
Common Name: KAD-B13 (HS820)
Calibre: 20×139mm
Origin: Oerlikon-Bührle AG, Zürich-Oerlikon, Switzerland.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. In use on AA mount.

Designation: ?
Common Name: 2A14 (ZU-23-2)
Calibre: 23×152mm
Origin: Tulamashzavod, Tula, Russia.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. In use on ZU-23-2 twin AA mount.

Designation: ?
Common Name: KDB
Calibre: 35×228mm
Origin: Oerlikon-Bührle AG, Zürich-Oerlikon, Switzerland.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. In use on twin AA mount.

[thatguy96]

There is some dispute over what the designation R2 actually belongs to. I've found sources claiming that they were lightweight rifle variants of the R1 fabricated by LEW, ARMSCOR, and others that claim the designation was applied to G3A3 rifles captured in various bush wars, which were incorporated into South African stocks. That being said, South African military and state police forces have been seen with G3 rifles. Also, the FN FAL 50.63, or a locally produced clone was also in service as the R3.

[Bulabash]

R2 was G3 variant used by some Navy in the eighties, swa forces and some homeland countries (lesoth, swaziland etc...)

[HCV]

>R2 was G3 variant used by some Navy in the eighties, swa forces and some homeland countries (lesoth, swaziland etc...)

Ezell's SMALL ARMS TODAY as well as Walter's RIFLES OF THE WORLD both claim the R2 was a lightweight version of the R1 (FAL-Para-50-63). Haven't seen official sources say anything on the R3, but it COULD have been the captured G3s . . .

Cheers

HANS

[Echo7]

Designation: ?
Common Name: Z88 (Mod 92F)
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Lyttleton Ingenieurswerke (LIW), Pretoria (copy not licensed by Beretta, Gardone Val Trompia, Italy).
Use: Armed forces: general service. Standard sidearm.
Police forces: general service. OBSOLESCENT.

Designation is: Z88 and it's not obsolete, its still in service. A little bit of trivia for you, the Z stands for Zeederburger, the man responsible for buying the blueprints and manufacturing at LIW.

HANS I will update info on your list, as I get updated details, please be patient.

[HCV]

HANS I will update info on your list, as I get updated details, please be patient.

Any news here? Thanks!

Cheers

HANS

[CMEPTb]

How did SA get Czech pistols? (captured/confiscated/purchased?)

[Bulabash]

Last time i saw was at Cape Town Int airport i think (2002) SA Customs was issued with them, (CZ75) they could have been bought after Apartheid or some loose lot (ive got a CZ75 that was from a "diverted lot" didnt pay much but it works well enough.

About the R2 ill have a look in South African War Machine By helmoed romer heitman or something, or Janes Infantry weapons.

[Tony Williams]

The 20mm Vektor GA-1 cannon is actually a copy of the Mauser MG 151/20 WW2 aircraft gun - as is its ammo.

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website (http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk) and discussion forum (http://forums.delphiforums.com/autogun/messages/)