Nigerian Small Arms Inventory

[HCV]

Comments, additions, and corrections?

Handguns
Common Name: Pi vz. 52
Calibre: 7.62×25mm
Origin: Česká Zbrojovka a.s. (ČZ), Uherský Brod, Czechoslovakia.
Use: ??? forces: ??? service.

Common Name: Browning Mle 1910
Calibre: 7.65×17mmSR
Origin: Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Guerre SA (FN), Herstal, Belgium.
Use: Police forces: special service. In use with Nigerian National Intelligence Agency.

Common Name: Mod 1951
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Pietro Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia, Italy.
Use: ??? forces: ??? service.

Designation: NP1
Common Name: Browning HP
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Guerre SA (FN), Herstal, Belgium; Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Kaduna (licensed since 1983).
Use: Armed forces: general service.

Common Name: P220
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: SIG-Sauer GmbH, Eckernförde, Germany.
Use: ??? forces: ??? service.

Common Name: No. 2 Mk I
Calibre: 9×19mmR
Origin: Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF), Enfield, England.
Use: ??? forces: ??? service.

Common Name: Mk IV
Calibre: 9×19mmR
Origin: Webley & Scott, Birmingham, England.
Use: ??? forces: ??? service.

Submachine Guns and Personal Defence Weapons
Common Name: Mod 4 (Mod 38/49)
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Pietro Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia, Italy.
Use: Police forces: ??? service.

Designation: NS1
Common Name: Mod 12S
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Pietro Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia, Italy; Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Kaduna (licensed).
Use: Armed forces: general service.
Details: Folding stock.

Common Name: Sa 23
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Česká Zbrojovka a.s. (ČZ), Uherský Brod, Czechoslovakia.
Use: ??? forces: ??? service.

Common Name: Sa 25
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Česká Zbrojovka a.s. (ČZ), Uherský Brod, Czechoslovakia.
Use: ??? forces: ??? service.
Details: Folding stock.

Common Name: LF57
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Luigi Franchi SpA, Fornaci, Italy.
Use: ??? forces: ??? service.
Details: Folding stock.

Common Name: MP5A3
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf, Germany.
Use: ??? forces: ??? service.
Details: Retractable stock.

Common Name: Uzi
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Israel Military Industries (IMI), Ramat Ha Sharon, Israel
Use: ??? forces: ??? service.
Details: Folding stock.

Common Name: Mark 4 (L2A3)
Calibre: 9×19mm
Origin: Sterling Armaments Co, Dagenham, England.
Use: ??? forces: ??? service.
Details: Folding stock.

Rifles
Common Name: AR 70
Calibre: 5.56×45mm
Origin: Pietro Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia, Italy.
Use: Police forces: limited service.

Common Name: FNC
Calibre: 5.56×45mm
Origin: Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Guerre SA (FN), Herstal, Belgium.
Use: Armed forces: ??? service.
Police forces: ??? service.
Details: Folding stock.

Common Name: SG540
Calibre: 5.56×45mm
Origin: Manufacture de Machines du Haut-Rhin (MANURHIN), Mulhouse-Bourtzwiler, France (licensed from SIG, Neuhausen, Switzerland).
Use: Armed forces: ??? service.
Details: Fires semiautomatic, 3-round bursts, and full-automatic. Folding stock?

Common Name: AR-15A1 R603K (M16A1)
Calibre: 5.56×45mm
Origin: Daewoo Precision Industries Ltd, Pusan, South Korea (licensed from Colt, Hartford, USA).
Use: Police forces: limited service.

Common Name: K2
Calibre: 5.56×45mm
Origin: Daewoo Precision Industries Ltd, Pusan, South Korea.
Use: Police forces: limited service.

Common Name: AR-18
Calibre: 5.56×45mm
Origin: Sterling Armaments Co, Dagenham, England (licensed from ArmaLite, Costa Mesa, USA).
Use: Police forces: ??? service.
Details: Folding stock.

Common Name: AKMS
Calibre: 7.62×39mm
Origin: East Germany?
Use: Armed forces: ??? service.
Details: Folding stock.

Common Name: AKM (Misr)
Calibre: 7.62×39mm
Origin: Maadi, Cairo, Egypt (licensed from Russia).
Use: Armed forces: ??? service.

Common Name: BM 59
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Pietro Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia, Italy Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Kaduna (licensed).
Use: Armed forces: limited service. OBSOLESCENT.

Designation: NR1
Common Name: FAL-50-00
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Guerre SA (FN), Herstal, Belgium; Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Kaduna (produced since 1983).
Use: Armed forces: general service (1989-).

Common Name: FAL-50-00 (L1A1)
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF), Enfield, England (licensed from FN, Herstal, Belgium).
Use: Armed forces: general service (1967-).
Details: Fires semiautomatic only.

Common Name: G3A3
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF), Enfield, England (licensed from H&K, Oberndorf, Germany).
Use: Armed forces: general service?
Police forces: ??? service.

Common Name: G3A4
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF), Enfield, England (licensed from H&K, Oberndorf, Germany).
Use: Police forces: ??? service.
Details: Retractable stock.

Common Name: No. 4 Mk I
Calibre: 7.7×56mmR
Origin: Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, England.
Use: Police forces: limited service. OBSOLETE

Machine Guns
Common Name: MAG-60-20 Infanterie T7 (L7A2)
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Guerre SA (FN), Herstal, Belgium; Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Kaduna (licensed since 1983).
Use: Armed forces: general service. In use as flexible gun on VBL armoured car.
Details: Bipod.

Common Name: MG42/59
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Pietro Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia, Italy (licensed from Rheinmetall, Düsseldorf, Germany).

Common Name: HK21A1
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF), Enfield, England (licensed from H&K, Oberndorf, Germany).
Use: Armed forces: general service. 6,000 acquired.
Details: Bipod.

Common Name: AA 7.62N F1
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Manufacture d’Armes de Tulle (MAT), Tulle, France.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. In use as coaxial gun on AML 60-7 and AML 90 armoured cars.
Details: No stock.

Common Name: BREN Mk III (L4A4)
Calibre: 7.62×51mm
Origin: Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF), Enfield, England.
Use: Armed forces: reserve service.
Details: Bipod.

Common Name: Browning M1919A4 (L3A1)
Calibre: 7.62×63mm
Origin: USA.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. In use as flexible machine gun on Vickers Mk III main battle tank and Saladin Mk II armoured car.

Common Name: Browning M1919A4 (L3A3)
Calibre: 7.62×63mm
Origin: USA.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. In use as coaxial machine gun on Vickers Mk III main battle tank and Saladin Mk II armoured car.

Common Name: BREN Mk II
Calibre: 7.7×56mmR
Origin: Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF), Enfield, England.
Use: Armed forces: reserve service.
Details: Bipod.

Common Name: Browning M2HB
Calibre: 12.7×99mm
Origin: USA.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. In use as AA gun on quad mount.

Common Name: Browning M2HB (L21A1)
Calibre: 12.7×99mm
Origin: USA.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. In use as ranging machine gun on Vickers Mk III main battle tank.

Common Name: KPV
Calibre: 14.5×114mm
Origin: Russia.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. In use in ZPU-1 AA mount.

Hand Grenades
Common Name: No. 36M Mk 1
Origin: Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Kaduna (licensed).
Use: Armed forces: general service.
Details: Fragmentation grenade.

Signal Pistols

Grenade Launchers

Light Mortars

Light Antitank Weapons
Common Name: RPG-7V (Type 69)
Calibre: 40mm (85mm warhead)
Origin: Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Kaduna (licensed from NORINCO, Beijing, China).
Use: Armed forces: limited service.

Common Name: RPG-22 Neto
Calibre: 72mm
Origin: Bazalt, Moscow, Russia.
Use: Armed forces: ??? service.
Details: Disposable.

Common Name: M2-550 Carl Gustaf
Calibre: 84×250mmR
Origin: Förenade Fabriksverken (FFV), Eskilstuna, Sweden.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. 56 acquired.
Details: Recoilless rifle. 2× scope.

Common Name: APILAS
Calibre: 112mm
Origin: Matra-MANURHIN Défense, Velizy, France.
Use: Armed forces: ??? service. 100 acquired.
Details: Disposable.

Cannon
Common Name: TCM-20
Calibre: 20×139mm
Origin: Israel Military Industries (IMI), Ramat Ha Sharon, Israel.
Use: Armed forces: limited service. In use on TCM-20 AA mount.
Details: Modified HS404.

[stottman]

During a 3 week visit to Abuja (sp?), the relocated capitol, I saw Police/Military with:

Bulgarian AKS47 with black plastic
Daewoo K2
FN FAL Para short barrel
Assorted AKMs; Mostly Hungarian.

[HCV]

During a 3 week visit to Abuja (sp?), the relocated capitol, I saw Police/Military with:

Thanks! Can you be more specific as to which arms where used by police and which by military? Which were common, which less common?


Bulgarian AKS47 with black plastic
FN FAL Para short barrel
Assorted AKMs; Mostly Hungarian.

Interesting. I'll add these.

Cheers

HANS

[stottman]

For the most part, the Police protecting the Western Hotels and Embassys were with the AKS47s (most common), and Daewoos.

Soldiers were with AKMs

Guys guarding the Airport were with the FALs.

[mladina]

I have question about small arms inventory of this countries; Burundi, Guyana, Togo and Trinidad and Tobago. I am writting a book about world SF and have difficulties about finding more about their infantry weapons. If anyone knows something please let me know. Thanx!

[Red]

Most of the guns don't work, are stolen etc

The Nigerian Army used to have a lot of British Hand-me-down SLR's. Then they got upgraded to the FN-FAL/G3. Then starting in the late 90's early 2000 they began to introduce the AK's into the Army and the Mobile Police units. AFAIK, the Navy for the most part retain the FN-FAL's. I also doubt that you will see an Army unit fielding a Bren. That role was filled by the GPMG. In the early 2000's, some Army and Para Military units also began feilding M-60's and AKM's. The Daewoo K2 would normally be found mostly on Police/MOPOL units.


I have fired the Browning HP produced in Nigeria and it handles fine.

@Stottman, the guy's you saw guarding the embassies and such are Mobile Police or MOPOL. They used to be good back in the days but....

[ocelot2006]

Most of the guns don't work, are stolen etc

The Nigerian Army used to have a lot of British Hand-me-down SLR's. Then they got upgraded to the FN-FAL/G3. Then starting in the late 90's early 2000 they began to introduce the AK's into the Army and the Mobile Police units. AFAIK, the Navy for the most part retain the FN-FAL's. I also doubt that you will see an Army unit fielding a Bren. That role was filled by the GPMG. In the early 2000's, some Army and Para Military units also began feilding M-60's and AKM's. The Daewoo K2 would normally be found mostly on Police/MOPOL units.


I have fired the Browning HP produced in Nigeria and it handles fine.

@Stottman, the guy's you saw guarding the embassies and such are Mobile Police or MOPOL. They used to be good back in the days but....


man,are u crazy?where do u get ur info from?as a nigerian and one who has family members and friends that serve in my country's police and military forces,i have so say that i am really insulted with what you just said.our defence industry DICON produces FN-FAL & beretta 9mm pistol locally.That's what's being used as the military's standard issue,although they're begining to use AK-47 and AKMs cos they are lighter and G-3.

As for the police,they use k-2 rifles,Bulgarian and Chinese versions of the AK-47s, FN-FAL.side arm is still the BERETTA 9mm as other arms of the military,but there are browning hi-power,wesson & smith automatics,and on a rare case (navy),a sig.a few revolvers are used but most have been phased.

i'm not so sure about our state security service,but i've seen them with steyr-aug rifles.

so,pls get ur facts straight.

[playtym]

man,are u crazy?where do u get ur info from?as a nigerian and one who has family members and friends that serve in my country's police and military forces,i have so say that i am really insulted with what you just said.our defence industry DICON produces FN-FAL & beretta 9mm pistol locally.That's what's being used as the military's standard issue,although they're begining to use AK-47 and AKMs cos they are lighter and G-3.

As for the police,they use k-2 rifles,Bulgarian and Chinese versions of the AK-47s, FN-FAL.side arm is still the BERETTA 9mm as other arms of the military,but there are browning hi-power,wesson & smith automatics,and on a rare case (navy),a sig.a few revolvers are used but most have been phased.

i'm not so sure about our state security service,but i've seen them with steyr-aug rifles.

so,pls get ur facts straight.

Red's also a Nigerian, so I'm sure he wasn't trying to to be derogatory towards them, although I can comment on the sources of his info.


PS: Try and stick to the default font - the mods frown on posts that are formatted like yours is. :)

[Red]

man,are u crazy?where do u get ur info from?as a nigerian and one who has family members and friends that serve in my country's police and military forces,i have so say that i am really insulted with what you just said.our defence industry DICON produces FN-FAL & beretta 9mm pistol locally.That's what's being used as the military's standard issue,although they're begining to use AK-47 and AKMs cos they are lighter and G-3.

As for the police,they use k-2 rifles,Bulgarian and Chinese versions of the AK-47s, FN-FAL.side arm is still the BERETTA 9mm as other arms of the military,but there are browning hi-power,wesson & smith automatics,and on a rare case (navy),a sig.a few revolvers are used but most have been phased.

i'm not so sure about our state security service,but i've seen them with steyr-aug rifles.

so,pls get ur facts straight.

Back in the day, it differed. Most Navy officers were issued with Browning .45's. The Army had Beretta's but I don't know what is done now though so may information may be dated. Although the SLR's that I guess have been phased out were British hand me downs.

[ocelot2006]

if there were british rifles given to the military,most of them have been phased out during the 70s and 80s while a few are being used by the nigerian customs service-although on a very rare case i saw a custom officer armed with a steyr aug rifle at a border town.the current standard issue is still the FN-FAL LOCALLY PRODUCED (under licence of course) within the country,`though,like i said earlier on,they're begining to use more of the AK products,one of the reasons being it's weight.

if i may add,the police actually uses another rifle.i'm afraid i've forgotten the name (someone can help me out),but they were procured from indonesia in 2000,and is being used as the indonesian army's standard issue.

[ocelot2006]

most side-arms are still beretta 9mms

[Red]

if there were british rifles given to the military,most of them have been phased out during the 70s and 80s while a few are being used by the nigerian customs service-although on a very rare case i saw a custom officer armed with a steyr aug rifle at a border town.the current standard issue is still the FN-FAL LOCALLY PRODUCED (under licence of course) within the country,`though,like i said earlier on,they're begining to use more of the AK products,one of the reasons being it's weight.

if i may add,the police actually uses another rifle.i'm afraid i've forgotten the name (someone can help me out),but they were procured from indonesia in 2000,and is being used as the indonesian army's standard issue.

Actually, there was the odd SLR here and there but they were phased out early in favor of the G3 which have been phased out for the AK and AKM products like you said.


most side-arms are still beretta 9mms

I favor the Browning over the Beretta any day.

[playtym]

most side-arms are still beretta 9mms

That's great progress mate!

Now if you just hold down the 'Shift' key when you type the first letter of the first word of every sentence you'll really have cracked it.