VHS-D2
HS Produkt · Assault Rifle · In Production · 2009
Also known as: HS Produkt VHS-D2, VHS-2 D2, Visenamjenska Hrvatska Strojnica D2
Overview
The VHS-D2 is a Croatian 5.56x45mm NATO bullpup assault rifle developed and manufactured by HS Produkt as the long-barreled member of the VHS-2 family. It is a gas-operated, select-fire rifle using a short-stroke piston and rotating bolt, with a manual gas regulator and a 500mm cold hammer-forged barrel housed inside a compact 765mm overall length thanks to the bullpup layout. The fully ambidextrous design provides dual ejection ports with empty-case deflectors on both sides of the polymer receiver, plus ambidextrous safety/selector, charging handle, bolt-hold-open release and magazine catch, allowing the rifle to be fired comfortably from either shoulder. An adjustable buttpad permits length-of-pull changes of up to 5cm, and NATO STANAG 4694 rails carry optics and flip-up iron sights.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3400 g (119.9 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 3850 g (135.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 765 mm (30.12") |
| Barrel Length | 500 mm (19.69") |
| Height | 205 mm (8.07") |
| Width | 76 mm (2.99") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Short Stroke Piston |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Trigger Pull | 35 N (7.9 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 940 m/s (3084 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1767 J (1303 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 600 m (656 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 3000 m (3281 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 850 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 178 mm (7.01") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Polymer |
| Barrel Material | Cold Hammer Forged Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer Integral Bullpup |
| Finish | Matte Black |
Calibers
- 5.56x45mm NATO · primary · 5.56x45mm NATO — also known as .223 Remington, 5.56 NATO
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Firing Pin Safety, Ambidextrous Controls
- Features: Bullpup Layout, Hammer Forged Barrel, Fully Ambidextrous, Dual Ejection Ports, Adjustable Buttstock, Stanag 4694 Rails, Flip Up Iron Sights, Empty Case Deflectors, Polymer Translucent Magazine, Manual Gas Regulator
Variants
- VHS-2 (Standard Assault Rifle) — Base Model
- VHS-K2 (Carbine) — Carbine
Service history
Operators
- Croatian Armed Forces · adopted 2013
- Croatian Special Forces
- Kurdish Peshmerga
Conflicts
- War against ISIL (2014-2017)
Production
Production years: 2009-present
Produced by HS Produkt in Karlovac, Croatia for the Croatian military and export markets.
Origin
Country of origin: Croatia
Notes
The VHS designation stands for 'Visenamjenska Hrvatska Strojnica' (Multi-purpose Croatian Automatic Weapon). The D2 variant denotes the long-barrel configuration with a 500mm barrel, as opposed to the standard VHS-2 rifle and the shorter VHS-K2 carbine. The rifle can be fitted with a carry handle incorporating a STANAG 4694 rail and flip-up iron sights, or an integrated 1.5x optical sight. Magazines are durable semi-translucent polymer with 30-round capacity. The VHS-2 family was adopted by the Croatian Armed Forces to replace Kalashnikov-pattern rifles inherited from Yugoslav-era stocks.
Background
The VHS-D2 is the long-barrelled expression of Croatia's ambition to field a domestically designed bullpup. HS Produkt, internationally best known for the Springfield XD / HS2000 pistol family, applied decades of polymer-handgun experience to a modern infantry rifle, and the VHS-2 family became Croatia's statement that a small Balkan nation could build a world-class service rifle. The longer-barrel D2 extends squad precision to ranges that rival rifles far longer than its compact bullpup frame.