POTD: POF G3 Rifles From Pakistan

[Zarvan]

3
Shares
rifles from the time I worked in Pakistan. The rifles on the picture are old, first generation G3s with wooden handguards and stocks, something you don’t see every day.

In 1965, Pakistan received ToT (transfer of technology) from H&K and was one of the first countries that started production of G3 rifles outside of Germany.

Other countries that produced G3 variants include Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, Greece, Pakistan, Myanmar (Burma). If you want to know more about Burmese G3 variant, check out this TFBTV video by Miles.

The company producing G3s in Pakistan is called Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) following the tradition of Royal Ordnance Factories in the UK. It should not come as a surprise that former British colonies adopted the name, creating Indian Ordnance Factories and Bangladesh Ordnance Factories.


Presentation video of Pakistan POF factory.

The quality of POF G3, in my experience, is pretty good. Finish is rough, but mechanically the rifle functions well and demonstrates very decent accuracy results, hitting targets up to 600 meters in the hands of a competent marksman (and yes, it is a first hand experience and yes, I was as surprised as you are).

Obviously, the variant with wooden handguards, demonstrated in the first picture is not currently in production. The majority of Pakistan army is armed with POF G3 A3 variant that features so-called “angular handguard” which I personally find to be way to thick and very uncomfortable.

Some of the POF products are currently sold in the US, namely MP5 pistol imported by FEDARMS. For some reason, G3 variants chambered for 7.62×51 never came to the US market, despite the fact that a designated “Sportster” model was introduced a few years ago. You can read an exclusive review of this model right here on TFB.


I am not a fan of G3, but just the look of those thin wooden handguards and German-engineered stamped steel, so similar to Sturmgever, makes me want to buy one. Unfortunately, there is no way you can buy one legally, and attempting to smuggle a full-auto G3 from Pakistan to Russia in about the dumbest thing you can do.

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2018/12/04/potd-pof-g3-rifles-from-pakistan/

@Horus @Path-Finder

 

[war&peace]

In 1965, Pakistan received ToT (transfer of technology) from H&K and was one of the first countries that started production of G3 rifles outside of Germany.

Well, now that I don't get it.. we got ToT of one the best guns in 65 i.e. 53 years ago..and we couldn't develop our own next gen rifle even after 53 years...that speaks highly of the incompetence of POF.. sorry to say..that's beyond dismal performance..

The company producing G3s in Pakistan is called Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) following the tradition of Royal Ordnance Factories in the UK. It should not come as a surprise that former British colonies adopted the name

Another face palm moment... we couldn't find even a better word for these factories. Arms, weapons, munitions are good words but again the slavery is deep.

 

[Path-Finder]

3
Shares
rifles from the time I worked in Pakistan. The rifles on the picture are old, first generation G3s with wooden handguards and stocks, something you don’t see every day.

In 1965, Pakistan received ToT (transfer of technology) from H&K and was one of the first countries that started production of G3 rifles outside of Germany.

Other countries that produced G3 variants include Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, Greece, Pakistan, Myanmar (Burma). If you want to know more about Burmese G3 variant, check out this TFBTV video by Miles.

The company producing G3s in Pakistan is called Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) following the tradition of Royal Ordnance Factories in the UK. It should not come as a surprise that former British colonies adopted the name, creating Indian Ordnance Factories and Bangladesh Ordnance Factories.


Presentation video of Pakistan POF factory.

The quality of POF G3, in my experience, is pretty good. Finish is rough, but mechanically the rifle functions well and demonstrates very decent accuracy results, hitting targets up to 600 meters in the hands of a competent marksman (and yes, it is a first hand experience and yes, I was as surprised as you are).

Obviously, the variant with wooden handguards, demonstrated in the first picture is not currently in production. The majority of Pakistan army is armed with POF G3 A3 variant that features so-called “angular handguard” which I personally find to be way to thick and very uncomfortable.

Some of the POF products are currently sold in the US, namely MP5 pistol imported by FEDARMS. For some reason, G3 variants chambered for 7.62×51 never came to the US market, despite the fact that a designated “Sportster” model was introduced a few years ago. You can read an exclusive review of this model right here on TFB.


I am not a fan of G3, but just the look of those thin wooden handguards and German-engineered stamped steel, so similar to Sturmgever, makes me want to buy one. Unfortunately, there is no way you can buy one legally, and attempting to smuggle a full-auto G3 from Pakistan to Russia in about the dumbest thing you can do.

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2018/12/04/potd-pof-g3-rifles-from-pakistan/

@Horus @Path-Finder

sorry but its outdated weapon for military service and I agree its good for hunting and leisure shooting.

 

[Cuirassier]

Our own M1 Garands

 

[Wolf]

Well, now that I don't get it.. we got ToT of one the best guns in 65 i.e. 53 years ago..and we couldn't develop our own next gen rifle even after 53 years...that speaks highly of the incompetence of POF.. sorry to say..that's beyond dismal performance..


Another face palm moment... we couldn't find even a better word for these factories. Arms, weapons, munitions are good words but again the slavery is deep.

Our Air Force has done very well by being almost on the brink of launching jf17 block 3. HMC or HIT after 26 years is at Al Khalid 1 with limited numbers.

 

[war&peace]

Our Air Force has done very well by being almost on the brink of launching jf17 block 3. HMC or HIT after 26 years is at Al Khalid 1 with limited numbers.

Well, even there we have an active involvement of Chinese but still a great job.. given the resources but we could not design a rifle and that too we got on ToT so if POF invested a little in R&D, it could have easily launched 4-5 new designs in last 50 years but the issue is lack of vision and also to some extent kickbacks involved in foreign deals. I mean we should compare ourselves with countries that got independence at the same time..China, South Korea etc

 

[Crystal-Clear]

1965 sey ek hi gun ko ley k ghum rahey

 

[SecularNationalist]

Well, now that I don't get it.. we got ToT of one the best guns in 65 i.e. 53 years ago..and we couldn't develop our own next gen rifle even after 53 years...that speaks highly of the incompetence of POF.. sorry to say..that's beyond dismal performance..

agree with you and by signing an agreement with CZ company we are repeating history once again.

 

[Hassan Guy]

 

[war&peace]

agree with you and by signing an agreement with CZ company we are repeating history once again.

It is not limited to POF. A much bigger fraud happened in the name of ToT for Agosta-90Bs and today we are again empty handed..where did all the knowledge and skills go? We are again buying subs from China.. WTH?? It is huge scam because you know that in the name of ToT, the nation ends up paying almost double or even more for per sub so it must be investigated all culprits should be hanged even the one who have been died..their families should be punished and made an example.

 

[Divergent]

This is such a boring thread.

 

[SecularNationalist]

It is not limited to POF. A much bigger fraud happened in the name of ToT for Agosta-90Bs and today we are again empty handed..where did all the knowledge and skills go? We are again buying subs from China.. WTH?? It is huge scam because you know that in the name of ToT, the nation ends up paying almost double or even more for per sub so it must be investigated all culprits should be hanged even the one who have been died..their families should be punished and made an example.

TOT,s made many people rich in pakistan and bought them surrey palaces and offshore companies .

This is such a boring thread.

ok honey go eat tamarind

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

It is not limited to POF. A much bigger fraud happened in the name of ToT for Agosta-90Bs and today we are again empty handed..where did all the knowledge and skills go? We are again buying subs from China.. WTH?? It is huge scam because you know that in the name of ToT, the nation ends up paying almost double or even more for per sub so it must be investigated all culprits should be hanged even the one who have been died..their families should be punished and made an example.

IMO the Agosta 90B is a prototypical example of our authorities not clearly or openly communicating the facts.

The 'ToT' in as far as building those submarines was provided, i.e., DCNS -- in its capacity as a shipbuilder -- gave KSEW the means to build those subs.

But what DCNS isn't is the dozens of subcontractors who had been tasked to provide the steel, engines and electronics for those submarines. There was no way Pakistan would get ToT for every one of those inputs. Be it France, Germany or now China, we're not getting all of the inputs, our ToT is confined to KSEW taking the materials (from imports) and manufacturing them according to the OEM's specs.

Once we're done with the Chinese submarines, we'll be exactly where we had started unless we master the inputs, or at least some of them (e.g. steel).

To truly localize our shipbuilding, we need to Project Azm our surface warship and submarine programs. In other words, we need to pursue original design work and invest in locally developing the core inputs (e.g., steel, electronics). One way to do this is to work with someone on a similar track, e.g., Turkey.

Turkey's STM has its own submarine design project. It's in the conceptual phase and will be a while before it materializes, but it's the right direction. We can join them and learn together. I feel we might not even be far from such a direction, e.g., ASFAT will help MTC design an original frigate, Jinnah Class.

 

[Umair Nawaz]

cant Pakistan build a rifle with her own design, given that we have so much of wartime experience?

 

[Sine Nomine]

Well, even there we have an active involvement of Chinese but still a great job.. given the resources but we could not design a rifle and that too we got on ToT so if POF invested a little in R&D, it could have easily launched 4-5 new designs in last 50 years but the issue is lack of vision and also to some extent kickbacks involved in foreign deals. I mean we should compare ourselves with countries that got independence at the same time..China, South Korea etc

cant Pakistan build a rifle with her own design, given that we have so much of wartime experience?

Building a rifle isn't a rocket science but wo lack determination,sometimes i dream of having a system made by Pakistan on wiki and in operators section several countries as operators