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Germany Heckler & Koch
HK417
A battle rifle chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, built on the same gas-piston operating system as the HK416 for use as a designated marksman rifle. It is issued to special-operations and infantry units requiring extended range beyond standard 5.56mm carbines.
In service since 2005 · 20 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
800
m range
600
rpm
800
m/s
20
rds
💲 ≈ $4,500 (public figure)
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
German export-licensed
BAFA licensing with strict end-use review; approvals can be politically constrained.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 20 operators
In service since 2005. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Effective range
Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope.
- 800 m Stronger than 84% of rifles
- Rate of fire
Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability.
- 600 rpm Stronger than 12% of rifles
- Muzzle velocity
Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.
- 800 m/s Stronger than 24% of rifles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 7.62×51 mm NATO
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 7.6 mm
- Ammunition
Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.
- 20 Stronger than 18% of rifles
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 1.02 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 4 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
- Barrel length
Barrel length — longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling.
- 406 mm
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $4,500 Stronger than 28% of rifles
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 20 Stronger than 67% of rifles
Specifications compiled from public Heckler & Koch and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 Frequently asked questions
How many crew does the Heckler & Koch HK417 require? +
The Heckler & Koch HK417 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Heckler & Koch HK417? +
The Heckler & Koch HK417's primary weapon is the 7.62×51 mm NATO.
What is the Heckler & Koch HK417 used for? +
The Heckler & Koch HK417 is a rifle & long arms typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the Heckler & Koch HK417? +
The Heckler & Koch HK417 is operated by 20 countries.
How much does the Heckler & Koch HK417 cost? +
The Heckler & Koch HK417 has an approximate unit cost of 4,500 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
