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China Lake Launcher
The China Lake Launcher was a prototype pump-action grenade launcher developed in the 1960s by the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. The weapon is essentially a pump-action M79 Grenade Launcher with a 3-round tubular magazine added under the barrel. The weapon was used in limited numbers by US Navy SEAL Teams, Marine Force Recon, and the 5th Special Forces Group. Only four complete original weapons are thought to exist; one at the UDT/SEAL Museum, one in a Vietnamese war museum, one in the hands of the ATF Technologies branch, and the last by Brian Fauci of Canal Side Guns, who make a knock-off of the weapon called "The Ultimate M79."
In 2009, it was reported that Airtronic USA (a company also known for manufacturing modernised RPG-7s under license from Bazalt) has started manufacture of the China Lake launcher and a modernised model with a retractable M4-type stock, pistol grip and Picatinny rails. Initially marketed towards the United State Marine Corps, the design was modified to fire flare rounds and the larger 40x53mm grenades used in automatic grenade launchers like the Mk 19. The project was interrupted, however, when Airtronic USA got into a legal dispute with CSG/Trident over ownership of the design, and the Marine Corps subsequently adopted the Milkor MGL Mk 1L as the M32 Multi-Shot Grenade Launcher, essentially ending any further development of the China Lake launcher.
The China Lake is not to be confused with the later EX-41 Launcher, a separately developed pump-action grenade launcher made in 1995.
Specifications
(1968-Present)
- Type: Grenade Launcher
- Caliber: 40x46mm
- Weight: 8.2 lbs (3.7 kg)
- Length: 34.4 in (87.5 cm)
- Barrel length: 14 in (35.6 cm)
- Feed System: 3-round tubular magazine
- Fire Modes: Pump-Action
The China Lake Launcher and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Anime
| Title | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail | Fabiola Iglesias | 2010-11 |
Video Game
| Game Title | Appears as | Note | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call of Duty: Black Ops | "China Lake" | 2010 | |
| Fallout: New Vegas | "Grenade Launcher", "Holorifle" | 2010 | |
| Payday 2 | "China Puff" | Added in Wolf Pack DLC (2016) | 2013 |
| Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades | "China Lake" | 2016 | |
| Mafia III | "GL KORSKY" | Added with Stones Unturned DLC | 2016 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops III | "MAX-GL" | 2017 | |
| Krunker | "Noob Tube" | Only holds 1 grenade, pump is unused | 2019 |
| Marauders (video game) | "China Lake" | Added in United Allies update in 2023. Incorrectly loaded from 3-round box magazines | 2022 |