Why the iconic RPG-7 is a weapon of choice for soldiers and militias

The RPG-7 has been used by armies, insurgents and terrorist organisations from all over the world, and has been produced more than nine million times.
The rocket-propelled grenade launcher can be used against a variety of targets, including armoured vehicles, fortified and sheltered positions, helicopters and infantry.
"Even the most basic RPG-7 round from the '60s will penetrate the minimum of 26cm of rolled homogenous armour, which is your basic tank armour," said Jonathan Ferguson, the keeper of firearms and artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds.
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[@Stockfish1511]

Because its easy, lightweight to carry, fast to reload, cheap as hell and most importantly very available.

[@haroldbell213]

The double charge is a game changer.. Like being hit twice.

[@aizseeker3622]

Truly a multi purpose reusable launcher in same principle as Carl Gustaf.

[@chrismair8161]

Cheers! When you miss is the most important moment of your life.

[@Freedom_Half_Off]

There was a website making the case 20 years ago that the U.S. should be cranking these out for our forces . Not a one shot disposable substitute ... not a designed by committee alternative ... just the RPG for the most bang for buck in defense spending

[@internethardcase]

The grenade launcher on guns is better for Anti-personnel, and for vehicles you would really want a javelin or something. So yeah weapon of choice for simple availability but definitely not the best.

[@ChristianTheNorwegian]

Ah, very nice to see Jonathan Ferguson, Keeper of Firearms and Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in the UK. Which houses a collection of thousands of iconic weapons from throughout history, presenting the facts of the RPG-7 :)

[@jameshughdalton]

Beat me to it

[@user-th7ni5ub6i]

Excellent knowledge of Russian weapons. "Simplicity is what is most difficult in the world; it is the extreme limit of experience and the last effort of genius" - Leonardo da Vinci

[@badchefi]

The Russians copied the Germans Panzerfaust 250 design.

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

@@badchefieveryone copied and stole German stuff after 1945 lol

[@badchefi]

@@AbuHajarAlBugatti that doesn’t take away from the fact that the panzerfaust 250 was the beginning of the RPG. The RPG -7 as above is next level and the Soviets added many features. For example the rocket engine ignites after its launched unlike the old panzerfaust.

[@zpetar]

@@badchefi Soviets copied concept of portable anti tank weapon. Design is original.

[@badchefi]

@@zpetar your are correct - the RPG-1 was an original Soviet design that combined all the best features from the German Panzerfaust, Panzerschreck and the American Bazooka. The developer of the RPG-1 Georgy Pavlovich Lominsky was born in the Ukraine in 1918.

[@pirobot668beta]

Cheap and available beats all other considerations. "It's not very powerful!" So fire another one, they are cheap. "It's not accurate!" So fire another one, we have a big pile of them. "It's not 'smart'!" So find a smart operator...

[@hurrdurrmurrgurr]

You get one shot and then your position is known. If it misses you've made yourself a target and achieved nothing. You don't want to waste your smart operators on dumb weapons.

[@kiwanozukai1180]

@@hurrdurrmurrgurr a single smart operator can teach 50 not-so-smart guys how to knock the treads off a tank with their RPGs and call in bigger guns to finish it off. having just enough to do the job at every possible point of contact is way more important than having some elite heavy weapons team that always needs to be there at the right place at the right time.

[@BojanPeric-kq9et]

@@hurrdurrmurrgurr attacking a tank with RPG is team activity.

[@Theaverageazn247]

@@hurrdurrmurrgurr Depends on the situation. Hamas has been able to hug tanks with rpgs from melee range

[@magma2680]

@@hurrdurrmurrgurr thing is, this thing isn't going to cost you 80k$ for launcher and couple rounds, it's so cheap that in the case you mentioned there would likely be 2 or 3 guys that could be equiped with RPG 7s too and they could shoot all 3 from different positions to achieve the best chance of killing the enemy or pushing them into disarray. If you're hit with 1 rocket, means you can probably shoot back, 2 rockets, you gotta find somethign fast and you gotta answer immediately, 3 rockets and you've gotta think fast about where to hide your ass or you're going to be toast if there's more coming.

[@fredtorres1703]

You see the RPG constantly but very little info on how it works. This was so informative.

[@markthompson8733]

Proof that good, effective weapons do not have to be complicated nor expensive.. thanks for the video, very informative 👍

[@oldhag2881]

American weapons are overly complex and expensive. But then, they are designed to enrich the MIC.

[@mnk9073]

It's such a beautiful example of Soviet tech: Easy to manufacture, easy to use, easy to adapt and modify, more durable than a cockroach in a twinkie, dirt cheap and not the best by far but by far the best at being good enough.

[@blackvalse8780]

you got it

[@dennycraig8483]

The rpg and the Ak47 are both essential tools in the freedom fighters starter kit..✊🏾

[@randompersononinternet2826]

Somehow i like to imagine myself teleported to medieval world with nothing but Akm and rpg, then i would imagine myself become an expensive mercenary or a menace to a kingdom.

[@mikewingert5521]

And the Toyota pickup….😂

[@stonedforfun6110]

Terrorist starter kit

[@paulsawczyc5019]

@@mikewingert5521 Don't forget the sandals.

[@stani6024]

One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter.​@@stonedforfun6110

[@Leo137156]

This is by far the best explanation of an RPG 7 and shaped-charges I have ever seen in almost any video, and especially so in such a short video. And I served for 28 years in the US Army. Well done Sir. Thank you.

[@nataldoe3035]

A week ago Poland ordered over 6 thousand Carl-Gustav M4s to replace 2 thousand of their RPG-7s

[@tomnguyen9931]

RPG-7 is a poor man rocket launcher. Whereas Carl-Gustav is in a league of it own. After it killed the enemy it then go after the parent. Now that a real weapon!

[@georgekaradov1274]

@@tomnguyen9931how many rounds for the Car-Gustav can a soldier realistically carry, compared to RPG-7 rounds....??????

[@jasip1000]

@@georgekaradov1274When I served in the Danish Army, the assisting Carl Gustav gunner carried 4 rounds in two plastic like suitcase containers that were horrible to carry around.

[@georgekaradov1274]

@@jasip1000 compare that to caring 4 rounds for RPG7????

[@jasip1000]

@@georgekaradov1274 4 RPG-7 rounds are much lighter and are carried in a kind of rucksack on your back. But overall the Carl Gustav is a better weapon than the RPG-7.

[@evilfingers4302]

The RPGs are not your typical 1 time use and throw away AT weapon compared other shoulder fired AT weapons except the Carl Gustav, because both the RPG and Carl Gustav can be used over and over just as long there is plenty of shaped charged projectiles available.

[@theimmortal4718]

The RPG7, RPG29 and the RPG16 are reloadable, but the RPG18, RPG22, RPG26, RPG28, RPG30, RPG32 are all disposable

[@gezalesko3813]

you pay sone 30000 usd for a steel tube with the carl gustav and 1-2000 usd per shot... an entire infantry company can be equipped with RPGs for that..

[@mannycarvalho3758]

I used an RPG II in the Congo War 1962 willest with 5 Cdo ( Mike Hoare)mercenaries, they worked well.Many year's later I also used the RPG VII,a far better weapon, greater range accuracy and penetration 11 inches of armour @ 0 deg. The self destruction 900 ft.fuse works well.

[@patrickvennard838]

Nice to see Jonathan on the channel, I wish the pattern room had closer links with the MOD so that the Royal armouries could get some new British Army Rifles.

[@cedhome7945]

Now now that would be joined up thinking 🤔 and we can't have that sort of stuff in the British establishment 😄

[@entropyachieved750]

Always interesting, look forward to your next one Jonathan.

[@bertsabo1409]

Great video! Very informative!

[@jameslooker4791]

The RPG-7s best virtue is probably the scale of global ammunition production. The number of users combined with the number of projectiles available motivates the next generation of engineers to evolve the platform.

[@johncullinan8041]

Brilliant as always Jonathan

[@TB-zf7we]

The Ukrainian's are also mass building RPG warheads with an additional serrated metal sleeve pre-added to the warhead to add additional fragmentation material for when the warhead explodes.

[@billyrusso3240]

mass building? 🤣🤡

[@slappy8941]

Bro, apostrophes don't make words plural.

[@AApnah13]

Mass building? How 🤔

[@TB-zf7we]

@@AApnah13 My misuse of wording for a production line of some size, not 1 off but 100s, 1000s off as a sleeve to be added by the user for greater frag.

[@donk9189]

Ucraine can’t even manufacture ammunition do u understand that mass builder ?

[@tsoihoiyat]

The ingenuity of the Russian weapons is the effect-to-cost ratio. It may not be the best quality stuff, but it produces so many so cheaply and so quickly - all that matters in an all out war. The reusable tube is also making it the most environmentally friendly - ok, that is a sarcastic joke.

[@Samurai___Jack]

Вы правы. Некоторые не совсем понимают истинное назначение военного оборудования. Оно должно быть рассчитано на довольно большую погрешность в руках солдата, должно быть максимально надежно, мощно и доступно. На войне никогда не будет идеальных условий для долгих приготовлений к боевым действиям, никогда не будет так, как вам надо. Ваше оружие должно быть сбалансированным по качеству-цене, так как война это не только непосредственное столкновение армий, но и экономическое давление.

[@Ample17]

That way of going about things really hasn't changed since sovjet days! And it still works.

[@kevinlkeys]

Fantastic explanation 😮

[@mikewingert5521]

I served 24 years and have been ever fascinated by this very very simple concept.

[@sadakamber5843]

Thank you for that very informative and interesting video 👌

[@bunterhidenparm]

More of these please! Do all weapons on the battlefield on both sides!

[@andrewdopple6946]

I love how in the past 30 years, there has been a massive misinformation campaign surrounding the effectiveness RPG-7. Yet time, and time again these Anti-Tank platforms have been taking down goliath at a budget. I would unironically prefer to have a RPG-7 in a squad than a couple guys lugging around a AT4.

[@BojanPeric-kq9et]

Some people really believe that RPG-7 is still with original warhead because Soviets (later Russians) were simply too stupid to improve anything for decades. RPG-29 and PG-7VR? "Yes, but no".

[@jawedmanowar657]

The Beauty os Russian weapons from Guns to Rocket launcher to other other is that they Cheap and very easy to handle and can be Mass produces and takes less time in Training and at the end Very Very affective and Deadly Unlike western weapons which r expensive and time consuming in training also

[@pnorton8063]

That was a great fun example, thank you. Please could you do a chat on the Carl Gustaf? 07:15 - GPMG + Carl Gustaf - When the missus asks what movie I'd like to see ""Anything! Just play it loud, okay?" Thanks again

[@yiikirichard2547]

Soviet engineering at its best

[@RJM1011]

Copied from the Germans in WW2 !

[@BojanPeric-kq9et]

@@RJM1011 yes. F-35 is improved Wright's brother plane, but nothing spectacular.

[@icemanzw]

@@RJM1011 f35 is a copycat of Russia Y series protype plane

[@LK-gl3rj]

And WHY aren't NATO using something similar? Perhaps because it's too cheap to produce, and that wouldn't be any good for defence contractors...

[@trs4u]

More content like this please!

[@RD-jd3yh]

Excellent detail.

[@reddevilparatrooper]

They are very deadly and dangerous if you are inside a building. I had just gotten to sleep a few seconds then an RPG slammed into the building I was in with my platoon and woke me up from a dead sleep to being awake in seconds. This caused me a big heart attack for being a 19 year old Paratrooper to a near death experience with the tremendous explosion which I was deaf for a few minutes and thought that I had died. The only thing was I had bad ringing in my ears and couldn't hear anyone in the room I was in and saw how terrified everyone was and I moved to get out and find a place to shoot back. I had dreams that take me back to that time which gave me headaches when I had those bad dreams again. The RPG is no joke, still an effective weapon till this day. Even in Iraq in 2006-08 in my mind was find the RPG team, they were not hard to find because a Hadji squad or platoon size group would have 2-4 of them. Always spread out to find important the RPG team usually 2-4 guys. Their machine gun teams were not as dangerous as the RPG, if you can kill both then it's a good day. RPGs can destroy your positions, machine guns can point out where you are, always destroy the RPG guys!!!

[@ahmedalsharman]

It is great Russian engineering always works and simple to operate , Also super cheap to produce.

[@robertwilkinson8421]

Great description on how the Weapon works.

[@funwithflags7506]

what are the bottom left launchers

[@busterdog321]

"tankers hate this one cheap trick to raise the temperature inside the hull."

[@jepismadi1875]

what about the tandem munitions like Yasin 105?

[@Rocco0308]

Yassin 105 Tandem 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

[@tihlsteinig2465]

In one word :Simplicity!

[@ricksadler797]

Great video thank you

[@samsavojbolagi5513]

5:49 the camera man thought he is clear of back flash, he was wrong

[@GaryBonnell-tl1jp]

And with thousands of casualties and deaths to it's credit its the swiss knife for the army on a budget and it packs one hell of a punch

[@007kingifrit]

if the fuse is in the back of the warhead how does the piezoelectric charge at the tip activate it?

[@joemanco-no4jy]

I see them on the wall for sale. Do you ship to California?

[@EvanMoon]

If only these weapons were not needed in the world today

[@icemanzw]

A soviet Russia masterpiece just like ak47 Russia engineers are amazing

[@jpmtlhead39]

The Rpg 7 ( and other models) is a Perfect and deadly Anti-Infantry weapon because of is Self-destruct timer and is range ( roughly 950 Mts) wich is a very safe distance for engaging entrenched enemy Infantry. And still is a very good Anti-Tank weapon when used in certain battlefield environment. An "Old" but Still a very Capable Effective Weapon.

[@christopherwang4392]

How do the Carl Gustaf and B-300 SMAW compare with the RPG-7?

[@andrewdopple6946]

Carl and SMAW are objectively better, but much more expensive, more difficult to maintain and operate, and difficult to lug around for long distances compared to the RPG-7. Like comparing a unarmored Humvee to a Toyota Landcruiser with bulletproof glass/panels.

[@BojanPeric-kq9et]

If you don't specify exact ammo type, it is kinda pointless comparison.

[@zedeyejoe]

And now the US makes it (PSRL-1). Lighter and with improved ammunition.

[@veronicalogotheti1162]

Thank you

[@andresmartinezramos7513]

5:49 Man ate the backblast

[@rabbitbobo4131]

I can almost hear Jonathan saying “thank god, it is not one of those sci-if gun review”.

[@fibodegjenn4411]

It's not like a bullet, more like a very concentrated and powerful sand-blaster. If you increase the thickness and the shape of the copper you would end up with something like a bullet.

[@oteliogarcia1562]

very well said. it's a Panzerfaust with a reusable tube and a booster/sustainer motor. it's more of a recoilless gun than a 'bazooka'

[@paulmakinson1965]

I grew up in Lebanon. Together with the AK-47 type assault rifles and Dshk mounted Toyota technicals, these things were ubiquitous.

[@hs7ehfheuezdhji]

I had it when i was soldier. Good stuff with optics

[@tonydownunder5703]

Very interesting thanks for sharing 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@arenttelindert2913]

What use is the background music?

[@nogibertv4824]

5:49 that cameraman is a bit idiot and lucky at the same time. he's lucky to be alive after that stunt they do there.

[@jlam3927]

Roberts ridge, Extortion 17, and Operation Red Wings come to mind as extremely effective use of this weapon.

[@wcm8909]

Back blast area was NOT clear…

[@calvinware7957]

I had a friend who served in Iraq who got hit by an RPG. The resulting damage he sustained to his brain when he finally emerged from his coma rewired in a way that gave him the exact symptoms of autism

[@santhoshkuttan8579]

CCCP 💪...

[@stephensmith5982]

Just looking at the difference between the Charlie "G" and the RPG "7" the RPG appears to be more easily portable than the CG. The ammunition seems to be more easily portable as well. As I have never had to carry or use either weapon I could be all wrong about this.

[@ENIGMAXII2112]

Concentrated pressure area, yes of course...

[@EdMcF1]

How on Earth do you 'sight' i.e. estimate the range of an 82mm Mortar on an RPG-7 launcher? Sounds like a fun training exercise, on the field, not so much.

[@SenorTucano]

What continually amazes me is the fact that Western militaries have refused to copy the RPG and instead stick with less accurate and versatile disposable rockets

[@Pilvenuga]

same reason western militaries have been leaning more towards 5.56 small arms instead of 7.62. there has been a lack of adversaries who utilize armor heavy enough to warrant the greater firepower

[@trogdortpennypacker6160]

They do have a copy actually. If you research further you will find it.

[@pietskiet42-_]

It's a hypersonic jet of molten copper...you won't believe the burn wounds on survivors 😮😮😮

[@eastern2western]

700 dollar rpgs can stop 10 million dollar Abrams.

[@The88Cheat]

That was super interesting

[@MustafeHusen-gh4tx]

Same weapon Somalis used to take down a Blackhawk helicopter back in the 90s it's very effective

[@kskeel1124]

Simple, cheap and effective... Nuff said. People will still be using them 50-100 years from now...

[@JinKee]

Ballistic High-Speed on KZbin blew up their RPG launcher when the booster rocket fell off the warhead and bounced around inside the launcher expansion chamber

[@TheLookingOne]

Nice video However, it IS a plasma jet with copper (or other non-ferrous metal) nuclei and a bunch of free electron under incredible pressure

[@johnhehir508]

RPG-7 The child of the panzerfaust

[@EpicThe112]

For Jonathan he needs to know this is also manufactured in the United States by Airtonic as the PSRL. Basically, it can be purchased by the British military from The Americans for use by the SAS and SBS. Currently the airtronic factory is making them for the ukrainians

[@BojanPeric-kq9et]

Why US company didn't develop their own comparable, but better weapon?

[@EpicThe112]

@BojanPeric-kq9et to them it's much easier to make an existing weapon and then Improvement rather than making their own because rocket launchers of this style would be loaded from the back the exception being the Panzerfaust 3 which requires it to be loaded from the front like the RPG 7. although in actual practice that one will have its tube thrown out while FCU is reused

[@a_god8269]

Question: For anyone who has ever fired an RPG, is it actually "recoil-less"? Like could a toddler fire one without falling over???

[@concretedonkey4726]

is that a circle 11 marking on the round ?:)) VMZ then...

[@joeperson4792]

A shoulder fired 82mm round! How accurate at close range against static buildings? People will always make use of dis-separate technologies.

[@wendyharbon7290]

The Swedish "Charlie G" recoilless gun or weapon system, is the best counter to the old Soviet RPG-7's. The "Charlie G" lightweight to carry, fast to use and aim plus fire then reload too, as well as can be operated by one person if necessary, ideally two soldiers are better. Lastly the "Charlie G" and their rounds are very much more affordable, compared to other Western State of the art Anti-Tank Bunker Busting Weapons. However, the RPG-7 has become the individual Eastern Soldiers and very much International terrorists, Anti-Tank Weapon of choice because they are cheap!

[@user-lr7lo5or5x]

Что мешает сделать твой "Charlie G" дешевле РПГ-7?

[@evillabrador1]

Why no comparison with 66mm LAW.

[@Gurp2]

proud to be Indian

[@greenetolstoy]

It shouldn't, but those blue gloves really bother me.

[@davidkirksey8521]

How accurate are they?

[@onedayagogo]

yes.

[@adivinaca]

russia was is and probably will be for a very long time the maker of the most cheap but reliable and so effective weapons worldwide, the library mouses know how to desgn amazing stuff

[@camau79]

The kornet is the successor to the RPG 7

[@jmorello123]

Interesting! 😉

[@NorthSea-xb7jk]

there is at least 7 types of rounds for RPG7

[@johnw.peterson4311]

For years I have wondered if NATO forces should adapt this weapon and why it has not?

[@kennethvenezia4400]

My cat invented nuclear shape charge. He's ingenious! He did it in our garage! He was going to test it on North Korea. It's very fortunate that I stopped him before he could do it.🙀

[@wonderwonder9027]

4:24 are you sure what you're saying here is about the RPG 7?

[@Wolfspaine7N6]

Easy to use with minimal training due to simplicity.

[@boathemian7694]

We had those crappy Laaw disposable thing that was useless.

[@kdigitalproductionservices6581]

This guys' lingo😂 'death dealing end' or 'to whom it may concern'

[@jesseterrell2109]

Probably the most successful weapon developed since ww2

[@badchefi]

A copy of the Panzerfaust 250.

[@georgekaradov1274]

@@badchefinot really

[@badchefi]

@@georgekaradov1274 Panzerfaust 250 is the grandfather of the RPG.

[@BojanPeric-kq9et]

@@badchefi and Panzerfaust is improved copy of bazooka. Of course, Panther is copy of T-34 with fancy bells and whistles.

[@lococooc699]

a jet of particles is a plasma

[@bagusrestuaji222]

They can make the charge diy at home

[@greenyoshi777]

There are many who say it's NOT a recoilless gun because of the fact that it doesn't load in the back and ALSO because the rounds stick out the front, most warheads are larger than the tube diameter and the rounds are essentially modified, more aerodynamic adaptations of HAND THROWN anti-tank grenades like the RPG-40 and RPG-43 used in WW2 but with a rocket in the rear end.

[@ou6775]

the guerrila’s answer.

[@amria5725]

Blast 5:46

[@findstr.s-hi-c._w]

400meter effective range 700 max. Vs t72 main gun 4500 meters range..... So you gotta get close or rpg 7 sucks.