Heckler & Koch P30 vs M21 Sniper Weapon System

Heckler & Koch P30 — licensed reference photograph

ASmall arms

Heckler & Koch P30

Semi-automatic pistol

Credit

Koalorka ( talk ) · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

BSmall arms

M21 Sniper Weapon System

Designated marksman rifle Sniper rifle

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

Heckler & Koch P30Length

0.181 m

Length source ↗

M21 Sniper Weapon SystemLength

1.118 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Heckler & Koch P30larger figure on 0 of 3

None

M21 Sniper Weapon Systemlarger figure on 3 of 3

Length+518%
Range+820%
Barrel length+471%

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

17 of 42 rows sourced on both sides

181mm

1.12m

Length+518%

All recorded figures & sources

0.181 m

Length

Single source

0.196 m

P30

Single source

0.163 m

P30L P30SK

Single source

181 mm (7.1 in) P30 196 mm (7.7 in) P30L 163 mm (6.4 in) P30SK^[source]

1.118 m

Length

Single source

1118 mm (44 in)^[source]

39mmP30(L)S

—

Width

All recorded figures & sources

0.0348 m

P30(L)

Single source

0.0388 m

P30(L)S

Single source

0.0348 m

P30SK

Single source

0.035 m

P30 · Width · Breite

Single source

34.8 mm (1.37 in) P30(L) 38.8 mm (1.53 in) P30(L)S 34.8 mm (1.37 in) P30SK^[source]

3,5 cm^[source]P30 · Breite

138mmP30 · Height · Höhe

—

Height

All recorded figures & sources

0.138 m

P30 · Height · Höhe

Single source

0.138 m

P30(L)

Single source

0.116 m

P30SK

Single source

138 mm (5.4 in) P30(L) 116 mm (4.6 in) P30SK^[source]

13.8 cm^[source]P30 · Höhe

0.69kgP30L (without magazine)

5.27kg

Mass

All recorded figures & sources

0.687 kg

P30L (without magazine)

Single source

0.598 kg

P30SK (without magazine)

Single source

0.647 kg

P30 (without magazine)

Single source

647 g (22.8 oz) P30 (without magazine) 687 g (24.2 oz) P30L (without magazine) 598 g (21.1 oz) P30SK (without magazine)^[source]

740 Gramm ohne Magazin^[source]P30 · Gewicht ohne Magazin (without magazine)

5.27 kg

Mass

Single source

5.27 kg (11.6 lb)^[source]

0.1kmEffective; Effective firing range

0.5kmEffective; Effective firing range

Range+820%

All recorded figures & sources

0.05 km

Effective; Effective firing range

Single source

50 m (55 yd )^[source]

max. 50 Meter^[source]P30 · Kampfentfernung (source engagement distance)

0.46 km

Effective; Effective firing range

Single source

0.9 km

Effective; with 3–9× scope

Single source

3.725 km

Maximum; Maximum firing range

Single source

460 m (500 yd) 900 m (980 yd) (with 3–9× scope)^[source]

3,725 m (4,074 yd)^[source]

98mm

560mm

Barrel length+471%

All recorded figures & sources

0.098 m

Barrel length

Single source

0.113 m

P30

Single source

0.098 m

P30 · Barrel length · Rohrlänge

Single source

0.083 m

P30L P30SK

Single source

98 mm (3.9 in) P30 113 mm (4.4 in) P30L 83 mm (3.3 in) P30SK^[source]

9,8 cm^[source]P30 · Rohrlänge

0.56 m

Barrel length

Single source

560 mm (22 in)^[source]

370m/s( P30L ) ( 9×19mm Parabellum )

853m/s

Muzzle velocity

All recorded figures & sources

360 m/s

P30

Single source

370 m/s

( P30L ) ( 9×19mm Parabellum )

Single source

360 m/s

P30 · Muzzle velocity · Geschossgeschwindigkeit (V 0 )

Single source

360 m/s (1,181 ft/s) ( P30 ) 370 m/s (1,214 ft/s) ( P30L ) ( 9×19mm Parabellum )^[source]

360 m/s^[source]P30 · Geschossgeschwindigkeit (V 0 )

853 m/s

Muzzle velocity

Single source

853 m/s (2,800 ft/s)^[source]

9mmP30 · Calibre · Kaliber

7.6mmCaliber

CalibreScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

9 mm

P30 · Calibre · Kaliber

Single source

9 Millimeter^[source]P30 · Kaliber

7.62 mm

Caliber

Single source

7.62mm^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

Heckler & Koch P30 and M21 Sniper Weapon System configuration
Specification	Heckler & Koch P30	M21 Sniper Weapon System
Type	Semi-automatic pistol^[source]	Designated marksman rifle Sniper rifle^[source]
Place of origin	Germany^[source]	United States^[source]
Used by	See Users^[source]	See Users^[source]
Designer	Frank Henninger^[source]	Marines Weapons Command Combat Development Command Limited Warfare Agency^[source]
Manufacturer	Heckler & Koch^[source]	Rock Island Arsenal Springfield Armory Smith Enterprise, Inc.^[source]
Produced	2006–present^[source]	—
Variants	See Variants^[source]	M25^[source]
Cartridge	9×19mm Parabellum .40 S&W P30(L)^[source] 9 mm x 19^[source]P30 · P30 magazine ammunition explicitly stated in own equipment paragraph	7.62×51mm NATO^[source]
Action	Short recoil operated , Browning -type tilting barrel, locked breech^[source] Selbstladepistole mit verriegeltem und gepuffertem Verschlusssystem^[source]P30 · Action	Gas-operated , rotating bolt^[source]
Feed system	Detachable box magazine ; capacities: 17 rounds (9×19mm) P30(L) 15 rounds (9×19mm) 10 rounds (9×19mm) 13 rounds (9×19mm) P30SK 10 rounds (.40 S&W) P30(L) 13 rounds (.40 S&W) P30(L)^[source]	5-, 10-, or 20-round detachable box magazine^[source]
Sights	Iron sights (luminescent or tritium)^[source] U-Kimme und Balkenkorn^[source]P30 · Visier	Front: National Match front blade. Rear: Match-grade hooded aperture with one-half minute adjustments for both windage and elevation 26 + 3 ⁄ 4 in sight radius.^[source]
Magazine capacity	15, 17, 20 Rounds^[source] 15, 17, 20 Rounds^[source]P30 Civil 15 Patronen^[source]P30 · Standard magazine (Magazin)	—
In service	—	1968–present^[source]
Wars	—	Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Cambodian Civil War 1982 Lebanon War Lebanese Civil War Salvadoran Civil War Iraq War War in Afghanistan^[source]
Designed	—	1968^[source]
Former operator · Panama	—	Panama^[source]
Source measurement	—	The M21 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) in the US Army is a national match grade M14 rifle , selected for accuracy, and renamed the M21 rifle. The M21 uses a commercially procured 3–9× variable power telescopic sight, modified for use with the sniper rifle. It is chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge .^[source]M21 Sniper Weapon System · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage In standard military use, the M21 uses a 20-round box magazine as the other members of the M14 family and weighs 11 pounds (5.27 kg ) without the scope. The U.S. military never officially authorized or purchased magazines in any other capacity, although 5- and 10-round magazines are available.^[source]M21 Sniper Weapon System · Overview; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Country of origin	—	United States^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 8, row 23, cell 3; revision 1377789308; retrieved 2026-10-01
Reported operators	Reported operator · Finland Reported operator · Germany Reported operator · Hungary Reported operator · Indonesia Reported operator · Malaysia Reported operator · Norway Reported operator · Pakistan Reported operator · Portugal Reported operator · Singapore Reported operator · Spain Reported operator · Switzerland Reported operator · United States	Reported operator · United States Reported operator · El Salvador Reported operator · Israel Reported operator · Philippines Reported operator · Tunisia

FORCETALLY

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Heckler & Koch P30

M21 Sniper Weapon System

Type

Semi-automatic pistol^[source]

Designated marksman rifle Sniper rifle^[source]

Place of origin

Germany^[source]

United States^[source]

Used by

See Users^[source]

Designer

Frank Henninger^[source]

Marines Weapons Command Combat Development Command Limited Warfare Agency^[source]

Manufacturer

Heckler & Koch^[source]

Rock Island Arsenal Springfield Armory Smith Enterprise, Inc.^[source]

Produced

2006–present^[source]

—

Variants

See Variants^[source]

M25^[source]

Cartridge

9×19mm Parabellum .40 S&W P30(L)^[source]

9 mm x 19^[source]P30 · P30 magazine ammunition explicitly stated in own equipment paragraph

7.62×51mm NATO^[source]

Action

Short recoil operated , Browning -type tilting barrel, locked breech^[source]

Selbstladepistole mit verriegeltem und gepuffertem Verschlusssystem^[source]P30 · Action

Gas-operated , rotating bolt^[source]

Feed system

Detachable box magazine ; capacities: 17 rounds (9×19mm) P30(L) 15 rounds (9×19mm) 10 rounds (9×19mm) 13 rounds (9×19mm) P30SK 10 rounds (.40 S&W) P30(L) 13 rounds (.40 S&W) P30(L)^[source]

5-, 10-, or 20-round detachable box magazine^[source]

Sights

Iron sights (luminescent or tritium)^[source]

U-Kimme und Balkenkorn^[source]P30 · Visier

Front: National Match front blade. Rear: Match-grade hooded aperture with one-half minute adjustments for both windage and elevation 26 + 3 ⁄ 4 in sight radius.^[source]

Magazine capacity

15, 17, 20 Rounds^[source]

15, 17, 20 Rounds^[source]P30 Civil

15 Patronen^[source]P30 · Standard magazine (Magazin)

—

In service

—

1968–present^[source]

Wars

—

Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Cambodian Civil War 1982 Lebanon War Lebanese Civil War Salvadoran Civil War Iraq War War in Afghanistan^[source]

Designed

—

1968^[source]

Former operator · Panama

—

Panama^[source]

Source measurement

—

The M21 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) in the US Army is a national match grade M14 rifle , selected for accuracy, and renamed the M21 rifle. The M21 uses a commercially procured 3–9× variable power telescopic sight, modified for use with the sniper rifle. It is chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge .^[source]M21 Sniper Weapon System · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

In standard military use, the M21 uses a 20-round box magazine as the other members of the M14 family and weighs 11 pounds (5.27 kg ) without the scope. The U.S. military never officially authorized or purchased magazines in any other capacity, although 5- and 10-round magazines are available.^[source]M21 Sniper Weapon System · Overview; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Country of origin

—

United States^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 8, row 23, cell 3; revision 1377789308; retrieved 2026-10-01

Reported operators

Reported operator · Finland
Reported operator · Germany
Reported operator · Hungary
Reported operator · Indonesia
Reported operator · Malaysia
Reported operator · Norway
Reported operator · Pakistan
Reported operator · Portugal
Reported operator · Singapore
Reported operator · Spain
Reported operator · Switzerland
Reported operator · United States

Reported operator · United States
Reported operator · El Salvador
Reported operator · Israel
Reported operator · Philippines
Reported operator · Tunisia