On 22 October at the Fabryka Broni Łucznik-Radom a contract with Poland’s Border Service was signed for delivery of 228 Grot C16 assault rifles. The contract value has not been disclosed, it can be estimated that it will be around PLN2.3 million.

The Grot C16 assault rifle is to replace the AKM/AKMS rifles in 7.62x39 mm cartridge in the Border Guard units. They will complement the previously delivered wz. 96C Mini Beryl rifles and wz. 96C Beryl carbines both chambered in 5.56x45 mm ammunition / Photo: Poland's Border Guard

The Grot C16 assault rifle is to replace the AKM/AKMS rifles in 7.62×39 mm cartridge in the Border Guard units. They will complement the previously delivered wz. 96C Mini Beryl rifles and wz. 96C Beryl carbines both chambered in 5.56×45 mm ammunition / Photo: Poland’s Border Guard

This is the third Border Service order for Grot assault rifles manufactured by Fabryka Broni. The contract is unusual, because of the 228 rifles only 93 are to be equipped with standard 406 mm/16 inch barrels. The remaining 135 Grots will be completed in two sets of barrels: 16-inch and short 10.5-inch/267 mm.

Users will be able to take advantage of the 5.56 mm Modular Small Arms Weapons System (MSBS-5,56). The Grot rifle is characterized by exchangeable barrel, apart from the common upper receiver for the classic and bullpup version. With the included key the user can change it in less than a minute.

So far the Border Guard has ordered 350 Grot C16 assault rifles and 54 Grot R20 bolt-action ceremonial rifles. The latter are only adapted to shoot 5.56×45 mm blank ammunition, although after replacing the barrel assembly they can fire standard cartridges.

The weapon was bought as part of the Police, Border Guard, State Fire Service and State Protection Service modernization program in 2017-2020. According to its provisions Border Guard is to receive 4,420 new 5.56×45 mm rifles by 2020.