M203
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Real Steel
M203 is the US Army designation for a single-shot Underslung Grenade Launcher that fits onto the M16 or M4 weapons, as well as many others. It fires 40mm shells, types of which include HE (high explosive), smoke, flares, buckshot, and CS gas as well as dummy rounds for training purposes.
In Airsoft
Most manufacturers who make an M16 or M4 variant also make an M203 launcher for them, including Tokyo Marui, Classic Army and ICS. They fit either by use of a standard 20mm rail onto a RIS front-end, or by means of barrel clips and handguard modification.
The functionality of the airsoft replicas varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but basically can be split into 3 groups.
Spring powered guns
The Tokyo Marui M203 units are effectively pump action shotguns. They work with the same style 30 round cartridges as their shotguns (except green instead of red). When the launcher is pumped. 3 rounds are loaded into 3 seperate barrels in the gun and 2 pistons cocked. When the trigger is pulled the pistons are released and all 3 bbs are fired.
Gas powered 40mm shower shells
Commonly known as Moscarts (after the first manufacturer's name for them) the M203s that fire these are exceptionally simple. One shell is loaded at a time and then when fired the trigger action simply presses on the button at the back of the shell. This then releases the gas contained within the shell and launches the bbs contained within.
Moscarts come in a variety of bb capacities from as low as 24 rounds up to 165 rounds and above. The thing that links them all together though is that they are fire their whole payload in a single shot, litteraly covering the targer with bbs.
Battery compartments
This is more an alternate use for the 40mm shower shell M203s than a specific new type of launcher. On some guns there is no space to put a large battery. The underslung M203 launcher supplies a simple location to store the battery.
