pinball-1 Posted August 13 Report Share Posted August 13 Anyone else grab one of the Mil Surplus M79's from ArmsUnlimited? Cool to know these saw combat in at least one conflict (GWOT) and probably Nam as well. As of this morning they have the remaining quantity; ActionArms - 1 Kanarr - 5 Springfield - 3 TRW - 2 Varo - 1 https://armsunlimited.com/m79-thumper-40mm-grenade-launcher/?searchuuid=7827a6e3-2cd1-4436-8fee-9f266f57c36f&search_query=thumper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattnh Posted August 13 Report Share Posted August 13 Very cool find - these don’t come up for sale very often. I own a couple already; otherwise, I’d be all over this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SavageM1Thompson Posted September 26 Report Share Posted September 26 I bought one although from the original importer. I heard 61 were imported from Germany. I couldn't be more happy with mine especially since it was rebuilt by the Navy Crane facility in 1981. Man if this thing could talk! I'm in the process of doing a FOIA on it with the Navy to see what comes up. I haven't had the chance to shoot it yet. I bought some Chalk rounds and materials for reloads. Now I need to find a place to legally shoot it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Posted September 26 Report Share Posted September 26 Can't you simply shoot it at your local outdoor range? It's not like you're shooting HE out of it or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPFiveO Posted September 26 Report Share Posted September 26 Some ranges have a lot of silly restrictions. CMP won't allow .50 BMG rifles because they use special targets for their system. A .50 would make the target useless pretty quickly. Some ranges also have silly rules about targets. They won't let you bring cars, boats, appliances and other stuff that's fun to shoot at. Some ranges have silly rules about ammo. They won't let you use steel core, steel jacket, armor piercing or incendiary explosive rounds. Indoor ranges particularly frown upon the use of Tannerite at their facilities. Fortunately, I've been left unsupervised at my range and we've shot all of the above. We just clean up before we leave and no one is the wiser. The kids love digging around in the backstop looking for M203 pusher discs and .50 BMG bullet cores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baboon Posted September 26 Report Share Posted September 26 You need a hard target with chalk rounds. Vehicles are great especial when your shooting with a couple other people with launchers Putting them in through a window is bonus points Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonlmg41 Posted September 26 Report Share Posted September 26 (edited) lol Edited September 30 by johnsonlmg41 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT Fish Posted September 27 Report Share Posted September 27 So how were these imported and not dealer samples? Anyone have details? I heard 70 or so were being imported but wasnt sure if that was true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
59corvette Posted September 27 Report Share Posted September 27 (edited) I was going to pony up the $10,500 to arms unlimited until I read this review. Extremely Poor Condition Posted by Dustin on 19th Sep 2026 I was expecting these to have "been there done that", but not absolute trash. Front sight post is completely missing. Ladder sight has a screw broken off, and will need to be drilled out and replaced. So much rust on the trigger guard, that it isn't able to move. Stock has a crack the length of it. Extremely disappointed with ArmsUnlimited, especially since I promoted these and helped to sell at least a half dozen of them. Arms unlimited still has some available but states sold as is no returns. So based on this review I passed. Edited September 27 by 59corvette Added more info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Posted September 27 Report Share Posted September 27 I've never been a Arms Unlimited customer, so I have no dog in this hunt, but those are seriously minor issues. From what I've read about these, they are USGI surplus and have been in service with the US military from before Vietnam till sometime in the 2000's. And they seem to have been used in any number of conflicts. Missing the front sight and a rear sight screw and needing a replacement trigger guard all would add up to less than $100 in parts. Complaining about these minor issues is like complaining that the used car you just bought hasn't had its oil changed before the sale. Seriously. If you're in the market for one of these, you value the history that it has been a part of! If all you want is a "shooter", I'll sell you my Shivak M79 in perfect condition for much less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
59corvette Posted September 27 Report Share Posted September 27 5 hours ago, Chef said: I've never been a Arms Unlimited customer, so I have no dog in this hunt, but those are seriously minor issues. From what I've read about these, they are USGI surplus and have been in service with the US military from before Vietnam till sometime in the 2000's. And they seem to have been used in any number of conflicts. Missing the front sight and a rear sight screw and needing a replacement trigger guard all would add up to less than $100 in parts. Complaining about these minor issues is like complaining that the used car you just bought hasn't had its oil changed before the sale. Seriously. If you're in the market for one of these, you value the history that it has been a part of! If all you want is a "shooter", I'll sell you my Shivak M79 in perfect condition for much less. Yeah for the stock to be cracked the full length ? Are parts readily available for these? I there were pictures of the actually one you were buying so you at least know what you’re getting. I speak only for myself 10.5k is a lot to spend sight unseen. But yes the cool factor level would be off the charts!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark2 Posted September 27 Report Share Posted September 27 6 hours ago, Chef said: I've never been a Arms Unlimited customer, so I have no dog in this hunt, but those are seriously minor issues. From what I've read about these, they are USGI surplus and have been in service with the US military from before Vietnam till sometime in the 2000's. And they seem to have been used in any number of conflicts. Missing the front sight and a rear sight screw and needing a replacement trigger guard all would add up to less than $100 in parts. Complaining about these minor issues is like complaining that the used car you just bought hasn't had its oil changed before the sale. Seriously. If you're in the market for one of these, you value the history that it has been a part of! If all you want is a "shooter", I'll sell you my Shivak M79 in perfect condition for much less. I saw some photos. He was advising that the front sight aluminum dovetail base was missing from the barrel. A 2k barrel is not a cheap fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Posted September 28 Report Share Posted September 28 8 hours ago, 59corvette said: Yeah for the stock to be cracked the full length ? Are parts readily available for these? I there were pictures of the actually one you were buying so you at least know what you’re getting. I speak only for myself 10.5k is a lot to spend sight unseen. But yes the cool factor level would be off the charts!!! SARCO has NOS stocks for the M79. $25 for fiberglass, complete with buttpad and swivel. $45 for wood, stripped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
59corvette Posted September 28 Report Share Posted September 28 (edited) 15 hours ago, Chef said: SARCO has NOS stocks for the M79. $25 for fiberglass, complete with buttpad and swivel. $45 for wood, stripped. Are you sure? They have them listed, but have been out of stock for quite some time. You can add yourself to their waiting list that’s about it. That goes for both the wood and fiberglass stocks. Edited September 28 by 59corvette 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattnh Posted September 28 Report Share Posted September 28 FWIW, Jerry @ Recon Ordnance has replacement parts for everything. Imho, front sight mount and sight snapped off barrel is not cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball-1 Posted September 28 Author Report Share Posted September 28 Parts are next to impossible to find for these right now. Numrich and Sarco have a few odds and ends, but most items are sold out. ReconOrd bought up all the parts, and is not willing to sell any parts now because of these new imports - he's big mad people aren't buying his. Listing a beautiful looking launcher in a photo and then sending out rusted/pitted piles, with missing and broken parts is bad business and deserves the bad review. AU is notorious for a bait and switch like this. AU was claiming these were GWOT used and left after the pullout of Afghanistan. I've been told by a little bird that most likely isn't true. So the real story is still up for discussion. I haven't heard about the Germany avenue, I'd be curious about that. My guess (simply a guess), is that these were in the states somewhere - left over from training or something along those lines. I don't see how these could have been brought into the US without some kind of import marks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark2 Posted September 28 Report Share Posted September 28 Basically you’re getting a registered receiver for 10.5k and everything else is up in the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted September 29 Report Share Posted September 29 I picked one up and it is exactly what I wanted out of an M79 … I personally prefer the “war torn” look…. Priceless original character to me… Everything functions on it as it should…. It was missing a screw, front sight post, and knob for the ladder sight … Which I fortunately had…. I’m thrilled to have it in this original unrestored condition. Aaron 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonlmg41 Posted September 29 Report Share Posted September 29 (edited) tmi Edited September 30 by johnsonlmg41 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted September 29 Report Share Posted September 29 @johnsonlmg41 yes, because that is exactly the same right? "LOL" ... I could have form 1's a receiver too and threw it in the dirt / beat it up.... Same thing as a USGI surplus unit! I can't believe I didn't of that!!.... What does it matter to you.... You go ahead and get what works for you 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonlmg41 Posted September 29 Report Share Posted September 29 (edited) wallow Edited September 30 by johnsonlmg41 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted September 29 Report Share Posted September 29 Good for you ........ The Vague criticism is bizarre .... I'd like to think that most of us here are "collectors"... You know, people with different interests who maybe prefer one type of thing over another? ... Glad you like your Kanaar.... I could care less if the M79 I have was used by a "clandestine agency"or a PD... This is what I wanted. I am sure (hopefully?) others buying these are making informed decisions as well..... Yes, you are correct. This is an interesting discussion 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPFiveO Posted September 29 Report Share Posted September 29 Aaron is on track, it's different perspectives for different collectors. Personally I don't know if I'd be happy paying their price for a beat up dog that needed expensive, rare and hard to find parts. I got a fair deal on a Thompson M1A1 a while back and the fore end was cracked in such a way that it could have caused an injury to the hand. I bought an unissued handguard from a guy on this board and am happy with that. Is it the original handguard? No, but it's an original handguard made by the original manufacturer. Will it hurt the value having been replaced? Probably not on this model because it went through a depot for refurbishing at some point so there's no way to know if the cracked handguard was even original. As long as I can shoot the gun without getting cuts and splinters I'm happy. Aaron's M79 is in better condition than I would expect for a weapon that's been in service for 60 years or more. You should see some of the soldiers I know that are in their 60's after only 20 years of service. Parts missing, worn finish and difficult to get operating properly... I've never ordered anything from AU but SARCO has always come to mind when people mention the condition of surplus items they received. SARCO has a reputation when it comes to "hand select", just look it up. We are dealing with surplus after all. I would be suspicious of something that looked brand new after 60 years of service. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT Fish Posted September 29 Report Share Posted September 29 On 9/25/2026 at 11:40 PM, SavageM1Thompson said: I bought one although from the original importer. I heard 61 were imported from Germany. I couldn't be more happy with mine especially since it was rebuilt by the Navy Crane facility in 1981. Man if this thing could talk! I'm in the process of doing a FOIA on it with the Navy to see what comes up. I haven't had the chance to shoot it yet. I bought some Chalk rounds and materials for reloads. Now I need to find a place to legally shoot it. Max range of chalk rounds is like 400meters. So most decently sized fields will do. You dont have to worry about overshooting the backstop or a ricochet sending rounds a mile or two past the target. Ive shot hundreds of m781 rounds and never found them to impact past that. Even at a full 45degree angle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball-1 Posted September 29 Author Report Share Posted September 29 2 hours ago, Aaron in Mohnton Pa said: Good for you ........ The Vague criticism is bizarre .... I'd like to think that most of us here are "collectors"... You know, people with different interests who maybe prefer one type of thing over another? Right. That just seems to be his kind of stick from what I've seen on his forum posts here. Best to just not to engage. I agree with you 100% tho, I wanted one that has been there and done that. The only other option other than a few oddballs, was buying a Title 1 receiver from ReconOrd and then Form 1-ing it. And doing the engraving kind of ruins the cool factor on these. Myself and a few others have also submitted FOIAs, but no returns yet from anyone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPFiveO Posted September 30 Report Share Posted September 30 I hear Buddy shaking his bottle of thread locker... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Posted September 30 Report Share Posted September 30 On 9/28/2026 at 7:39 PM, Aaron in Mohnton Pa said: I picked one up and it is exactly what I wanted out of an M79 … I personally prefer the “war torn” look…. Priceless original character to me… Everything functions on it as it should…. It was missing a screw, front sight post, and knob for the ladder sight … Which I fortunately had…. I’m thrilled to have it in this original unrestored condition. Aaron I see a blue hangtag on your M79. Is it a government one or from the distributor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted September 30 Report Share Posted September 30 (edited) @Chef this is one from Arms Unlimited. A TRW Edited September 30 by Aaron in Mohnton Pa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank I Posted September 30 Report Share Posted September 30 (edited) Jerry Presser form Recon Ordnance and some Kanaar M79s that were VG to like new. (long sold out) Does anyone know where those M79s came from? Edited September 30 by Frank I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball-1 Posted September 30 Author Report Share Posted September 30 1 hour ago, Frank I said: Jerry Presser form Recon Ordnance and some Kanaar M79s that were VG to like new. (long sold out) Does anyone know where those M79s came from? He still has quite a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Posted October 1 Report Share Posted October 1 19 hours ago, Aaron in Mohnton Pa said: @Chef this is one from Arms Unlimited. A TRW I was curious about the blue hang tag on it. Is the hang tag a US military hang tag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted October 1 Report Share Posted October 1 @Chef if you are referring to the blue tags that are usually stuff coming out of Navy Crane (that is the only time I have seen those tags), I do not believe this is one of those. The tag on there just lists the manufacturer and serial number. Maybe an inventory tag 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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