You’re creeping through the third-floor hallway of the Customs dorms. Your ears are straining for the sound of a surgical kit or the click of a painkiller. Suddenly, there’s a distinctive, metallic thump. Before you can even register the sound, the screen turns black. No gunfight. No chance to lean-peek. Just a 40mm explosion that turned your hexgrid and Altyn into scrap metal. This is the reality of the underbarrel grenade launcher in Tarkov, a tool that has shifted from a mythical "soon" feature to a terrifying mainstay of high-level kits.
For years, the community wondered if Battlestate Games would ever actually pull the trigger on these things. They seemed like a balancing nightmare. Honestly, they kinda are. But they’re here, and if you aren't using them—or at least learning how to dodge them—you're basically playing the game with one arm tied behind your back.
The UBGL Evolution: From GP-34 to M203
The history of the underbarrel grenade launcher in Tarkov is a long, slightly messy one. We first saw the GP-34 for the AK series and the M203 for the Western platforms. Later, the Western side got the M320, which is a bit more ergonomic but takes up that precious rail space.
It’s not just about clicking a button and watching things go boom.
BSG implemented a mechanical arming distance. If you fire a 40mm point-blank into a Scav's chest, it’s just going to thud against him like a very expensive rock. Most rounds require at least 10 to 20 meters of travel before the fuse arms. You've probably seen clips of streamers panicking, firing a grenade at a door frame, and surviving only because they were too close for the projectile to actually detonate. It’s a literal lifesaver, or a death sentence if you forget the math in the heat of a dorms fight.
The GP-34, specifically designed for the Kalashnikov family, is the one you’ll see most often on BEAR players. It’s rugged. It’s heavy. It makes your ADS speed feel like you’re lifting a lead pipe. But the psychological impact of that first explosion is worth every bit of lost ergonomics.
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Understanding the Rounds: More Than Just HE
You can't just talk about the launcher without the ammo. The VOG-25 is the bread and butter for the Russian launchers. It’s got a decent kill radius, but the real terror is the fragment count. Then you have the Western M406 (HE) and the M433 (HEDP).
Most people think HEDP is just "better" because it’s High Explosive Dual Purpose. In the real world, that means it can punch through light armor. In Tarkov, it translates to a slightly different damage drop-off. But let's be real: if a 40mm shell lands at your feet, the "purpose" is usually just sending you back to the lobby.
There are also smoke rounds and flares. Do people use them? Barely. But if you’ve ever used a white phosphorus smoke to cover a teammate’s body while looting in the middle of a Shoreline field, you know how clutch a UBGL can be for utility. It’s not just for the kills; it’s for controlling the environment.
Why the Underbarrel Grenade Launcher Tarkov Meta is Polarizing
The community is split. One half thinks the underbarrel grenade launcher in Tarkov is a skill-less "noob tube" that ruins the tactical gunplay. The other half argues that it’s the ultimate counter to the "peekers advantage" and the hyper-aggressive movement meta.
Think about it. If someone is holding a tight angle with a Meta HK, you usually have to desync-swing them or hope your grenades are cooked perfectly. With a UBGL, you can skip the toss animation. You stay on your weapon. You just toggle the fire mode and delete the corner. It’s a hard counter to camping, but it’s also a nightmare for anyone trying to play a "slow and tactical" style.
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Nikita Buyanov has always maintained that Tarkov isn't supposed to be fair. It's supposed to be realistic and punishing. Adding the UBGL fits that philosophy perfectly. It’s a force multiplier. If you’re a solo player taking on a four-man squad, a well-placed 40mm can instantly level the playing field by taking out two players before the fight even officially starts.
The Ergonomics Tax
The biggest downside—and the reason you don't see every single person running one—is the weight. A loaded M203 or GP-34 adds significant weight to the front of your rifle. Your stamina drains faster when aiming. Your weapon sway increases.
If you're running Woods and trying to snipe, an underbarrel is a curse. You’ll be out of breath before you even find your target. However, on maps like Streets of Tarkov or Interchange, the trade-off is almost always worth it. The ability to clear a room or a hallway without exposing your head is too good to pass up.
Mastering the Arc: How to Actually Hit Something
Aiming these things is an art form. You don't get a crosshair. You don't get a "press G to win" prompt. You have to learn the leaf sights or, more commonly, learn to "feel" the arc.
- The Ranging Trick: Most launchers have adjustable sights. In the heat of battle, nobody uses them. You'll likely just aim high and pray.
- The Impact Bounce: Some surfaces in Tarkov are weird. Grenades can sometimes skip or bounce if they hit at a shallow angle before the arming delay is met.
- The Ceiling Shot: One of the best ways to use a UBGL is to fire at the ceiling behind a piece of cover. The airburst effect (or just the fragments raining down) can kill players tucked behind indestructible boxes.
I’ve seen players use the M320 to clear the sniper towers on Reserve from hundreds of meters away. It takes practice. It takes losing a lot of expensive 40mm shells to the dirt. But once you "click" with the trajectory, you become a one-man artillery battery.
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Common Misconceptions About 40mm Launchers
"They’re too expensive." Not really. Once you unlock the high-level traders like Peacekeeper LL4 or Prapor LL4, the shells are relatively affordable compared to high-end AP ammo like M995 or 7N40. The real cost is the launcher itself and the risk of losing it.
"They kill through walls." Tarkov’s penetration physics are a bit wonky, but generally, no, they won't kill you through a solid concrete wall. However, they will absolutely wreck you through thin wooden doors or office partitions. If you see a grenade land on the other side of a plywood wall, don't just stand there. Move.
Another myth is that you can't use them with certain silencers. While some muzzle devices do conflict with the mounting brackets, most meta builds can actually support both. You can have a silent, deadly laser beam that also happens to have a grenade launcher attached to the bottom. It’s peak Tarkov.
Tactical Next Steps for Survival
If you want to start integrating the underbarrel grenade launcher in Tarkov into your raids, don't just slap one on and head to Labs. You'll blow yourself up.
- Go to the Hideout: Use the shooting range. Practice the transition time between your primary fire and the launcher fire. It’s a keybind you need to have in your muscle memory.
- Check the Flea Market: Sometimes people list the launchers for cheap because they don't know how to use them or they want the ergonomics back.
- Start with the GP-34: If you’re an AK runner, the GP-34 is a low-stakes way to learn. The rounds are plentiful on Scav raiders and in military tech crates.
- Respect the Arming Distance: Always carry a secondary way to deal with close-range threats. The launcher is for the mid-range gap—roughly 15 to 40 meters.
The game is changing. The days of just relying on your strafe-shooting are ending. Whether you love them or hate them, underbarrel launchers are a permanent part of the tactical ecosystem. Learning to use them—or at least learning the sound of that thump so you can run in the opposite direction—is the only way you're going to survive the current wipe.
Get your ranging down, watch your stamina, and for the love of Prapor, don't fire it at a window frame you're standing right next to.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Raid
- Keybind Optimization: Rebind your "Toggle Underbarrel" key to something reachable without taking your fingers off the WASD keys. Most veterans use a side mouse button or 'U'.
- Loadout Balance: When running a UBGL, strip unnecessary attachments like heavy side-mounted flashlights or backup irons to keep your ergonomics above 30.
- Distance Calibration: Spend five minutes in an offline raid on Factory. Practice hitting the various catwalks from the floor level to get a physical sense of the 40mm drop-off.
- Ammo Storage: Always keep your 40mm shells in your secure container until you are ready to enter a high-traffic combat zone like the Resort or the Mall. They are high-value loot and take up single slots, making them easy to protect.