Unobtanium - Tommybuilt Tactical's T36 Puts A Pop-culture Icon In Reach For The Rest Of Us

Because you suck and we hate you?

- Tom Marshall

It’s anybody’s best guess as to why Heckler & Koch still refuses to bring a legitimate G36 variant to the civilian market. So their unofficial crowd-sourced marketing slogan will have to suffice for explanation. Despite its unattainable status for real people, the entertainment industry has latched onto this rifle, almost from inception, and put it on a pedestal that may be somewhat undeserved. We say that because, after negative performance reports from German soldiers serving in Afghanistan, serious questions about the G36’s accuracy and abilities were raised, examined, and deemed to be substantiated. The net effect was that, as of this year, the Bundeswehr will be phasing the G36 out of frontline service.

Having said that, at the time of its inception in the early ’90s, it was an earnest attempt at advancement. The G36 makes extensive use of plastics and polymers, and even first-gen guns included a 1.5x optic built into the carry handle as a standard feature. Future iterations would include the ability to screw on Picatinny rail sections to accommodate modern accessories, as well as a top rail for more sighting options. All in all, the G36 was a well-intentioned stab at a lightweight, modular, piston-driven assault rifle with early gen combat optics and a downright cool space force feel. It may be this aesthetic, more than anything else that endeared it to American pop culture. A fan favorite in both the Rainbow Six and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare video game franchises, the G36’s unmistakable silhouette is a staple of movie, TV, and game productions. Despite its laundry list of Hollywood and Silicon Valley casting credits, HK has yet to meet its American market anywhere close to the middle. In 2014, they teased the HK293 as a true civilian version of the G36 but, at time of writing, we have yet to hear or see anything concrete on this rifle.

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