The stock chassis turns the M203 into a stand-alone launcher. It belongs to a Ukrainian Combatant with the GUR’s ‘Kraken’ Unit.M203 launchers were first seen in Ukraine in January 2023, when members of the 47th Mechanised Brigade were seen equipped with M16A4s with M203 under-barrel grenade launchers.

The chassis were reportedly made in both fixed stock and collapsing stock configurations. The one seen in Ukraine has a CAR-15 style adjustable collapsing stock. The chassis system takes a standard M203 under-barrel grenade launcher with heat shield and provides a platform which can be shouldered. According to friends at the Colt AR-15 Resource, the chassis was reportedly developed for an undisclosed US organisation, possibly US Special Operations Command or one of the alphabet agencies. It is thought that less than 30 were manufactured.

While there is little solid information available on these chassis it has been suggested that the project dated from before the start of the so-called ‘Global War on Terror’, and perhaps as early as 1992. Some samples were also reportedly made for external customers like El Salvador. The Colt-made stand alone chassis are a concept which has been replicated more widely by other manufacturers since.

TheColt AR-15 Resourceshared some video of one of the fixed stock variants from a collector’s show:

The combatant in Ukraine shared several photographs of the M203 stand alone chassis. One appears to have been taken in a frontline trench while another shows it lying next to an FN SCAR-L and a couple of 40mm LV HEDP grenades.

The sight assembly appears to be unique to the chassis and combines a a rear sight which is graduated out to 250-300 metres with a front sight. It does not appear to have a quadrant sight mounted for longer range fire. The weapon operates just as the M203 normally would with the barrel sliding forward to open the action. Unlike the M203 under-barrel configuration the stand alone launcher has a pistol grip.

Some, but not all,examples of the chassis are marked with ‘COLT’s’ on the rear of the chassis above the pistol grip on the left side. Serial number markings are found on the launcher itself, on the trigger mechanism housing.

The rare chassis has also turned up in Afghanistan withStreakingDelilah sharing this photograph of a member of the Taliban with one.

It is unclear how the rare chassis came to see service on Ukraine’s frontline butStreakingDelilah believe it may have been privately acquired through a surplus dealer, though they stress this is unconfirmed. It has been interesting to see the proliferation of stand alone grenade launchers in use with both sides during the war in Ukraine, but I never expected to see this rare Colt-made stand alone chassis.

Updated – 15/11/24: Another image featuring the launcher recentlyappeared in a Kraken fund-raising post. [H/t – Larry]

Special thanks toStreakingDelilah andThe Colt AR-15 Resource for their help.

Update – 8/1/25:

Another standalone M203 hasappeared in Berdin, Kursk, captured by personnel of Russia’s Kachtan battalion.StreakingDelilah have confirmed that it is not the same M203 seen in use with a Kraken member. This indicates that more than one of these rare grenade launchers has found it’s way to Ukraine.

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