What type of weapon is this?

Factual Questions
1

I was looking at photos taken by Lucian Reed. I came across this one and the weapon caught my eye. I have never seen one of these.

What is it?

Afghan Soldier

2

Looks like an RPG that has fired it’s grenade.

3

I believe it’s an RPG 7 launcher, but I don’t know what sort of rocket is in the tube.

4

RPG-7 loaded with OG-7V rocket.

5

Thanks everyone. I was trying to make it out as some type of rifle.

6

Why is that particular round so small diameter? It looks like a rocket-propelled 40 mm grenade. Why not fire something larger?

7

Why fire anything larger than you need?

It is, in fact, exactly what you say: a rocket-propelled antipersonnel fragmentation round.

And the diameter isn’t everything. Looking at the pictures on that website, it looks like the explosive filler and fragmentation coil extends almost 1/2 meter back inside the RPG tube. It’s not small at all.

8

When I was looking up the type of rocket, I thought I saw something about the warhead being in caliber (40mm) to comply with a treaty about antipersonnel warheads or something. It was in wikipedia for what it’s worth.