Artillery - Forgotten Weapons

Inkunzi PAW aka Neopup – 20mm Direct-Fire Grenade Launcher

June 22, 2018 Ian McCollum 52

The Inkunzi PAW (Personal Assault Weapon) is a 20mm shoulder fired semiautomatic grenade launcher designed by Tony Neophytou (and previously known as the Neopup). It is a creative and very interesting weapon system, both […]

Japanese Type 10 Light Grenade Projector (aka Knee Mortar)

March 24, 2018 Ian McCollum 12

In the aftermath of World War One, the Japanese military saw the utility of infantry-portable light grenade launchers instead of rifle grenades, and adopted the Type 10 grenade projector in 1921 (Taisho 10). It went […]

M20 75mm Recoilless Rifle: When the Bazooka Just Won’t Cut It

March 8, 2018 Ian McCollum 46

The M20 75mm Recoilless Rifle was developed starting in 1944 as a replacement for the 3.5” bazooka in an antitank role. It was developed and produced in parallel with a 57mm recoilless rifle (the M18), […]

Vietnam Mk18 Mod0 Hand-Crank Grenade Launcher

December 20, 2017 Ian McCollum 32

The Mk18 Mod0 grenade launchers was developed by the Honeywell corporation in 1962, and was the first weapon in what would became a category of high volume grenade launchers used by the US military. The […]

American Viven-Bessières WW1 Grenade Launcher

November 26, 2017 Ian McCollum 22

The standard American grenade launching system in World War One was the Viven-Bessières, borrowed directly form the French. It had been adopted by France in 1916, replacing copies of the British Martin-Hale rod grenades. The […]

PIAT: Britain’s Answer to the Anti-Tank Rifle Problem

November 25, 2017 Ian McCollum 81

The British began World War Two with the Boys antitank rifle, but like all antitank rifles it rather quickly became obsolete. The replacement for it was adopted in 1942 as the PIAT – Projector, Infantry, […]

“Double Deuce” 2-Bore Rifle: A Gunsmithing Spectacle

November 11, 2017 Ian McCollum 20

Double Deuce rifle Lil’ Deuce pistol The largest sporting rifles ever actually used in the field as more than an exhibition were 4-bore stopping rifles, firing roughly 1″ in diameter (25mm) projectiles. These were intended […]

M20A1B1 Super Bazooka – It’s a Super Bazooka. Need I Say More?

October 28, 2017 Ian McCollum 47

The US was one of the few major military powers that went into World War II without a substantial infantry antitank weapon. Most countries had an antitank rifle of some sort, but the US just […]

Carl Gustav m/42: A 20mm Recoilless Antitank Rifle

April 21, 2017 Ian McCollum 38

The Swedish Pansarvärnsgevär fm/42 made by the Carl Gustav company was an interesting early hybrid antitank weapon – a recoilless rifle firing solid armor-piercing projectiles. It used a 20x180mm case, propelling the 108g (1650gr) bullet […]

Four Fun Facts about the Oerlikon 20mm Antiaircraft Cannon!

April 13, 2017 Ian McCollum 57

The 20mm Oerlikon automatic cannon was a mainstay of United States naval air defense during World War 2, and today we will look at a few of the characteristics and questions that apply to this […]