Anti-Tank Rifles

I swear there was a topic dedicated solely to anti-tank rifles somewhere on the forum, but the search option isn't pulling anything up, so bear with me please!

We all know that by 1942 anti-tank rifles were virtually useless, but did this stop them from being used nevertheless? Several such weapons were quite powerful (the Soviet PTRS/PTRD 14.5x114mm round could penetrate 30-40mm of armour at 100m). This made them useful against light tanks and other lightly armoured vehicles and even the possiblity of damaging a heavy tank's treads or optics (and quite possibly penetrating side/rear armour).

I have several questions concerning anti-tank rifles; were they still issued to troops after the weapons' flaws were realized, and if they were, how were they incorporated into troop units- were specialized, anti-tank infantry companies given the rifles, or were they implented into squads or platoons or something totally different? Also, during the Second World War, were anti-tank rifles fitted into other specialized roles, such as long-range sniping or anti-boat duty?

 

Good question.

I would suppose they would still be of some use throughout the war as a way of dealing with halftracks, armored cars, buildings, etc just like the .50BMG rifles do now. Hopefully there will be some good replies.

 

Zhukov:
Try the "Guns Galore" section.
There is a thread on the first-page concerning the .55-inch Boys AT rifle. It was carried by Marine Raiders in their Makin Island raid.
They "bagged" some sea-planes with them too.

Tim

 

Thanks for the direction Hoosier.

I found a few links you guys might find interesting:

This one is an instructional guide for Russian anti-tank riflemen (I finally found out how to link websites!!!).

From the same website (Lone Sentry):

And this has some interesting stuff on a Panzer Grenadier Battalion. There is no mention of any anti-tank rifle however (though they do mention the K98 with grenade-launcher attachment which could fire HEAT rounds).

 

Many armored cars carried anti-tank rifles for defence, and, although they may not actually be able to destroy medium and heavy tanks, they are useful against light tanks and enemy armored cars.

 

Stop Swearing i think this was the topic

http://www.fun-online.sk/forum/viewtopi ... t=antitank

 

I've heard the Russian used them quiet a bit for house to house fighting for popping shots through walls.

 

They were popular with partizans to attack and destroy trucks and railroad engines.

aglooka

 

id much rather just have a 88 with me

 

I'd assume an anti tank rifle could be used in urban areas to target certain points of tanks such as the drivers viewing slit.

 

Of course carrying it might be "slightly" awkward!

 

Just a bit!

 

sqaud deployment

in the british army in 1939 and 1940 the boys anti-tank rifle was deployed with most squads. also bren carriers had anti tank rifles fitted through out the war.

 

Other than the 88 (which, to my understanding is generally regarded as the best AT gun of the war) how effective were some of the other AT guns against, say, the front armour plate of an early war Sherman at 500yrds?

Gen Grevious....any chance you're a Star Wars fan?

 

yes i am a star wars fan (not a srar wars geek though)
the 120mm aa gun was better than the 88 as it was even more powerful

 

They made a 120mm AA gun!? Was it ever pressed into AT duty? That would kill (literally!)

 

i did kill but was mainly used on aa duty

 

The Germans used a very wide range of anti-aircraft guns, including a double 128 mm. anti-aircraft gun. They also used a 128 mm. anti-tank gun, albeit only in limited numbers

The 8,8 cm Kw K 43 was the best German tank gun of the war, when considering both availability, penetration capability and speed of loading (the 12,8 cm Pak 80 used two-part ammunition, which made loading much slower).

The 8,8 cm Kw K 43 was pretty much en par in terms of armour penetration capability with the US 90 mm. and the Russian 100 mm. tank guns, but the German 8,8 cm Kw K 43 was the gun which was the most wide-spread use. Aside from the few M-26s which made it to the front lines, the 8,8 cm Kw K 43 was also the only gun of the three mentioned above which was mounted in vehicles which made it into series production, being used on the Ferdinand, Nashorn, Jagdpanther and Tiger II.

 

i got my figures mixed up it was only 105mm

 

Anti tank rifles were sufficiently useful in WW1 and in the early years of WW2, being easily able to penetrate the tanks of the period like the Pz 38(t) or Pz III, as they had thinner armor... however, once tank warfare developed and new better protected tanks became predominant (thinking Panthers, T-34's and Shermans) the anti-tank rifle went into decline, because the recoil involved in such a weapon became too great to be fired by one soldier, if it were to penetrate the thicker armor of contemporary MBT's... The recoilles system used in Panzerfausts, Bazookas and RPG's was preferrable because such systems did not disloacte the firer's shoulder... To penetrate a Tiger across the frontal arc, a rifle would need to be so large in caliber and/or high in velocity that the recoil would all but tear the firer's arm off