B-10 recoilless rifle

B-10 recoilless rifle
B-10 recoilless rifle in Batey ha-Osef Museum, Israel.
Type	Recoilless rifle
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1954-1980s (USSR)
Used by	Soviet Union Iraq Bulgaria Cambodia China East Germany Egypt North Korea Pakistan Poland Syria Vietnam Kataeb Regulatory Forces Taliban Free Syrian Army
Wars	Iran-Iraq War Vietnam War Lebanese Civil War
Production history
Designer	KBM (Kolomna)
Variants	Type 65
Specifications
Weight	85.3 kg (188 lbs) 71.7 kg (158 lbs) without wheels
Length	1.85 m (6 ft) travel position
Barrel length	1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Crew	4
Caliber	82 mm (3.22 in)
Action	Single shot
Carriage	Two wheeled with integrated tripod
Elevation	-20/+35°
Traverse	250° in each direction for 360 total.
Rate of fire	5 to 7 rpm
Effective firing range	400 m (437 yds)
Maximum firing range	4,500 m (4,921 yds)
Feed system	Breech loaded
Sights	Optical (PBO-2)

The B-10 recoilless rifle (Bezotkatnojie orudie-10, known as the RG82 in East Germany) is a Soviet 82 mm smoothbore recoilless rifle. It could be carried on the rear of a BTR-50 armoured personnel carrier. It was a development of the earlier SPG-82, and entered Soviet service during 1954. It was phased out of service in the Soviet Army in the 1960s and replaced by the SPG-9, remaining in service with parachute units at least until the 1980s. Although now obsolete it was used by a large number of countries during the Cold War.

The weapon consists of a large barrel, with a PBO-2 sight mounted to the left. It is mounted on a small carriage, which has two large wheels, which can be removed. The carriage has an integrated tripod, from which the weapon is normally fired. A small wheel is fitted to the front of the barrel to prevent it touching the ground while being towed. It is normally towed by vehicle, although it can be towed by its four-man crew for short distances using the tow handle fitted to either side of the muzzle.

The tripod can be deployed in two positions providing either a good field of fire or a low silhoutte. Rounds are inserted into the weapon through the breech, and percussion fired using a pistol grip to the right of the barrel. The PBO-2 optical sight has a 5.5x zoom direct fire sight, and a 2.5x zoom sight for indirect fire.