Carl Gustav recoilless rifle
| Carl Gustaf Recoilless Rifle | |
|---|---|
A Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle of the Norwegian Army, on display in September 2010.
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| Type | Multi-role (anti-armor, anti-fortification, anti-personnel, illumination) |
| Place of origin | Sweden |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1948–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars |
Falklands War Kargil War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Eelam War IV Libyan Civil War Syrian civil war 2013 Lahad Datu standoff |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Hugo Abramson, Sigfrid Akselson and Harald Jentzen |
| Designed |
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| Manufacturer | Saab Bofors Dynamics (formerly Bofors Anti-Armour AB), Howa (license) |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | Rifle: 8.5 kg (19 lb) Mount: 0.8 kg (1.8 lb) |
| Length | Overall: 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in) |
| Crew | Two (gunner and loader), but may be used by a single operator at a reduced rate of fire. |
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| Cartridge | 84×246 mm R |
| Caliber | 84 mm (3.31 inches) |
| Rate of fire | 6 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 230–255 m/s (750–840 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range |
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| Feed system | Hinged breech |
| Sights | Open (iron) sights; optical 3× laser rangefinder; image intensification system |
The Carl Gustaf (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈkʰɑːɭ ˈɡɵ̞stɑːv]; also known as, Gustaf Bazooka and M2CG) is an 84 mm man-portable reusable anti-tank recoilless rifle produced by Saab Bofors Dynamics (formerly Bofors Anti-Armour AB) in Sweden. Although most rounds fired by the Carl Gustaf work on the classic recoilless principle, modern rounds sometimes add a post-firing booster that technically make it a rocket launcher.
The first prototype of the Carl Gustaf was produced in 1946 as a lightweight anti-armor weapon, one of many similar designs of that era. While similar weapons have generally disappeared from service, the Carl Gustaf remains in widespread use today. A combination of light weight, low cost and widely varied ammunition types, makes the Carl Gustaf extremely flexible and able to be used in a wide variety of roles where single-purpose weapons like the M72 LAW passed out of service as newer tank designs rendered them ineffective.
In its country of origin it is officially named Grg m/48 (Granatgevär - "grenade rifle", model 48). British troops refer to it as the "Charlie G", while Canadian troops often refer to it as "Carl G". In U.S. military service it is known as the "M3 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System" (MAAWS) or "Ranger Anti-tank Weapons System" (RAWS), but is often called the Gustaf or "the Goose" or simply the "Carl Johnson" by American servicemembers. In Australia it is irreverently known as "Charlie Gutsache" (guts ache, slang for stomach pain).
The Carl Gustaf was developed by Hugo Abramson and Harald Jentzen at the Kungliga Arméförvaltningens Tygavdelning ("Royal Swedish Arms Administration") and produced at Carl Gustaf Stads Gevärsfaktori from where it derives its name. The weapon was first introduced into Swedish service in 1948 as the 8,4 cm Granatgevär m/48 (Grg m/48), filling the same anti-tank role as the U.S. Army's bazooka, British PIAT and German Panzerschreck. Unlike these weapons, however, the Carl Gustaf used a rifled barrel for spin-stabilizing its rounds, as opposed to fins used by the other systems.
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