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Boys Anti-Tank Rifle

Country of OriginUnited Kingdom
TypeAnti-Tank Rifle
Caliber13.900 mm
Capacity5 rounds
Length1.575 m
Barrel Length910.000 mm
Weight16.300 kg
Rate of Fire10 rounds/min
Range90.000 m
Muzzle Velocity747 m/s

Contributor:

ww2dbaseThe Boys anti-tank rifles were the invention of Captain H. C. Boys of the British Small Arms Committee, who was also a designer at the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, London, England, United Kingdom. The original name was Stanchion, but the design was renamed to honor the designer as he passed away only a few days before the design's approval in Nov 1937. The bolt action anti-tank rifles were heavy but were very effective against tanks the Germans fielded earlier in the war. Later in the war, however, the British (and other Commonwealth personnel) found that the Boys anti-tank rifles lack ample power to punch through thicker armor on newer tanks, therefore many of these anti-tank rifles became weapons against bunkers, machine gun nests, and armored vehicles. In Asia and the Pacific, however, Boys anti-tank rifles remained effective through the end of the war, as Japanese tanks did not improve in terms of armor since 1941. At times, they were also mounted on British Universal Carrier tracked vehicles as an alternative to typical Bren light machine guns.

In addition to British and Commonwealth forces, some Chinese Army, United States Marine Corps, and Finnish Army personnel also used Boys anti-tank rifles. A number of them, captured after the British withdrawals from France and Norway in 1940, were also in German service.

The Boys anti-tank rifles were manufactured by the Royal Small Arms Factory between 1937 and 1943. About 62,000 units were built.

Near the end of the war, a round capable of greater velocity was designed for use with Boys anti-tank rifles, allowing penetration of the thicker armor found on new German tanks. Since the entrance of these new rounds was so late, however, they were relatively insignificant in the outcome of the war.

Source: Wikipedia. ww2dbase

Last Major Revision: Nov 2007

Photographs

Universal Carrier Mk 1 of Australian 6th Division Cavalry in North Africa, Feb 1941; note Boys anti-tank rifle and a radio set on the Universal CarrierHumber Light Reconnaissance Cars Mk II of 29th Independent Squadron of British Reconnaissance Corps, date unknown
See all 7 photographs of Boys Anti-Tank Rifle



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Boys Anti-Tank Rifle Photo Gallery
Universal Carrier Mk 1 of Australian 6th Division Cavalry in North Africa, Feb 1941; note Boys anti-tank rifle and a radio set on the Universal CarrierHumber Light Reconnaissance Cars Mk II of 29th Independent Squadron of British Reconnaissance Corps, date unknown
See all 7 photographs of Boys Anti-Tank Rifle


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