Boys Anti-Tank Rifle |
Written by David Boyd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday, 01 January 2009 15:10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Boys Anti-Tank RifleThe Boys was the Anti-Tank rifle used by the British Army and Commonwealth during the Second World War. Even at the beginning of the war tank armour had progressed past the Boys ability to penetrate it, in saying that the majority of German tanks in the first year which were of obsolete designs were vulnerable as were Italian tanks, by 1941 a replacement for the Boys was sought and eventually the Boys was replaced by the PIAT in 1943. The Boys was still used in the far east where it could deal with Japanese armour. Several countries used the Boys Anti-Tank rifle during the war, a large number was sent to France and it was used to equip many Commonwealth countries. The Boys fired a .55" AP round and was known for it's large recoil. There was at least 2 versions of the AP round fired by the Boys, the Mk II entering production around May 1940. 5 rounds were carried per magazine. Boys Anti Tank Rifle characteristics
Boys Anti Tank Rifle performance
Production of Boys Anti Tank Rifles and ammunition by year (UK only)
Sources - AVIA 22 467-514, |