Allied M20 75mm Recoilless Rifle

During World War II the U.S. military recognized that a powerful lightweight weapon was needed for defending infantry and light armor units due to advancements in armor technology by enemy forces. The Ordnance Department Small Arms Division commenced development of the a recoilless rifle and by 1944 models of a 75 mm recoilless rifle were being tested. These weapons were deployed in both the European and Pacific theatres.

The M20 relied on a perforated artillery shell casing, combined with a rear vented breech using propellent gases from the firing of a shell, to greatly reduce the recoil of the weapon. It is this use of vented propellent gases that eliminated the need for a recoil system, thereby reducing the weight of the launcher and enhancing its use as a light infantry weapon.

Thank you from all of us at Flakmasters