Re: Soviet Antitank Rifles

I found the discussion of Soviet anti-tank rifles to be most interesting. Prior to WWII, most of the future opposing forces, except the US Army, had some type of small caliber [less than Cal .60] "anti-tank" rifle. Since the pre-war armored vehicles generally had only 1 inch, or less, of frontal armor, these weapons were a definite threat. Even the Canadaian Army fielded the Boyes AT rifle, in Cal .55. The initial German AT rifle was in 7.92mm & fired a special armor-piercing projectile. This proved to be inadequate & the caliber went up to 13mm. The Soviets picked up the idea & fielded the 14.5mm [Cal .57] PTRD-41[single shot] & the PTRS-41 [semi-automatic]. DA Pamphlet 381-10, dtd March,1969, lists the 14.5mm AP cartridge as capable of penetrating 1.26[30mm] inches of armor at 0 degrees obliquity. It would, indeed, be capable of penetrating the sides of an M24 Light Tank, or any part of the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier. [No, we didn't have M!!3s in Korea, during the fighting, but we do now!] The Soviet weapons had rather crude iron sights & were not intended for anti-personnel sniping. However, an enterprising US Army Warrant Officer did, in 1952-53, re-barrel a single-shot PTRD with a Cal.50 HMG barrel, installed a telescopic sight & was claiming 1-shot kills, at a range of 1,000+ yards. I have a photo & clipping, buried in my archives, of this individual & his "home built" sniper rifle. Best regards, jb