Sign in or 
Share this
Carl Gustav Recoiless Rifle
Model: Carl Gustav Recoiless Rifle
A long-lived product of World War Two, the Carl Gustav is a Swedish series of recoiless rifles named after the philosopher Carl Gustav Jung. Essentially, they're a breach loading artillery piece modified to vent firing gasses through the rear of the launcher to balance recoil, like a rocket-propelled grenade. They're more than sufficient at knocking out slightly dated Cold-War tanks, as are still common, and light vehicles, as well as structures. In short, they're good for blasting the hell out of something.
It's simple, effective design has made it one of the most common launchers around the world, as a weapon in direct competition with the RPG-7. A huge variety of ammunition grants incredible flexibility, and the design has been updated several times to keep up with the tide of war. Despite these advantages, the Carl Gustav has two main problems.
For one, the weapon is incredibly heavy, as well as bulky. The original designed weighed over thirty pounds because of the all-steel construction. The M3, while almost half the weight, is still not light enough to be anything other than a dedicated anti-tank gunner weapon, or a bunker buster. In addition, for such a simple design, the Carl Gustav is quite complex to maintain and
use properly.
Where to find:
The Carl Gustav is still common in the armories of nations like the USA, Canada and Britain, as well as being the primary anti-tank weapon a number of European armies. Even when it is no longer a standard issue weapon, recoiless rifles tend to be somewhat favored by special operations units.
Complexity:
Truth be told, the Carl Gustav takes a brain to shoot, and not everyone should be trusted with it. Simply loading and firing the weapon takes some excellent teamwork between gunner and assistant, with multiple safeties to handle. Maintenance, too, is difficult. The breech and gas ports base of the ammunition must be meticulously taken care of, or else the delicate recoil counterbalancing could fail and cause the launcher to jolt forward or backward with the force of the rocket. Safety precautions must be strictly adhered to as well, as the backblast of such a weapon is truly nasty.
Size and weight:
M2: Weight 576 ounces (16.35 kg) unloaded. Length 1100mm.*
M3: Weight 299 ounces (8.5 kg) unloaded. Length 1065mm.*
*The barrel is essentially the full length of the weapon as it is loaded in the rear.
The M3 uses a carbon-fiber barrel to cut weight. It's distinguishing trait is the carry handle on the top of the weapon.
Action:
Breech loading recoiless rifle.
Caliber(s):
84mm shell.
The variety of ammunition is truly staggering. With standard HEAT shells, High-Explosive-Dual-Purpose (HEDP, which can even be set to air-burst), illumination flares, smoke rounds, training rounds, and even second generation rocket-assisted HEAT shells with tandem warheads to defeat reactive armor.
An interesting point is while the ammo is a cross between cannon rounds and rockets, they are considered grenades. Indeed, the Swedish name for the weapon is "Grenade-rifle."
Magazine:
N/A
Trigger:
A percussion mechanism with a conventional trigger in the pistol grip housing.
Controls:
The rear grip contains the trigger, as well as the manual safety and cocking lever. The entire unit is moved rearwards to unlock the breech. The breech, with the recoil balancing nozzle, is called the Venturi Nozzle. It is locked by a lever on the right side, called the "Venturi Lock," and swings to the left for loading.
The Carl Gustav generally comes with a optical sight with x2 magnification, but it may also be found with starlight sights or plain iron sights. A bipod or tripod may be found as well.
Loading:
This is a complex process that is best carried out with two people. The process for firing with a single person will be detailed as well. However, note that heat-resistant gloves are needed to handle the shells, and high-quality ear protection is absolutely mandatory.
It is important to understand that the recoiless rifle is not normally carried in a ready-to-fire state. It is not loaded until absolutely necessary.
Gunner with Assistant
1) Gunner, carrying the launcher, should activate the safety, and push the cocking lever forward. They will then call for the type of ammunition required.
2) Assistant unlocks the Venturi Nozzle using the Venturi Lock, then examines the bore for any obstruction.
3) Assistant picks up the round and inserts it, lining up the notch in the round with the top of the breech.
4) Assistant firmly locks the Venturi Nozzle into place and slaps the Venturi Lock to secure it.
5) Assistant checks the ground behind the launcher for at least thirty meters for anything that could be damaged by the backblast, or reflect it back towards the team.
6) Assistant verbally states the weapon is loaded and slaps the gunner to indicate they are ready to fire. At this point, they should either sit directly beside the gunner to avoid muzzle blast, or take cover several feet away.
7) The gunner may or may not ask for a range indication at this point. They deactivate the safety, lining up the sights with the target.
8) Gunner gives a verbal indication he is firing and squeezes the trigger.
Gunner without assistant
1) Activate the safety, and push the cocking lever forward.
2) Brace the weapon so that the breech can be accessed. Avoid sticking the barrel in the dirt, as this can create debris in the bore. It may be better to cradle the launcher against your chest and operate the breech with the right hand.
3) Slap the Venturi lock open and pull open the Venturi Nozzle. Take a glance down the bore to check for obstructions.
4) Insert the round, lining the notch with the top of the breech. Seat it firmly.
5) Close the breech and slap the Venturi Lock closed.
6) Check the area behind the launcher for at least thirty meters for anything that could be harmed by backblast, and any object that could reflect it back towards you.
7) Shoulder the weapon and deactivate the safety.
8) Squeeze the trigger.
Unloading:
Gunner with Assistant
1) Gunner, carrying the launcher, should activate the safety, and push the cocking lever forward. They will then call for the assistant to unload the weapon.
2) Assistant slaps the Venturi Lock and slides open the Venturi Nozzle.
3) Using a heat resistant glove, the Assistant hooks a finger into the notch in the shell rim and removes it from the breech.*
4) Assistant examines the bore to ensure it is empty. They then slide the Venturi Nozzle shut and slap the Venturi Lock.
5) Assistant verbally calls that the breech is clear.
6) Gunner deactivates the safety.
7) Gunner dry-fires to clear the weapon.
Gunner without Assistant
1) Activate the safety.
2) Brace the weapon so that the breech can be accessed. Avoid sticking the barrel in the dirt, as this can create debris in the bore. It may be better to cradle the launcher against your chest and operate the breech with the right hand.
3) Slap the Venturi lock open and pull open the Venturi Nozzle.
4) With heat-resistant glove, hook a finger into the notch in the shell rim and remove it from the breech.*
5) Visually confirm the breech is empty.
6) Slide the Venturi Nozzle closed and slap the Venturi Lock.
7) Shoulder the weapon deactivate the safety.
8) Squeeze the trigger to clear the weapon.
*When reloading, skip directly to the loading process after this step.
Field Stripping:
The Carl Gustav is a very simple weapon, albeit high maintenance. It doesn't require regularly dissemble, but care must be made to keep the nozzle, and the bore itself, very clean.
Design Quirks:
The Carl Gustav is a high performance platform that requires a very competent crew to operate and must be maintained meticulously for it's simple action to function. Compared to a weapon like the RPG-7, or the SMAW, it's much less intuitive to use but more flexible, and potentially much more powerful. Another important difference is that the shells have a higher velocity than most rockets and a very flat trajectory, contributing to excellent accuracy.
A long-lived product of World War Two, the Carl Gustav is a Swedish series of recoiless rifles named after the philosopher Carl Gustav Jung. Essentially, they're a breach loading artillery piece modified to vent firing gasses through the rear of the launcher to balance recoil, like a rocket-propelled grenade. They're more than sufficient at knocking out slightly dated Cold-War tanks, as are still common, and light vehicles, as well as structures. In short, they're good for blasting the hell out of something.
It's simple, effective design has made it one of the most common launchers around the world, as a weapon in direct competition with the RPG-7. A huge variety of ammunition grants incredible flexibility, and the design has been updated several times to keep up with the tide of war. Despite these advantages, the Carl Gustav has two main problems.
For one, the weapon is incredibly heavy, as well as bulky. The original designed weighed over thirty pounds because of the all-steel construction. The M3, while almost half the weight, is still not light enough to be anything other than a dedicated anti-tank gunner weapon, or a bunker buster. In addition, for such a simple design, the Carl Gustav is quite complex to maintain and
use properly.Where to find:
The Carl Gustav is still common in the armories of nations like the USA, Canada and Britain, as well as being the primary anti-tank weapon a number of European armies. Even when it is no longer a standard issue weapon, recoiless rifles tend to be somewhat favored by special operations units.
Complexity:
Truth be told, the Carl Gustav takes a brain to shoot, and not everyone should be trusted with it. Simply loading and firing the weapon takes some excellent teamwork between gunner and assistant, with multiple safeties to handle. Maintenance, too, is difficult. The breech and gas ports base of the ammunition must be meticulously taken care of, or else the delicate recoil counterbalancing could fail and cause the launcher to jolt forward or backward with the force of the rocket. Safety precautions must be strictly adhered to as well, as the backblast of such a weapon is truly nasty.
Size and weight:
M2: Weight 576 ounces (16.35 kg) unloaded. Length 1100mm.*
M3: Weight 299 ounces (8.5 kg) unloaded. Length 1065mm.*
*The barrel is essentially the full length of the weapon as it is loaded in the rear.
The M3 uses a carbon-fiber barrel to cut weight. It's distinguishing trait is the carry handle on the top of the weapon.
Action:
Breech loading recoiless rifle.
Caliber(s):
84mm shell.
The variety of ammunition is truly staggering. With standard HEAT shells, High-Explosive-Dual-Purpose (HEDP, which can even be set to air-burst), illumination flares, smoke rounds, training rounds, and even second generation rocket-assisted HEAT shells with tandem warheads to defeat reactive armor.
An interesting point is while the ammo is a cross between cannon rounds and rockets, they are considered grenades. Indeed, the Swedish name for the weapon is "Grenade-rifle."
Magazine:
N/A
Trigger:
A percussion mechanism with a conventional trigger in the pistol grip housing.
Controls:
The rear grip contains the trigger, as well as the manual safety and cocking lever. The entire unit is moved rearwards to unlock the breech. The breech, with the recoil balancing nozzle, is called the Venturi Nozzle. It is locked by a lever on the right side, called the "Venturi Lock," and swings to the left for loading.
The Carl Gustav generally comes with a optical sight with x2 magnification, but it may also be found with starlight sights or plain iron sights. A bipod or tripod may be found as well.
Loading:
This is a complex process that is best carried out with two people. The process for firing with a single person will be detailed as well. However, note that heat-resistant gloves are needed to handle the shells, and high-quality ear protection is absolutely mandatory.
It is important to understand that the recoiless rifle is not normally carried in a ready-to-fire state. It is not loaded until absolutely necessary.
Gunner with Assistant
1) Gunner, carrying the launcher, should activate the safety, and push the cocking lever forward. They will then call for the type of ammunition required.
2) Assistant unlocks the Venturi Nozzle using the Venturi Lock, then examines the bore for any obstruction.
3) Assistant picks up the round and inserts it, lining up the notch in the round with the top of the breech.
4) Assistant firmly locks the Venturi Nozzle into place and slaps the Venturi Lock to secure it.
5) Assistant checks the ground behind the launcher for at least thirty meters for anything that could be damaged by the backblast, or reflect it back towards the team.
6) Assistant verbally states the weapon is loaded and slaps the gunner to indicate they are ready to fire. At this point, they should either sit directly beside the gunner to avoid muzzle blast, or take cover several feet away.
7) The gunner may or may not ask for a range indication at this point. They deactivate the safety, lining up the sights with the target.
8) Gunner gives a verbal indication he is firing and squeezes the trigger.
Gunner without assistant
1) Activate the safety, and push the cocking lever forward.
2) Brace the weapon so that the breech can be accessed. Avoid sticking the barrel in the dirt, as this can create debris in the bore. It may be better to cradle the launcher against your chest and operate the breech with the right hand.
3) Slap the Venturi lock open and pull open the Venturi Nozzle. Take a glance down the bore to check for obstructions.
4) Insert the round, lining the notch with the top of the breech. Seat it firmly.
5) Close the breech and slap the Venturi Lock closed.
6) Check the area behind the launcher for at least thirty meters for anything that could be harmed by backblast, and any object that could reflect it back towards you.
7) Shoulder the weapon and deactivate the safety.
8) Squeeze the trigger.
Unloading:
Gunner with Assistant
1) Gunner, carrying the launcher, should activate the safety, and push the cocking lever forward. They will then call for the assistant to unload the weapon.
2) Assistant slaps the Venturi Lock and slides open the Venturi Nozzle.
3) Using a heat resistant glove, the Assistant hooks a finger into the notch in the shell rim and removes it from the breech.*
4) Assistant examines the bore to ensure it is empty. They then slide the Venturi Nozzle shut and slap the Venturi Lock.
5) Assistant verbally calls that the breech is clear.
6) Gunner deactivates the safety.
7) Gunner dry-fires to clear the weapon.
Gunner without Assistant
1) Activate the safety.
2) Brace the weapon so that the breech can be accessed. Avoid sticking the barrel in the dirt, as this can create debris in the bore. It may be better to cradle the launcher against your chest and operate the breech with the right hand.
3) Slap the Venturi lock open and pull open the Venturi Nozzle.
4) With heat-resistant glove, hook a finger into the notch in the shell rim and remove it from the breech.*
5) Visually confirm the breech is empty.
6) Slide the Venturi Nozzle closed and slap the Venturi Lock.
7) Shoulder the weapon deactivate the safety.
8) Squeeze the trigger to clear the weapon.
*When reloading, skip directly to the loading process after this step.
Field Stripping:
The Carl Gustav is a very simple weapon, albeit high maintenance. It doesn't require regularly dissemble, but care must be made to keep the nozzle, and the bore itself, very clean.
Design Quirks:
The Carl Gustav is a high performance platform that requires a very competent crew to operate and must be maintained meticulously for it's simple action to function. Compared to a weapon like the RPG-7, or the SMAW, it's much less intuitive to use but more flexible, and potentially much more powerful. Another important difference is that the shells have a higher velocity than most rockets and a very flat trajectory, contributing to excellent accuracy.
John_234 |
Latest page update: made by John_234
, Oct 15 2011, 11:34 PM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by John_234
1392 words added 2 images added view changes - complete history) |
|
Keyword tags:
None
More Info: links to this page
|
There are no threads for this page.
Be the first to start a new thread.
