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Classic Weapons of World War II

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Heavy weapons

Anti-tank weapons

Machine guns | Anti-tank weapons

Ever since the first tanks rolled across the trenches in World War I there has been a call for anti-tank weaponry that can be carried by the individual soldier.

A plethora of anti-tank rifles appeared for use in both wars, but with limited success. They led to advances in the understanding of ammunition and ballistics, but the rifles were expensive, ungainly and their super-powerful cartridges cut the life of gun barrels drastically.

Other methods of disabling tanks involved charges such as mines, magnetic armour piercing hollow charges and satchel charges of high explosive. Here we look at two of the most successful personal anti-tank weapons of the hand-held, projector type.

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