14 September 2016

Firing the Lahti 20mm Anti-Tank Gun

Aimo Lahti’s 109-pound semi-automatic rifle on skis made to assassinate tanks.

Using the Swiss 20×138mmB Solothurn Long cartridge, the L39 was readily capable of piercing 20mm of armor at 100-meters and 16mm out to 500m with enough pop to put most of the Soviet tanks of the pre-WWII era on the menu. With an 1800-grain armor piercing high explosive bullet moving at 3000fps, it generated 35,543ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle.  When you keep in mind that the .50 caliber BMG round popular in the Barrett rifle and M2 “Ma Deuce” brings 13,910 ft. /lbs of energy with a 660-grain bullet, you can see just how brutal this round was.

Brutal? Watch the video:



That looks like fun. :)

8 comments:

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

That does look like a ton of fun Reverend. I loved the history around it.

Rev. Paul said...

Agreed, sir. It's a remarkable engineering feat.

Ed Bonderenka said...

Who do I write the check to?

Rev. Paul said...

LOL!

Murphy's Law said...

If I thought I could get ammo for one, I'd be seriously pursing one of those.

Rev. Paul said...

I think it would take out just about anything on four wheels. But talk about turning dollars into noise ...

drjim said...

Isn't that like the rifle Henry Bowman had in "Unintended Consequences"?

I'm too lazy to get my copy off the shelf and page through it....

Rev. Paul said...

Jim, I think you're right, IIRC. I know there's a reference to a Lahti of some sort.