Author Topic: My 57mm Recoilless Rifle Project (Read 30201 times)

Destiny · « **on:** January 11, 2009, 01:17:55 pm »

I've been working on the restoration of a 57-mm Recoilless Rifle for a few years... rebuilding parts and location Recoilless shellcasing and Projectiles to fire out of them. Also repairing subcaliber adapters for the rifle. If you have questions about Recoilless rifles and Destructive Devices... please feel free to email me.

WeTheArmed.com

GeorgeHill · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2009, 01:27:35 pm »

THAT is pure coolness.

Doug Wojtowicz · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2009, 01:37:31 pm »

Nothing says "goddess" like rebuilding a rocket launcher.

NCLivingBrit · « **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2009, 01:56:48 pm »

So... do they make an IWB holster for that?

Destiny · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2009, 02:00:48 pm »

I have a fitted canvas bag for it.... watcha think of my homemade tap rounds ? Enclosed is a photo of the 57mm round next to a .223.

Destiny · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2009, 02:02:55 pm »

Here is a photo that shows the projectile next to a .223.

Destiny · « **Reply #6 on:** January 11, 2009, 02:11:41 pm »

A 57mm Recoilless Rifle is just that... its a Rifle... not a rocket launcher. It is the LARGEST shoulder fired Rifle you can actually shoot made by the US of A. If you look closely the band on the projectile is Pre-engraved... and it matches up with the lands and groves in the barrel.... slips out like butter. The projectile or Bullet weighs 2 3/4 Pounds and travels over 2,000 fps. Its for punching holes in tanks. Just what every Girl needs huh.

Ammo is tough to find... so I'm always looking for the 12" tall empty shellcasings... Projectiles are out there but fuses are not... I've learned to make my own fuses out of plastic... sure they are not High Explosive but show me someone that would LIKE to be hit with almost 3lbs of steel ? They kinda look like tubes of Lipstick.... Pink kills.

Beamish · « **Reply #7 on:** January 11, 2009, 02:44:22 pm »

This has got to be the NFA weapon ever. A Thompson or AR with a giggle switch seems passe by comparison.

Thernlund · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2009, 02:50:22 pm »

That thing is cold forged from pure awesome.

-T.

EDIT: Do you think you could load them with Tannerite (being that HE is a little hard to obtain)? Or would do you suppose the act of firing the round would detonate the Tannerite? Hmmm.

Destiny · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2009, 03:49:30 pm »

I doubt Tannerite would work well but I could make up some point detonation Blackpowder fuses that would be legal and work AOK.... I have modified 60mm Mortar fuses that detonate with a 12ga shotgun shell... I get bored from time to time and like to build stuff or restore the impossible.

Des

kbarrett · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2009, 04:13:37 pm »

Not bad. It looks like it is a hell of a lot easier to horse around than my lahti.

Can you make new brass by drilling out 57mm ATG cases?

kunkmiester · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2009, 05:12:19 pm »

The bumper sticker is full of win.

armoredman · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2009, 07:37:39 pm »

Oh. Wow.

Destiny · « **Reply #13 on:** January 11, 2009, 07:47:20 pm »

I haven't tried to make my own casings... probably could but I have about a dozen that I can reload... they take about a pound of powder for each round and reloading is kinda costly but doable.

Doug Wojtowicz · « **Reply #14 on:** January 11, 2009, 09:55:49 pm »

True rifle or rocket launcher, you've got a gun in a caliber larger than my arm. Statement of goddesshood still stands strong.

NCLivingBrit · « **Reply #15 on:** January 11, 2009, 10:39:55 pm »

I am still gobsmacked.

On the subject of fuses, couldn't you use some sort of electrical fuse?

Just off the top of my head I figure something like a steel bearing in a non-conductive channel (PVC pipe?) that is held in place by a strong magnet (and a split pin before firing, safety first!) that will break free of the magnet on impact, hit the end of the channel and make a circuit to a detonator (with another magnet at the boom end to keep it captive long enough to make sure things work)? When I was a kid we used to make all sorts of stuff out of those Estes rocket igniters, the launch pack (batteries+button) and various home-brewed explosives, so something a little less kludged should work fine, ours pretty much always went boom, even the home made RPG's.

Thernlund · « **Reply #16 on:** January 11, 2009, 11:13:21 pm »

You could just fill it with a handful of magnum rifle primers. Heh heh.

-T.

kunkmiester · « **Reply #17 on:** January 11, 2009, 11:59:18 pm »

Per the improvised explosives device manual, break a small light bulb, wrap some tape, and fill with black powder. When lit, the filament will heat up, setting off the BP. You just need a booster.

Far easier here would be to cut a two piece nose. A tapered shaft is inserted into a nosepiece, and the taper is set right so it holds it agaisnt the firing pressure. When it hits though, the shaft is pushed back, and drives a pin into a primer in a shotgun shell. The shell has a booster in it, and is surrounded by HE or a smoke charge. I understand smoke charges are small enough, they're not DDs since they're under 1/4 ounce or some such.

Destiny · « **Reply #18 on:** January 12, 2009, 09:47:23 pm »

I think I'm pretty good on making things go boom if need be... after all... I'm the one with the really really big gun that is already Registered as a Destructive Device.

Shall NOT Be Infringed · « **Reply #19 on:** January 18, 2009, 03:05:14 pm »

Good Grief!

mnw42 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 18, 2009, 11:49:38 pm »

Gigity!

Skeptic49 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 19, 2009, 08:19:44 am »

Well....there was the 90mm recoilless rifle that replaced the 57mm.

http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/antiarmor/M67.html

Largest item I ever put in a bluing tank (Ft. Hood, TX 1976.)

Geoff
Who never got to fire one. Sigh.

TimGerber · « **Reply #22 on:** January 19, 2009, 09:22:52 am »

You have a very interesting hobbie. How did you get started, and what gave you the idea to restore this piece of equipment? This is why I love WTA. You get to meet some really cool people.

Bankerbud

Destiny · « **Reply #23 on:** January 19, 2009, 03:26:26 pm »

How did I get started ? Kinda grew up with C3... You have heard of Charles Darwin ? and his Theory of Evolution.... well its also applicable to Gun ownership... I kinda grew up with the Nasty Beasties and full Auto Weaponry... so I'm a little ahead on the evolutionary Gun scale.... you start out with little .22's Bolts and Semi's and move up in caliber.... Pump shotguns to Semi's... Then you move to semi-auto assault rifles because its just a urge to lead the lead fly... you start to aquire semi-auto versions of fully auto weapons... then something clicks... I want full auto... you start out slow with the lower price Machineguns... then you move up to Beltfeds... along the way you branch off to suppressors cause you spent so much money on the machineguns... but the urge is there.

At this point the "elitism" A-hole Gene can kick in... where your brand of Machineguns or weapons are better than the other guy or girls... you get your H&K's, your Uzi's, your Augs... This is really a retro-virus that stangnates your intelegence and it stands out to the really hardcore gunperson.

Well... shooting machineguns can actually get boreing if you do it long enough and then you start to evolve into Destructive Devices... first you start with Grenade Launchers, then you move to mortars, antitank rifles, rocket Launchers and missles and then you go to towed weapons... from towed weapons you move to a weapon that is self propelled... armored vehicles and tanks and airborne weapon delivery systems like choppers and surplus jet fighters.

I've gone to the end and back and quite comfortable with all weaponry....... last of my kind.

TimGerber · « **Reply #24 on:** January 19, 2009, 03:35:35 pm »

I am willing to bet that you are the coolest kid on your block. I had to give you a little applause for that answer. Nice work!

Bankerbud

Author Topic: My 57mm Recoilless Rifle Project (Read 30201 times)

NCLivingBrit

NCLivingBrit