20mm Lahti L39 Antitank Rifle (Shooting & History)

The Lahti L-39 20mm anti-tank rifle, nicknamed 'Miss Lottie,' is a historical firearm chambered in 20x138mmB, boasting immense power with over 35,000 ft-lbs of muzzle energy, nearly triple that of a .50 BMG. This semi-automatic rifle features a unique top-loading 10-round magazine, a robust charging crank system, and a massive muzzle brake. Its design includes sleds for snow transport that double as a bipod, significantly improving stability and reducing recoil during firing.

The Solothurn S18-1000 is a self-loading anti-tank rifle chambered in 20x138mm, featuring an 8-round magazine. Its unique charging mechanism involves a three-turn ratchet crank. The video demonstrates its operation and live fire, highlighting the significant recoil and cycling action in slow motion.

This review covers the Finnish L-39 Lahti, a formidable 20mm anti-materiel rifle nicknamed 'Norsupyssy' or Elephant Gun. It highlights the rifle's massive scale, unique ski-style bipod, and the challenging process of loading its 10-round magazine with 20x138mmB Solothurn cartridges. The demonstration showcases the rifle's powerful live fire, emphasizing its significant muzzle blast and recoil.

The PTRS-41 is a Soviet semi-automatic anti-tank rifle, essentially a scaled-up SKS firing the powerful 14.5x114mm cartridge. It could penetrate 40mm of armor at 300 meters, making it effective against early WWII German tanks. Despite crude external wartime production, its internal mechanics are similar to the SKS, featuring a detachable barrel for transport.

The PTRD-41 was a simple, single-shot Soviet anti-tank rifle developed rapidly in 1941. Chambered in the powerful 14.5x114mm cartridge, it could penetrate significant armor at range. Its unique recoil-operated action ejected spent casings automatically, aiding in rapid firing. Despite its effectiveness, limitations like barrel life and firing signature prevented its use as a sniper rifle.

This expert guide details the operation of the Lahti L39 20mm antitank rifle, as presented by Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons. It covers the historical context, design by Aimo Lahti, and the specific steps for firing the weapon, emphasizing its powerful 20x138mmB cartridge and unique gas-operated, semi-automatic mechanism. Crucially, it highlights a significant safety warning regarding the violent ejection of spent casings.

This video details the unique 'French Finger Trap' issue with the MAS-36 rifle's bayonet, where two rifles can become unintentionally locked together. A 1951 French arsenal memorandum identified this problem, proposing a simple modification to the bayonet handle. Drilling a small hole allows a tool, like a firing pin, to depress the internal spring, enabling the separation of locked rifles.

The M134 Minigun is a scaled-down 7.62 NATO rotary cannon, requiring 24V DC power and consuming 1.5 kW. Its high rate of fire (3,000+ RPM) is essential for aircraft engagement windows. The complex delinker mechanism is critical for feeding ammunition, and practical hand-held use is impossible due to weight and recoil. Live fire demonstrates rapid ammunition consumption and the need for indirect aiming.

The H&K G11 is a revolutionary prototype assault rifle designed in the late 20th century, notable for its caseless ammunition and unique rotating drum bolt mechanism. Despite advanced features like a 2000 RPM burst fire rate and integrated optics, its development was ultimately halted by geopolitical shifts and cost concerns.

This video demonstrates the assembly and live-fire of the German 1936 pattern light mortar (L.Gr.W.36). It highlights the mortar's leveling mechanism for accuracy and the difficulty in visually tracking its 50mm projectiles after firing. The content showcases historical military hardware and its operational use.