20mm Lahti L39 Antitank Rifle (Shooting & History)

The Lahti L39 is a semi-automatic 20mm anti-tank rifle with a unique mechanical operation requiring manual bolt cycling via a crank handle after each shot. Its significant recoil and muzzle blast are managed by its weight and integrated skis. A critical safety warning emphasizes keeping hands clear of the trigger guard due to the violent action.

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 Swiss Tankbuchse 41 (Tb 41) is an extremely rare 24mm semiautomatic antitank rifle developed by Waffenfabrik Bern. Featuring Adolf Furrer's signature toggle-lock action and short recoil operation, it fired a 24x138mm round capable of penetrating 36mm of armor at 500 meters. Originally intended for tanks, it also saw infantry, boat, and fortress deployment, with approximately 3,600 units produced.

The Carl Gustav m/42 is a unique 20mm recoilless antitank rifle from Sweden, firing a 108g AP projectile at 950 m/s. It evolved from early antitank rifles and utilized recoilless technology with a blowout disc for gas venting. Despite its 25 lb weight and 40mm armor penetration at 100m, it was a precursor to the modern Carl Gustav.

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.

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.

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.