M60 recoilless gun

M60
82-mm M60 recoilless gun
Type	Recoilless rifle
Place of origin	Yugoslavia
Service history
Used by	See Users
Wars	Yugoslav Wars Syrian Civil War
Production history
Designed	1960s
Specifications
Mass	122 kg (269 lb)
Length	2.20 m (7.2 ft)
Height	0.83 m (2.7 ft)
Crew	5
Shell	HEAT
Elevation	-20 to +35°[1]
Traverse	360°
Rate of fire	4 rpm
Muzzle velocity	388 m/s (1,270 ft/s)
Effective firing range	500 m (1,600 ft)
Maximum firing range	4,500 m (2.8 mi)
Sights	Optical

The M60 recoilless gun is an 82-mm antitank recoilless gun developed in the former Yugoslavia. It entered service with the Yugoslav People's Army during the 1960s.

Description

The M60 is mounted on a towing carriage with wheels for transport and firing. Aiming is done with an optical sight. The recoilless rifle resembles that of American counterparts. Ammunition for the M60 includes two fin-stabilized high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds. The first HEAT projectile for the M60 had an effective range of 500 meters. The second was an improved version that used a rocket booster to increase the effective range to 1,000 meters.^[2]

The maximum range of the piece is 4,700 meters. Direct fire is limited to 1,500 meters against stationary targets and 1,000 meters against moving targets. The M60 is credited with a 220mm penetration of armor with its HEAT round.^[3]

Aimsight for 82mm M60 recoilless rifle

Users

•  Yugoslavia: It was used by the Yugoslav People's Army.^[4]
•  Serbia^[4]
•  Croatia: produced as BT-82.^[4]
•  Republic of North Macedonia^[5]
•  Syrian National Coalition: It is being used in the Syrian Civil War.^[6]

References

Notes

1. JIW, p. 746.
2. WEG, p. 62.
3. JIW, p. 747. Sources from post-Yugoslavian republics claim later rounds increased armor penetration to 300 - 400mm.
4. Gander, Terry J. (4 June 2001). "82 mm M60A recoilless gun". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2002-2003. pp. 5909–5910.
5. Krott, Rob (October 2003). "Macedonia's Weaponry: A New Nation Re-Arms and Fights". Small Arms Review. Vol. 7, no. 1.
6. "Weapons from the Former Yugoslavia Spread Through Syria's War". 25 February 2013.

Bibliography

• (JIW) Hogg, Ian. Jane's Infantry Weapons 1984-85, London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1984.
• (WEG) U.S. Army. Worldwide Equipment Guide 2001, Training and Doctrine Command, 2001.