106mm M40A1 RCL

The 106mm M40A1 Recoilless Rifle is a portable, crew-served anti-tank weapon developed by the United States. It is capable of firing high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and high-explosive plastic (HEP) rounds, often mounted on a tripod or light vehicle.

Developed in the early 1950s to replace the flawed M27 recoilless rifle, the M40 entered service with the United States military in 1955. To prevent dangerous ammunition mix-ups with its predecessor, the weapon was designated as '106mm' despite actually having a 105mm bore. It saw its most prominent combat deployment during the Vietnam War, where it was extensively utilized by U.S. forces for infantry support and bunker-busting. Although phased out of front-line U.S. service in the 1970s in favor of guided anti-tank missiles, the M40A1 remains in active service with numerous nations globally and is still utilized for civilian avalanche control.