The L14A1, Gun, 84mm, Infantry Anti Tank Weapon, known as the Carl Gustav or "Charlie G" was the standard medium hand held anti tank weapon for Airborne Forces in the 1970s and 1980s.
Developed in Sweden by Hugo Abramson and Harald Jentzen it was manufactured at the Carl Gustaf Rifle Factory, from where it derived its name, in 1948. It utilised a rifle barrel for accuracy and employed a recoiless system to allow for a heavier propellant to be used, further increasing range, accuracy and power. Equipped with two hand grips and a simple optical sight it could defeat 400mm of armour plate at ranges between 400 to 700m.
It could fire a range of ammunition from smoke, High Explosive Anti Tank (HEAT) and High Explosive.
Adopted by the British Army towards the end of the 1960s in its M2 variant, the "Charlie G" was used by Airborne Forces, notably in the Falklands, where it proved a potent "bunker buster" against fixed positions.
It was finally withdrawn from service in the 1990s.
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After completing his recruit training, my source was sent to 40 Commando in the Summer of 1972, then on tour in Northern Ireland. In the early 70s the RM recruit syllabus did not include the use and operation of the Carl Gustav 84 mm Recoilless Anti-Tank Rifle. To remedy this, his section corporal decided to do a training demonstration in one of the accommodation huts of their barracks and ordered one of the marines to go and get a drill round. Said marine duly brought back a round, which was loaded. Unnoticed by the corporal, or anybody else in the section for that matter, they had actually loaded a practice round, rather than a drill round. On the command ‘FIRE’ there was a loud ‘whoooosh’ within the confines of the hut. The backblast deafened the two marines standing behind the Charlie G, as the round went on its merry way down the length of the accommodation, through some poor chap’s bed, out of the hut and into the next one, where it lodged itself inside the Sgt Major’s secure locker in his office. (Bet he wasn’t amused!).
Within a short time of the explosion, 2 PARA, who were on tour at the same time in Northern Ireland, rang up the RM Duty Sergeant wanting to book the indoor anti-tank missile range! Sadly the Duty Sergeant's reply was not recorded for posterity.
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