106mm M40 Recoilless Rifle, History and Firing

[@jcash72]

Fun side note: They were still in use in the US untill a couple of years ago for avalanche control by the Forest Service, to create artificial avalanches on hillsides where they threatend roads etc.

[@shawnmiller4781]

Johnny C And Various state Transportation Departments too

[@Hawk1966]

There's no such thing as an artificial avalanche 😁

[@norwegianwiking]

And they were only replaced after two accidents blew them up.

[@shawnmiller4781]

norwegianwiking Partially, the ammo was getting scarce too, some state agencies were provided with 105 mm M101 or M119 Howitzers on loan from US DOD as replacements. After 2001 a lot of those were taken back because DOD need the weapons back for use in the war on terror

[@Bird_Dog00]

Similar things are/were done in other places as well. When the swiss army retired their Rak Rohr 80 (a license built version of the belgian RL-83 Blindicide), a number were turned over to civilian operators (usualy the guys runing the ski lifts) for this use. However this was in general replaced by droping charges from a helicopter as this is considred to be saver and more reliable.

[@billskinner4661]

"pull for lighting, push for thunder." That was the saying to help the gunner remember during training.

[@TomFromYoutube]

Well which is which

[@steveneaddy5298]

Tom lightning would be the targeting .50, thunder is the main shell

[@MrFreddyFartface]

War is hell but it can be quite awesome at times

[@saucyballs702]

You mean - Lightning

[@pteppig]

Thunderbolts and lightning

[@tomandtinadixon]

'What did ya bring for hunting today?' ''Just a single shot."'

[@Hawk1966]

Breach loader at that.

[@vector6977]

Well it IS bolt action.

[@nokiot9]

Tom Dixon have you seen that dude that hog hunts with a cannon he built himself?

[@nekropolis93]

You don't need to clean the deer when he's already been minced!

[@torperator1555]

Well, technically there's two shots, counting the spotting rifle

[@SinisterGerbils]

"Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction." Oh.

[@markfergerson2145]

With that thing you also have to keep the breech pointed in a safe direction!

[@maxman1602]

"Aim away from face."

[@tylerjaxtj]

Unless they are coming for you if their is a bunch point the back blast in the enemies direction :)

[@charris5700]

So keep it pointed towards the enemy targets, safe as possible.

[@uraniumpenetrator3844]

So much for mounting one on the porch.

[@lt.lasereyez8891]

Ok Ian I'll be careful with my 106mm recoilles rifle

[@High_Caliber]

I was letting my kids play with mine out back! Thanks Safety Ian!

[@nickmiller9537]

Obviously didnt learn much, it's a 105mm..

[@lt.lasereyez8891]

@@nickmiller9537 Excuse me?

[@nickmiller9537]

@@lt.lasereyez8891 it was a joke, it's technically a 105mm as ian states due to the similarity in name

[@hitskin666]

Definitely some helpful safety tips though for any novice recoiless rifle operator .

[@ThePerfectRed]

"They are attacking from both sides!" - "No problem."

[@kevinsullivan3448]

BACK BLAST AREA IS NOT CLEAR! Sucks to be them. BOOM!!!

[@fridaycaliforniaa236]

Underrated comment LMAO

[@pauldietrich6790]

" Sir! We're surrounded!" "Poor bastards...well that makes it easier..."

[@sandipm5267]

😂😂😂

[@sharlin648]

What you *PLING* and then a *PLING* and a *PLING* along with two *CRACK* and then once you *CRACK* and opened the *PING*

[@joshuaeah]

god i was getting cancer from that

[@sharlin648]

@@davydovua Exactly what I thought! After all you've got to make sure your *PLINK* and *CRACK* on a monday night are *BANG* and *CRUNCH*.

[@SilentWalkthroughs]

holy shit, i thought i was going insane ( i was drunk at the time) and thought it was just my ears going supid

[@sharlin648]

@@SilentWalkthroughs *PLANG* worry it was just some *BANG* and *PLINK*fire in the background that was cutting into the *BOOM!*

[@KevinIrish]

Isn't there some sort of filter he could use to cut out the background noise (or at least minimize it from cutting his voice out)?

[@bakbakpremierdunom3241]

5:20, what's incredible about Ian and tell about his perseverance and passion: he doesn't say if, but when. Just watched at his m8c video

[@andersjjensen]

Yeah, me too. If it still exists someone, somewhere will invite Ian to show case it.

[@buddermonger2000]

I know that gun. He did do a video on it. Look up .50 spotting rifle

[@rasheverak]

In which we learn that “low recoil” is not the same as “gentle.”

[@guypierson5754]

Recoil-Less. Like stainless, or painless. Less stains, not StainFree

[@kimj2570]

The recoilless is really relative. Such weapons are violent to the extreme in concussion and noise when firing.

[@conradhuhn4994]

I completed the course on the 106 RR in the Canadian Army in 1968. The weapon was extremely accurate when using the .50 cal. spotting rifle. Being able to mount it on a jeep was crucial because you had to get the hell away from where you fired it. ''Target 12 o'clock Heat, group of three tanks center tank, on''. Made a real big bang.

[@pscwplb]

The slow motion footage reveals some very interesting harmonics as the barrel evacuates its gases immediately after firing.

[@sawyere2496]

Puff puff puff puff puff puff

[@TheRealChilly]

That sounds like a perfect description of me sitting on a toilet.

[@WineScrounger]

I’d evacuate my gasses too if that thing went off nearby.

[@zJoriz]

It also shows you the gun actually moves forward 1ft or so (second slo-mo shot). Ian evidently wasn't talking shit when he said the rounds needed to be properly balanced -- I'm guessing this one was slightly too heavy?

[@WineScrounger]

zJoriz looks like it. Imagine the kick if the bugger had a closed breech. 😱

[@kiwisteve6598]

I was around these in the NZ army in the 1980’s. They make quite the bang and it’s a real visceral experience to have the blast wave roll through you. One for the gun geeks, the vent holes at the back do not face straight backward. They have a slight twist, so as well as cancelling the recoil from the projectile the gases also cancel the torque imparted on the gun from round moving from rest to rotating via the rifling. I have an expended 106 shell case in my lounge, with LED lights inside it. Looks quite cool at night.

[@saxonforge]

Now that is heavy info, without that this thing might flip over side ways.

[@rickmiddleton9536]

We used them in the Canadian Army reserve back in the 80s as well. I taught antitank back then, so that feeling you get when you push the plunger and fire the main and the shockwave passes through you is more than familiar to me. Probably a major contributor to my tinnitus as well.

[@kiwisteve6598]

@@rickmiddleton9536 lol me too re tinnitus. Funniest story was probably a first time shooter calling “spotter” (meaning he was about to fire the 0.50 spotting rifle) and then pressing instead of pulling the firing knob. Instead of the expected spotter pop, Kaboom, off it went and everyone looks a bit surprised. That cost him a round of drinks afterwards

[@brandonmacdonald7802]

@@rickmiddleton9536 when you fire this thing are you directly beside it or do you have to give yourself distance like these fellas?

[@rickmiddleton9536]

@@brandonmacdonald7802 Oh no. As the gunner your eye is against the sight, so your head is right next to the tube.

[@Kaospojken94]

This is some of the best slowmo footage you've ever shot.

[@peternystrom921]

I gues im alone in this. I kind of hate the Slomo of weapon videos. But this was kind of cool

[@glintwing]

Nope. The slowmo of fullauto FG42 is by far the best. Specifically because of those perfectly flying cases

[@Landsharkitis]

The projectile just whizz spinning out of that barrel was neat

[@markfergerson2145]

@@Landsharkitis That's the comment I came down here to make. You don't often get to see that.

[@Coyote0874]

We gotta call Destin from SmarterEveryDay

[@anthonyc417]

You found the spotting rifle and I had to come back and rewatch this video pretty cool rifle. Recoilless rifles are nutty.

[@iM16A1Detroit]

Should have had Paul Harrell to help with the intro “we’re on the range today so please bare with gunfire”

[@FelixDKatz-tb7or]

Did anyone else think that he might have been too close to that steel being plinked?

[@Taistelukalkkuna]

We´ll be the judge.

[@bcs3260]

Some tweaks to the audio compressor might help (the sound spikes were making it attack too fast and back off too slow).

[@diamondflaw]

Ryan Smith - "please bare with gunfire" Well, I'm pretty sure the backblast could rip some clothing off...

[@richsenecal]

Paul would test it against the meat target.

[@ProfessorYana]

07:45 - Maxim #62: "Anything labeled 'THIS END TOWARDS ENEMY' is dangerous at both ends." --The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries

[@henryrodgers7386]

Where's that from, Schlock Mercenary? It's very true...

[@ProfessorYana]

@@henryrodgers7386 Indeed it is!

[@5000rgb]

Just saw a video of a Vietnam veteran telling funny stories. One was a guy who didn't realize that the back side of a Claymore isn't a great place to be. His eyebrows grew back in time.

[@sunvol4503]

It's not true at all, body armor says that and I don't think the other side is that dangerous.

[@ProfessorYana]

@@sunvol4503 It is if something punches through the armor!

[@Rob-cw5mg]

Grandpa got a kick out of this, started talking about the differences between the 106 and 105. Cool to see him brought back to his service days

[@jessiekjames2918]

Hell , was your Grandpa an Antitank Man ??? We used to stand facing the “ Backblast Area “ and shout The Command’s given by your Section Sgt . : Backblast Area All Clear !!! ,Standby To Fire The 106 !!! Fire The 106 !!! And we used Wax Plugs and in Combat Cigarette Butts !!! None of that Fancy smancy Ear muffs/ Phones like they got today !!! The commands was to keep Equal Pressure in your ear’s and sinuses !!!

[@fearsfiltered]

The slow mo shot where you see the round spinning out the front is so cool.

[@Kataclysm113]

i actually went back and watched that a few times, because i saw it and said "Wait a minute, was that the f***ing projectile?!"

[@kamalatharat]

That projectile spinning off to the distance @ 8:45 would really need Zoidberg's "woopwoopwoop" sound effect

[@austinbrown6593]

kamalatharat I laughed far too hard at this 🤣

[@sphenodon2016]

underrated comment

[@rickmiddleton9536]

When I used to instruct on the use of this weapon, the first demonstration on the range was to put a couple of the wood packing crates that the ammo came in into the backblast area about 20' behind the gun and then fire off a round. The crates would generally not take this treatment well. Which served the purpose of illustrating to the course candidates being taught why you stayed the fuck away from the area behind the gun. This was referred to as the BBDA, backblast danger area.

[@maotisjan]

Good idea, a single graphic illustration would work better for me then a dozen lectures

[@GandalftheWh1te]

Mad respect for the poor souls that had to operate those monstrous things in combat.

[@PaulSteMarie]

I'd much rather be the poor soul with one of those in the back of the Jeep than the poor soul without!

[@raifsevrence]

i think we found a use for that proverbial ten foot pole. still, holy shit...

[@MikeDCWeld]

@wyomarine just because it was primarily used in ground mounts in one conflict doesn't mean that is how everyone experienced using them. Ian said in the video that there were multiple different vehicle mounts, including at least one model of jeep.

[@tagtraumen]

@wyomarine You and Michael are saying the same thing - that they were used in both roles. Calm down man. You raise the question of ‘why not learn something from vets’, but in the same comment go on to insult the people you’re supposedly educating... Maybe if we didn’t have arrogant pogues like you insulting people over the internet over trivial shite like this, we’d have a more ‘educated’ populace with a better understanding of our military history 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@tagtraumen]

wyomarine I agree with you on the keyboard warrior points, but I don’t see anyone arguing here; only Squid saying he’d never seen it on a ground mount before. Again, educate rather than criticise. Or better yet, just don’t engage - ignorance is always gonna be rife in the comments of this type of video

[@parasitic1344]

I love it when he says “I’ll make a video on it when I find one” and two years later he finds one

[@chrissilsby4312]

I had a friend of mine, who was in Veitnam, he also was an ONTOS gunner. He told me that two of the guns could be dismounted and used the same mount on the ground.

[@curtc2194]

In weapons demonstration during Marine Corps bootcamp we witnessed a 106 recoiless rifle knock the turret off an old Sherman tank. Will never forget the 50 caliber spotting system on the 106 let alone the awesome power of the 106.

[@robertkubrick3738]

Did he mention what happened if you fired all 6 at once?

[@curtc2194]

The tank would vaporize I suppose...or get blasted to a parallel universe! Lol

[@StressmanFIN]

That's the beauty of it. Because there's no recoil, you could (I believe) fire all six shots in a volley-shot-from-Hell kind of way. xD

[@robertkubrick3738]

@@StressmanFIN The overpressure from doing so might be dangerous.

[@johnmcclain3887]

Brings back old memories. We got a demonstration of one of these in boot camp, 76, with two empty ammo crates stood behind the gun. They were splinters, with a direct hit, downrange back then, kind of awe inspiring. Thanks for this. Semper Fi.

[@marcuscicero9587]

think I saw, heard and felt one of these in boot camp when we got taken up to the hills of Pendleton for some infantry training. remember the term "106" and I saw the tracer spotter rnd fly before the big shell which took off a huge chunk of a hill. Semper Fi

[@bami2]

3:35 very satisfying chunk when the sound of the breech closing reverberates through the barrel out to the venting holes.

[@DC_10]

For about two years (1985-87) I was a 2nd lieutenant in charge of a platoon with 4 106mm recroiless rifles with 5 jeeps, one for each rifle and one as my command jeep in the Army of Taiwan. Thank you for this video. Bring back lots of fun memory. By the way, in reality we can't use a rope to fire and had to stay really close including the gunner who has to sit right by the rifle aiming at tanks/targets with the optics. The tactics is that two sequential shots the most then we had to move the jeep and rifle away from the spot, because enemy tanks can easily spot the kick off dust around us.

[@vDullahan]

For when you absolutely, one hundred percent need to make sure that fox don't take no more chickens.

[@vDullahan]

@True Boredom A sacrifice for the greater good

[@jasnix]

and simultaneously pluck all the chickens for dinner

[@avlawns3037]

I lost 26 birds to a fox.....in 24 hours. 5lbs of tannerite in her den solved that issue with a bang. :D

[@vDullahan]

@@jasnix cooked to perfection

[@sfsaviation]

AV lawns 26? what a fatass

[@zulerodoeht329]

Great Job, in 1977 after boot camp I was ordered to USMC Infantry Training School, where I was assign to the weapons platoon of Bravo company, my MOS was 0351 Anti tank Marine. This is the same anti-tank rifle we used and trained on. Oh the memories came flooding back. We were either the last or one of the last platoons to train on this weapon, after that it was the TOW and Dragon.

[@Pcm979]

Well, I was _not_ expecting to see this title! Next year: 'Tsar Bomba History and Firing'

[@dogboy0912]

"Just for comparison's sake, we've juxtaposed the blast with the New York Skyline."

[@Tony-dh7mz]

LOL

[@dogboy0912]

Ha yes. I think all of New York city would be sufficiently destroyed. They did that very juxtaposition for Operation Ivy, the first hydrogen bomb, and it basically swallowed the city and rose miles above it.

[@Tekdruid]

"Oh and make sure not to be anywhere within a hundred mile radius when firing one of these babies."

[@Skorpychan]

@@Tekdruid They had to downtune the bomb, just so the (specially modified) Tu-95 dropping it would have time to GTFO before the blast.

[@DanZotta]

I was in the Battle of Hue City with the First Marines in 1968. I must of fired 100 plus rounds just in that battle. My ears are still ringing almost 55 years later. There is a video of me jumping on the "mule" and firing the gun at the NVA. Your video brings back some good and some bad memories.

[@sixstringedthing]

Man I love Ian's AT gun content. Regardless of country of origin or manufacturer, the design challenge of "we need a rifle powerful enough to stop a tank" seems to have consistently produced some of the coolest and craziest weapons of the twentieth century. Great stuff!

[@madjackblack5892]

I learned how to operate that thing in 1974 when the Army had them mounted on jeeps. Pretty impressive lined up on the range. The old joke - What are the three sounds a 106 makes? Ping (spotter round). OMG! (tank cdr knows he's dead meat). Boom! Friend of mine later used one to sink a ship in a certain Central American country.

[@danaforbes4155]

Ya, I remember it well, played with these babies late 70's. Spotter "ping", next command "stand by"" BOOM.

[@bertroost1675]

Tell me more about that

[@christianbarscz5295]

Was it Dominican Republic

[@cruelangel7737]

Not even enough time for the tank crew to lose their shit.

[@repletereplete8002]

It's whisper quiet. Doesn't even need a suppressor at that volume!

[@gfarrell80]

WHAT?

[@MichaelBerthelsen]

To be fair, without a suppressor, no one around without protection will ever hear anything again, so...😅

[@VallornDeathblade]

Wow! You got all that juice from one bag of oranges?

[@samschellhase8831]

mawp...mawp...mawp

[@rogerscott9332]

I graduated Paris Island in early September of 76 and reported to my first grunt unit at Lejuene later that month. During initial infantry training we got to observe the 106 recoilless being fired. To emphasize the back blast, the range NCO's put an ammo crate about 100-150 feet behind the firing line. When the gun went off, the crate was completely disintegrated! They didn't have to say much after that.

[@tandemcharge5114]

"You got some gun on your backblast"

[@rotgut14]

THANK YOU FOR THIS REVIEW!! My pop saw a lot of combat in Korea and I remember him speaking of recoilless rifles at times, and they always intrigued me on how they worked, and I never understood how. Now I have a better understanding.

[@leofannon677]

I was at San Diego MCRD in November 1974 graduation 13 weeks later 10 days RNR then training at camp Pendleton. MOS 0351 Antitank assault man. I shot a 106 recoilless rifle many times before 20 days RNR then sent to the South Pacific duty on float 13 months during Cambodia genocide

[@leofannon677]

Honorable discharge at Treasure Island and now 60 percent loss of hearing. That rifle was very loud.

[@garyguymon9857]

There hasn't been a day in the past 52 years when I haven't heard the Damned 106 roaring in my ears,

[@68walter]

gary guymon, I guess you were a bit nearer to the gun when firing🙂

[@donnburge1692]

LMAO weapons co. 1st bn 5th Mar div...

[@garyguymon9857]

@@68walter Well, yeah, Ian's vid didn't give a true sense of how the M40 was employed in combat. THE gunner sat on one leg of the mount hunched over the sight and operating the co-axial spotting gun (M8C BAT 50, cal) atop the main gun - this was all on the left side. Opposite the gunner stood the loader facing aft no more than a foot or two away from the vents at the breech. When you touched off the main round it motivated you right down to the molecular level it was widely recognised to cure both constipation and hearing.

[@Dog.soldier1950]

Me too. ITS 1973-74

[@marty8180]

Donn Burge yo

[@jackdina5353]

Ya did it Ian. You finally got the spotting rifle on camera. GG

[@samuelschwager]

I get hungry when Ian says trunnion.

[@ManiacallySmithing]

Isn't that trunyon though?

[@stephengalindo6340]

Funion?

[@sompret]

Hungry for a trunnion sandwich, huh? Me too...

[@samuelschwager]

Truffels and onion ;)

[@WineScrounger]

Seared trunnion of beef with a red wine and plum jam reduction

[@tomhuffstetler5204]

In Jan 1972 I went through Basic & AIT Training at Ft Jackson, SC. My MOS was 11-Hotel (crew served weapons) with the main weapon we trained on was the 106 RR. Pull the tracer round to check your aim, make adjustments if necessary then push for Boom. Training was super fun until we had to dig a bid ass hole and ramp to hide the jeep that carried the 106.

[@donjones4719]

How much did the barrel weigh? Ian gave the total weight but didn't break it down.

[@edbecka233]

That's when you make friends with a combat engineer unit and have them use their bulldozer to make your revetments.

[@panzerwagen6493]

Ian, how about a video on how Hamilton and Sons and Drive Tanks go about reloading these large caliber rounds? Curious about what types of powder they use, the priming, and where they come by the projectiles.

[@rdmineer1]

Essentially a 450 caliber, 10x a 1911. I'll stand by the breech, feel the flash and reload all day. Spent shell only gets hot if you are slow.

[@vaclav_fejt]

For anyone interested: There was a former Koren racing mare who was purchased to carry ammunition for these. She got the name Reckless (from "recoilless") and was excellent at her role. She reached the rank of sergeant and even got decorated at the White House.

[@pdalia]

“Be nowhere near the back of this gun, ok let’s shot it “ next thing you see a pickup truck slightly sideways the back of the gun haha , Ian its the number one ! I grew up seeing these rifles along other artillery since My father was an army officer, I remember being 6-7 years and head straight the gun storage to play with them , traverse elevation and breech operation, what a time

[@hedgehog3180]

"Which direction are we firing?" "yes"

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

50/50 chance of getting it right...😏

[@narendranbhaskar]

@@Allan_aka_RocKITEman pretty sure either way works

[@LOUDcarBOMB]

8:41 That was my same reaction as well.

[@dazaspc]

The round spinning out of the barrel was pretty cool in slomo as well.

[@whereareyourparents2948]

Same

[@galladesamurai2380]

8:31 That ring you hear after it fires, beautiful

[@Arthurzeiro]

8:44 that is one of the coolest shots (no pun intended) i've ever seen in this channel.

[@marckroll9544]

When I was a kid, the G.I.Joe Jeep with the recoilless rifle, was the most expensive add on. I never knew anyone who had one.

[@martin09091989]

I think the first 10 meters behind this thing ar even more dangerous then the one in the front!

[@Misericorde9]

Martin L : “Recoilless rifles aren’t.”

[@davidlinihan3626]

We used to put an ammo box about 10m behind one during demonstrations. Turn that 1/2” pine into toothpicks....

[@StressmanFIN]

And you got noise coming from both ends.... these couldn't have been pleasant to shoot for any crew.

[@rds978]

A coworker of mine has a story about being in the Vietnam war. He was a marine pilot stationed at an airbase (he told me which one and when but I just don't remember). During their offtime, they kept bugging the ONTOS crew guys to let them fire off the recoilless rifles. So they finally got them to drive out a bit into the jungle on a "training" exercise to fire off the guns. The ONTOS guys explained how it worked and let each of the pilots fire off a round from the weapons. Afterward, they are milling around emptying a cooler full of beer. When somebody looks behind them and they find a dead Vietcong Soldier with a radio and binoculars. Apparently, this guy was hidden there watching the base. It was just his bad luck that a bunch of marines out screwing around with an ONTOS happened to pull up right next to him and kill him with the backblast.

[@hanssalzmann5911]

In the jear before I joined to the army had been an accident with that gun. The load gunner rattled his sermon about loadet, desecured, dangerous area free, ready, and the aim gunner fired. 6yards behind the gun, in the lethal triangle, was a recruit. After the shot the head, still in the helmet and with the ear protectors on, was in safety distance of 30 yards and somewhere between the torso and the separate legs. A second chance isn't in such a situation.

[@frankdantuono2594]

M50 Ontos video Ian!! You mentioned it now you have to!! They have one on display at Rock Island Arsenal the military base. They let you right on the grounds if you are a tourist.

[@nickythenickname]

Or get the chieftain on it

[@LukeBunyip]

@@nickythenickname Both of them.

[@stevenbaker8184]

there also one of the m50s on display outside of camp Lejuene in Jacksonville NC.

[@speckledjim5402]

We used to have these mounted on landrovers. I know where there are a couple of spotter .50s. Not sure about their operational state, though..

[@dallen521]

zoiders , I have some interesting photographs. No, not necessarily wombats. The test area at an airfield in souther England. Can’t remember if it was JATE, AFTDU, AFDC OR AATDU. Different military systems being tested in different aircraft.

[@vintageyamahasquid]

@@dallen521 Post them on /k/ if you got them handy. They'd love to see something like that.

[@dallen521]

Bob , My apologies for being dense, but what is /k/?

[@vintageyamahasquid]

@@dallen521 Boards.4chan.org/k/catalog. It's a forum for discussing weapons and military hardware. They can be a bit weird at times but it's a good place to talk and share pictures without having to create an account. Might be worth a check. Old military photos would probably be appreciated there.

[@TheRealSupernoah47]

Bob We don’t need more normies

[@KevinORourke25]

Outstanding! 106 RR was my MOS in the army. Standing next to the breech is a very intense experience. The ones that we used had a 50 cal tracer on it. Once you fire it you gotta move that jeep because there is no hiding where the round was fired from. GREAT VIDEO!!! Why you boys standing so far away when your firing it? Lolololololol! The loader had to stand right beside the breech. It's an experience you won't soon forget! Kevin O'Rourke

[@viperch25]

that was awesome at 8:46 i've seen alot of high speed firearm shots. many on this channel, but that one was the best. it was only a sec or 2, but you can see the shell spinning with the smoke twisting behind it. most of the time the shell is just a streak, and that all you see. not that time. that was awesome

[@johnkelinske1449]

I remember being at a fire power demonstration held by the National Guard in the early 1970s; they set up a pile of wooden ammo crates a few yards out behind the gun. The target was a tank hull with turret about 400 yards down range. They fired the round after checking with the .50 cal spotting rifle first. When the shell hit the tank, fire shot out of every opening on it. The back blast was incredible, when it cleared, all the ammo crates were simply gone and a team went over and put out a couple small ground fires. Amazing stuff.

[@killswitch6950]

I love how after firing the first round, the only thing anyone can think of to say is "Holy shit!". Absolutely tremendous blast wave from both sides of this beast.

[@AaronHorrocks]

I have an M38A1C, which is the converted M38A1 Jeep to carry this weapon. (The later Ford M151, which was used extensively in Vietnam also had heavy modifications.) The conversion for the M38A1 to M38A1C was: "Remove rear seat, discard" which always made me chuckle. Cutting out the back of the body, and welding in angle iron to support it. The windshield was changed out to one with a slot in the front for the barrel. Installation of a barrel mounting clamp on the dash, to hold the barrel while in transit. And there was a conversion of installing coil-over springs in addition to the leaf springs in the rear, the kit installed brackets on the frame (some drilling required), and brackets on the axle, which housed the springs to support the additional 575 pound weapon. Other smaller notes were that the "open" shackles were changed to "close" shackles on all 4 leaf springs, and the installation of ammo racks in the back floor. Additionally, the kit included mounts to change the position of the jerry can and spare tire to the sides of the vehicle - however these were not always installed. I suspect to save on weight. Because this vehicle got heavy with all of the modifications. I could still get up to 50mph+ on flat level smooth roads, but going uphill on modern freeways and highways getting bogged down to 25mph or less is frankly dangerous.

[@sidecharacterC]

I wish i could see, even in video, the m50 ontos firing all six of its 106mm at once.

[@whyjay9959]

Someone described it as sounding like God is farting into a megaphone.

[@TheDeadfast]

@UCQDXeBcBtYEzDh7PlBHmbYA If Wikipedia is to be believed, it totally is possible and it leads to spectacular results: > The [Ontos] was taken to the Aberdeen Proving Ground where single rifles had been tested earlier. When all six weapons were fired at once, the back blast from the firing knocked bricks out of a nearby building and knocked the rear windows out of several cars.

[@shawnmiller4781]

Can you fire a full broadside from an Ontos without rolling it over? The Iowa class battleships reportedly were recommended to fire a full broadside at once because of this effect

[@MPI1000]

@Shawn Miller You know they are called recoil-LESS rifles for a reason, right? ;)

[@chrisburn7178]

@@MPI1000 Haha beat me!

[@HawkGTboy]

This is great. My Dad used to operate one of these in the Marine Corps and told me stories about it, but this the first time I've actually seen one in operation.

[@kbjerke]

6:10 "Don't get them mixed up." Sage advice.

[@davidream5175]

Good description of this weapon system. I was a Ski Patrolman at Alta. UT and a Forest Service Snow Ranger in Big and Little Cottonwood canyons for two decades. Over those years I spent many many gun crew missions on the 105 and 106 recoilless. I also got to shoot 75 recoilless and pack howitzers. What a great experience doing avalanche mitigation with these weapon systems. Dave

[@mpetersen6]

It's good that they got to be used for something other than their intended prpose.

[@bassmith448bassist5]

That high speed shot reminds me of every sci fi movie where something happens and all the little stones on the ground slowly levitate to add dramatic effect.

[@edbecka233]

Try sitting in the gunner's seat with your Brain Housing Group right between the muzzle and the breech of that thing. Hello, tinnitus.

[@1murder99]

I worked with a Cav unit in 1968 and several of their M113s had those mounted on them.

[@TrentFalkenrath]

I love how ya could see the projectile in the slo-mo footage. It looks like a football with thin smoke trails showing how it spins.

[@wespro1]

I serviced the M8C spotting barrel as part of my final exam as a fitter armourer. Thanks for the memories

[@PhoebusAmoebus]

That backblast is insane. I've heard of artillery crew members getting smacked by the action recoiling backwards on standard artillery, but this is a whole different ball game.

[@bigguyprepper]

My grandfather was a U.S. Marine in Vietnam and used to talk about these things, I even found some of his paperwork once. Thank you Ian for finding and shooting one!

[@goneutt]

“If it did that much on our side, imagine how much it to the other side!”

[@sykesregular5960]

Good job Ian, very accurate! While serving with the US Army. In Panama in the early 80’s, I led an anti-tank Platoon with both M113 mounted TOW missiles and 4 M151 Jeep mounted 106s. At that time, the Infantry Battalions in Panama and in the Berlin Brigade still had them. Each Jeep had a 3 man crew consisting of the gunner, Squad Leader/spotter, and Jeep driver/loader. The firing sequence as Ian stated was firing the spotting rifle (50) till you hit the target (usually twice) then the 106. Commands generally sounded something like “Fifty, Fifty, ONE-O-SIX. All three of the crew stayed right along the side of Gun when firing with the driver after loading observing back blast area was clear and the Squad leader with some binos observing and directing adjustments to gunner after observing the 50’s tracer and impact. I recall the crews keeping their mouths open when firing to help with the concussion. We used three types of rounds; HIgh explosive antitank (HEAT), High explosive plastic tracer (HEP-T), and BEEhive. Since there were so few still in the Army, we had a massive supply of Ammo to train with. Best time I had in the service, loads of fun serving with outstanding soldiers,

[@sykesregular5960]

Early 80’s sir. Read thoroughly before insulting please!

[@vsimonis]

I remember going to work with my father in the early 70's at the Corpus Christi National Guard armory and playing with the M40's mounted on Jeeps. They did have the spotting rifles on them. They looked like a couple of tubes welded together. Good times.

[@edbecka233]

Actually they look like a bigger M3 grease gun. I was in that unit, HHC 2nd Bn 141st Inf, from about 1979 til I transferred to the State NG HQ to work in the Small Arms Readiness Training Section as the Operations NCO there. Prior to that I was a 106mmRR gunner at Ft Hoodlum and a TOW II gunner in Germany.

[@wolfgangholtzclaw2637]

First saw it used at Fort Polk Louisiana about 1975. They had it mounted to a jeep, standard mounting at the time. It would fire a huge 106mm round down range. The man pack 90mm was used with Infantry up into the end of the seventies. Unlike the 90mm this big 106mm fired at a range of up to 2kms. It used a 50Cal in a barrel along the type. Once the 50 cal tracer, hit you knew your were dead on...then the big kaboom and flash. Later our Anti Tank Platoon had this mounted onto the top of a M113 APC.. good idea because when mounted to a jeep it would tend to be severely top heavy and often men flipped them and injuries ensued. Down side to the 106mm, it made a huge signature, noise and dust at the point of firing...dead give away to the T-62 and you could be sure you gathered lots of attention. So fired in pairs against a lead tank, very effective... survivability??? well.... you got one tank... Ha ha! Later in Korea we were issued TOW anti Tank Weapon in anti Armor Sections. TOW: Tube launched, Optically sighted, Wire guided. TOW's max range was high classified, but easily a 2km bad News post card for Korean T-55s of the time. It was lethal, but TOW clearly solved many of the problems of the 106mm...

[@Martinlegend]

"They're dangerous at both ends and crafty in the middle" - Sherlock Holmes

[@shrapmagnet]

I was trained on the 106 in SFQC in 1988. I believe it still may be taught (and fired) there. In 1989, I gave instruction on these weapons to the Honduran army, who mounted them in their jeeps.

[@JTawesome92]

Wife: Why did you buy this? *points to M40* Me: home Defense.

[@TheClayromero]

About 1981, My employment was to help finish and assemble the 106mm recoilers rifles. We also manufactured the barrels, breech blocks, and the main chamber. We were especially careful to deburr the firing pin and its hole to insure that the firing pin could not hang up as it was extremely dangerous to open the breech block with a stuck firing pin. I learned a lot about the M40, but was never able to fire one. I wish I still had the original manufacturing drawings.

[@matsuomasato]

Huh! That's a curious coincidence. I just watched a video last night about the M50 Ontos, which mounts 6 of these things!

[@shawnmiller4781]

PT's Sleepy Corner Could you imagine having a modernized version of the Ontos in Iraq after the last invasion? The same six M40’s, lasted designators for the weapon have been around for years to replace the spotting rifle, maybe a couple HMG’s for gunfire support too. Modern diesel power plant, maybe use that flexible rubber track you see on a lot of farm tractors instead of a the usual metal linked tracked

[@stuthhamster]

Matsimus?

[@Bird_Dog00]

@Stuart Kirk Probably. Same story for me...

[@AB1Vampire]

great explanation of the reason for recoil-less big guns. One of your best vids. "Don't get them mixed-up" spotting gun vs main.

[@Zman2598]

Crazy that the M50 Ontos had 6 of these strapped to it

[@pithicus52]

When I was in a Marine Corps infantry battalion in the early 1970s, the weapons platoon had these things mounted on mules as our anti-tank guns. It must have taken real courage to fire one of these things at a tank knowing that if you missed, well, I'll leave that unsaid. I never saw one fired, so thanks Ian for filling that gap in my experience.

[@dougler500]

It's insane that a weapon like this was the best solution to a problem at one point

[@deadfox852]

Just seeing that Round just spinning down range followed by a cloud of gun powder is just wow one of the Coolest shot's I've had the pleasure of seeing on this channel aside from the one where it goes off and it's a stop motion and someone's hair is just got the wind tunnel effect going on which is the essential vid that turned me on to this channel and I has not been disappointing yet. It's 8:45 for those wondering. A really Great slow mo shot if anything.

[@ArmandKarlsen]

9:15 Interesting to see how the exhaust gasses kinda go bloop-bloop-bloop-bloop... at the muzzle end.

[@shorttimer874]

I was in D Troop, the ground troop, of 8/1 Air Cav Squadron at Ft Knox in the early 70's, and every platoon had one of these mounted on a jeep (with a modified windshield so the barrel could be stored facing forward), a 5/4 truck with a mortar (plus the platoon Sgt), and a bunch of jeeps with M60's on pintle mounts. Every now and then we set one up for a demo for the officers going through the Armor School, stack a bunch of wooden ammo boxes behind it, and fired it off. It turned out to be really, really good at making toothpicks.

[@FrankSanchez505]

2 years later he found that 50

[@frankroche8762]

Trained on the 106 at Camp LeJeune in Feb 1971. Remember what the video said about not mixing up the pulling out or pushing in on the trigger? Well, during night firing, I had just closed the breach when the "instructor" accidentally fired the main weapon instead of the spotting rifle. I was looking into the back blast area and I was blinded for about 5 minutes from the flash. I still have my handwritten classroom notes. When you looked thru the gun sight, you saw 2 "stadia" lines and you were suppose to place your tank target between the 2 stadia lines. If the target was moving left or right you had to add "leads" to actually lead the target. I also have my notes for the ABCM9-7 Flame Thrower, the M72A1 LAAW, the M-79 Grenade Launcher, the PRC-25 Radio with 15 volt disposable battery that lasts 27 hours with a range of up to 15 miles (depending on the antenna used), and a handout about intro to Vietnam. Semper Fi.

[@jokuvaa2552]

Davy Crockett, when?

[@drydogg]

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Davy Crockett! I actually know what that is! BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[@likydsplit8483]

Did the army ever have the nerve to touch one of those off?

[@likydsplit8483]

I seem to recall watching a documentary that mentioned the Davy Crocket was only ever test fired once.

[@olslap85]

What a great video! Thanks Ian and Hamilton and Sons for the rifle.

[@joshsquatch7474]

My grandfather crewed one of these when he was in the reserves, they carried it on a jeep and his had a ranging rifle.

[@hanssalzmann5911]

Like mine

[@tongmaa]

While attending Officer's Candidate School (OCS) each student was able to aim the spotting rifle to get-on-target and then fire a round. Lots of fun, but loud with minimal ear protection of those times (1962). It is impressive to see the .50 cal rounds traveling to target, and then watch the 106mm round follow on the same trajectory, but slightly 'slower' than the .50 cal round. The tank HEAT rounds look like flying cantaloupes going down range ... :)

[@mortallychallenged1436]

Not exactly ideal for home defense if you destroy the invader and everything behind him. On the other side you have to build a new home.

[@matt-kv1nu]

Mortally Challenged Home defense AND redecoration

[@duncanmcgee13]

You also destroy everything behind yourself

[@matt-kv1nu]

Duncan McGee that’s double the redecoration

[@sompret]

"Threedee printer no problem!!"

[@dogboy0912]

If you live on a large lot of land and set this thing off anywhere, I think everyone would involuntarily pause for at least a couple seconds which might buy you something.

[@wiljolley3143]

Thanks for the video. In the 60's my MOS was 112 heavy weapons which included 4.2 mortar and the 106 recoilless I remember having to stand beside the breach at attention when the 106 was fired during training. I feel it wasn't the 106 that did in my hearing but the crack of the 50 cal. when sighting in for use. Again thanks for the memories

[@JonatasAdoM]

When you have a M.A.D. pact with your neighbor

[@freflite1]

Hi Ian, I watched this video and saw where you would do a video on the semiauto 50 cal spotting gun you would do a video on when you could find one. Well, I happen to know where one can be seen.It is in a military museum in Mcdonough GA. It is mounted to a recoilless rifle mounted to a ammo loader flatbed cart. The guys at the museum are great guys and I’m sure would welcome you. Love your videos dude!!!

[@twostep1953]

And remember... the gunner's head was inches from the barrel, with no hearing protection in combat.

[@edbecka233]

11H (106 gunner) '72-73, "Huh? What? HAH? WHADJA SAAAAYYY?"

[@jerryjohnsonii4181]

Awesome !!!!!!!! I went to a Gun Show, Saturday in Lynchburg , VA. I bought a original Marlin 336 R C JM stamped 30-30 Win for 500 dollars !!!!!!!! I'm on cloud 9 right now!!!!!!!! Thanks for all the knowledge you gave me , Ian. Forgotten Weapons for Life !!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Scott079]

They actually use I believe it’s one of these up in Alaska on the railroads to trigger avalanches intentionally

[@Stresscat1]

@ Forgotten Weapons I recall seeing one of these things with its spotting rifle attached mounted on a jeep at a museum while I was visiting Oregon on leave. It was either at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum or at the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum (WAAAM). The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum had a notable collection of Military craft and vehicles (aircraft, tanks, ect) in addition to a few firearms, which might make it a good place to start. Nothing comes to mind specifically regarding firearms at WAAAM, but there might be a gem to find there as well.

[@mrjockt]

The Ontos wasn’t a “repurposed” tank, it was designed from the outset to carry 6 of these weapons as an anti-tank vehicle, a lot of people claim it found its true purpose as an anti-personnel weapon during the Vietnam war.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

Its moment in the spotlight was during the street fighting at Hue.

[@spysareamyth]

... ANTI PERSONNEL!! What kind of personnel warrant 6 of these cannons! Gotta make sure that insurgent with a run-down ak is definitely dead

[@clothar23]

@@spysareamyth Hey when you got 50,000 screaming Charlies coming at your position you would want to be pointing a bunch of these bad boys at them to ya know.

[@mrjockt]

Purge Blade #231 Look up a round called the Beehive Anti-Personnel Round, a 105mm round packed with flechettes, that was used in Vietnam, imagine 6 of those rounds fired into an area at the same moment, that would be about as anti a person as a round could get.

[@bubba200874426]

@@spysareamyth The NVA were not known for employing armor, and you use what you have. True purpose is debatable. Used to good effect in a secondary role is probably the most balanced way to state it. Also, he said repurposed tank chassis, which is different from repurposed tank. I do not know it it's true either way, but it is different. USPS city mail LLVs(Long Life Vehicle - the small boxy mail trucks you've probably looked at and not seen hundreds of times) are, or at least were, built on a Chevy S10 chassis, but no one would call them repurposed S10s.

[@edbecka233]

Minor point re the knobs: The large outer crank rings are for COARSE elevation and windage changes; the small inner knobs are for, besides free-swing and triggering, FINE elevation and windage adjustments. Also the other RRs used by the US and other nations - the 20mm, 57mm, 75mm and 90mm - operate the same way except most do not incorporate the spotter rifle.

[@Bacteriophagebs]

I always thought the M50 Ontos was the second-least-appreciated armored vehicle after the M113 ACAV. Lighter and cheaper than a tank, but with a hell of a punch.

[@gunmnky]

But some unfortunate soul had to get out and reload it.

[@Bacteriophagebs]

@@gunmnky That just gives you an excuse to get the whole thing behind cover before someone blows you up. "Well, gotta reload, no need to stay in the line of fire!" And it still beats the hell out of the Sheridan deathtrap. When the crews would rather sit on the _outside_ of the tank than the inside, you seriously screwed up your design.

[@glornporklongton7338]

I was in an Armoured Defence Platoon in the Canadian Army reserves back n the early 80s. Our platoon had 5 M38A1 Jeep’s mounting the 106mm. It was quite a blast (no pun intended). I remember we were at the Yakima Firing centre for a week of training, and there were some Washington Guardsmen there firing their M47 Dragons, which seemed like a pretty cool,system, at least to this 20 year old private. One of the older American NCOs came over was telling us stories about how effective the 106 was against dug in Vietcong, especially the HEP-T, or plastic round. We had lots of ammo, and our our platoon commander invited him to fire off a few rounds. In turn, 2 of our guys got to fire a Dragon. All in all, a pretty cool day.