Mauser Tankgewehr M1918
Mauser Werke · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1918
Also known as: T-Gewehr, Tank-Gewehr, Mauser 13mm Anti-Tank Rifle, Tankgewehr M1918
Overview
The Mauser Tankgewehr M1918 was the world's first purpose-built anti-tank rifle and the only anti-tank rifle to see service in World War I. Essentially a massively scaled-up Mauser 98 bolt action, it was a single-shot, manually-fed weapon chambered for the powerful 13.2mm TuF (Tank und Flieger) cartridge. Operated by a two-man crew and fired from a bipod, it could penetrate roughly 20mm of armour at 100m, enough to defeat the early British and French tanks it was designed to counter. Its enormous recoil made it punishing to fire, but it established the template for the anti-tank rifles of the interwar and World War II eras.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 15900 g (560.9 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 18500 g (652.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1691 mm (66.57") |
| Barrel Length | 984 mm (38.74") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 780 m/s (2559 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 15668 J (11556 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 13.2mm TuF · primary — also known as 13.2x92mmSR, 13mm TuF, Tank und Flieger
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Single Shot, Enlarged Mauser 98 Action, Bipod, Pistol Grip Stock, Two Man Crew, Notched V Rear Sight
Service history
Operators
- Imperial German Army · adopted 1918 · as Tankgewehr M1918
Conflicts
- World War I (1918)
Production
Estimated total produced: 16,900 · Production years: 1918-1919
Approximately 15,800-16,900 produced; manufacture ran January 1918 to April 1919
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Discontinued: 1919
Notes
Developed at Mauser's Oberndorf am Neckar works after the firm was approached in November 1917. By the end of the war the factory was reportedly turning out 300 rifles per day.
Background
The T-Gewehr's recoil was so brutal that gunners frequently suffered bruised shoulders and broken collarbones, and crews were taught to fire only a few rounds before changing position; its appearance forced tank designers worldwide to begin thickening armour against rifle-calibre anti-tank fire.