Data Quality88%
MASS(Military Archive Scoring System)
ⓘ Regardless of era, the same scoring system applies to all units in the recoilless rifles category.
01 / Overview
M18 recoilless rifle
Category
Country
Production
1945–
Quantity
36
Operators
Conflicts
💰 PERFORMANCE / PRICE ASSESSMENT Methodology ↗
RECOILLESS RIFLES · WORLD WAR II
3
PERFORMANCE/PRICE
78
UNIT COST (2025 USD)
—
ⓘ Performance/Price and MASS score are computed across all units in the recoilless rifles category, regardless of era.
02 / Specs & Design
◎General5MOD.5
- Weapon TypeRecoilless anti-tank weapon
- Service Entry Year1945
- Weight20.1 kg
- Calibre57 mm
- In ServiceNo
◈Operation6MOD.6
- Action TypeInterrupted lug rotating breechblock
- Crew2
- Single-Use / DisposableNo
- Shoulder-FiredYes
- Reload TypeBreechloader
- Sight TypeTelescope M86C 2.8-power
▣Performance4MOD.4
- Muzzle Velocity366 m/s
- Effective Range450 m
- Maximum Range3,968 m
- Projectile Weight2,381 g
◇Warhead & Effect5MOD.5
- Warhead TypeHEAT, HE, WP
- HE RoundYes
- HEAT RoundYes
- Tandem ChargeNo
- Thermobaric RoundNo
◆Ammunition2MOD.2
- Ammunition Types57×303mmR
- Magazine / Drum Capacity1
▤Production2MOD.2
- Operators30
- Variants1
03 / History
SERVICE LIFESPANStill in Service
- 1927First deployment: Chinese Civil War
- 1945Production started
81
years in service
36
units produced
25
countries operating
ⓘ The producing country still actively operates it.
04 / Conflicts
M18 RECOILLESS RIFLE · CONFLICTS SERVED IN10% win·10% loss
Total Conflicts
10
Victories
1
Ongoing
0
Losses
1
1975–1990Lebanese Civil War—→1971Bangladesh Liberation War—→1967–1975Cambodian Civil War—→1961–1990Nicaraguan Revolution—→1959–1975Laotian Civil WarDecisive victory→1955–1975Vietnam WarDecisive victory→1954–1962Algerian War—→1950–1953Korean War—→1946–1954First Indochina War—→1937–1945Second Sino-Japanese War—→
ⓘ Shown only from conflicts recorded in our database.
05 / Operators
06 / MASS Score
RECOILLESS RIFLES RANKING Recoilless Rifles · World War II
MASS RANKINGSMASS ↗
14RECOILLESS RIFLES3WORLD WAR II · RECOILLESS RIFLES1580UNITED STATES · ALL WEAPONS1PERFORMANCE/PRICE · RECOILLESS RIFLES
ⓘ Rankings are within theRecoilless Riflescategory.
📖 TERMS ON THIS PAGE3terms
High Explosive (HE) round: an artillery or mortar projectile containing explosive filler designed to inflict damage through blast and fragmentation effects.
High-explosive anti-tank round fired from underbarrel grenade launchers, designed to penetrate armored targets using a shaped charge warhead.
A portable rocket or missile launcher designed to be operated by a single soldier from the shoulder.
These terms are listed automatically because they appear on this page.full encyclopedia →
📚 Sources