WTS, TWO live British PIATs in case. Price Reduced

[WayneP]

Hello All:

 

Selling two British PIATs in transit chest. Live, formerly DD, now standard Title 1 firearm, sent to your FFL. Complete, one even has cork plug! Really cool.

Price: $5000 for both plus shipping. New price: $3995 OBO, plus shipping.

Edited October 9, 2020 by WayneP

[pstidan]

Greek writing?

[sherman3]

Yes it is Greek.

[WayneP]

Hello All:

Thanks for the input on the writing. NOTE: The reddish color is not rust, looks like red primer under the British green paint. Well oiled.

ALSO: Will entertain  $$ offers but would like to keep them paired with the case. 

Thank you, Wayne, be safe.

[1fozziebear]

Sincere Q here.  What kind of projectile / inert round can used with these

Thanks

[WayneP]

Hello: PIATs have a big spring inside. When trigger pulled after compressing spring, the spring shoots the projectile out several yards, then a rocket motor ignites in the projectile to launch it towards the target. There are dummy practice rounds out there that just are shot out with the spring, but do not have a rocket motor. I have seen these at gun shows as they are pretty cool looking.

Do a search for PIAT rounds and you will see a lot of pictures and info.

Edited August 31, 2020 by WayneP

[WayneP]

BTT

[WayneP]

BTT

[Houndsworth]

Correction, the Projector Infantry Anti-tank is not a rocket launcher. It is a spigot mortar, having a heavy rod (spigot) with firing pin on the end, that impacts a primer and launching charge in the bomb. It's like a mortar but the bomb is fixed and the firing pin moves. The PIAT is cocked by turning the butt piece, placing feet on it, and pulling up on the monopod which telescopes a tube and retracts the one inch diameter spigot against a heavy spring. The bomb is placed in the tray and clipped to the "muzzle" if you want to call it that. The gunner pulls the trigger releasing the spigot which moves forward inside the tube of the bomb and impacts the charge near the warhead. This goes bang like any mortar bomb. The bomb recoils against the face of the spigot, pushing it back into the tube as the bomb is moving forward, which re-cocks the spigot for the next shot. So you cock it in the morning and shoot all day with no manual re-cocking. This is also a recoil reducing feature. Slows it down. Otherwise shooting a projectile this heavy would break the shoulder of the gunner. Advantages of a spigot mortar over a rocket launcher is no back blast and dust cloud which gives away the position of the shooter plus makes it problematic to use inside a building or bunker. The bomb was much larger than a 2.36 inch U.S. bazooka rocket, so more effective. It was the first British shaped charge warhead, which fired when about four inches from the target. The reverse cone shape of the face of the charge directed the explosion forward and inward at a small point. This superheated gas would burn a small hole through four inches of steel, with molten metal coming out the other side. Disadvantage to the PIAT is the 35 pound weight.  

[1gewehr]

Many years ago, I was able to fire a PIAT twice with Inert rounds with a propelling charge.  Recoil was fierce.  Effective range was about 100 yards with a trajectory like a softball.  Accuracy was 'minute of tank turret' at 100 yards.  Most of the team did not want to fire it again after their first shot.

It would not have been my first choice as an anti-tank weapon in WW2.  But, it was better than having to resort to a Sticky Bomb!

[M38A1-Josh]

The book Tank Killing by Ian Hogg has some good reading on these.