The T148E1 grenade launcher (officially T148E1, Launcher) was an American multi-shot grenade launcher designed by Roy E. Rayle in 1957 and produced by the Springfield Armory in extremely limited numbers in 1958. An early attempt at a multi-shot grenade launcher, the T148 was a failed attempt at increasing the firepower of a grenade launcher.
History[]
The weapon was designed by LtCol Roy E. Rayle, who had joined the Springfield Armory in 1953. Rayle wanted to design a new three-shot grenade launcher as per a request by Fort Benning's infantry board.[1]
The pilot lot of T148E1 launchers was completed by 1958, although machinery was still being developed for full production of the launchers.[2] The launcher was subsequently tested by the United States Army; despite the launcher having potential, it was considered bulky, unwieldy and awkward to use. Despite this, the Army remained optimistic about the T148,[1] and continued to test one for possible adoption for use during the ongoing Vietnam War.[3]
Come 1959 however, the T148 project was suspended in favor of initiating a program on the XM79 launcher; while this was going on, Springfield Armory engineers were developing an improved version of the T148, known as the T148E2. Both the T148E1 and E2 projects were canceled the next year, with any remaining work on the T148E2 requested to be discontinued.[2]
Design Details[]
The T148 was a percussion-fired multi-shot grenade launcher that fed from a harmonica clip that fed from the left side. The weapon had a grip safety that had to be depressed in order for it to fire.[4]
The clip is advanced by a spring-loading indexing plunger located in the weapon, which picks up a round by the rotating band of each of the projectiles. Once the clip is empty, extractor releases on the clip can be pushed to eject the spent cartridges. Cartridges are loaded into the clip through the rear; when the weapon is fully unloaded, two rounds are inserted into the two exposed slots and the clip pushed through to the left of the weapon, where another round is inserted.[4]
Ammunition[]
The T148 uses 40×46mm high-explosive grenades.
Variants[]
Two variants, the T148E1 and T148E2, are known to exist.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://medium.com/war-is-boring/no-one-loved-the-bulky-fragile-t-148-grenade-launcher-513787a3eb2c
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://ww2.rediscov.com/spring/VFPCGI.exe?IDCFile=/spring/DETAILS.IDC,SPECIFIC=11840,DATABASE=objects,
- ↑ http://www.smallarmsoftheworld.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=2449
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3254587-U-S-Army-TC-23-3-XM79-and-T148E2-Grenade-Launchers.html