| Winston Smith | 17 Jul 2015 6:13 a.m. PST |
The thread on the Disney film prompted me to ask. |
 Doms Decals  | 17 Jul 2015 6:24 a.m. PST |
The Disney film was commissioned by the Canadians, but there was limited usage by the US – army rangers were authorised them for a while, although I think only a handful ever got issued, while the USMC Raider battalions actually used them in action, including nailing a Japanese floatplane with one during the Makin island raid…. link |
| hocklermp5 | 17 Jul 2015 7:33 a.m. PST |
Colonel Robert W. Black, Appendix B, "The Battalion" (2nd US Ranger Battalion in WWII), has the TOE for a Ranger Battalion. They were issued 20 "Rifle, Anti-tank, .55 Cal." , 8 in HQ Company, 2 each in the 6 Ranger Companies. They were issued and used "briefly" by the 1st Ranger Battalion, (Black, "Rangers In World War II"). The weapon was "hated" by the men. Five feet long, 36 pounds, vicious recoil and rapidly replaced by 2.36" AT Rocket Launcher. |
| Jemima Fawr | 17 Jul 2015 7:55 a.m. PST |
I seem to remember them being used in the Phillipines. |
Frederick  | 17 Jul 2015 8:02 a.m. PST |
During the Korean War the Marines borrowed a few Boys ATRs from the Canadians, fitted them with scopes and tried them as sniper rifles |
| Ed Mohrmann | 17 Jul 2015 9:00 a.m. PST |
Yes, there is an excerpt from the book on Edson's Raiders
which supports Dom's post above. Apparently, there were 2 Boys issued to each company
HQ, crew of 2. |
| CharlesRollinsWare | 17 Jul 2015 9:26 a.m. PST |
As pointed out above, they were acquired by Edson's 1st Marine Raider Battalion and the initial USA Ranger Battalions. As for the "2,000 yard" Boys ATR sniper rifles in Korea, they were highly modified – they used the Boys stock and frame, a modified receiver, and a USA M2 .50 caliber barrel. It, and other similar types including a specially designed light weight model, allowed for accurate sniping at 2,000 yards plus range. Reference Peter R. Senich's fine book on US sniping. Mark E. Horan |
| Lion in the Stars | 17 Jul 2015 8:27 p.m. PST |
Sounds like a "Historical scenarios only" weapon to me… |
| lou passejaire | 18 Jul 2015 6:23 a.m. PST |
nobody wanted to use the Boys ATR ;o) at least as an anti tank rifle … |
| vtsaogames | 18 Jul 2015 6:31 a.m. PST |
The late father of a close friend of mine commanded a platoon of US mechanized cavalry during the Battle of the Bulge. I was told he had a 28mm cone bore AT weapon. All I can find online is a German weapon. Anyone heard of such a weapon in the US Army? |
| Doms Decals | 18 Jul 2015 8:47 a.m. PST |
Never come across one – other than the British Little John adaptor, I can't think of an operational allied taper bore. I'd be surprised if it wasn't a German one that he'd "liberated"…. |
| spontoon | 19 Jul 2015 11:57 a.m. PST |
@ Frederick; Why would the Canadians have Boys AT rifles in Korea? They'd abandoned it for the PIAT in 1943, and would adopt the American bazookas during Korea. |
| Lion in the Stars | 19 Jul 2015 8:42 p.m. PST |
The late father of a close friend of mine commanded a platoon of US mechanized cavalry during the Battle of the Bulge. I was told he had a 28mm cone bore AT weapon. All I can find online is a German weapon. Anyone heard of such a weapon in the US Army? Not as a US-made weapon, but GIs are beyond masters at re-using captured equipment. |
| Griefbringer | 20 Jul 2015 11:56 a.m. PST |
Those German 28 mm cone bore AT guns would not have been particularly common place by late 1944, and especially the ammo supply for such a captured weapon could have been an issue. In mechanised cavalry platoon they could have probably hauled it behind one of the jeeps, and carried the ammo in it, but it would have been quite some extra load. |
goes beyond the straight line.