The M67 recoilless rifle is a 90 mm (3.55 inch) anti-tank recoilless rifle made in the United States and later in South Korea. It could also be employed in an anti-personnel role with the use of the M590 antipersonnel round. It was designed to be fired primarily from the ground using the bipod and monopod, but could also be fired from the shoulder using the folded bipod as a shoulder rest and the monopod as a front grip. The weapon was air-cooled and breech-loaded, and fired fixed ammunition. It is a direct fire weapon employing stadia lines to allow simple range finding, based on a typical tank target bridging the lines once in range.

History and use

Adopted in 1959 in Army service, the M67 was used in the Vietnam War together with the much larger 106 mm M40. The M67 proved an effective weapon, though it was primarily used against personnel in combat, and saw little or no use against armor and even against fortifications. While troops praised its effectiveness, the M67 came under heavy criticism due to the weapon's weight and length as well as its backblast, which often precluded its use in offensive operations. The M67 was issued in lieu of the standard issue Carl Gustav for these armies. This may have been to simplify logistics, or it may be that ammunition for the Carl Gustav could not be sourced due to Swedish opposition to the war in Vietnam.

The M67 was not completely withdrawn from infantry service. Royal Saudi Land Forces fielded M67s against Iraq during Gulf War.

In February 2011, it was reported that stocks of surplus M67 recoilless rifles were reintroduced to the 101st Airborne Division for limited combat service in Afghanistan. Numbers of these weapons were issued to the 506th Infantry Regiment, "Currahee", 4th Brigade Combat Team, for use against fortifications, and concentrations of enemy personnel. The M67 was issued in response to a demand for a reloadable shoulder-fired weapon to be used in static defensive positions as well as ambushes. In particular, the flechette anti-personnel round saw common usage. The M67s were eventually phased out again as the Army expanded issuing of the M3 Carl Gustav recoilless rifle to regular infantry units.

Production

It was designed by the Midwest Research Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. by Kia Motors, while rounds were manufactured by Poongsan Corporation.

Description

The M67 is shaped like a long tube with the sight assembly and trigger offset to the side in opposite directions about halfway along the barrel. Under this point is the monopod, with the bipod halfway back from there.

  • Cartridge weight: 9.25 lb (4.2 kg)
  • Cartridge length: 28.10 in (714 mm)
  • Projectile weight: 6.75 lb (3.06 kg)
  • Muzzle velocity: 700 ft/s (213 m/s)
  • Maximum effective range: 437 yd (400 m)
  • Fuse: PIBD M530A1