Boys anti-tank rifle

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	Weapon: Boys anti-tank rifle Type: Anti-Tank Weapon Country of Origin: United Kingdom Year Adopted: 1937 Caliber: .55 Boys Action: Bolt-Action Overall Length (mm): 1620.0 Overall Length (in): 63.78 Weight (kg): 16.30 Weight (pounds): 35.94 Effective Range (m): 300 m Effective Range (yards): 328.08

The Boys Anti-Tank Rifle was a British bolt-action, magazine-fed rifle designed in the late 1930s to counter early armored vehicles. Developed by Captain Henry C. Boys of the Royal Small Arms Factory, the weapon was chambered for the .55 Boys (13.9x99mm) cartridge, which was capable of penetrating light armor at short ranges. The rifle featured a distinctive muzzle brake to help reduce recoil, a top-mounted bipod for stability, and a five-round detachable magazine. Despite its large size and weight (over 16 kg), the Boys rifle was considered an effective anti-tank weapon in the early stages of World War II.

The Boys rifle was produced in significant numbers, with over 62,000 units manufactured by various British and Canadian factories. It saw widespread use by British, Commonwealth, and Allied forces during the early years of the war, including in France, North Africa, and the Pacific. However, as tank armor improved, the rifle became increasingly ineffective against enemy vehicles, and its role shifted to targeting light armor, bunkers, and other fortified positions. By 1943, the Boys rifle was largely phased out in favor of more effective anti-tank weapons such as the PIAT (Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank) and the Bazooka.

Despite its eventual obsolescence, the Boys rifle remains a historically significant weapon, known for being one of the earliest dedicated infantry anti-tank weapons of World War II. It earned a mixed reputation among troops due to its punishing recoil and declining effectiveness against modern armor, but it was still used in secondary roles throughout the war. Some units, particularly in the Pacific and Finland, continued using the rifle against lightly armored targets well into the later years of the conflict. Today, the Boys Anti-Tank Rifle is a sought-after collector's item and is often displayed in military museums as a testament to early anti-armor infantry weapons.