BOYS AIRPORTABLE ANTI-TANK RIFLE in .55-inch calibre

A .55 calibre anti-tank rifle may be rather out of context on a website covering mainly miniature calibre rifles but, having comprehensively covered, on the separate pages accessible from the links above, the Infantry Mk.1 and Mk.1* rifles because of the several sub-calibre adaptations either trialled or issued for them, there is perhaps reason to mention another less known trialling of a version of the rifle.

This mention can also be justified by our remit, which includes British rifles, with a particular representation of Enfield products, as well as small-bore rifles of B.S.A. manufacture, which have a major part to play in our research.

(See also the Birmingham Small Arms Co.)

The rifle shown below is of B.S.A. original manufacture in .55-in. calibre (13.9 mm),

The British made rifles were produced at B.S.A.'s Small Heath factory in Birmingham.

The rifle weighs several pounds less than the standard rifle's 36 lbs., is 57.5 inches overall in length,

and has a 30" barrel with 7-groove rifling., six inches shorter than the standard issue infantry rifle.

The "Harmonica" muzzle-"brake"*, of the same design as that utilized on the Mk.1* rifle, appears identical,

but is actually approximately two-thirds the size and weight of the standard weapon.

 

On site are also to be found the manual for the standard issue infantry model Boys A/T rifle's manual published by Gale & Polden,

as well as the Small Arms Training (SAT) Pamphlet No. 5 covering the use of the rifle, and the appropriate section from Pamphlet

No.18 dealing with War-time Range Courses, although this does duplicate some of the information in the manual.

Being somewhat lengthy, these items of literature are on separate pages linked from here.

BOYS ATR - MANUAL ... SAT PAMPHLET No.5 .....

RANGE COURSE ......ILLUSTRATED PARTS LIST......ARMOURERS' INSTRUCTIONS

 

Still attached to many of the weapons now in the National Firearms Collection
(N.F.C.) at the Royal Armouries, Leeds, are the original labels with which
the exhibits were identified when first catalogued in the Enfield Pattern Room Collection.

 

 

The LHS of the action is marked

"R.B. Mk.I"

for 'Rifle, Boys, Mark 1'.

THe serial number is "G 7797".

The slide of the main frame's running channel is clearly stamped

"DO NOT CLAMP HERE"

to prevent inadvertent tightening of the recoil slide, which would prevent thr rifle from properly actioning.

 

The barrel's reinforce is stamped "Mk.II", and also carries the rifle's serial number.

Some of the weight reduction of this rifle is in the barrel, which is marginally shorter.

The six inch section of greater parallel diameter behind the fore-sight mount on the standard rifle has been removed,

with the tapered length of the barrel now finishing at that point.

The one-piece trigger-unit and pistol-grip is a lighter alloy casting.

 

The magazine, butt and sighting arrangements vary little from the standard infantry weapon,

but the heavy cast rear-sight mount of the standard rifle

has been replaced by a slimmed down machined block.

 

The "Harmonica" flash hider and blast dispersal unit is a reduced unit from that of the Mark II rifle.

*Note that this is not strictly just a recoil reducer or muzzle-brake,

its intention also being todirect the efflux horizontally and prevent muzzle blast from creating a dust cloud from the ground that may give away the firer's position.

 

The butt section incorporating the alloy oil 'bottle' is outwardly unchanged ....

 

....as is the safety catch.

But the cast alloy pistol grip with trigger-unit, as already mentioned, is much different.

 

The bipod is effectively of the same later type as Mark I* rifle, rather than the Mark I monopod,

but the legs are fabricated, and not the cast ones of the standard rifle,

affording a considerable weight saving.

 

 

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See also the following literature for the Boys Anti-Tank Rifle

BOYS ATR - MANUAL ... SAT PAMPHLET No.5 ..... RANGE COURSE ......ILLUSTRATED PARTS LIST......ARMOURERS' INSTRUCTIONS

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