The M20 made use of a 75x408mm R (2.95") projectile that was identifiable by its largely perforated base which allowed propellant gasses to quickly escape towards the vented cap at the rear of the breech. Nearly half of the projectile was perforated in this fashion with the warhead being conventionally conical in shape. The 75mm projectile was loaded through the rear of the breech which held a two-handled vented door for quick access. The door was then closed and the weapon made ready to fire. The barrel of the M20 was rifled with a uniformed right-hand twist design which produced the needed rotation of the exiting projectile upon launch (hence no stabilization fins seen on the projectile itself). Muzzle velocity was equal to 1,000 feet per second using the standard 20.5lb HEAT (High-Explosive, Anti-Tank) round which gave a range out to 7,000 yards in ideal conditions and armor penetration up to 100mm (4"). Other available projectile types included a basic 21.8lb High-Explosive round for countering soft targets and infantry and a 22.6lb smoke round useful in generating smoke screens. Due to the nature of the M20 and its associated weights, a typical gunnery crew numbered at least two to three personnel. Of course it was required that no personnel were positioned to the rear of the weapon for obvious reasons concerning the exiting propellant gasses.
The US Army's move towards fielding capable recoilless rifles finally produced viable forms by the end of World War 2. In the latter months of the conflict, the M20 was pressed into service and shipped in limited quantities beginning in March of 1945 to American forces in both the European and Pacific Theaters of War. Their use was just as limited for the war in Europe was over in May and the war in the Pacific in August.
With M20 stocks having grown since the close of World War 2, the M20 was pressed back into action with the arrival of the Korean War after the Communist North invaded the Democratic South. The US-led UN sought to contain the spread of communism by any means included armed deterrence. While the M20's armor-piercing qualities left much to be desired, particularly when tackling the fabled Soviet T-34 Medium Tanks fielded by the North and Chinese, the system excelled against light armored targets and fixed infantry defensive positions. As a result, it served well in the short-ranged infantry support role moreso than the intended anti-tank role.
The M20 saw some limited action in the early years of the Vietnam War but generally fell out of favor with the arrival of wire-guided anti-tank missile systems now coming online. Despite its World War 2 pedigree, the M20 still sees some limited frontline service in inventories of less-developed armies around the world.
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