The Carl Gustaf 84mm Recoilless Rifle, Swedish Punch: The Carl Gustaf is a Swedish-developed 84mm recoilless rifle. It is a multi-role, man-portable weapon system used for anti-armor, anti-personnel, and other tactical roles.
It is known for its lightweight, low-cost, and versatile design.
U.S. Army Rangers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, fire off a AT-4 at a range on Camp Roberts, Calif., Jan 26, 2014. Rangers use a multitude of weaponry during their annual tactical training. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Rashene Mincy/ Not Reviewed)
The latest M3A1 (M4) variant, adopted by US forces, is lighter and shorter while maintaining high performance. Its wide range of ammunition includes HEAT, anti-personnel flechettes, and illumination rounds, making it adaptable for modern combat scenarios.
Like other recoilless rifles, the Carl Gustaf mitigates recoil by venting propellant gases backward through a Venturi tube, allowing for a lightweight and portable weapon. Although it is a recoilless rifle, it still packs a tremendous punch.
A day spent on the range or in a combat situation firing multiple rounds in a single day will leave gunners and assistant gunners with headaches, nosebleeds, and such.
The History of the Carl Gustaf RR
The Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration developed it in a program that began in World War II as a crew-served man-portable infantry support weapon for close-range multi-role anti-armor, anti-personnel, battlefield illumination, smoke screening, and marking fire.
The Carl Gustaf is a popular multi-purpose support weapon in many nations. US troops know it as the “GUS” (Goose). It is a lightweight, low-cost weapon that uses a wide range of ammunition, making it highly flexible and suitable for various roles.
The first man-portable, anti-tank recoilless rifle (RR) was seen in World War II. It was the US-produced M1 “Bazooka.” The Germans were impressed with it after they captured several in North Africa and reverse-engineered them to form a more powerful charge in the 88mm Panzershreck. Other nations followed suit, and the recoilless rifle competition was on.
Although officially neutral, Sweden was developing its anti-armor recoilless rifle systems. The Carl Gustaf recoilless rifles went through a series of small, lighter calibers, 20mm, 37mm, and 47mm, which all proved to be obsolete with the progress made in tank design and development.
In 1948, the first M1 Carl Gustaf 84mm was developed, and its usage was designed to be similar to that of the US bazooka. However, unlike the other recoilless rifles developed during the war, Gustav had a rifled barrel with spin-stabilization rather than fins.
The tube’s construction and venturi system allowed the ammunition to pack more propellant, giving it far greater range and accuracy. The M1 was used with great effect during the 1961 war in the Congo.
The US Begins Fielding The Carl Gustaf In 1989
Development continued with the M2 and M3 MAAWS (Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System), exported in 1989 and used by US Army Green Berets, Rangers from the 75th Ranger Regiment, and the British SAS. These were viewed as replacements for the M67 90mm recoilless rifle the Rangers had been using since the late 1970s.
They were perfect weapons for bunker busting and destroying obstacles during the Global War on Terror (GWOT).
The latest development is the M4. USSOCOM requested a design to lighten the M3MAAWS kit without sacrificing the GUS’s ruggedness and handling. SAAB developed the M4, which is called the M3A1 MAAWS, in the US. The variant is seven and a half pounds lighter and two and a half inches shorter. It continues to fire the same ammunition as the M3.
The Army ordered a strange amount, 1,111 weapons, and the Marines ordered 1,200 of the M3A1.
M3A1 Carl Gustaf Ammunition
The M3A1 Carl Gustaf uses a variety of ammunition, but some of the more common rounds are:
FFV401: The FFV401 is an Area Defense Munition designed as a close-range anti-personnel round. It fires 1100 flechettes over a wide area. There are 5-10 flechettes per square meter over a 100-meter spread. It is a devastating round for mass attacks against massed troops in the open.
FFV551: The FFV551 is the primary HEAT round and rocket-assisted projectile (RAP). The effective range is 700 m (400 m against moving targets), and penetration is 400 mm of RHA. The ammunition weight is 3.2 kg, and the muzzle velocity is 255 m/s. More types of ammunition are available at the Carl Gustaf website.
The Carl Gustaf is perfectly suited for Special Operations units. They often work far awayfor conventional artillery support, and the small teams in SOF get an amazing increase in firepower.
About the Author:
Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 19FortyFive, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications
