WORST Military Small Arms of the 20th Century

No one remembers the infamous italian Glisenti 6'5 mm pistol? Books said it use to split open in pieces when fired...
 
Hmm, which book :?: The only thing I have ever heard about this pistol was that the cartridge was very underpowered for its job. I think the Japan - Type 94 Self-Loading Pistol still retains the crown as worst pistol though (not that I would care to fire either one!)
 
worst heavy cal rifle would be the boyes anti tank rifle in 55 cal. it was a 5 shot bolt action. 5 feet long weighing 36 lbs. looking a bit like a oversized bren gun. its worst fact being it's ammo tended to bounce of armour instead of going thru it.
Have seen old war footage of it in use against a japanese tank, the guy using it fired 3 rounds at the tank under a range of 50 meters then left his fox hole as the tank fired at his possie. all rounds just bounced off.
completly ineffective, but was known to break the occasional shoulder due to recoil.
 
The Nazi Hungarian Mauser rifle circa 1943... straight pull bolt which was very prone to coming straight back into said operator's nose.
 
bulldogg said:
The Nazi Hungarian Mauser rifle circa 1943... straight pull bolt which was very prone to coming straight back into said operator's nose.
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Sounds like you're talking about the Austro-Hungarian Styer (not Mauser) M-95. 8X56R. Haven't heard negative things about this rifle, unlike the Canadian Ross. Some were rechambered for 8X57, think there were some problems with those that were monkeyed with.
 
bush musketeer said:
worst heavy cal rifle would be the boyes anti tank rifle in 55 cal. it was a 5 shot bolt action. 5 feet long weighing 36 lbs. looking a bit like a oversized bren gun. its worst fact being it's ammo tended to bounce of armour instead of going thru it.
Have seen old war footage of it in use against a japanese tank, the guy using it fired 3 rounds at the tank under a range of 50 meters then left his fox hole as the tank fired at his possie. all rounds just bounced off.
completly ineffective, but was known to break the occasional shoulder due to recoil.
Click to expand...

In UK a member of our rifle club had the Mk1 version with the round type muzzle brake, I was invited to fire it (at around $3 a bang and this was in the early 80's!). I have never felt recoil like it, (compared to the Boys my 300 Win Mag was like an air rifle), after 3 rounds I had enough. I pity the guys who had to fight with it, but it did have the capability to take out soft skinned vehicles and aircraft on the ground no problem.

The worst bolt action rifle I have used is the Lee Enfield No5 Mk1, the so called jungle carbine, with its wandering zero and heavier recoil compared to the standard rifle, then of course was the muzzle flash, in low light conditions it could blind the firer.
 
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