20 mm caliber explained

20 mm caliber is a specific size of popular autocannon ammunition. The dividing line between smaller-caliber weapons, commonly called "guns", from larger-caliber "cannons" (e.g. machine gun vs. autocannon), is conventionally taken to be the 20 mm round, the smallest caliber of autocannon. All 20 mm cartridges have an outside projectile (bullet) diameter and barrel bore diameter of approximately 0.787inches. These projectiles are typically 75to(-) long, cartridge cases are typically 75to(-) long, and most are shells, with an explosive payload and detonating fuze.

Weapons using this caliber range from anti-materiel rifles and anti-tank rifles to aircraft autocannons and anti-aircraft guns.

Usage

Twenty millimeter caliber weapons are generally not used to target individual soldiers, but rather objects such as vehicles, buildings, or aircraft.

Types of ammunition

20 mm weapons

Each weapon is listed with its cartridge type appended.

Current weapons

!Weapon!Country of origin!Cartridge!Notes
Neopup PAW-20 South Africa20×42 mm
Denel NTW-20 South Africa20×82 mm Mauser
Denel Vektor GA-1 South Africa
Vidhwansak India
Anzio 20mm rifle United States20×102 mm
Arash anti-materiel rifle
M61 Vulcan United States
M197 electric cannon United States
M39 cannon United States
GIAT M621 France
ZVI PL-20 Plamen Czech Republic
Nexter Narwhal 20A FranceBased on the M621
Şahi 20-102 Turkey
XM301 United States[2]
Denel NTW-20 South Africa20×110 mm Hispano
Metallic RT-20 Croatia
Truvelo CMS 20x110mm South Africa
Yugoimport-SDPR M71/08 SerbiaSingle barrel development of Zastava M55
Oerlikon KAE (KAA/KAB) Switzerland20×128 mmFormerly known as Oerlikon 204GK/5TG
Meroka CIWS Spain
Oerlikon KAD Switzerland20×139 mmFormerly known as Hispano-Suiza HS.820
GIAT M693/20 mm modèle F2 France
Rheinmetall Rh 202 Germany
Denel Land Systems GI-2 South Africa
Nexter Narwhal 20B FranceBased on the 20 mm F2

Historical weapons

WeaponCountry of originCartridgeNotes
Becker Type M2 20 mm cannon20×70 mm RB
Oerlikon FF20×72 mm RB
Type 99 cannon, model 1
Ikaria-Werke Berlin MG FF/M cannon20×80 mm RB
Mauser MG 151/2020×82 mm
Ho-5 cannon20×94 mm
Berezin B-2020×99 mm R[3]
ShVAK
Helenius RK-20 APH FinlandDerivative of the Helenius RK-97 12.7 mm anti-materiel rifle
Ghan-Krnka fortress rifle20.3×95 mm RBullet diameter 21 mm
Type 99 cannon, model 2class=nowrap20×101 mm RB
Solothurn S-18/10020×105 mm B
Bofors m/4520×110 mm
Bofors m/49
class=nowrapHispano-Suiza HS.404 and derivatives
Oerlikon F, FFL20×110 mm RB
Polsten20×110 mm RB
Colt Mk 12 cannon20×110 mm USNAdvanced derivative of the HS.404
Madsen 20 mm anti-aircraft cannon20×120 mm
Type 97 automatic cannon20×124 mm
Mauser MG 21320×135 mm
Solothurn S-18/1000 anti-tank rifle Switzerland20×138 mm B
Solothurn S-18/1100 anti-tank rifle Switzerland
ST-5 20 mm AA gun Switzerland
FlaK 30 and FlaK 38 single-barrel AAForerunner of Hispano-Suiza HS.820's post-war 20×139 mm round
Flakvierling quadruple-barrel AA
MG C/30L aircraft gun
Rheinmetall KwK 30 and KwK 38
Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/77 (Scotti)
Lahti L-39 anti-tank rifle FinlandSolothurn Long
Lahti L-40 anti-aircraft gun Finland
Nkm wz.38 FK anti-tank vehicle-mounted gun PolandDesignated "heaviest machine gun", or "Najcięższy karabin maszynowy, Nkm", AA/AT (actually an autocannon)
Type 98 20 mm AA machine cannon and Type 4 20 mm twin AA machine cannon20×142 mm
Bofors m/4020×145 mm R
Pansarvärnsgevär m/4220×180 mm RRecoilless rifle

Naming conventions

The usual nomenclature of ammunition indicates the diameter of projectile and the length of the cartridge that holds it; for example, 20×102 mm is a 20 mm projectile in a 102 mm long case.

Though this designation is often assumed to be unique, this is not always the case, e.g. there are three different 20×110 mm types which are not compatible. These may be distinguished in that some cartridge designations may include additional letters or names as a suffix, e.g. the various different types of 20×110 mm might be distinguished as 20×110 mm Hispano, 20×110 mm RB and 20×110 mm USN.

Common suffixes

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/pgu-28.htm PGU-27A/B TP/ PGU-28A/B SAPHEI / PGU-30A/B TP-T
  2. Web site: 17 October 2022 . Otomatik Orta Kalibre Top . 17 October 2022.
  3. Web site: Ammunition Data Tables - 20 mm Calibre Cartridges . Williams . Anthony G . January 4, 2021 . Military Guns & Ammunition . Solo Publications . April 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220330003338/http://www.quarryhs.co.uk/ammotable2.html . March 30, 2022.