m18 recoilless rifle
A 57mm man-portable weapon developed by the United States and used in World War II and the Korean War. Like all recoilless rifles, the M18 is closer to a cannon than a rocket launcher or grenade launcher, as an explosive charge propels an unguided shell out the barrel and towards its target.
Though the M18 was considered very effective against enemy infantry and emplaced positions, it did not perform as well against enemy tanks, even in comparison to the contemporary M1 Bazooka. It was replaced by the larger M20 recoilless rifle and later M40 recoilless rifle, which used larger ammunition at the expense of portability.
