Stupid GI Tricks

[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by HorseSoldier

I wonder if they tested the claymore rigs there -- I was always told that a sand bag backing was preferred to prevent damage to the backing armor on a 113. I'd also think a test shot would blow their brackets to smithereens.

Claymores do surprisingly little actual damage to a target since the design is more to spread shrapnel over the target area than inflict blast damage. Still, I wouldn't want to be holding one in my hand (or even within a hundred yards and not in cover!). From memory they've only got about 700 grams of explosive in them which is spread out in a thin sheet.

The brackets should survive ok if they're made out of a decently thick steel - might need cosmetic application of a hammer, but should be good for reloading.
The problem I see with strapping claymores to a vehicle is that the back blast can bounce off obstacles located up to a metre behind and push the claymore over before it's shrapnel can get clear - in other words it fires into the dirt instead of sending it's hundreds of ball bearings screaming towards the enemy.

To put the claymore's capabilities into perspective, I once saw a bank of three fired at figure 11 targets (mansized cardboard cutouts of torso and head) which were located between about 10 and thirty metres. Even the closest target had no more than half a dozen holes in it with some of the further targets missed entirely by the storm of 2,100+ pieces of shrapnel. They certainly weren't shredded, but I for one still wouldn't have wanted to be on the receiving end - the noise alone was enough to incapacitate and at least stun long enough that the infantryman who initiated the blast could take his time aiming...