AC58
Encyclopedia
The AC 58 is an anti-armour rifle grenade
used by the French Army
. Its official French Army designation is Grenade à fusil antichar de 58 mm Mle F1 PAB.
warhead and a tail fitted with stabilizing fins. Detonation is initiated by a nose impact and a base fuse.
Two version of the AC 58 exist:
The AC58 is used in direct fire. Under an optimal angle, the AC 58 is capable of piercing 350mm of armour. The FAMAS
provides a built in alidade type aiming device for launching the grenade from 75 or 100 meters.
The warhead of the AC58 is also used by the Luchaire Wasp 58
individual antiarmour/assault weapon.
Rifle grenade
A rifle grenade is a grenade that uses a rifle-based launcher to permit a longer effective range than would be possible if the grenade was thrown by hand...
used by the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
. Its official French Army designation is Grenade à fusil antichar de 58 mm Mle F1 PAB.
Design
The AC 58 comprises a body with a shaped chargeHeat
In physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...
warhead and a tail fitted with stabilizing fins. Detonation is initiated by a nose impact and a base fuse.
Two version of the AC 58 exist:
- the older F1 model which must be fired with a blank cartridge
- the current F2 model which uses a bullet trap that allows using live rounds
Use
To launch, First... place the AC58 F2 over the muzzle of a FAMAS or any NATO STANAG rifle. Second...point the rifle at the target. Third...fire the rifle. The impact of the bullet striking the bullet-trap and the expanding gases will launch and arm the grenade. The grenade will explode on impact.The AC58 is used in direct fire. Under an optimal angle, the AC 58 is capable of piercing 350mm of armour. The FAMAS
FAMAS
The FAMAS is a bullpup-styled assault rifle designed and manufactured in France by MAS located in Saint-Étienne, which is now a member of the French government-owned Nexter group...
provides a built in alidade type aiming device for launching the grenade from 75 or 100 meters.
The warhead of the AC58 is also used by the Luchaire Wasp 58
Wasp 58
The Wasp 58 is a 58-mm recoilless antitank weapon developed in France in the late 1980s. The weapon was originally a private developed by the French firm Luchaire SA...
individual antiarmour/assault weapon.