Claymore mine
The Claymore mine is a directional anti-personnel mine developed for the United States Armed Forces. Its inventor, Norman MacLeod, named the mine after a large medieval Scottish sword. Unlike a conventional land mine, the Claymore may be command-detonated (fired by remote-control), and is directional, shooting a wide pattern of metal balls into a kill zone. The Claymore can also be activated by a booby-trap tripwire firing system for use in area denial operations.
| Claymore mine | |
|---|---|
The M18A1 Claymore mine with the M57 firing device and M4 electric blasting cap assembly. | |
| Type | Directional fragmentation anti-personnel mine |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1960–present |
| Used by | United States, United Kingdom, Denmark |
| Wars |
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| Production history | |
| Designer | Norman Macleod and others |
| Designed | 1952–1956 |
| Manufacturer | Mohawk Electrical Systems |
| Unit cost | $119 as of 1993 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3.5 lb (1.6 kg) |
| Length | 216 mm (8.5 in) |
| Width | 38 mm (1.5 in) |
| Height | 124 mm (4.9 in) |
| Caliber | .125, or 1⁄8-inch (3.2 mm) diameter steel balls, c. 700 per unit |
| Muzzle velocity | 3,995 ft/s (1,218 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Maximum firing range | 250 m (270 yd) |
| Sights | Peep sight on early models, later a knife edge sight |
| Filling | C-4 |
| Filling weight | 680 g (24 oz) |
Detonation mechanism | Blasting Cap Assembly M4 |
The Claymore fires steel balls out to about 100 m (110 yd) within a 60° arc in front of the device. It is used primarily in ambushes and as an anti-infiltration device against enemy infantry. It is also used against unarmored vehicles.
Many countries have developed and used mines like the Claymore. Examples include models MON-50, MON-90, MON-100, and MON-200 introduced by the Soviet Union and used by its successor Russia, as well as MRUD (Serbia), MAPED F1 (France), and Mini MS-803 (South Africa).