The Probert Encyclopaedia of Warfare

L16

The L16 is a British 81mm mortar. The L16 reinvented the mortar from an area weapon into a near-precision weapon by adding a plastic ring around the projectile which allowed air to pass as the projectile was loaded, but not allow the propelling gases to escape around the edges, thereby allowing much less windage when the projectile was fired. The L16 fires a 4.2 kg bomb between 166 metres and 5650 metres with a rate of fire of up to 15 rounds-per-minute. The
L16 has been adopted by the American army, and given the designation M252.
Research L16