The Boys Anti-Tank Rifle. First created in the year 1936, it was abandoned in 1941 as impractical due to the devastating effect its truly staggering recoil had on the firer. Weighing in at 16.3 kg (36 lb), this gun is the original assault cannon.

Here's the thing: when it was abandoned, the wielders were mere men. With the advent of cyborgs, trolls and gyrostablisers, it is my opinion that this antique may be worth a bit of a revisit in the sixth world.

Anyone got any suggestions before we go raiding the museums? 'cos if not, it's time for some old-school ass-kicking.

I'd submit the Mauser Tankgewehr M1918 as an earlier example.

But weren't anti-tank rifles like the Boys abandoned mostly because they couldn't keep up with the continuous increase in tank armor during WW2?

By the time of Shadowrun the Boys will have been out of production for over a century and I guess .55 Boys ammo would be nigh-impossible to find either, since AFAIK no other weapon used that caliber. Also the Boys wouldn't have the advantages of 2070s weapons concerning accessories like smartlinks, optics etc....
And the general concept has been revisited already IRL, see for example the successful Barrett line of rifles. If I somehow couldn't get a 2070s weapon I'd rather look for a well-conserved 2000s anti-materiel rifle, since I'd guess parts and ammo for those would be much more readily available.

All that's not to say that a Boys couldn't do the job, IF you manage to find one in working condition (which is not necessarily the case with museum pieces) and ammo. But I'd consider it only if there's nothing more modern at all available. I suppose you could make it a plot point if the PCs suddenly and unforseeably need an AT rifle and happen to be near a WW2/arms museum or maybe if a PC is an arms collector/WW2 reenactor type. However I don't see it as "normal" equipment.

All valid points... but somehow I just can't get the expression of some over-arrogant foe as he looks down the barrel of a hundred-and-thirty-year-old gun and realises 'oh crap!'

You know, when I make my next heavy weapons expert he's going to use one of these purely for style. In fact, he's going to have the signature special quality because of his unique weapon and ammo... totally worth it!

Ancient Weapons enthusiast finds AR plans that have been going around for one, happens to be a gunsmith, builds it himself, with all the newer add-ons after making a few adjustments, builds himself, makes the ammo (lots of craft checks for this idea) suddenly it would work & have smart gun access if made right.

The advantage might be if used on smaller vehicals, like a limo, the ballistics evidence might cause real problems tracking the shooter. My husband often says if he ever shot a certtain annoying dog in the neighborhood with his musket, the musket ball taken out of it would be untraceable. (I point out that since people know he has a musket that might not wash)

The Boys Anti-Tank Rifle has already been taken out of retirement, rechambered in .50 BMG, and is/was used as an Anti-Material Sniper Rifle.

The modern variant of the Boys is probably an Assault Cannon. If not, then definitely a 9DV sniper/light antimaterial rifle, like the Barret.


I'm sure you can probably get a 2070s-manufactured weapon like it, with a top-loading banna clip, though.

Basically just an anti-material rifle, just older, less sophisticated, less accurate, slower firing, and with less types of ammunition available. Would be kinda like a mercenary today demanding to use a Springfield rifled musket for those .58 balls.

At least you can still make the .58 balls. .55 Boys ammo are museum pieces in and of themselves.

Which is why, when they pulls the Boys Rifle out of retirement, they rechambered them for .50 BMG.