MON-50

Anti-Personnel (AP) Fragmentation Mine

Soviet Union | 1965

"The MON-50 mimics the American M18 Claymore anti-personnel mine in both form and function."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/28/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The MON-50 serves the Russian Army, and many other global operators, as an infantry-level Anti-Personnel (AP) mine. Its form and function is very reminiscent of the American M18 "Claymore" AP mine and both were developed during the Cold War period (1947-1991). Under the Soviet banner, the MON-50 was exported en mass to supported states and allied nations and, as such, sees consistent battlefield use even today.

The MON-50 utilizes a plastic casing and typically takes on a grey, olive, or green appearance. A pair of scissors-type "feet" are affixed to the mine's underside which allow it to stand on its own or to be driven into soft terrain (sand, dirt). A special spike is also available for driving the mine into more solid surfaces such as wood. The weapon weighs just two kilograms and has an overall length of 226mm, a width of 35mm, and height of 155mm.

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Internally, there is 700 grams of RDX explosive substance which, when combined with the natural fragmentation of the mine's body, causes lethal damage out to 60 meters officially - though fragments are recorded as far away as 300 meters. Various fuzes / detonations are available: direct command (via demolition cable), seismic sensor, breakwire / tripwire, and mechanical pull. A peep-style sighting device is fitted over the mine to assist the operator in determining exact blast direction.

The MON-100 and MON-200 are other types of AP mines developed by the Soviet Union and vary in their shape and battlefield role.

The MON-50 sees current production in Russia as well as outside of it (Bulgaria).

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Physical
The physical qualities of the MON-50. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

226 mm
8.90 in
O/A Length

226 mm
8.90 in
Barrel Length

4.41 lb
2.00 kg
Weight

Directional; Single-Use
Action

Not Applicable.
Caliber(s)

Single-Use
Feed

Not Applicable.
Sights

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the MON-50 Anti-Personnel (AP) Fragmentation Mine family line.

MON-50 - Base Series Designation.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the MON-50. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): State Arsenals - Soviet Union

[ Afghanistan; Albania; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Belarus; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Cambodia; China; Egypt; Estonia; Finland; Georgia; Hungary; Indonesia; Iran; Iraq; Kyrgyzstan; Laos; Latvia; Libya; Malaysia; Myanmar; Moldova; Mongolia; North Korea; Pakistan; Poland; Romania; Russia; Soviet Union; Tajikistan; Thailand; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; Uzbekistan; Vietnam; Yugoslavia ]

Design Qualities
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to requirements.

SPECIAL PURPOSE

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

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Similar
Developments of similar form-and-function, or related, to the MON-50 Anti-Personnel (AP) Fragmentation Mine.

M18 Claymore

Going Further...
The MON-50 Anti-Personnel (AP) Fragmentation Mine appears in the following collections:

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