M18A1 Claymore

The M18 Claymore series are directional antipersonnel mines developed during the 1950s. The M18A1 Claymore is the main production version and the most likely to be seen: it was adopted by the United States Military in 1960 and first used in Vietnam in 1966. Contrary to depictions in media which usually show it as rigged to a tripwire or proximity detonated, the M18A1 is almost always used in a command-detonated mode using the M57 "clacker" detonator (a small piezoelectric toggle generator based on an igniter developed by the US Navy for the "Tiny Tim" air-to-surface rocket) linked to the mine via a cable. Multiple mines can be daisychained to the same detonator. While they are not usually used in a self-detonated mode, it is possible to rig up systems to detonate the mine via other means: anything which can trigger a blasting cap will work. 
The mine's payload is 700 1/8-inch (3.2mm) steel ball bearings encased in a resin matrix, set in front of a convex layer of C4 explosive that is normally triggered by a blasting cap. On detonation, the ball bearings are ejected in a 60-degree arc at around 4,000 feet per second (1,200 meters per second or Mach 3.6) with the force of the detonation distorting them to the point they resemble .22 caliber bullets. The mine's effective range is around 55 yards (50m), though fragments can travel up to 270 yards (250m). Because the plastic mine body is completely destroyed by the detonation, the Claymore also has a "backblast" danger zone of 52 feet (16m) in the remaining 300 degrees not part of the main blast. The "hump" on the top of the mine is an iron sight to allow the user to judge its area of effect when placing it, with the two "ears" on the side a pair of removable combination shipping plugs and priming adaptors which cover the two fuze wells: these can be rotated, and can either be used to route a cable through to an inserted blasting cap, or removed to insert non-standard detonators. Claymores are typically issued in an M7 bandolier ("Claymore bag") containing a printed instruction sheet, a mine, M6 electric blasting caps, the M57 detonator, a 100-foot (30m) M4 firing wire wrapped around a plastic spool, and an M40 circuit tester for function tests.
The original M18 was barely produced (only 10,000 were made, some of which made their way to Vietnam in 1961) and can be distinguished from the M18A1 by having straight stakes for legs rather than the fold-open scissor-legs of the M18A1, with stability provided by a third leg in the middle which extends out in front of the mine, and with the iron sight on top of the mine an optional accessory. It is not marked "FRONT TOWARD ENEMY." It is also internally different, using C-3 explosive instead of C4 and using steel cube projectiles instead of ball bearings. It was ineffective, having numerous reliability issues and a range of only 30 yards (27m). The battery-powered firing device issued with this variant and early M18A1s was notoriously unsafe to the point that FM 23-23 ("Antipersonnel Mine M18A1 And M18 (Claymore)") states that batteries should not be inserted into it unless the user is attempting to detonate whatever it is attached to.
The Claymore has been extensively copied by other powers with the Soviet MON-50 anti-personnel mine being the most numerous of these. The Soviets also produced the double-sized MON-90, and other widely-used copies include the Chinese Type 66 and Serbian MRUD. The US also produces the smaller MM-1 "Minimore" and the US military is currently testing a 2-pound variant as the "Mini-Multi-Purpose Infantry Munition" (M-MPIMS).
In a live-action production the mines are, obviously, never going to be live devices outside of stock footage. The mine casing often comes from an M68 Inert Training Kit: the mine in this kit, the M33, has no explosive or pyrotechnic filler, and is either blue, black, or green with a blue band. The kit also contains an M10 inert firing wire. In films, M33 mines can sometimes be recognised by the green paint flaking off or being scratched due to handling, revealing the original color below and / or the word "INERT" written on both edges of the rear face on some variants (for example in Predator). In both this movie and Commando the armorer appears to have ground off "M33" from the rear face, leaving only the words "BACK APERS MINE," though more recent films have either added the "M18A1" lettering or used reproduction M18A1 backplates.
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==Specifications==
(1954-1960s (M18), 1960 – Present (M18A1))
* Type: Antipersonnel mine
* Origin: United States
* Weight: 
* Length: 
* Fire Modes: Command detonation, other methods can be jury-rigged
== Film ==
Title 	Actor 	Character 	Notation 	Date
The Green Berets 	 	 	As part of base defense perimeter 	1968
Uncommon Valor 	 	weapon cache 	 	1983
Commando 	Arnold Schwarzenegger	John Matrix 	With fictional wireless detonator 	1985
The Park is Mine 	Jong Soo Park 	Tran Chan Dinh 	 	1985
Platoon 	 	 	 	1986
Predator 	Bill Duke 	Sgt. Mac 	M33, green paint partially rubbed off in one scene showing blue underneath	1987
Bullet in the Head 	Simon Yam 	Ah Lok 	 	1990
Bullet in the Head 	Jacky Cheung 	Fai 	 	1990
Bullet in the Head 	 	Việt Cộng 	 	1990
G.I. Jane 	Jim Caviezel 	Slovnik 	 	1997
Proof of Life 	Russell Crowe 	Terry Thorne 	 	2000
Sniper 2 	 	 	 	2002
Tears of the Sun 	Cole Hauser 	James "Red" Atkins 	 	2003
S.W.A.T. 	Jeremy Renner 	Brian Gamble 	 	2003
S.W.A.T. 	Colin Farrell 	Officer Jim Street 	 	2003
The Punisher 	Thomas Jane 	Frank Castle 	 	2004
Jarhead 	Brian Geraghty 	Fergus 	 	2005
Rambo 	Sylvester Stallone 	John Rambo 	 	2008
Predators 	Oleg Taktarov 	Nikolai 	 	2010
Maximum Conviction 	Steve Austin 	Manning 	 	2012
Red Dawn 	Josh Hutcherson 	Robert Kitner 	 	2012
Edge of Tomorrow 	 	 	Fictionalized custom prop 	2014
No Tears for the Dead	 	 	 	2014
Bright 	 	Shield of Light arsenal 	 	2017
Nobody 	Bob Odenkirk 	Hutch Mansell / "Nobody"	 	2021
== Television ==
Show Title 	Actor 	Character 	Note / Episode	Air Date
Tour of Duty 	 	U.S. soldiers 	 	1987-1990
Generation Kill 	 	U.S. Marines 	 	2008
East West 101 	 	Extremists 	 	2009
True Detective - Season 3	Michael Greyeyes	Brett Woodward	 	2019
==Anime==
Title 	Character 	Note 	Date
Those Who Hunt Elves - Season 1	Ritsuko Inoue	"The Search for the 1000th Fighter" (S1E04)	1996
Kochikame, The Movie 	JSDF members 	 	1999
Magikano 	Rika Anju 	"Did a Maid Really Come?" (Ep.07) 	2006
Future Diary 	 	 	2011
== Video Games ==
Claymore mines in videogames are almost universally shown as proximity detonated, usually triggered by stepping inside their blast zone; as a result, their area of effect is generally unrealistically small. Proximity detonation is not a feature of the real mine, which is typically command detonated using a "clacker" triggering device. They also invariably only have any effect in their main 60 degree arc, without the 52-foot concussion and case fragment hazard zone in all directions.
Game Title 	Appears as 	Mods 	Notation 	Release Date
Metal Gear Solid 	Claymore 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator and optic stealth 	1998
Fallout Tactics 	Claymore 	 	 	2001
Ghost Recon 	 	 	 	2001
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty 	Claymore 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator and optic stealth 	2001
Conflict: Desert Storm II 	 	 	 	2003
Battlefield: Vietnam 	 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator 	2003
Vietcong 	 	 	 	2003
Vietcong 2 	 	 	 	2003
Ghost Squad 	 	 	Fictional version with 5 second detonator 	2004
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes 	Claymore 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator and optic stealth 	2004
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 	Claymore 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator 	2004
Conflict: Vietnam 	 	 	 	2004
Battlefield 2 	 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator 	2005
Project Reality 	 	 	 	2005
Project Reality 	Type 66 	 	 	2005
Conflict: Global Terror 	 	 	 	2005
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 	 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator 	2007
Crysis 	 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator 	2007
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots	Claymore 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator 	2008
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 	 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator 	2009
Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising 	 	 	 	2009
Call of Duty: Black Ops 	Claymore 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator 	2010
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker 	 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator 	2010
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 	 	 	 	2010
Delta Force: Xtreme 2 	 	 	 	2010
Battlefield Play4Free 	 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator 	2011
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 	 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator 	2011
War Inc. Battlezone 	 	 	 	2011
Call of Duty: Black Ops II 	 	 	Fictional version with futuristic body and proximity detonator 	2012
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier 	 	 	 	2012
Project Reality: Falklands 	 	 	 	2012
Project Reality: Vietnam 	 	 	 	2012
Aliens: Colonial Marines 	"M20 Claymore Mine"	 	Fictional variant with quad laser-based detonator 	2013
ArmA Tactics 	M18A1 Claymore 	command-detonated and proximity-detonated	 	2013
Warface 	 	 	 	2013
Battlefield 4 	 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator 	2013
Rainbow Six Siege 	Claymore 	 	Fictional variant with triple laser-based detonator 	2015
Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 	"Laser Claymore" 	 	Fictional variant with laser-based detonator 	2016
Rising Storm 2: Vietnam 	 	 	 	2017
Ironsight 	Claymore 	 	Fictional version with proximity detonator with black and white finish	2018
Call to Arms 	 	 	 	2018
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 	Claymore 	 	Fictional version with laser-based detonator 	2019
Caliber 	 	 	 	2019
The Last of Us Part II 	 	 	 	2020
Category:Gun
Category:Mine