WW2 German "Deactivated" Panzerfaust 60M Anti-Tank Rocket and Launcher (Original)
SKU: GERMAN “DEACTIVATED” PANZERFAUST 60 ANTI-TANK ROCKET AND LAUNCHER
Type: Original
Availability: In-Stock
Manufacturer:
Manufacturer's Code:
Date Manufactured: 1940's
Model: 60M
Caliber: 44mm tube, with a 140mm diameter warhead
Length: Approximately 104 cm (launcher and projectile)
Weight: Around 6.1 kg (loaded)
Effective Range: Approximately 60 meters (hence the name)
Velocity: ~45 m/s
Warhead: Shaped charge, contact fused, high explosive
Serial Number:
Condition: Excellent
Price: $3,000.00
Seller Type: Classification: C&R / FFL
Seller ID: JMW
Seller Code: DG 400.00
Return Policy: 3-day inspection and return policy on used guns and accessories.
Description
This Certified Original German Panzerfaust 60M, is a great display object, perfect for your WWII combat display. The condition is excellent. This example is completely empty of all explosives and propellant and is for display. This original manufacture stickers are completly visible.
History
The Panzerfaust 60 was one of Nazi Germany’s most iconic and widely issued anti-tank weapons of World War II. Developed as part of a desperate yet innovative effort to give individual infantrymen the ability to destroy enemy armor, the Panzerfaust series marked a major evolution in man-portable anti-tank technology.
Development & Background
Introduced in mid-1944, the Panzerfaust 60 ("armor fist") was an improvement upon earlier models such as the Panzerfaust 30 and Panzerfaust 40. It retained the same disposable launcher concept but featured better range, velocity, and handling. Its simple design allowed for mass production and ease of use by both trained soldiers and last-ditch Volkssturm militia units.
Design & Operation
The Panzerfaust 60 was a shoulder-fired, recoilless weapon, consisting of a single-use steel tube launcher pre-loaded with a warhead-tipped rocket projectile. The warhead was a large, high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) shaped charge capable of penetrating up to 200mm of armor.
The launcher featured a simple flip-up sight calibrated for different ranges (30, 40, 60m), and the projectile was launched using a black powder propellant. The backblast required the user to be cautious when firing from enclosed spaces.
Combat Use
The Panzerfaust 60 saw widespread service on both the Eastern and Western Fronts. Its effectiveness against Soviet T-34s, American Shermans, and British Churchills made it a feared weapon in close-quarters urban and defensive fighting. It was especially lethal in ambush scenarios, where soldiers could strike tanks at close range from concealed positions.
By 1945, tens of thousands were issued to the Wehrmacht, Waffen-SS, and even civilian Volkssturm units defending cities like Berlin during the war’s final stages. Its simplicity allowed even untrained personnel to inflict serious damage on Allied armored units.
Legacy
Though crude in construction, the Panzerfaust 60 left a lasting legacy. It inspired postwar designs such as the Soviet RPG-2 and RPG-7, and was among the earliest effective man-portable anti-tank weapons fielded in large numbers. Collectors and historians view it as a critical piece of late-war German infantry tactics and armament strategy.
