Recoilless projectile launcher

PCT No. PCT/GB92/00373 Sec. 371 Date Jul. 19, 1993 Sec. 102(e) Date Jul. 19, 1993 PCT Filed Mar. 3, 1992 PCT Pub. No. WO92/16808 PCT Pub. Date Oct. 1, 1992.A projectile launcher and in particular a mass/countermass projectile launcher in which the piston intercept(s) comprises a braking collar (8) made of a material which exhibits constrained progressive crushing. When a projectile (18) is fired the launching piston (10) impacts upon the braking collar (8) at the muzzle of the launcher and initiates constrained progressive crushing in the collar (8). The crushing of the collar (8) absorbs the kinetic energy of the piston (10) thus arresting the axial motion of the piston (10). The projectile launcher according to the present invention can be less massive than similar launchers that use conventional metal piston intercepts which is an advantage if the launcher is designed to be shoulder-launched by a human operator. The type of collar material preferably used is made of a solid filler embedded in a plastics matrix and in particular the solid filler is made of reinforcing fibers.