FORCETALLY
Loading the evidence…
Preparing your view.
Preparing your view.
MortarsIn service
Infantry mortar
M1 mortar is a infantry mortar originating in United States. Reported operators include United States Vietnam Other users.
United StatesInfantry mortar
United States
1935–1952
United States Vietnam Other users
World War II Korean War Algerian War Vietnam War Nicaraguan Revolution Salvadoran Civil War
see general data
3 ft 11 in (1.19 m)
8 (squad leader, gunner, assistant gunner, 5 ammunition bearers)
see ammunition
81 mm (3.2 in)
18 rpm sustained 30-35 rpm maximum
700 ft/s (210 m/s)
3,300 yd (3,000 m)
M4
Austria : used on M21 mortar motor carriage
Belgium : made under license
Republic of China
Colombia
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Ethiopia
France
Greece
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Japan
Laos
Libya
Mexico
Myanmar : M-43
South Korea : The Armed Forces was equipped with 386 M1s before the Korean War , and 822 were in service with the Army by the end of the war. Began replacing with M29A1 or KM29A1 in 1970s.
Turkey
Thailand
United States
Uruguay
South Vietnam
North Vietnam
Vietnam
The M1 mortar is an American 81 millimeter caliber mortar .
The M1 mortar is an American 81 millimeter caliber mortar . It was based on the French Brandt mortar . The M1 mortar was used from before World War II until the 1950s when it was replaced by the lighter and longer ranged M29 mortar .
Tube 44.5 lb (20 kg)
Mount 46.5 lb (21 kg)
Base plate 45 lb (20 kg) Total 136 pounds (62 kg)
M43A1 light HE: 7.05 lb (3.20 kg); HE filling 1.22 lb (0.55 kg); range min 100 yd (91 m); range max 3300 yd (zone 7, 3018 m); 80% frag radius 25 yd (23 m) (compared favorably with the 75 mm howitzer). M52 superquick fuze (explode on surface).
M45 heavy HE: 15.10 lb (6.85 kg); HE filling 4.48 lb (2.03 kg); range max 1275 yd (zone 5, 1166 m); bursting radius comparable to the 105 mm howitzer. Equipped with M45 (super quick/delay action selective) or M53 (delay action only) P.D. fuze.
M56 heavy HE: 10.77 lb (4.86 kg); HE filling 4.31 lb (1.96 kg); range max 2655 yd (zone 5, 2428 m), standard for issue and manufacture shell replacing M45. It used the M53 fuze back in 1944, but it was at some point replaced by the M77 Timed Super Quick (TSQ) fuze.
M57 WP ( white phosphorus ) "bursting smoke": 10.74 lb (4.87 kg); range max 2470 yd (2260 m); designed to lay down screening smoke, but had definite anti-personnel and incendiary applications.
M57 FS (a solution of sulfur trioxide in chlorosulfonic acid ) chemical smoke: 10.74 lb (4.87 kg), range max 2470 yd (2260 m); laid down dense white fog consisting of small droplets of hydrochloric and sulfuric acids. In moderate concentrations, it is highly irritating to the eyes, nose, and skin.
M68 training practice: 9.50 lb to 10.10 lb. An inert teardrop-shaped cast iron shell without provision for a fuze well that was used to simulate the M43 light HE shell. The casing on early models was painted black but post-World War 2 versions are painted blue. It came in 9 different weights (engraved on the shell) to allow it to simulate shell firing with and without booster charges. Weight zone one (9.5 lbs.) simulated a shell with the maximum of 8 booster charges and weight zone nine (10.10 lbs.) simulated the shell being fired without booster charges.
M301 illuminating shell: range max 2200 yd (2012 m); attached to parachute; burned brightly (275,000 candelas ) for about 60 seconds, illuminating an area of about 150 yards (137 m) diameter. It used the M84 time fuze, which was adjustable from 5 to 25 seconds before priming charge detonated, releasing the illuminator and chute.
The M1 mortar's shells sometimes used the same fuzes as the shells for the M2 60 mm mortar. An adapter collar was added to the smaller fuzes to allow them to fit the larger shells.
M48 point detonating (PD) fuze : selective powder train burning fuze that can be set to super quick or delay ignition on impact. The factory pre-set delay time was stamped on the shell body. If the super-quick flash ignition failed, the delay fuse kicked in. If set on delay, the super-quick flash igniter mechanism was immobilized to prevent premature ignition. Models: M48, M48A1, M48A2 (either 0.05 or 0.15 second Delay), & M48A3 (0.05 second delay).
M84 mechanical timing (MT) fuze : clockwork fuze that can be set from 0 to 25 seconds in 1-second intervals; seconds were indicated by vertical lines and 5-second intervals were indicated by metal bosses to allow it to be set in low-light or night-time conditions.
M84A1 mechanical timing (MT) fuze : clockwork fuze that can be set from 0 to 50 seconds in 2-second intervals.
Tube 44.5 lb (20 kg)
Mount 46.5 lb (21 kg)
Base plate 45 lb (20 kg)
Total 136 pounds (62 kg)
Fabricant Watervliet Arsenal
M1 Mortar United States Unknown
M1 Mortar United States
M1 Mortar United States 35
M1 Mortar United States 217
M1 mortar Medium mortar 81mm United States In service
Reference text from Wikipedia contributors, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.
True scale
Sourced dimensions beside a 1.75 m human reference.
See it in your room. Scan with your phone to open this model in 3D, then place it in your space.
Points represent sourced observations, including revisions. Revisions on the same effective date are not separate inventory events. Ranges appear in the table and are not plotted as exact points.
| Observation / report period | Value | Source | Claim state |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 2026 | 81 mm | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| 1 Oct 2026 | 81 mm | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
M1 mortar equipment records. Variants, orders and quantities are shown as reported in each inventory source; coverage is incomplete.
Austria
Belgium
BrazilArmy exact named equipment holdings: M1. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 81mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
Colombia
Dominican RepublicArmy exact named equipment holdings: M1. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 81mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
El Salvador
Ethiopia
France
Greece
GuatemalaArmy exact named equipment holdings: M1. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 81mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
Haiti
HondurasReported count for M1. Country-wide list; no individual service specified. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): quantity: 217. Origin: United States. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
Japan
Laos
Libya
MexicoArmy exact named equipment holdings: M1. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 81mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
Myanmar
South Korea
Taiwan
Thailand
Türkiye United States
UruguayArmy exact named equipment holdings: M1. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 81mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
Vietnam