Originally Posted by
etudiant
No real evidence for its effectiveness that I know of, but the basic concept of using a small high pressure charge to push a larger lump of (possibly shaped charge) explosives to the target seems plausible.
It fired a 2.5lb shaped charge warhead. There is plenty of evidence for its effectiveness once the initial problems with accuracy and warhead fusing were sorted out.
For eg there were 6 VCs awarded to PIAT operators which included killing Pazer IVs and at least one Panther.
During the Normandy campaign it was assessed that 7% of all German tanks destroyed by British forces were taken out using the PIAT (compared to 6% taken out by aircraft using RPs).
Furthermore a 1944/45 Canadian Army survey ranked the PIAT as the number one most “outstandingly effective” weapon, followed by the Bren gun.