Why Do Challenger Tanks Use Rifled Guns? | Koala Explains: Rifled vs Smoothbore

Throughout the early 20th century, tank guns were almost universally rifled, to improve accuracy just as in handheld weapons. However around the 1970's, tanks like the T-72, M1 Abrams and Leopard 2 were designed with smoothbore main guns. Nowadays, the ONLY modern tanks still utilizing rifled guns, besides those using the legacy L7 105mm rifle, are the British Challengers. So why the change? And why are the British sticking to 120mm rifles? SPC Margaret Higgins COL Mikel J. Burroughs CW5 Jack Cardwell Lt Col Charlie Brown SGT (Join to see) CPL Dave Hoover SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SSG Michael Noll SGT Steve McFarland 1SG Steven Imerman CPL Douglas Chrysler SPC Douglas Bolton PO1 H Gene Lawrence Sgt (Join to see) LTC Stephen F. PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Maj Marty Hogan