# The Atomic Gun (DD-083)

> The Davy Crockett was a U.S. tactical nuclear weapon system of the Cold War: a recoilless rifle that fired the M388 nuclear projectile. Its W54 warhead had a yield of roughly 10 to 20 tons of TNT, tiny for a nuclear weapon. It was deployed with U.S. Army units, including in West Germany, from 1961 until it was withdrawn by 1971.

- Department: Military (also History)
- First published: 2023-11-16
- Last updated: 2023-11-16
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-atomic-gun/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## On the timeline

- **1961**: Davy Crockett deployed with U.S. Army units
- **1971**: Davy Crockett withdrawn

Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=the-atomic-gun

## Quick facts

- **DD-083-F01**: It was a recoilless rifle. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (System))_
- **DD-083-F02**: It fired the M388. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (Projectile))_

## Write-up

The U.S. Army fielded a nuclear weapon fired by a three-man crew. Its warhead had a yield of about 10 to 20 tons of TNT.

1. **System**: It was a recoilless rifle.
2. **Projectile**: It fired the M388.
3. **Yield**: About 10 to 20 tons of TNT.
4. **Deployed**: It entered service in 1961.
5. **Withdrawn**: It was withdrawn by 1971.

## Related case files

- [Atomic Annie (DD-004)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/atomic-annie/): I linked another nuclear artillery weapon

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: The Reel calls the projectile the 'Atomic Hand Grenade'; I could not confirm that nickname.

## Video: The Atomic Gun: The U.S. Army Fielded a Nuclear Weapon Fired by a Three-Man Crew

- Duration: 37.8 s · Published: 2023-11-16
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/Czuo_oUtxII.mp4

### Transcript

During the Cold War, the United States designed an atomic gun that they called the Davy Crockett. Did you know? The Davy Crockett was intended to be portable, and it had a surprisingly small caliber for a nuclear weapon. The projectile it fired, nicknamed the Atomic Hand Grenade, had an explosive yield in the range of 10 to 20 tons of TNT. This is super cool, because... Despite its small size, the Davy Crockett was part of the U.S. military's tactical nuclear arsenal during the 1960s. The idea of a portable nuclear weapon, even on a small scale, reflects the unique challenges and strategies during the Cold War era. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: What kind of weapon was the Davy Crockett?**  
A: Fired by a crew. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (System) · Wikipedia: Davy Crockett (nuclear device))_

**Q: What did it fire?**  
A: Nuclear. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Projectile) · Wikipedia: Davy Crockett (nuclear device))_

**Q: What was the warhead?**  
A: Very small. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Yield) · Wikipedia: Davy Crockett (nuclear device); Wikipedia: W54)_

**Q: About what yield?**  
A: Tiny. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Deployed) · Wikipedia: Davy Crockett (nuclear device))_

**Q: When was it withdrawn?**  
A: Ten years in service. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Withdrawn) · Wikipedia: Davy Crockett (nuclear device))_

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Davy Crockett (nuclear device)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davy_Crockett_(nuclear_device))
- [Wikipedia: W54](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W54)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "The Atomic Gun." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-083, last updated Nov 16, 2023. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-atomic-gun/