RT-20
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Barrel
- 920 mm
- Weight, empty
- 19.20 kg
- Introduced
- 1994
About
What it is, and why it matters
The RT-20 (Ručni Top 20, meaning 'Hand Cannon 20mm') is a Croatian bullpup anti-materiel rifle chambered in the 20x110mm Hispano cartridge, making it one of the most powerful shoulder-fired weapons ever produced. Developed during the mid-1990s by the Croatian defense company RH-Alan, the RT-20 was officially adopted by the Croatian Army. The rifle's most distinctive feature is its counter-recoil system: a venturi tube mounted above the barrel redirects propellant gases rearward over the shooter's shoulder, functioning similarly to a recoilless rifle. This creates a significant backblast danger zone behind the weapon. The rotating bolt features nine locking lugs arranged in three rows of three. Another unique design characteristic is the placement of the bolt behind the shooter's head in the bullpup layout, meaning the operator either needs a teammate to reload or must take the rifle off their shoulder between shots. Firing a 130-gram projectile at 850 m/s, the RT-20 produces nearly 47,000 joules of muzzle energy.
The RT-20 is literally a 'hand cannon' firing 20mm anti-aircraft ammunition from a shoulder-fired platform. Its venturi counter-recoil system vents propellant gases backward like a rocket launcher, creating a dangerous backblast zone. The bolt sits behind the shooter's head, requiring either a teammate or taking the rifle off the shoulder to reload, making it one of the most unconventional and extreme firearms ever adopted by a military.
The RT-20 was developed during the Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995) to provide Croatian forces with a capability to defeat Serbian armored vehicles and fortified positions. The venturi counter-recoil system is essential because the 20x110mm Hispano cartridge produces recoil forces that would be physically impossible for a human to absorb through conventional means. The backblast area behind the rifle is extremely dangerous, requiring careful positioning and awareness of friendly personnel.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- RH-Alan
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Country
- Croatia
- Status
- Limited production
- Produced
- 1994
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 920 mm
- Overall length
- 1330 mm
- Weight, empty
- 19.20 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Striker fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 1
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer composite
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 850 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 46963 J
- Effective range
- 1800 m
- Maximum range
- 2500 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Bullpup configuration
Venturi counter recoil system
Muzzle brake
Bipod
Single shot
Optical sight mount
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 430 sniper rifles | 19.20 kg | 5.40 kg | Heavier than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 429 sniper rifles | 1330 mm | 1150 mm | Longer than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 434 sniper rifles | 920 mm | 620 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 434 sniper rifles | 1 | 6 | Among the smallest capacities |
Answers
Questions about the RT-20
How much does the RT-20 weigh?
The RT-20 weighs 19.20 kg (42.33 lb) empty.
What caliber is the RT-20?
The RT-20 is chambered in 20x110mm Hispano.
How many rounds does the RT-20 hold?
The RT-20 holds 1 rounds.
How long is the RT-20?
The RT-20 is 1330 mm (52.4 in) long overall, with a 920 mm (36.2 in) barrel.
Who makes the RT-20?
The RT-20 is made by RH-Alan (Croatia).
When was the RT-20 introduced?
The RT-20 was introduced in 1994.
How does the RT-20 operate?
The RT-20 uses a bolt action, and its firing mechanism is striker fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Croatian Armed Forces
- 1994
Provenance
Confidence in this record
75%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/rt-20' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "rt-20", "name": "RT-20", "manufacturer": { "id": "rh-alan", "name": "RH-Alan", "countryCode": "HR", "foundedYear": 1991, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "updatedAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "version": "7557b120339514ee8e0fa7fd826aa6b103a2cf630c9e530942a0ae03c2e19612" }, "category": { "id": "sniper-rifle", "name": "Sniper Rifle", "description": "Precision rifles optimized for long-range accuracy" }, "country_of_origin": "HR", "year_introduced": 1994, "barrel_length_mm": 920, "weight_empty_g": 19200, "action_type": "bolt_action"}