60mm Mortars

[Alby]

which 60mm are we talking here?
The M2 or M19?
The ranges on these differ. there were actually even 2 types of the M2.
the earliest version M19 was the M2 60mm tube with an M1 lightweight baseplate attached and no bipod, designated as the T18E6 Mortar, and standardized as the M19 AFTER WW2,
and the post-war version M19, still in use today by various armies, which can be used both with the lightweight M1 baseplate and the M5 baseplate/bipod mounting.

By all accounts I've read, the WWII-era M19 experimental mortar was developed for use by airborne and other infantry types that needed to have the weight of the M2 mortar reduced, like the Rangers. This model had one major difference from the M2 60mm mortar: its effective range was reduced to 816 yards from the nearly 2,000 of the M2; this was due to the weapon being capable of only firing fixed charge bombs, as opposed to the variable charge bombs of the M2.
The first M19 was very much like the 2in British or Japanese Knee morters. It still firerd a much better bomb at longer ranges but was aimed by eye and hand.

The other M19 had a bit longer tube and could be used with both the simple base plate as on the 2in mortar, or with both the large base plate and bi-pod. A modern version of this weapon is still being used by the special forces of the United States.