The M19 is a large square plastic cased United States anti-tank blast mine. Intended to replace the M15 mine, the design dates from the mid-1960s and contains only two metal components: the copper detonator capsule and a stainless steel firing pin which weighs 2.86 grams. It is a minimum metal mine, which makes it very difficult to detect after it has been emplaced.
The plastic casing of the mine is usually dark olive green and has a large central fuse well. When armed, the mine will detonate if a vehicle drives over it. The firing mechanism is triggered by a belleville spring which flips the firing pin downwards into the stab detonator, setting off the adjacent booster charge and main explosive filling.
The M19 is designed to target the weakest points of a vehicle. It has AP 5 vs. one-half of the vehicle's weakest Armor (round up). For instance, an M19 that struck an M1A1 Abrams tank (Armor 60/41/12) would have AP 5 vs. an Armor of 6, and with a remaining Toughness of 18, the mine would have a significant chance of seriously damaging the tank.