Company of Heroes 2 has a British sniper using a Boys rifle to take out everything from infantry to light tanks. To me, it seems like a "historical backport" to give players a 1940s Barrett. I've never come across a mention of the Boys being used like this in any sniper accounts (including Captain Shore's account). I'm not sure if I've missed anything though. Can anyone else throw some light onto this?
I'm sure at some point it was used against infantry, but I have been unable to find any records of it. There are, however, accounts of men using it to great effect in knocking out bunkers and machine gun nests. According to accounts from Filipino troops, (who were also issued the Boys) it was also useful in shooting through walls.
The Finns were some of the first to use it, against the Soviets in the Winter War. They were the only group to really have any modicum of success in the intended purpose of the rifle; stopping tanks. The light armor of earlier Soviet tanks like the T-26 was thin enough for the rifle to penetrate. It was noted, however, for being exceptionally useless against most tanks. Even those with fairly thin armor such as Panzer I and IIs. At 100 yards it could only penetrate about an inch (2.5 cm) of armor.
Penetrating that armor meant that the weapon required a lot of force to propel the bullet. It reportedly caused neck straining and minor shoulder injuries whenever it was fired. As a result, I can hardly imagine it being used against infantry except in the most dire of situations as a last resort.