45 mm anti-tank gun M1937 (53-K)

45-mm anti-tank gun model 1937 (53-K)
45 mm anti-tank gun M1937, displayed in Finnish Tank Museum in Parola.
Type	anti-tank gun
Place of origin	USSR
Production history
Produced	1937-1943
No. built	37,354
Specifications
Mass	combat: 560 kg (1,234 lbs) travel: 1,200 kg (2,645 lbs)
Caliber	45 mm (1.77 in)
Carriage	split trail
Elevation	-8° to 25°
Traverse	60°
Rate of fire	15-20 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	760 m/s (2,493 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	4.4 km (2.73 mi)

45-mm anti-tank gun model 1937 (53-K) was a light quick-firing anti-tank gun used in the first stage of the Great Patriotic War, created by Soviet artillery designer M.N. Loginov. Due to insufficient armor penetration it was replaced in service by the more powerful 45-mm anti-tank gun model 1942 (M-42).

History

45-mm anti-tank gun model 1937 (53-K) (Russian: 45-мм противотанковая пушка образца 1937 года (53-К)) was a combination of a modified carriage of the 37 mm anti-tank gun model 1931 (built according to a documentation bought from Rheinmetall) with a 45 mm barrel. The resulting light semi-automatic anti-tank gun was adopted for Red Army service in 1937. These guns were used in the first stage of the Great Patriotic War, but their anti-armour capabilities allowed them to fight successfully only with German light tanks and armoured personnel carriers. Early models of the Panzer III and Panzer IV could also be knocked out at close range but this put Soviet artillerymen in greater danger. In fact such combat was a self-sacrificial one, but sometimes it was the only way to survive and to win. Due to these circumstances, model 1937 guns were replaced with the more powerful model 1942. The mass production of outdated model 1937 guns was stopped in 1943. The total number of guns produced was 37,354 pieces.

The gun was employed by anti-tank platoons of rifle battalions (2 pieces) and by anti-tank battalions of rifle divisions (12 pieces). It was also used by separate anti-tank regiments (4-5 batteries of 4 pieces each).

Ammunition

Rear view

Breech

• Ammunition types:
  • Armor piercing: AP B-240 / BR-240, APCR BR-240P.
  • Fragmentation.
  • Canister.
  • Smoke.
  • Armor piercing chemical.
• Projectile weight (AP): 1.43 kg (3.15 lbs)
• Armor penetration:
  • AP shell, 90 degrees:
    • at 500 m: 43 mm
    • at 1000 m: 32 mm
  • AP shell, 60 degrees:
    • at 500 m: 38 mm
    • at 1000 m: 23 mm
  • APCR shell, 90 degrees:
    • at 100 m: 88 mm
    • at 500 m: 66 mm

References

• Shunkov V. N. - The Weapons of the Red Army, Mn. Harvest, 1999 (Шунков В. Н. - Оружие Красной Армии. — Мн.: Харвест, 1999.) ISBN 985-433-469-4

External links

• 45-mm anti-tank gun model 1937 at rustrana.ru Template:Ru icon
• 45-mm anti-tank gun model 1937 manual at xlt.narod.ru Template:Ru icon
• Armor penetration table