152 mm gun M1910/30

152-mm gun model 1910/30
Type	heavy gun
Place of origin	USSR
Production history
Manufacturer	Krasniy Putilovets, Barrikady, Bolshevik
No. built	152
Specifications
Mass	combat: 2,580 kg (5,688 lb) travel: 3,230 kg (7,121 lb)
Barrel length	4.3 m (14 ft 1 in) L/29 (without muzzle brake)
Caliber	152.4 mm (6.00 in)
Breech	interrupted screw
Recoil	hydro-pneumatic
Carriage	single trail
Elevation	-6° to 39°
Traverse	4°
Rate of fire	2-4 rounds per minute
Effective firing range	9,850 m (6,12 mi)

152-mm gun model 1910/30 was a Soviet gun, a modernization of World War I era 152-mm siege gun M1910. The gun was briefly used by RKKA in the German-Soviet War.

Description

M1910/30 was powerful long range gun with big (40°) maximum elevation. It was equipped with interrupted screw breechblock and recoil system consisting of hydraulic buffer and hydro-pneumatic recuperator. The carriage was of single trail type and had metal wheels with solid tires. The crew was protected by 7 mm shield.

In transportation, the barrel was removed and transported separately. It took some 10–15 minutes to set the gun up for combat and up to 23 minutes to make it ready for transportation.

Development and production history

The gun resulted from a modernization of the 152-mm siege gun M1910, initially developed by Schneider. The upgrading project was prepared by the design bureau of the Main Artillery Directorate, its main purpose was to increase range. The changes included:

• Lengthened chamber
• Mounting of muzzle brake
• Reduced (from 1,000 mm to 950 mm) recoil distance
• The trail was lengthened (to 2 m)
• Trunnion rings were moved 50 mm forward

In 1930 the modernized gun was adopted as 152-mm gun model 1910/30 (Russian: 152-мм пушка образца 1910/30 годов).

The production began in 1930 at Krasniy Putilovets plant. Later Barrikady and Bolshevik plants joined the production effort. In addition to newly built pieces, all existing M1910 guns were converted to the new standard; the conversion was finished by 1 November 1936.

Since the upgrade of 1930 didn't address a problem of limited mobility, in 1934 additional modernization was performed, resulting in 152-mm gun M1910/34. In 1935 the production of M1910/30 was stopped.

Organization and service

According to RKKA organization, 152-mm guns were employed by corps artillery and by the Reserve of the Main Command, typically instead of 152-mm gun-howitzer M1937 (ML-20). Heavy gun regiments of Reserve of the Main Command had 24 pieces each.

By the outbreak of the German-Soviet War RKKA possessed some 120-150 M1910/30s. They undoubtfully saw combat in the war, though due to their limited number the details of their service are unknown.

One piece was captured by the Finnish Army. That gun is currently on display in Hämeenlinna The Artillery Museum of Finland. The Germans assigned the M1910/30 the designation 15.2cm K 438(r).

Summary

The M1910/30 was a result of limited modernization of World War I era weapon, which didn't address its insufficient mobility (due to lack of suspension and separate transportation of barrel) and limited traverse.

On the other hand, RKKA liked the ballistic characteristics of the gun. Subsequent modernizations, which concentrated mostly on the gun carriage, resulted in improved M1910/34 and eventually in the famous ML-20.

Ammunition

Available ammunition
Type	Model	Weight, kg	HE weight, kg	Muzzle velocity, m/s	Range, m
Armor-piercing shells
APHE	BR-540	48.8	0.66	600	4,000
APBC (from late 1944)	BR-540B	46.5	0.48	600	4,000
Naval semi-AP	model 1915/28	51.07	3.2	573	5,000
HEAT	BP-540	27.44		680	3,000
Anti-concrete shells
Anti-concrete howitzer shell	G-530 / G-530Sh	40.0	5.1	665	15,600
Anti-concrete gun shell	G-545	56.0	4.2
High-explosive and fragmentation shells
Gun shells
HE-Fragmentation, steel	OF-540	43.6	5.9-6.25	650	16,800
HE-Fragmentation, steel	OF-540Zh	43.6	5.9-6.25
HE, old	F-542	38.1	5.86	660	13,800
HE, old	F-542G	38.52	5.83
HE, old	F-542ShG	41.0	5.93
HE, old	F-542Sh	40.6	6.06	650	12,800
HE, old	F-542ShU	40.86	5.96
HE, old	F-542U	38.36	5.77
Howitzer shells
HE-Fragmentation, steel	OF-530	40.0	5.47-6.86
HE-Fragmentation, steely iron	OF-530A	40.0	5.66
HE, old	F-533	40.41	8.0
HE, old	F-533K	40.68	7.3
HE, old	F-533N	41.0	7.3
HE, old	F-533U	40.8	8.8
HE, steely iron, old French	F-534F	41.1	3.9
HE for 152-mm mortar model 1931	F-521	41.7	7.7
HE, British, for Vickers 152-mm howitzer	F-531	44.91	5.7
Shrapnel shells
Shrapnel with 45 sec. tube	Sh-501	41.16-41.83	0.5 (680—690 bullets)
Shrapnel with Т-6 tube	Sh-501T	41,16	0.5 (680—690 bullets)
Illumination shells
Illumination, 40 sec.	S 1	40.2
Chemical shells
Fragmentation-chemical gun shell	OH-540
Chemical howitzer shell	HS-530	38.8
Chemical howitzer shell	HN-530	39.1
Chemical (post-war)	ZHZ

 

Armour penetration table
APHE shell BR-540
Distance, m	Meet angle 60°, mm	Meet angle 90°, mm
500	105	125
1000	95	115
1500	85	105
2000	75	90
APBC shell BR-540B
Distance, m	Meet angle 60°, mm	Meet angle 90°, mm
500	105	130
1000	100	120
1500	95	115
2000	85	105
Naval semi-AP model 1915/28
Distance, m	Meet angle 60°, mm	Meet angle 90°, mm
100	110	136
500	104	128
1000	97	119
1500	91	111
2000	85	105
This data was obtained by Soviet methodics of armour penetration measurement (penetration probability equals 75%). It is not directly comparable with western data of similar type.

References

• Shirokorad A. B. - Encyclopedia of the Soviet Artillery - Mn. Harvest, 2000 (Широкорад А. Б. Энциклопедия отечественной артиллерии. — Мн.: Харвест, 2000., ISBN 985-433-703-0)
• Ivanov A. - Artillery of the USSR in Second World War - SPb Neva, 2003 (Иванов А. Артиллерия СССР во Второй Мировой войне. — СПб., Издательский дом Нева, 2003., ISBN 5-7654-2731-6)
• 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)