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German

7.5/5.5 cm Pak 41: Tapered Bore Antitank Gun

7.5/5.5 cm Pak 41: Tapered Bore Antitank Gun

The 7.5 cm Pak 41, Germany’s latest antitank gun to be brought into service, is designed on the Gerlich or tapered-bore principle. The bore tapers from 7.5 cm at the breech to 5.5 cm at the muzzle, but the taper is not constant. The first part of the bore is cylindrical and rifled; the second, conical and unrifled; and the third, measuring 27.6 inches in length, is cylindrical and unrifled. There is also a muzzle brake. The life of the barrel is estimated at approximately 500-600 rounds. The weapon is long, low, and sturdy in appearance and has a semi-automatic breech mechanism of the vertical wedge type.

The carriage has a split trail and is mounted on metal wheels with solid rubber tires. As traction is by motor tractor, the carriage is fitted with pneumatic brakes controlled by the driver of the tractor. Torsion bar suspension is automatically cut out when the trails are opened.

An elevating mechanism of the sector type is on the right-hand side of the cradle, and a traversing mechanism of the screw type on the left. There is no equilibrator mechanism. The recoil mechanism contains a hydraulic cylinder and spring-type recuperator.

The sighting system, which is graduated up to 1,500 meters (1,635 yards), has four scales for use according to the actual muzzle velocity of the gun. Muzzle velocity drops considerably because of wear.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber           7.5/5.5 cm
Weight in action         1.4 tons
Length of barrel (approx.)         170 ins.
Muzzle velocity (estimated)         4,123 f/s
Elevation         -10° to 18°
Traverse         60°
Armor penetration—A.P.C.

       Range in yards          Thickness of armor in inches 
                   Normal               30°    
       500  6.67  5.75  
       1,000  5.94  5.12  
       1,500  5.28  4.49  
2,000  4.63  3.94  

German: p. 123

Categories
German

7.5/5.5 cm Pzgr. Patr. 41 (W): 7.5 cm Pak 41 Armor-Piercing Ammunition

7.5/5.5 cm Pzgr. Patr. 41 (W): 7.5 cm Pak 41 Armor-Piercing Ammunition

This round is designed for use in the 7.5/5.5 cm Pak 41 tapered bore antitank gun described on page 123 of this volume. It is an armor piercing tracer projectile of Gerlich design with the nomenclature 7.5 cm Pzgr. Patr. 41 (w).

The projectile consists of an outer case, a tungsten carbide core 1.16 inch in diameter, a screw head, a ballistic cap, and a tracer. It is fired from a regular cartridge consisting of cartridge case 6344, primer C/12n. A. St., an igniter of pyroxylin porous powder, and the propelling charge of diglycol tubular powder.

SPECIFICATIONS

Total weight of round        16.65 lb.
Total length of round        29.8 ins.
Weight of projectile        5.68 lb.
Weight of tungsten carbide core        2.01 lb.
Diameter of core        1.16 ins.
Weight of propellant charge        5.4 lb.

German: p. 306.2