I was looking for how many different versions of the OF-462 122-MM projectiles are out there.
I know of the:
OF-462
OF-462A
Joe
I know of the:
OF-462
OF-462A
Joe
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Of-462
- Thread starter jvollenberg
- Start date
These are the russian types i know:
53-OF-462 -steel HE shell
53-OF-462-IN -practice version of the above
53-OF-462A -cast iron HE shell
53-OF-462G -steel HE shell fitted with GVMZ fuze
53-OF-462Zh -steel HE shell with sintered driving band
53-OF-462Zh-IN -practice version of the above
53-OF-462L -lightweight HE shell
53-OF-462R -fitted with AR-26 VT fuze
53-OF-462RZh -practice version of the above
53-OF-462 -steel HE shell
53-OF-462-IN -practice version of the above
53-OF-462A -cast iron HE shell
53-OF-462G -steel HE shell fitted with GVMZ fuze
53-OF-462Zh -steel HE shell with sintered driving band
53-OF-462Zh-IN -practice version of the above
53-OF-462L -lightweight HE shell
53-OF-462R -fitted with AR-26 VT fuze
53-OF-462RZh -practice version of the above
Eggburt1969
Well-Known Member
Actual shell body versions, not modified by the fuze, are:
53-OF-462 (53-ОФ-462): steel-bodied 122 mm HE-frag projectile, copper alloy driving band, one and two-piece nose versions produced.
53-OF-462A (53-ОФ-462А): the 'A' refers to 'сталистого чугуна' (stalistogo chuguna), so a scrap steel cast iron mix, copper alloy driving band, one and two-piece nose versions produced.
53-OF-462Zh (53-ОФ-462Ж): the 53-OF-462 with a sintered iron driving band, the Zh (Ж) means Железокерамический (zhelezokeramicheskiy), which literally means 'iron-ceramic'.
53-O-462A (53-ОФ-462А): the later (after 1941) designation of the OF-462A.
None of the Russian manuals I have list the 'L' and 'R' versions. Though the 'R' is quite possible due to the deep intrusion nature of early proximity fuzes. You do have the 3OF7 (3ОФ7) and 3OF8 (3ОФ8) designed for the AR-30 fuze? These are stated to be respectively based on the the 53-OF-462 and 53-OF-462Zh, but with a different dimension fuze well and a deep cavity in the HE fill for the rear body of the fuze.
The inert (IN = ИН = инертный) versions are painted black and have an inert fill. All others are normally grey (light or dark).
Shell stencilling will be the abbreviated GAU (later GRAU) index code. As they are originally GAU, spaces are present between the 53 (GAU/GRAU division), OF (projectile nature) and 462 (weapon system code number).
53-OF-462 (53-ОФ-462): steel-bodied 122 mm HE-frag projectile, copper alloy driving band, one and two-piece nose versions produced.
53-OF-462A (53-ОФ-462А): the 'A' refers to 'сталистого чугуна' (stalistogo chuguna), so a scrap steel cast iron mix, copper alloy driving band, one and two-piece nose versions produced.
53-OF-462Zh (53-ОФ-462Ж): the 53-OF-462 with a sintered iron driving band, the Zh (Ж) means Железокерамический (zhelezokeramicheskiy), which literally means 'iron-ceramic'.
53-O-462A (53-ОФ-462А): the later (after 1941) designation of the OF-462A.
None of the Russian manuals I have list the 'L' and 'R' versions. Though the 'R' is quite possible due to the deep intrusion nature of early proximity fuzes. You do have the 3OF7 (3ОФ7) and 3OF8 (3ОФ8) designed for the AR-30 fuze? These are stated to be respectively based on the the 53-OF-462 and 53-OF-462Zh, but with a different dimension fuze well and a deep cavity in the HE fill for the rear body of the fuze.
The inert (IN = ИН = инертный) versions are painted black and have an inert fill. All others are normally grey (light or dark).
Shell stencilling will be the abbreviated GAU (later GRAU) index code. As they are originally GAU, spaces are present between the 53 (GAU/GRAU division), OF (projectile nature) and 462 (weapon system code number).
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Thanks everyone …
I knew the Russians had a bunch of other variant. Strakv … any idea where your list came from? Just wondering if you have seen the manuals for the L and R versions?
Joe
I knew the Russians had a bunch of other variant. Strakv … any idea where your list came from? Just wondering if you have seen the manuals for the L and R versions?
Joe
Eggburt1969
Well-Known Member
Joe,
Just be aware that the 53-O-462A (53-О-462А) and the 53-OF-462A (53-ОФ-462А) are one and the same (this stated in a 122 mm ammo manual issued in 1952). They just changed its classification in 1941 from 'OF' (fragmentation and high explosive action) to just 'O' (fragmentation action).
The brisance of the HE filling and the filling weight/ratio of the 53-O-462A/53-OF-462A are both lower than that of the 53-OF-462/53-OF-462Zh projectiles, but its HE-fill is matched to material its body is made from. The lower mass of HE, and hence its lower cratering effect are probably why they changed the designation. It produces plenty of frags upon detonation though.
Neil
Just be aware that the 53-O-462A (53-О-462А) and the 53-OF-462A (53-ОФ-462А) are one and the same (this stated in a 122 mm ammo manual issued in 1952). They just changed its classification in 1941 from 'OF' (fragmentation and high explosive action) to just 'O' (fragmentation action).
The brisance of the HE filling and the filling weight/ratio of the 53-O-462A/53-OF-462A are both lower than that of the 53-OF-462/53-OF-462Zh projectiles, but its HE-fill is matched to material its body is made from. The lower mass of HE, and hence its lower cratering effect are probably why they changed the designation. It produces plenty of frags upon detonation though.
Neil
It's from the GRAU list, but i have no manuals yet.
The L is an old shell for the M10/30 howitzer. This is what i've found on Wiki:
Prior to the adoption of OF-462, the high-explosive long-range steel grenade of drawing 118 (or 00118), developed by the ANII in 1930, was used for service, designated after the introduction of the AU index as OF-462L (respectively, the shot with it is 53-VOF-462L). With the same dimensions, it had thinner walls and a larger amount of explosive in its chamber. Its final curb weight was 21.16 kg (versus 21.7 kg for OF-462), and the explosive charge was 3796 g of TNT. By 1942, OF-462L was completely out of use and was not mentioned in service manuals and firing tables of all types of 122-mm howitzers at that time. It can be assumed that the thickening of the walls of the main ammunition was caused by the need to ensure the safety of firing from the new 122-mm howitzers - arr. 1934 ("Lubok") and arr. 1938 (М-30). Both of these systems had higher initial velocities on a full charge (525 m / s and 515 m / s, respectively, against the standard 364 m / s for howitzers-modernizers), as a result, the increased effect of overloads on the thin-walled version of the high-explosive fragmentation grenade threatened its splitting in the bore of the gun. To avoid this kind of consequences, approximately in 1937, in gross production, OF-462L was changed to OF-462.
One of our Hungarian manual on fuzes states that the OF-462R differs from the OF-462 in the thread size and the length of the fuze cavity
Eggburt1969
Well-Known Member
Joe,
As to the other designations, the various Russian index code lists that can be found online are populated from manuals, markings on items, magazine/book references, etc.. So unfortunately you can never be 100% sure of their accuracy (they are generally pretty good though).
I have no manuals covering the 1910/30 (Model 1910, modified in 1930) howitzer, its GAU index code 52-G-462 (hence the projectile designations with 462 weapon system code in them). Most of the data used in the Russian Wikipedia page on the M-1910/30 seems to use a series of articles on the history of the gun that were published in the 2014 editions of the Russian weapons technology magazine 'Техника и Вооружение'. One of the series of articles (2014, Edition 6) does list the 53-OF-462L, and it seems all the other ammo used by the gun.
If one of the Hungarian manuals lists the 53-OF-462R, then it's kosher. Though it's description is almost exactly the same as the 3OF7 and 3OF8 designed for the AR-30 fuze. Maybe the 1910/30 had its own version taht used the AR-26 fuze, maybe the 53-OF-462R was dumped with the arrival of the AR-30 fuze, or maybe it got slightly modified for the AR-30 and then redesignated, who knows. As I said, I don't have any manuals covering it, or the AR-26 fuze.
Neil
As to the other designations, the various Russian index code lists that can be found online are populated from manuals, markings on items, magazine/book references, etc.. So unfortunately you can never be 100% sure of their accuracy (they are generally pretty good though).
I have no manuals covering the 1910/30 (Model 1910, modified in 1930) howitzer, its GAU index code 52-G-462 (hence the projectile designations with 462 weapon system code in them). Most of the data used in the Russian Wikipedia page on the M-1910/30 seems to use a series of articles on the history of the gun that were published in the 2014 editions of the Russian weapons technology magazine 'Техника и Вооружение'. One of the series of articles (2014, Edition 6) does list the 53-OF-462L, and it seems all the other ammo used by the gun.
If one of the Hungarian manuals lists the 53-OF-462R, then it's kosher. Though it's description is almost exactly the same as the 3OF7 and 3OF8 designed for the AR-30 fuze. Maybe the 1910/30 had its own version taht used the AR-26 fuze, maybe the 53-OF-462R was dumped with the arrival of the AR-30 fuze, or maybe it got slightly modified for the AR-30 and then redesignated, who knows. As I said, I don't have any manuals covering it, or the AR-26 fuze.
Neil
Thanks guys ... this is really interesting. Like I said in the AVU thread. I have this fascination with Russian manuals. The way they cover things is so different than US manuals of the same period. I would love to have access to a complete library of there manuals (which isn't going to happen). But just like the US ones you get one here and there and then have to fill in the holes.
Joe
Joe
This is quite a library :
http://libgen.rs/search.php?&req=Во...mple&column=publisher&sort=title&sortmode=ASC
Enjoy...
http://libgen.rs/search.php?&req=Во...mple&column=publisher&sort=title&sortmode=ASC
Enjoy...