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5cm Pzgr V

pzgr40

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
An old 2011 posting from the Wk2ammo forum which will probably never return, so I migrate it to the BOCN. The first posting (#1) is the description of the catridge, the second posting (#2) is the making of.... enjoy

Cutaway model of a 5 cm Pzgr.V, as used on the 50x289 R shellcase of the 5cm Kwk38 L/42 gun of the Mark III ausf F-J tank. The same projectile was also used on the 50x420R shellcase of the 5cm Pak38 L/60 gun.
The 5cm Pzgr was made in two versions; the 5cm Pzgr. (machined from one piece of steel) , and the 5cm Pzgr V.
This projectile is of the V (verbund / connected) type, meaning that a high quality steel nose piece has been friction welded** to a lower quality steel lower projectile body. The faint rim of the weld can be seen in the picture 01 ( complete cartridge) , approximately 2cm above the explosive charge. Only the alloy steell nose piece is hardened. Below that, the projectile was not hardened. Using V type projectiles was an important way of saving strategic materials, as only the nose of the projectile was made of expensive alloy steel, the lower part was cheap carbon steel. This saved up to appr 70% of expensive alloy steel per projectile.
This type of projectile (5cm Pzgr) however had a very short service life as it was soon discovered that it had the tendency to shatter upon impact on face hardened armour, and bounce off at low(er) impact angles. All these problems were easily solved by soldering a softer steel piercing cap upon the nose of the projectile (5cm Pzgr 39). This devided the force of the impact over the entire nose -instead of just the nose point-, and it allowed the piercing cap to “weld” to the armour plate, enabeling the projectile to pierce a plate, even under lower angles. Very soon the 5cm Pzgr was phased out to be replaced by the 5cm Pzgr 39.
The fuze in the base of the projectile is the Bd.Z. 5103. The fuze has a firing cap, held in place by a thin brass wire, preventing it from moving forward during normal handling. A flat steel strip firing pin is placed with the needle facing downward, facing the –upward- open end of the firing cap. At impact, the firing cap is thrown forward by the desceleration -breaking through the wire- into the needle. The flame now passes through the 0,1mm dia hole in the cap of the fuze into the aluminium detonator P2, exploding the main charge of 17 grams of Nitropenta 15 or Hexogen.
In the base of the fuze tracer element No.1 is placed.
Weight of the complete projectile is 2,06 kg.
Weight of the complete cartridge is appr. 3,8 kg.

The shellcase is steel made and copper clad. It contains a charge of about 520 grams Diglycol powder sticks G- 05- (200mm long x 2mm dia.x 1mm dia. hole). A small cloth bag containing 10 grams Nitrocellulose riflepowder (1,5x1,5x0,5) is placed in the base of the shellcase and acts as a booster for the main powdercharge. The firing cap used in the base of the shellcase is the Zündschraube C22 or C22St (firingcap C22 Steel), an electrical actuated firing cap with a black powder magazine.

Vo.: 685 mtrs/sec.

Penetration of the projectile (@ 30 degree angle) is :
53mm @100mtrs.,
43mm @500 mtrs.,
32 mm @1000 mtrs.,
24 mm @ 1500 mtrs.

The difference between the 5cm Pzgr. and the 5cm Pzgr.39 can be found not only in the piercing cap, but also in the length of the projectile body. The projectile body of the 5cm Pzgr (V) is 161.2 mm long , the body of the Pzgr 39 –without piercing cap- is 152mm long. So, if ever you get a 5cm Pzgr. offered, check the length; a 152 mm long projectile body is a 5cm Pzgr39 with it’s piercing cap missing/removed. When offered , the simpelest way to quickly measure is by placing the projectile perpendicular on a table nose down, measuring from table surface to the base of the projectile with a tape ruler.

** friction welding of the V projectiles (principle):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aEuAK8bsQg

Regards, DJH.
 

Attachments

  • 01 - 5cm Pzgr finished.JPG
    01 - 5cm Pzgr finished.JPG
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  • 02- 5cm Pzgr projectile.JPG
    02- 5cm Pzgr projectile.JPG
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  • 03 - comparison 5cm Pzgr and 5cm Pzgr 39.JPG
    03 - comparison 5cm Pzgr and 5cm Pzgr 39.JPG
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  • 04 -  5cm Pzgr and 5cm Pzgr 39 comparison complete cartridges.JPG
    04 - 5cm Pzgr and 5cm Pzgr 39 comparison complete cartridges.JPG
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  • 05 - drawing 5cm Pzgr and 5cm Pzgr 39.jpg
    05 - drawing 5cm Pzgr and 5cm Pzgr 39.jpg
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  • PzKw 3 ausf J with short 5cm Kwk 38 L42 gun.jpg
    PzKw 3 ausf J with short 5cm Kwk 38 L42 gun.jpg
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The making of.....

In my "long" collecting life I have never seen an original 5cm Pzgr (V), but many 5cm Pzgr39's with the nosecap missing/removed (fake). So when the oppertunity came to get an original 5cm Pzgr (V), even in a bad condition, I still thought it would be worth to give it a try.

Here some pictures showing what has been done to restore the projectile to it's original shape.

Pict.00
The advertisement on E bay. I was drawn to the 162mm remark. As I am no member I asked a friend of mine to buy it for me.
Thanks for the trouble Joop.

Pict.01
The 5cm Pzgr. as I got it.

Pict.02
The length is ok. Just 1,5 mm tip is missing, the fired drivingbelt is removed and the projectile is sandblasted completely clean. After that the nose of the projectile is heated up red hot to soften up (anneal) the nose)

Pict.03
A M22x1,5 Left tap for machining in the lathe is made and a new rim of material is welded up TIG where the cutaway surfaces are going to be. (at 90 degr.)

pict.04
The rim is machined in the lathe to the right diameter and the right ogive (R55) for the nose.

Pict.05
The projectile is cut and rasped. after that the projectile is heated up till litterally near melting point to allow the weld rims that can be clearly seen in the cutaway surfaces to diffuse with the original steel of the projectile. After heating, the welding rims are appr 80% is less visable. After cooling down, the projectile is sandblasted clean again and sprayed with primer.
A small hole is drilled where the explosive charge is going to be and a small pin is glued in, sitcking appr 4 mm into the explosives chamber. This prevents the cast in ployester charge from moving when rasped and polished.
The outside of the body is polyestered and finished.
A 5cm Pzgr 39 is "canibalized" for it's FES drivingbelt.

Pict.06
The projectile body fully ready and painted black. The drivingbelt installed.

Pict.07
Fuze and detonator cut.
Finito

Regards, DJH
 

Attachments

  • 00- 5cm pzgr advertisement.jpg
    00- 5cm pzgr advertisement.jpg
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  • 01 - 5cm Pzgr start.jpg
    01 - 5cm Pzgr start.jpg
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  • 02 - 5 cm Pzgr, driving band removed, gritblasted and heated up red hot.JPG
    02 - 5 cm Pzgr, driving band removed, gritblasted and heated up red hot.JPG
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  • 03 - 5cm Pzgr, machining rod manufactured and welded up ridge and nose.JPG
    03 - 5cm Pzgr, machining rod manufactured and welded up ridge and nose.JPG
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  • 04 - 5cm Pzgr. after machining the body and rasping the nose..JPG
    04 - 5cm Pzgr. after machining the body and rasping the nose..JPG
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  • 05 - 5cm Pzgr , topside finished, anti rotation pin for charge placed, drivingbelt canibalized f.JPG
    05 - 5cm Pzgr , topside finished, anti rotation pin for charge placed, drivingbelt canibalized f.JPG
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  • 06 - 5cm Pzgr Finished body..JPG
    06 - 5cm Pzgr Finished body..JPG
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  • 07- 5cm Pzgr projectile.JPG
    07- 5cm Pzgr projectile.JPG
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after that the projectile is heated up till litterally near melting point to allow the weld rims that can be clearly seen in the cutaway surfaces to diffuse with the original steel of the projectile. After heating, the welding rims are appr 80% is less visable.

Thanks, that's very interesting. I once cut a Krupp shrapnel shell which was in very bad condition too and also welded a bead in the area of the cut. After cutting with an angle grinder I also had to heat it up because the welding spots hardened up much and it was impossible to use a file to flatten the surface. After heating it was easy to file down material and the welding wasn't visible on the smooth surface.

Your welding looks great for such a dirty surface. Did you use a TIG welder? Great work.
 
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