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Canadian M62A1 3 inch AP Round

M8owner

Well-Known Member
I just had this shipped from Canada. Nice original paint and markings on it. It is marked "inert", and the explosive chamber was filled with resin and steel shot (now removed). No base fuse was included. I am going to assume that these were made for M10 tank destroyers supplied to Canada from the US? The casing is marked "3 IN MK 7 50 CAL". The correct US made casing was a Mark 2 MII. Is this the correct casing for a Canadian made round? It has a different priming system from the US casing. The projectile is marked "ODGM - 2-32-1944-2 3 Inch M-62A1" on the driving band.

When you look at one of these compared to a German 88, you would think that it would have similar armor defeating capabilities. However, all I have ever read stated that its anti armor performance was little better than a Sherman's 75mm. There is no way that could be true. The Sherman 75mm AP round had two pounds of propellant vs. the 3 inch with four pounds - per my ordnance data sheets. I do note that the 3 inch casing was only 2/3 full of powder with a significant paper wading. Perhaps the US was too much on the side of caution for our loadings during the war? This round should have been a world beater.

3in 3.jpg3in.jpg3in 5.jpg3in 4.jpg3in 2.jpg
 
That is a naval 3in 50cal Mk7 cartridge case which is 76.2x585R x109. NOT a MkIIM2 (76.2x586R x108) which has a narrower base and different profile (and is not naval).
 
I would think it would also be proper with an M26 76mm casing as the Commonwealth armies (Poland, South Africa, Britain...) were obliged to take 76mm armed Shermans when we stopped making the 75mm armed Shermans. I don't they ever marked M62s with "76mm", rather just used them interchangeably. Are you sure it is Canadian manufacture?
 
Like charley said, your round must be from a ship-board gun, as the Canadian Wolverines had the 3" M7 gun. Either way thats a very nice round!
 
I think a mismatched round. The casing is much later. I'm thinking M10 projectile however. Nice projectile. I'd be happy to give it a home !
Cheers, SHAKY
 
The complete round was shipped out of Canada to me. I do not know if the projectile is of Canadian manufacture. The maker's mark is ODGM, but I do not know that company. I would be willing to sell the casing as I will need to find a M 2 Mk II to replace it.
 
I just happened upon Ammunition General Tm9-1900 (dated 1945 p.11)

Your projectile is marked 76G - which indicates it was assembled with an M26 case.

If it was marked with 3G it would have been assembled with a MIIM2 case.

I have had quite a few M62/M62A1a but have never seen one marked on the drive band "76mm". They have all been either marked "3 inch" or not specified.

Think you definitely need an M26 case for that projectile.

That 3G or 76mm designation was what guided the supply of the correct ammunition to the correct tank/tank destroyer.
 
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Check this one out - early Canadian M26 dated 1943. 76mm Shermans were not used in combat until mid 1944.
As far as I know the Canadians didn't even use 76 Shermans during the war. They made all this ammo just for the British - who then decided they didn't like the 76 shermans! Britain sent most to the backwaters of Italy and/or gave them to the Poles.
m26 002.jpg
 
Steve,

I'm not sure if you have access 20 a 1944 copy of TM9-1901 Artillery Ammunition. There was a scanned digital copy posted by a BOCN member a couple of years back in the form of 4 or 5 PDF's.

The M61 75mm projo and M62 76mm projos are the same body, the only difference being the width of rotating band. Performance data listed in 1944 and 1950 are as follows:

75mm M61 Max Velocity 2,030fps, Penetration 3.4 inches @ 0 degrees slope
76mm M62 Max Velocity 2,600fps, Penetration 4.7 inches @ 0 degrees slope
3 inch M62 Max Velocity 2,600fps, Penetration 4.7 inches @ 0 degrees slope, newer guns with faster rifling.
76mm HVAP-T Max Velocity 3,400fps, Penetration 5.3 inches at 30 degrees slope, 1950 manual
 
Sorry, I know Im a little late here - part of the reason the US 76/3" never hit as hard as it should was the projectiles. The German 75mm PzGr 39 penetrated 17% more than the US M62 for the same velocities, and the US shells had troubles with fuzes detonating early, thus destroying the shell before it could penetrate. Also had issues with shatter due to nose hardness levels.
Then factor in the considerably lower mass of the 75 vs the 88, and the lower velocity vs the 17 Pdr or KwK 42, and you start to get why it wasnt anything special by 1944. About the same performance as the German 75 on the Pz IV.
 
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