Two cutaway models of 2,8cm Pzgr41 (Panzergranate 41 / Armour piercing shell 41) shells for the SPzb.41 (Schwere Panzerbuchse 41 / Heavy anti tank rifle 41). These cartridges are often referred to as 28 mm Gerlich cartridges, named after Herman Thorismund Gerlich, a German sceintist who experimented with tapered bore guns in the 20'and 30'of the last century. The purpose of the tapered bore gun was to reach a much higher muzzle velocity than obtained with a normal gun. The projectile is made of a tungsten carbide core, (diameter 11 mm, long 40,3 mm) surrounded by a double flanged mild steel body. On top of this body a magnewin ballistic cap (mixture of aluminium and magnesium) is placed. This can be either pressed in place (as with these two shells), or screwed into the body. On firing the gun, the gas pressure presses the shell into the (from 28 to 20 mm) tapered barrel, taking advantage of the still large surface area of the projectile on the breech side of the barrel and maintaining a high pressure through a more efficient gas seal. A hole in the upper flange of both shells can be seen on the cutaway surface, part of a circular pattern of five holes of 3 mm. These holes prevent air becoming trapped between the two flanges as the shell is pressed from 28 mm dia. to 20 mm dia.
Weight of the Pzgr41 projectile is 0,3Lb / 0,13 Kg.
Muzzle velocity: 4,692 foot/sec or 1402 mtrs/sec.
Armour penetration at 30 degrees: 60 mm at 100 mtrs , 52 mm at 500 mtrs , 19 mm at 1000 mtrs. Penetration at 90 degrees : 66 mm at 500 mtrs.
As can be observed, the two projectiles are different in construction. The right one exists of an one piece machined body, in which a tungsten carbide core is placed by means of a close tolerace fit. The left projectile is made of an upper and lower flanged body, the upper body pressed in the lower. The Tungsten carbide core is held in place by a 0.3 mm thick sheet of lead, wrapped around the core; both are placed in the upper body.
The SPzb41 came as an light two wheeled gun, it was also available as an airborne gun version. The gun was also mounted on several lightly armed vehicles to give it some degree of mobility.
Weight of the Pzgr41 projectile is 0,3Lb / 0,13 Kg.
Muzzle velocity: 4,692 foot/sec or 1402 mtrs/sec.
Armour penetration at 30 degrees: 60 mm at 100 mtrs , 52 mm at 500 mtrs , 19 mm at 1000 mtrs. Penetration at 90 degrees : 66 mm at 500 mtrs.
As can be observed, the two projectiles are different in construction. The right one exists of an one piece machined body, in which a tungsten carbide core is placed by means of a close tolerace fit. The left projectile is made of an upper and lower flanged body, the upper body pressed in the lower. The Tungsten carbide core is held in place by a 0.3 mm thick sheet of lead, wrapped around the core; both are placed in the upper body.
The SPzb41 came as an light two wheeled gun, it was also available as an airborne gun version. The gun was also mounted on several lightly armed vehicles to give it some degree of mobility.
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