pzgr40
Well-Known 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.
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.
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