pzgr40
Well-Known Member
Cutaway of a German manufactured 76mm M319/T66 HVAP-T cartridge for the M32A1 gun of the M41 Walker Buldog tank. As Germany had 50 Walker Buldog tanks in it’s inventory of the new found Bundeswehr between 1956 and 1966, it was descided to produce it’s own ammunition after US specifications. The M41 Walker buldog tank was a light tank and the replacement of the obsolete M24 Chaffee light tank. It was produced by Caddilac between 1951 and 1954. The shells available were the M339 AP-T, the M352 HE, the M361 WP Smoke, M331 APDS, and the M319 HVAP-T described here.
The projectile consists of a magnesim projectile body in which a tungsten core is placed, locked up by a magnesium nose piece, screwed into the top part of the projectile body. A magnesium windshield is screwed over the nose piece. In the base of the projectile body a steel tracer element is screwed. A 36,5 mm long copper driving band is placed on the projectile body, flanged at the top. The driving band falls into the shellcase, with just the 3,5 mm long flanged part of the driving band sticking out of the shellcase.
The brass shellcase has a primer with a long magazine to enshure an instantanious ignition of the powder charge in the shellcase. The powder charge consists of granular powder.
The drawback of the M319 projecile was that its weight was concentrated internally while the outer casing was lightweight; this resulted in a relatively unstable grenade in terms of rotational dynamics (centrifugal force), particularly over longer ranges. Consequently, while the M319 was highly effective at short range, its effectiveness dropped rapidly at greater distances due to the projectile's imbalance. This type of projectile is also called APCR (Armour Piercing Composition Ridgid)
Data 76mm M319/T66 HVAP-T :
Cartridge length : 803 mm.
Cartridge case length : 578 mm.
Projectile diameter : 3 inch
Projectile length : 270 mm.
Vo : 4125 FT/sec
Penetration :
Angle / 1000yd / 2000yd
0° / 210mm / 160mm
30° / 167mm / 119mm
55° / 68mm / 48mm
60° / 58mm / 38mm
Regards, DJH
The projectile consists of a magnesim projectile body in which a tungsten core is placed, locked up by a magnesium nose piece, screwed into the top part of the projectile body. A magnesium windshield is screwed over the nose piece. In the base of the projectile body a steel tracer element is screwed. A 36,5 mm long copper driving band is placed on the projectile body, flanged at the top. The driving band falls into the shellcase, with just the 3,5 mm long flanged part of the driving band sticking out of the shellcase.
The brass shellcase has a primer with a long magazine to enshure an instantanious ignition of the powder charge in the shellcase. The powder charge consists of granular powder.
The drawback of the M319 projecile was that its weight was concentrated internally while the outer casing was lightweight; this resulted in a relatively unstable grenade in terms of rotational dynamics (centrifugal force), particularly over longer ranges. Consequently, while the M319 was highly effective at short range, its effectiveness dropped rapidly at greater distances due to the projectile's imbalance. This type of projectile is also called APCR (Armour Piercing Composition Ridgid)
Data 76mm M319/T66 HVAP-T :
Cartridge length : 803 mm.
Cartridge case length : 578 mm.
Projectile diameter : 3 inch
Projectile length : 270 mm.
Vo : 4125 FT/sec
Penetration :
Angle / 1000yd / 2000yd
0° / 210mm / 160mm
30° / 167mm / 119mm
55° / 68mm / 48mm
60° / 58mm / 38mm
Regards, DJH
