Lahti L-39
| Lahti anti-tank rifle | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| general information | |
| Military designation: | VKT L-39 |
| Country of operation: | Finland |
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Lahti / Finnish Valtion Kivääritehdas (VKT; State Rifle Factory), Jyväskylä |
| Manufacturer country: | Finland |
| Production time: | 1939 to 1945 |
| Model variants: | L-39, L-39/44. |
| Weapon Category: | Anti-tank rifle |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | 2232 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | 42.19 kg |
| Barrel length : | 1393 mm |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : | 20 × 138 mm wide |
| Possible magazine fillings : | 10 cartridges |
| Ammunition supply : | Curve magazine |
| Cadence : | 15 rounds / min |
| Fire types: | Single fire |
| Visor : | open sights |
| Closure : | vertical block wedge lock |
| Charging principle: | Gas pressure charger |
| Lists on the subject | |
The L-39 20mm Lahti is a Finnish self-loading anti - tank rifle that was used during World War II. She had a relatively large magazine. Due to the large and extremely powerful ammunition, it had a strong recoil; the size and weight made it difficult to transport, which is why it was called "Norsupyssy" (elephant rifle). After the armor thickness increased more and more and could no longer be penetrated with the L-39, the anti- tank rifles were used as anti-materiel rifle .
development
Initially, the Finnish military proposed a .50 BMG anti-tank rifle , but Aimo Lahti , the developer of the L-39, was determined to use the 20 × 113 mm caliber. At first, leading military officials believed that the muzzle velocity of this caliber was too slow to penetrate armor, but Lahti refuted this in extensive tests in 1939. The series weapons were produced in the 20 × 138 mm B caliber , which was already the Finnish orderly. The penetration rate was 30 mm of steel at a distance of 100 m, at a distance of 300 m it was still 25 mm. The muzzle velocity was 550 m / s.
technology
The L-39 is a shooting gas pressure loader with a vertical block wedge lock. The gas duct located under the barrel is equipped with a gas pressure regulator to ensure that it functions properly as the dirt increases. The pulse gas piston runs in the gas channel. The 10-part cam magazine sits on the lock housing, which is why, as with the ZB vz. 26 the sighting device is not located above the barrel axis, but is offset to the left. The locking wedge is actuated via a control cam in the bolt carrier and locks upwards in the bolt housing. The slide remains in the rearmost position after the shot and must be released manually by the shooter. The bracket integrated in the pistol grip is used for this purpose. Then the recoil spring moves the bolt carrier with bolt forward, a new cartridge being inserted into the chamber and the firing pin spring being tensioned. The cartridge cases are ejected downwards. To reduce the strong recoil, the weapon had a muzzle brake and a padded shoulder rest.
commitment
Winter war
Finland lacked anti-tank weapons during the Winter War . Only two L-39s and a handful of 13mm guns were in use at the front. Since the 13mm guns could not penetrate the armor of the Soviet tanks, the L-39 was chosen as the standard anti-tank rifle.
Continuation War
Although the weapon was no longer able to penetrate the armor of newer Soviet tanks like the T-34 or KW-1 , it was very effective in use against bunkers, distant targets and even against aircraft. With the help of a little luck and thanks to the precise sight of the anti-tank rifle, a Finnish rifleman was even able to shoot down a low-flying Ilyushin Il-2 (which was rather rare). In 1944 a fully automatic version of the L-39 was finally introduced as an anti-aircraft rifle. It was also possible to equip the rifle with phosphorus ammunition in order to eliminate enemy snipers .
During the war, it turned out that the weapon, weighing over 50 kilograms, was very heavy and unwieldy. The loaded magazine alone weighed 6.7 kg, around two kilograms more than the Suomi M-31 submachine gun . Due to its heavy weight, the L-39 was pulled onto the battlefield by reindeer or horses and operated there by a two-man team.
By the end of the war, over 1900 L-39s had been produced. The L-39 was in service with the Finnish Army until the 1960s.
Further developments
The light Flak 20 ITK 40 VKT was developed from the L-39 . The main changes were the removal of the slide catch so that the weapon could fire continuous fire as well as an anti-aircraft mount and a suitable reflex sight.
literature
- Günter Wollert, Reiner Lidschun, Wilfried Copenhagen : small arms . (1945-1985). In: Illustrated encyclopedia of rifles from around the world . 5th edition. tape 1 + 2 . Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1988, ISBN 3-89488-057-0 , p. 237-238 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b FINNISH ARMY 1918 - 1945: AT-RIFLES PART 1. www.jaegerplatoon.net, accessed on December 20, 2017 (English).
- ↑ a b c d e f Maxim Popenker: Lahti L-39. In: Modern Firearms. modernfirearms.net, accessed December 22, 2017 .
- ↑ Тяжелое противотанковое ружье Lahti 20 pst.kiv 39 / VKT L-39 / Norsupyssy (описание и характеристики, история создания и использования, фото и схемы, ттх). weaponland.ru, accessed December 20, 2017 (Russian).
Web links
- Winterwar.com
- Юрий Пономарёв: Lahti L 39. (Pdf, 800 kB) In: КАЛАШНИКОВ. ОРУЖИЕ, БОЕПРИПАСЫ, СНАРЯЖЕНИЕ. March 2009, pp. 18–24 , accessed on December 21, 2015 (Russian, Yuri Ponomarjow: Lahti L39 . In: Kalaschnikow. Waffen, Munition, Zubehör).
- Maxim Popenker: Lahti L-39. In: Modern Firearms. modernfirearms.net, accessed December 22, 2017 .