Anti-tank rifle 38
| Anti-tank rifle 38 | |
|---|---|
|
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| general information | |
| Country of operation: | German Empire |
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Gustloff works |
| Production time: | 1938 |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | 1615 (1293 with folded shoulder rest) mm |
| Total height: | 350 mm |
| Total width: | 280 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | 16.2 kg |
| Sight length : | 940 mm |
| Barrel length : | 1085 mm |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : | 7.92 x 94 mm |
| Ammunition supply : | manually |
| Cadence : | 10 rounds / min |
| Fire types: | Single fire |
| Number of trains : | 4th |
| Twist : | right |
| Visor : | open sights |
| Closure : | Block closure |
| Charging principle: | Single loader |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Panzerbüchse 38 (also anti-tank rifle 38) is a German anti-tank rifle that was developed shortly before the start of the Second World War . It was later developed into the Panzerbüchse 39 .
history
The Panzerbüchse (short "Pz. B.") 38 was used as a light anti-tank weapon in the rifle companies of the Wehrmacht . The Heereswaffenamt required an infantry anti-tank weapon that should not weigh more than 15 kg, have a high rate of fire and penetrate 30 mm of armored steel at a distance of 100 m. Initially, the 13 mm caliber was intended, but this was changed to 7.92 mm in the course of development. The contract was awarded to the Gustloff works in Suhl. Trials began in the summer of 1938.
The Pz.B. 38 were used, but not declared to be orderly.
However, as early as 1940 during the western campaign it became clear that the penetration power for modern armor was insufficient. The weapon finally proved to be completely out of date in the war against the Soviet Union , when the fire from the anti- tank rifles was not even noticed by the T-34 crews.
technology
The Pz. 38 is a single loader with a movable barrel and drop block bolt . After the shot, the barrel and slide recoil against a strong spring. The breech is lowered at the end of the return stroke, the case is ejected and the barrel-breech unit is held in the rear position. The shooter places a cartridge in the chamber and presses the release lever located on the back of the handle, whereby the slide slides up and the spring advances the barrel-bolt unit. The shooter only has to cock manually before the first shot. The first 122 Pz. B. 38 were equipped with a "support system" developed in the Gustloff works, but this did not prove itself. Therefore, the rest of the lot was fitted with the MG34's height-adjustable bipod . To reduce the stowage length, the shoulder rest can be turned to the right. A handle is attached to the center of gravity of the weapon. The barrel is equipped with a funnel-shaped flash hider.
Around 400 were provided with an ammunition drum with a capacity of 36 rounds, the others received the cartridge container 38.
ammunition
The weapon is set up for the cartridge 318 (7.92 × 94 mm); the normal combat cartridge was provided with a pointed bullet with a hard core, tracer and an irritant gas capsule. In addition, practice cartridges with a pointed bullet without tracer and irritant gas capsule as well as blank cartridges with a wooden bullet were available. The cartridges were carried in the "cartridge container Pz. 38", a sheet metal box with a hinged lid. The cartridge container held ten cartridges and was carried in pairs on the march in the "bag for cartridge container Pz. B. 38" on the shooter's belt; when taking up position, the containers should then be removed from their pockets and pushed onto rails on both sides of the breech block so that the cartridges were within reach of the shooter.
The anti-tank rifle had a caliber of 7.92 mm, with the case based on the 13.25 × 92 mm HR cartridge of the M1918 tank rifle in order to have enough powder room for the propellant charge. The penetration performance was at an impact angle of 60 ° with 25 mm armor at a distance of 300 m.
equipment
The rifle sling of the 98k carbine was used to carry the armored rifle or grenade rifle; for cleaning the "cleaning device 34 long". It corresponded to the RG34 that was used for the carbine but included a longer cleaning chain. The cleaning device for the grenade rifle also included that of the shooting cup.
Manufacturing
1,600 armored rifles 38 were built in the Gustloff works by 1942.
literature
- Günter Wollert, Reiner Lidschun: Infantry weapons yesterday . (1918-1945). In: Illustrated encyclopedia of infantry weapons from around the world . 3. Edition. tape 1 . Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-89488-036-8 , weapons, p. 217-222 .
- Ian Hogg : 20th Century Artillery. Gondrom, Bindlach 2001, ISBN 3-8112-1878-6
- Karl R. Pawlas: German anti-tank rifles in caliber 7.92 mm , in: Waffen-Revue No. 45 and 46, Journal-Verlag Schwend GmbH, Schwäbisch Hall 1982
- Fritz Hahn: Weapons and Secret Weapons of the German Army 1933-1945 , Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Bonn 1998, ISBN 3-7637-5915-8
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f Günter Wollert, Reiner Lidschun: Infantry weapons yesterday . (1918-1945). In: Illustrated encyclopedia of infantry weapons from around the world . 3. Edition. tape 1 . Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-89488-036-8 , weapons, p. 221 .
- ^ A b c Günter Wollert, Reiner Lidschun: Infantry weapons yesterday . (1918-1945). In: Illustrated encyclopedia of infantry weapons from around the world . 3. Edition. tape 1 . Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-89488-036-8 , weapons, p. 217 .
- ↑ Günter Wollert, Reiner Lidschun: infantry weapons yesterday . (1918-1945). In: Illustrated encyclopedia of infantry weapons from around the world . 3. Edition. tape 1 . Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-89488-036-8 , weapons, p. 219 .
Web links
- Maxim Popenker: PzB.38 PzB.39. In: Modern Firearms. modernfirearms.net, accessed March 1, 2018 .