152 mm gun M1910/34

• Name — 152-mm gun model 1910/34 • Origin — Soviet Union • Type — Heavy field gun • Is Artillery — yes • Number — 275 • Weight — Combat: 7,100 kg (15,653 lbs) Travel: 7,820 kg (17,240 lbs) (with limber) • Length — 8.10 m • Part Length — Bore: 4.24 m L/27.9 Overall: 4.40 m L/29 (without muzzle brake) • Width — 2.34 m • Height — 1.99 m • Crew — 9 • Caliber — 152.4 mm (6 in) • Rate — 3-4 rounds per minute • Velocity — 665 m/s • Max Range — 17,265 m • Breech — interrupted screw • Recoil — Hydro-pneumatic • Carriage — split trail • Elevation — -4° to +45° • Traverse — 56°

The first upgrade of the 152-mm siege gun M1910 resulted in a weapon with improved characteristics, but didn't address some significant shortcomings, namely insufficient mobility (due to unsprung carriage and separate transportation of barrel) and limited traverse. The new modernization was an attempt to solve these problems by using a modern split trail carriage of the 122-mm gun M1931. A prototype went through ground trials starting 16 May 1934. The trials lasted until 16 January 1935, then the gun was given to the army for testing. The responses were mostly positive, and the gun was officially adopted as 152-mm gun model 1910/34. Because of its maximum elevation angle of 45°, it was sometimes referred to as howitzer. In fact, even the developers initially called the piece 152-mm howitzer model 1932 and later 152-mm howitzer model 1934. The latter name can also be seen in some official documentation. Production at the Perm plant started in 1934 and continued until 1937, with a total of 275 pieces built.

According to RKKA organization, 152-mm guns were employed by corps artillery and by the Reserve of the Main Command, typically instead of 152-mm gun-howitzer M1937 (ML-20). Heavy gun regiments of Reserve of the Main Command had 24 pieces each. According to different sources, at the outbreak of Great Patriotic War the Red Army possessed either 146 M1910/34s or all 275 pieces. These undoubtfully saw combat in the war, though due to their limited number the details of their service are unknown. A few pieces were captured by Germans which adopted them as 15,2 cm K.433/2(r).

The second modernization of the M1910 significantly improved mobility and traverse of the gun. The barrel was not transported separately anymore, which meant much faster set up time. Improved elevation led to slightly longer range. However, there were still some problems. The elevation mechanism was combined with the equilibrator in a single device - a construction which resulted in slow elevation. The maximum elevation angle of 45° was considered insufficient. Some elements of the gun, mostly of the upper carriage, were hard to produce. As a result, more attempts to improve the design followed, eventually resulting in the 152-mm gun-howitzer M1937 (ML-20).

• Available ammunition • Type — Model — Weight, kg — HE weight, kg — Muzzle velocity, m/s — Range, m • Armor-piercing shells • APHE — BR-540 — 48.8 — 0.66 — 600 — 4,000 • APBC (from late 1944) — BR-540B — 46.5 — 0.48 — 600 — 4,000 • Naval semi-AP — model 1915/28 — 51.07 — 3.2 — 573 — 5,000 • HEAT — BP-540 — 27.44 — 680 — 3,000 • Anti-concrete shells • Anti-concrete howitzer shell — G-530 / G-530Sh — 40.0 — 5.1 • Anti-concrete gun shell — G-545 — 56.0 — 4.2 • High-explosive and fragmentation shells • Gun shells • HE-Fragmentation, steel — OF-540 — 43.6 — 5.9-6.25 • HE-Fragmentation, steel — OF-540Zh — 43.6 — 5.9-6.25 • HE, old — F-542 — 38.1 — 5.86 • HE, old — F-542G — 38.52 — 5.83 • HE, old — F-542ShG — 41.0 — 5.93 • HE, old — F-542Sh — 40.6 — 6.06 • HE, old — F-542ShU — 40.86 — 5.96 • HE, old — F-542U — 38.36 — 5.77 • Howitzer shells • HE-Fragmentation, steel — OF-530 — 40.0 — 5.47-6.86 • HE-Fragmentation, steely iron — OF-530A — 40.0 — 5.66 • HE, old — F-533 — 40.41 — 8.0 • HE, old — F-533K — 40.68 — 7.3 • HE, old — F-533N — 41.0 — 7.3 • HE, old — F-533U — 40.8 — 8.8 • HE, steely iron, old French — F-534F — 41.1 — 3.9 • HE for 152-mm mortar model 1931 — F-521 — 41.7 — 7.7 • HE, British, for Vickers 152-mm howitzer — F-531 — 44.91 — 5.7 • Shrapnel shells • Shrapnel with 45 sec. tube — Sh-501 — 41.16-41.83 — 0.5 (680—690 bullets) • Shrapnel with Т-6 tube — Sh-501T — 41.16 — 0.5 (680—690 bullets) • Illumination shells • Illumination, 40 sec. — S 1 — 40.2 • Chemical shells • Fragmentation-chemical gun shell — OH-540 • Chemical howitzer shell — HS-530 — 38.8 • Chemical howitzer shell — HN-530 — 39.1 • Chemical (post-war) — ZHZ: • Armour penetration table • APHE shell BR-540 • Distance, m — Meet angle 60°, mm — Meet angle 90°, mm • 500 — 105 — 125 • 1000 — 95 — 115 • 1500 — 85 — 105 • 2000 — 75 — 90 • APBC shell BR-540B • Distance, m — Meet angle 60°, mm — Meet angle 90°, mm • 500 — 105 — 130 • 1000 — 100 — 120 • 1500 — 95 — 115 • 2000 — 85 — 105 • Naval semi-AP model 1915/28 • Distance, m — Meet angle 60°, mm — Meet angle 90°, mm • 100 — 110 — 136 • 500 — 104 — 128 • 1000 — 97 — 119 • 1500 — 91 — 111 • 2000 — 85 — 105 • This data was obtained by Soviet methodics of armour penetration measurement (penetration probability equals 75%). It is not directly comparable with western data of similar type.