7.7 cm Infanteriegeschütz L/27

In other design departures from the standard gun, the shield was detachable and the axle was set further to the rear, altering the balance of the gun for easier manual handling. A removeable drum shaped counterweight was placed in a cradle over the trail spade to compensate for this change in balance for firing. Unlike the standard gun, the barrel could be quickly removed from the recoil cradle without having to unscrew and remove the recoil buffer and springs. On difficult terrain that may be expected in the front lines, it could be transported in two loads if required. Some surviving examples feature bolted-on wide steel tires to reduce the wheel pressure on soft ground. Only enough guns for eighteen batteries had been ordered and delivered in the Spring of 1917 as the Germans continued their search for the ideal infantry gun by ordering the Austrian Skoda 7.5 cm Gebirgskanone 15. There are six known surviving examples - two in Canada, two in the USA, one in Australia and one in New Zealand.

• Name — 7.7 cm Infanteriegeschütz L/27 • Origin — German Empire • Type — Infantry gun • Is Artillery — yes • Service — 1917–1918 • Used By — German Empire • Wars — World War I • Designer — Krupp • Manufacturer — Krupp • Weight — 845 kg • Part Length — 2.08 m L/27 • Cartridge — 6.85 kg • Caliber — 77 mm (3.03 in) • Velocity — approx 400 m/s (1,312 ft/s) • Range — 4600 m • Max Range — 7800 m (trail dug in) • Breech — Horizontal sliding-wedge • Carriage — Box trail • Elevation — -15° to +12° • Traverse — 6°

• Illustration — Two guns captured near the Marne in 1918 • Illustration — A captured gun