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.
Organization and employment
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[1] or all 275 pieces.[2] 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).
Summary
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).
Ammunition
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.
^Ivanov A. - Artillery of the USSR in Second World War.
References
Shirokorad A. B. - Encyclopedia of the Soviet Artillery - Mn. Harvest, 2000 (Широкорад А. Б. Энциклопедия отечественной артиллерии. — Мн.: Харвест, 2000., ISBN985-433-703-0)
Ivanov A. - Artillery of the USSR in Second World War - SPb Neva, 2003 (Иванов А. Артиллерия СССР во Второй Мировой войне. — СПб., Издательский дом Нева, 2003., ISBN5-7654-2731-6)
Shunkov V. N. - The Weapons of the Red Army - Mn. Harvest, 1999 (Шунков В. Н. - Оружие Красной Армии. — Мн.: Харвест, 1999., ISBN985-433-469-4)
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