[quote]Originally posted by redcoat:
Quote:
The 17 pdr was only less accurate than the US 76mm when firing the early APDS ammo. The early APDS ammo SABOT casings caused problems with accuracy, which the British later cured. The short post war life is more to do with the British up gunning their tanks with the heavier 20pdr and 105mm guns in order to deal with the heavy Soviet tanks then coming into service, than any fault with the 17pdr.
The British had made the mistake of not up-gunning their tanks quickly enough in WW2, they weren't going to make the same mistake again
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Actually, the US carried out extensive tests on the 17pdr and 76mm. The 76 was found more accurate in all tests. This was likely due to less barrel vibration and the lower intital velocity of the 76mm round but not cited directly. The 76 also was found to have far less barrel wear per shot than the 17pdr.
Note how even the British went to the 77mm (a cut down 17 pdr) late in the war (used first in the Comet). This was done in large part to rectify the above problems with the 17pdr.
As a tank weapon, the British were also really strapped to shoe horn this gun into their tanks (including the Sherman). In the Challenger a large slab sided turret had to be used on a stretched Cromwell chassis. In the Sherman the gun had to be put in sideways and the radio equipment moved to an armored box added to the turret bustle which was cut out to allow recoil area. This arrangement slowed engagement time as loading was awkward.
Yes, the 17pdr had good penetration performance but at a cost of short barrel life and reduced accuracy (just like the German 70 caliber guns suffered). Of course, this is sort of sour apples to US tank crews saddled with the 76mm which actually could have been a better gun except the ordinance department stressed accuracy and gun life over better penetration. On the other hand one field fix that US ordinance battalions did in Europe was add more powder to 76mm rounds to increase the velocity. Yes, the US ordinancemen really did do this and it was more than an occasional thing.