Welcome to the WWII Forums! Log in or Sign up to interact with the community.

Taper bore guns.

Discussion in 'Artillery' started by aglooka, Jul 30, 2009.

Tags:
  1. aglooka

    aglooka Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2005
    Messages:
    163
    Likes Received:
    6
    As we all know the remarcable taper bore guns were only used for a short period given the lack of tungsten.

    In the scenario they could be used basically unlimited what changes would that make in tank warfare on the eastern front ?
    If i remember correctly the 75/55 weapon with its remarcable performance could be mounted in the pzkw III. (at least it was tried)

    Many greetings,

    Aglooka.
     
  2. SPGunner

    SPGunner Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2009
    Messages:
    239
    Likes Received:
    10
    Barrel wear was also higher and the barrel would require replacement after a limited number of shots. Allied intelligence thought barrel replacement could be required after only 400-500 rounds.
    Ammunition for German 42-mm Antitank Gun
     
  3. aglooka

    aglooka Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2005
    Messages:
    163
    Likes Received:
    6

    The 75/55 had a quick change barrel liner i believe.

    But indeed tanks would be much less powerful using HE, which was the most used ammo anyway.

    Aglooka
     
  4. Sentinel

    Sentinel Member

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2008
    Messages:
    365
    Likes Received:
    47
    I've heard that there was an effort to build an Allied version of the taper bore gun, based on the 57mm anti-tank weapon. This involved a removable barrel liner which produced the taper.

    Unfortunately, I haven't yet been able to find a reference on the Web.
     
  5. b0ned0me

    b0ned0me Member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2009
    Messages:
    39
    Likes Received:
    4
    There was also the Littlejohn adaptor which operated along similar lines. Theoretically I suppose there's no reason why that couldn't have been scaled to other calibers, and it did mean that barrels could be made using existing techniques/machinery, and also allowed full-bore ammo to be used (after some poor schmoe was volunteered to clamber out and unscrew the thing).
     
  6. von Poop

    von Poop Waspish

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2006
    Messages:
    6,300
    Likes Received:
    1,919
    Location:
    Perfidious Albion
    There's a distinction to be drawn here between Taper Bore & Squeeze Bore. I think they're too often presented as exactly the same thing.

    Gerlich's 'Taper Bore' system is where the entire bore of the gun is tapered, it's primary difficulty is in making the actual tapered tube (Germany's problem with the Tungsten ammunition is related, but perhaps more one of requiring such heavy shot for the small bore guns they attempted full Taper on? ). The sPzB 41 & variants are full taper bore weapons'. Once the barrel inevitably suffered from the high wear associated with the system then that was it for such guns.

    'Squeeze bore', while following the same philosophy, is where most of the tube is parallel, but tapers for the final section. The PaK41 was the only major piece to use the principal successfully in the war, the conventional rifled barrel of c.10ft had an unrifled squeeze section c.3ft long attached, it apparently worked quite well as the wear problems associated with Tapers only affected the easily replaced final section. The Littlejohn is also a squeeze bore device. I know the 2pdr could fire quite happily with the littlejohn removed, and I believe the PaK41 could also function without the squeeze section?

    ~A
     
  7. aglooka

    aglooka Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2005
    Messages:
    163
    Likes Received:
    6
    Thanks for the extra information !

    Aglooka
     
  8. T. A. Gardner

    T. A. Gardner Genuine Chief

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2003
    Messages:
    6,131
    Likes Received:
    894
    Location:
    Phoenix Arizona
    At least the 42mm gun saw some limited service into 1944. I have seen pictures of it in action in Rome as late as that year with both Fallschimjäger units and SS units in Italy.
     
  9. marc780

    marc780 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2008
    Messages:
    585
    Likes Received:
    55
    What would have changed, the Germans could have kept alot of their older, smaller caliber guns in service longer since the russian main battle tank through the whole war was the t-34 and any gun that could penetrate it would be useful.
     

Share This Page