Details of guns produced/used in Britain between 1930-1945

Showing the details of the shells used and armour penetration(where known)

Please click on a country flag for full gun details Bren Gun 7.70mm L/82 BALL Standard british .303 round - HPBT 0.01Kg 761M/Sec Range Metres 100               Penetration mm@0° 2               BALL Standard british .303 round 0.017Kg 783M/Sec Range Metres 100 200             Penetration mm@0° 5 2             Lewis Gun 7.70mm L/87 BALL Standard british .303 round - HPBT 0.01Kg 761M/Sec Range Metres 100               Penetration mm@0° 2               BALL Standard british .303 round 0.017Kg 783M/Sec Range Metres 100 200             Penetration mm@0° 5 2             Vickers Medium Machine Gun 7.70mm L/93 BALL Standard british .303 round - MkVIII (only used in Vickers Mg) 0.01Kg 844M/Sec Range Metres 100               Penetration mm@0° 3               BESA Machine Gun 7.92mm 7.92mm L/93 BALL Cartridge SA, 7.92 0.012Kg 785M/Sec Range Metres 100 200             Penetration mm@0° 3 2             APBALL Cartridge SA, 7.92 0.011Kg 785M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400           Penetration mm@0° 12 10 6           Vickers Heavy Machine Gun 12.70mm L/80 AP Vickers .5 inch bullet 0.037Kg 770M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400           Penetration mm@0° 7 5 3           APBALL .5 inch Armour Piercing W. Mark 1.z 0.037Kg 800M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800         Penetration mm@0° 19 15 11 5         Rifle Anti-tank 0.55in Boys Mk1 13.90mm L/65.50 AP Boyes AP 0.05Kg 990M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400           Penetration mm@0° 15 10 4           AP40 Boyes AP Tungsten Cored 0.05Kg 990M/Sec [24mm@100mat0°] Range Metres 100 200 400           Penetration mm@0° 122 95 53           BESA Machine Gun 15mm 15mm L/80 APBALL Cartridge S.A. Ball 15mm Mark Iz 0.07Kg 883M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200       Penetration mm@0° 29 24 19 10 4       Oerlikon 20mm L/70 20mm L/70 HE 20x101RB 0.13Kg 750M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 914 7 mtr 2 mtr 1 mtr 1 mm Oerlikon 20mm L/85 20mm L/85 HE 20x110RB 0.123Kg 830M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 1500 7 mtr 2 mtr 1 mtr 1 mm Polsten 20mm 20mm L/72 HE 20x101RB 0.13Kg 750M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 914 7 mtr 2 mtr 1 mtr 1 mm Anti-Tank Gun, 25 mm Hotchkiss 25mm L/72 AP Hotchkiss 25mm 0.32Kg 950M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600     Penetration mm@0° 47 39 30 19 11 5     37mm COW gun 37mm L/62.90 HE 37x190R HE 0.65Kg 594M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 0 13 mtr 5 mtr 2 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 37mm Mk 1 37mm L/52 AP 37 mm sk ptr m/34 slpprj m/38 0.74Kg 785M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 54 48 42 34 26 20 14 9 HE 37 mm sk ptr m/34 sgr m/43 0.68Kg 805M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 0 20 mtr 8 mtr 4 mtr 1 mm HEAT 37 mm sk ptr m/34 slpgr m/39 0.74Kg 775M/Sec Bofors 40 mm L/60 40mm L/56 HE 40 × 311 mm R 0.95Kg 850M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 0 13 mtr 5 mtr 2 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 2pdr 40mm L/50 AP AP/T Mk I 1.08Kg 792M/Sec [53mm@455m] Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 74 67 59 48 39 30 22 16 HE HE/T Mk II after 1942 0.86Kg 792M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 5900 9 mtr 3 mtr 1 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 6pdr 7cwt MKI-III 57mm L/43 AP Shot, AP, Mks 1 to 7 2.86Kg 853M/Sec [68mm@915m] Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 105 96 86 73 62 51 41 33 Ordnance Q.F. 6pdr 7cwt MKIV-V 57mm L/50 AP Shot, AP, Mks 1 to 7 2.86Kg 853M/Sec [68mm@915m] Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 105 96 86 73 62 51 41 33 HE Shell, HE, Mk 10T 3Kg 820M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 5030 17 mtr 6 mtr 3 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 13-pounder 75mm L/25 HE Q.F. 13 pounder 5.7Kg 511M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 5400 8 mtr 3 mtr 1 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 75mm 75mm L/32.68 AP AP M72 U.S. 6.58Kg 618M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 114 106 96 85 74 64 54 45 HE HE M48 6.76Kg 625M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 5000 16 mtr 6 mtr 3 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 17/25pdr (Pheasant) 76.20mm AP 17pdr MkI - MkIII 7.65Kg 950M/Sec [130mm@915m] Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 201 186 170 150 131 113 97 82 HE 17pdr MkI - MkIII 11.9Kg 550M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 0 7 mtr 3 mtr 1 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 17pdr 76.20mm L/55 AP 17pdr MkI - MkIII 7.65Kg 950M/Sec [130mm@915m] Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 201 186 170 150 131 113 97 82 HE 17pdr HE/Red 6.1Kg 550M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 10000 13 mtr 5 mtr 2 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 3inch 20cwt AA 76.20mm L/45 HE QF 3-inch 20 cwt 7.26Kg 610M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 6700 20 mtr 8 mtr 4 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 3inch Howitzer 76.20mm HE 3 inch howitzer AP 6.3Kg 650M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 0 15 mtr 6 mtr 3 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 77mm 3inch 76.20mm AP AP 7.65Kg 792M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 167 155 142 125 109 94 81 68 18pdr Mk I 84mm L/28 HE 18pdr HE 8.4Kg 492M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 5965 9 mtr 3 mtr 1 mtr 1 mm AP 18pdr AP 8.42Kg 500M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 105 99 91 81 72 63 55 48 Ordnance Q.F. 25pdr Mk 2 87mm L/27 AP 25pdr AP 11.3Kg 518M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 142 133 123 110 98 87 76 66 AP 25pdr Supercharge 11.3Kg 564M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 154 145 134 120 107 94 83 72 HE 25pdr HE 11.5Kg 532M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 8000 14 mtr 5 mtr 2 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 25pdr Short Mk 1 87mm L/14 AP 25pdr AP 11.3Kg 518M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 142 133 123 110 98 87 76 66 HE 25pdr HE 11.5Kg 532M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 8000 14 mtr 5 mtr 2 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 32pdr 93mm AP 32pdr AP 14.5Kg 880M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 290 273 253 229 206 184 163 144 APDS 32pdr APDS 6.9Kg 1540M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 319 295 266 232 200 170 143 117 Ordnance Q.F. 3.7inch AA 94mm L/50 AP 3.7inch AA AP 12.96Kg 792M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 230 217 202 183 164 147 131 116 HE 3.7inch AA HE 12.96Kg 800M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 12500 22 mtr 8 mtr 4 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 3.7inch CS Howitzer 94mm L/15 HE 3.7inch CS HE 9Kg 189M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 0 22 mtr 8 mtr 4 mtr 1 mm Ordnance Q.F. 95mm Howitzer 95mm HE 95mm HE 11.34Kg 320M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 0 22 mtr 8 mtr 4 mtr 1 mm APHE 95mm APHE 6.72Kg 502M/Sec Range Metres 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Penetration mm@0° 75 70 65 59 53 48 43 38 Ordnance Q.F. 4.5inch AA MkII 113mm L/45 HE 4.5inch AA HE 24.7Kg 732M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 12980 23 mtr 9 mtr 4 mtr 1 mm 4.5in Gun Mk II 114mm L/41 HE Shell HE S/L 4.5in Mk ID 24.9Kg 685M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 18745 23 mtr 9 mtr 4 mtr 1 mm 4.5in Howitzer Mk I 114mm L/13 HE Shell HE Mk12 - 16 15.9Kg 307M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 6675 23 mtr 9 mtr 4 mtr 1 mm 5.5in Gun Mk III 140mm L/30 HE Shell HE S/L 100lb Mk ID 45.4Kg 510M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 14810 25 mtr 10 mtr 5 mtr 2 mm HE Shell HE S/L 80lb Mk ID 37.1Kg 594M/Sec   HE Info Range(mtr) Casualty % in open Pen(1mtr) 33% 66% 99% 16550 25 mtr 10 mtr 5 mtr 2 mm

The data that has been used to create these records has come from Wikipedia, The Lone Sentry, The Bundes Archive and numerous books and websites that have provided the detailed information that has not been available anywhere else. The information we use to calculate the penetration tables, flight times and the hit probability comes from the Gun Calibre, the Shell Mass(Kg) and the muzzle velocity, plus range reductions to allow for gravity and wind resistance. This calculation originally came from a pre-war Krupp calculation which has been modified, and seems to fit the actual test results.

© WWIITanks 1980-2024