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37mm Antitank Gun M3

Showing the details of the shells used(where known)
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Weapon Details
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37mm Antitank Gun M3
(Anti Tank Gun)
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photo of 37mm Antitank Gun M3 from Wikipedia
History
Used against the Japanese in the Phillipines in 1941, and proved effective, however when used in the North Africa Campaign the shells bounced off the German medium tanks. This gun was also used in a number of American Tanks.
ManufacturerWatervliet Arsenal,
Manufactured1940 - 1944
Calibre37mm
Rate of Fire25 rpm
 
AP M74 Shot
(AP Armor Piercing)
37mm 0.86Kg 885M/Sec
Quoted Penetration 36mm @ 500mtr/0°
Range(Mtr)1002004008001200160020002400
Flight Time(Secs) 0.12 0.24 0.51 1.15 2.01 3.19 4.93 7.73
Penetration(mm@30°) 61 55 48 38 30 22 16 10
Penetration(mm@0°) 71 64 56 45 35 26 19 12
Hit Probability(%) 98 98 98 96 64 25 8 2



HE M63 Shell
(HE High Explosive)
37mm 0.73Kg 792M/Sec 0.039Kg explosive
Maximum Range not shown as gun elevation is limited
Range(Mtr)1002004008001200160020002400
Flight Time(Secs) 0.13 0.27 0.57 1.29 2.25 3.56 5.51 8.63
Direct Fire
Range(Mtr)1002004008001200160020002400
Flight Time(Secs) 0.13 0.27 0.57 1.29 2.25 3.56 5.51 8.63
Hit Probability(%) 98 98 98 93 57 22 3 1
Blast/Fragmentation Effects
Burst radius Infantry in open 99% kill0 mtr Burst radius Infantry in open 66% kill1 mtr
Burst radius Infantry in open 33% kill3 mtr  Armour Penetration inc roof at 1 mtr0 mm
An explosion within 1 mtr of infantry in the open will cause > 66% casualties and could damage some AFV's.
An explosion within 3 mtr of infantry in the open will cause 33% casualties.
The blast effect of this shell exploding within 1 mtr of an armoured vehicle will not cause any significant armour damage.

Vehicles in our database using this gun
Vehicle NameCommon Name
 Light Tank M3A3 (Stuart V)Stuart V 
 Light Tank M5 (Stuart VI)Stuart VI 
 Light Tank M5A1Stuart 
 37 mm Gun Motor Carriage M6 
 Light Tank T9E1 (M22 Locust)M22 Locust 
 

Hit probability is based on a static 2 x 2.4 metre panel at 0 degrees(vertical) at the range specified.

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.

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