Anti-tank round hits on Sherman frontal armor

Entrance and exit ballistics of a Russian PTRS41 14.5 mm anti-tank rife round in an A36 steel 
plate (1 inch thick) at slight obliquity

CAPABILITY OF SELECTED WWII GUNS

The following table shows armor penetration capability for various munitions used in WWII. This table is being researched from a wide variety of references on the subject. The purpose of the table is to develop a technical basis for the determination of outcomes from gun versus armor engagements in tactical reenactment battles hosted by various WWII reenactment groups. If you have additional information not shown in the tables below, our research department would be very interested in obtaining the data (along with references) to add to this data base. Please e-mail us with your contribution.

U.S. ARMY WEAPONS CAPABILITY AGAINST ROLLED HOMOGENEOUS STEEL ARMOR AT 30 DEGREES OBLIQUITY, Penetration in mm in direction of travel, range in meters

WEAPON TYPE	MUNITION TYPE	Range 100m	Range 500m	Range 1000m	Range 1500m	Range 2000m	Reference
20mm GUN AN-M2	AP-M95	22mm	18mm	13mm	8mm	7mm	4
37MM M6 GUN	M51AP	63mm	54mm	45mm	37mm	-	2
37mm GUN M6 Squeeze Bore	Tungsten Carbide	118mm	85mm	59mm	46mm	-	3
75MM GUN	AP-T	87mm	73mm	65mm	54mm	45mm	1
75MM GUN	APCR-T	135mm	115mm	95mm	76mm	60mm	1

1. "Stuart, A History of the American Light Tank", Hunnicutt, Presidio, 1992.

2. "Stuart, U.S. Light Tanks in Action", Squadron/Signal Publications, Number 18, 1979.

3. "Fire and Movement", The Tank Museum at Bovington, Dorset, England 1975.

4. "Ballistic Data Performance of Ammunition", TM9-1907, Department of the Army, July 1948.

Copyright 1995 Charles C. Roberts, Jr

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