PaK 97/38

[DRG]

German Artillery of World War Two
Ian V. Hogg

PP 202-203

Hogg says the 7.5 K Gr Patr (p) was AP shot that had been part of the Polish army stocks so would have been available when the gun was issued

The HEAT round was German Manufactured but the case and charge came from captured French stock and was, in fact the 7.5cm FK38 shell with the substitution of a copper driving band for the sintered one used in the German gun.

Hogg goes on to say the gun was not particularly successful owing to it's low muzzle velocity and it was also unpopular with the troops because of an inherent instability when fired and a high carriage failure rate ( the carriage was the same as the 5cm PAK 38 and the muzzle brake was fitted to reduce the recoil stress arrising from the up gunned carriage )

Muzzle velocities

HE-- 1893 fps
AP---1870 fps
HEAT-1476 fps

The gun didn't last long as a front line weapon on the Eastern front but was used on West Wall defences. He also seems to indicate the HEAT round was provided when the gun was issued ( quote "a hollow charge round was provided" no indication is was a late development)

Don