German 7,5 cm ammunition consumption,6/41-12/42

[Yoozername]

This data is taken from Sturmartillerie-Anderson

HL ammunition consumption shows just how important this ammunition type was. Note that for the 7,5 cm L24, GR 38 is a HEAT (HL) round. As has been discussed before, PzGr 39 production is slow and expensive.

Interesting that PzGr 40 ammunition is not as rare as one might think.

[Yoozername]

The book also gives this data as far as rounds authorized per AFV. I would guess this would be in the vehicle, and the rest in the 'trains' (ammo trucks). This is OKH January 1943. In reality, the L48 weapons would probably need to use HL ammunition also.

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[Yoozername]

The numbers should be compared to the ramp up of L43/L48 weapons.

[Thoddy]

The Pzgr 40 included the Weicheisen, Hartkern and possibly Stahlkern types.

[Yoozername]

The Pzgr 40 included the Weicheisen, Hartkern and possibly Stahlkern types.

Do you have a source for that?

[Thoddy]

D435/1 Die Munition der Deutschen Geschütze und Werfer (28.12.1940)
as well as
D480 Band I Geschossringbuch Juli 1939

Stahlkerntypes are not mentioned in both DVs

[Yoozername]

That's pretty well known as not being consumption reports?

[Peasant]

This is good data that will help dispel the idea most people who only dabble in these topics have, that the hollow charge ammunition was kind of specialist round, akin to the PzGr.40, supplied in extremely limited amounts and used sparingly and only against heaviest targets. Even I assumed for a long time that the Pz.IVs and Stug IIIs were virtually powerless against enemy tanks with more than 50-60mm of armour until the more powerful high velocity 7.5cm gun was installed, which was clearly not the case in 1942 with an ample supply of hollow charge ammunition.

[Yoozername]

From the data, and reports, the 7,5 cm GR38 hollow charge was just released in january of 1942 for the K (short) guns. Hitler thought it would make all tanks obsolete. In the case of the L43/48 weapons, it was produced due to the slow ramp up of PzGr 39. As the numbers of production of tanks showed, the fleet size would be expanding as 1942 dragged on. By Dec 42, HL/B was the predominate round being fired from the L weapons (even more than HE). Pak 40, which shared the same PzGr 39 projectile, had similar usage numbers. Miles has posted ammunition consumption from Corps at Kursk. Clearly HL ammunition was used in great numbers and SOP is documented regarding what ammo was to be used for each target. PzGr 39 was not be wasted on light tanks for sure.

[Brady]

So, is it likely the HEAT round for the LG 40 was available at the same time, I had thought that it wasn’t available until sometime in 42 but I just recently came across a source that noted that it was available in December 1941?