Description
This separated round includes a high velocity projectile designed for use in 120mm tank guns against armored targets.
The complete round consists of a projectile and separated cartridge case. The projectile contains a shaped charge, a spike and cone assembly, a fin assembly, and a point initiating, base-detonating fuze. A piezoelectric assembly, contained in the nose spike, acts as a power source for the fuze. Threaded to the projectile base is the boom with a rubber obturator, six fins, and a tracer. A plug and disk assembly in the aft end of the boom hold the tracer. The propelling charge assembly consists of a cartridge case filled with propellant and a primer. The triple base propellant is packed loose in the cartridge case and held in place with distance wadding. A plastic plug is used to seal the mouth of the cartridge case.
The projectile is black with yellow markings.
Functioning
When the percussion primer is struck by the firing pin of the weapon, the resulting flash ignites the propelling charge. The burning propelling charge generates gases that drive the fin- tabilized projectile from the gun bore and ignite the tracer. The tracer provides a visible and trace for approximately three seconds or to a range of’ 3,500 yards. Upon impact, the spike nose is crushed causing the fuze to function. Fuze functioning detonates the high-explosive shaped-charge which collapses the cone assembly and creates a high velocity focused shock wave. The intensity of the shock wave causes failure of the target armor and a jet of metal particles penetrates the interior of the target.
Hazardous Components
Filler and weight - Composition B (4.51 lb, 2.05 kg)
Propelling charge assembly - M99 (T42E1)
Propellant - M6 (22-24 lb, 10-11 kg)
Primer - M96, percussion
Tracer - M13 series
Physical Data
Length, projectile - 28.96 in, 735.5 mm
See Also
Source(s)
TM 9-1300-203, Artillery Ammunition (1967)
