Gun, 37mm, M3

Overview

Gun, 37mm, M3
Gun, 37mm, M3, on Carriage, M4
Information
Type	Anti-Tank Gun
Place of Origin	United States of America
Designed	1938
Manufacturer(s)	Rock Island Arsenal Watervliet Arsenal
Produced	1940 - 1943
Number Built	18,702 1940: 340 1941: 2,252 1942: 11,812 1943: 4,298
Specifications
Shell / Cartridge	37x223mmR
RoF, Cyclic	Up to 25 rounds per minute
Muzzle Velocity	Up to 885m/s
Maximum Range	6.9km
Breech	Vertical block
Recoil	Hydrospring
Elevation	-10° to +15°
Traverse	60°
Default Sights	Telescopic, M6 (1x Magnification), on Mount, Telescope, M19
Rifling	12 grooves, right-hand twist
Other Components	Brush, Bore, 37mm, M8 Cable and plug Case, Telescope Cover, Gun, M87 Gage, Tire Pressure Staff, Cleaning, M2A1 Towing Harness
Dimensions
Length	3.92m
Barrel Length	Overall: 2.1m (L/56.6) Bore: 1.98m (L/53.5)
Height	0.96m
Width	1.61m
Weight	413.68kg

The Gun, 37mm, M3 is an American anti-tank gun.

Naming

Designation	Date
Gun, 37mm, Antitank, M3	1942
Gun, 37mm, M3	1944

Variants

Gun, 37mm, T3 Prototype. Gun, 37mm, T7 Prototype. Semi-automatic horizontal sliding breech block. Gun, 37mm, T8 Prototype. Nordenfelt eccentric crew breech. Gun, 37mm, T10 Prototype. Manual vertical breech block. Standardized as M3 in 1938. Gun, 37mm, M3 First production model from 1938. Gun, 37mm, M3A1 Improved production model from 1942. Threaded barrel to allow installation of a muzzle brake, which was never issued. Gun, 37mm, M5 Model for tank mounting from 1939. Short barrel. Gun, 37mm, M5E1 Model for tank mounting from 1939. Standard barrel length, semi-automatic breech. Standardized as M6 in 1940. Gun, 37mm, M6 Model for tank mounting from 1940. Standard barrel length, semi-automatic breech.

Carriages

T1

Prototype.

T1E1

Prototype.

T5 / M4

Adopted version.

M4A1

Improved traverse controls.

Airborne Carriage

In 1942, Airborne Command requested a version with removable trails. A prototype was tested, but in 1943 the project was deemed unnecessary and was dropped.

Ammunition

Ammunition came in boxes marked 37x223R, Cartridge Case M16.

AP M74 Shot

AP-T - Armour Piercing Tracer

• Overall Weight: 1.51kg
• Projectile Weight: 0.87kg
• Muzzle Velocity: 884m/s
• Penetration @ 457m/0°: 36mm
• Penetration @ 914m/20°: 25mm

APC M51 Shot

APCBC-T - Armour Piercing Capped Ballistic Cap

• Overall Weight: 1.58kg
• Projectile Weight: 0.87kg
• Muzzle Velocity: 884m/s
• Penetration @ 457m/0°: 61mm
• Penetration @ 914m/20°: 53mm
• Penetration vs homogeneous @ 457m/30°: 53mm
• Penetration vs homogeneous @ 914m/30°: 46mm
• Penetration vs homogeneous @ 1,371m/30°: 40mm
• Penetration vs homogeneous @ 1,828m/30°: 33mm
• Penetration vs face-hardened @ 457m/30°: 46mm
• Penetration vs face-hardened @ 914m/30°: 40mm
• Penetration vs face-hardened @ 1,371m/30°: 38mm
• Penetration vs face-hardened @ 1,828m/30°: 33mm

HE M63 Shell

HE - High Explosive

• Overall Weight: 1.42kg
• Projectile Weight: 0.73kg
• Filler: 39g TNT
• Muzzle Velocity: 792m/s

HE Mk II

HE - High Explosive

• Overall Weight: 1.23kg
• Projectile Weight: 0.56m
• Filler: 27g TNT

Canister M2

Canister

• Overall Weight: 1.58kg
• Projectile Weight: 0.88kg
• Filler: 122 steel balls
• Muzzle Velocity: 762m/s

TP M51 Shot

TP - Target Practice

• Overall Weight: 1.45kg
• Projectile Weight: 0.87kg

Drill Cartridge M13

Drill

The M13 cartridge was meant to simulate the APC M51 Shot.

• Overall Weight: 1.45kg
• Projectile Weight: 0.73kg

Drill Cartridge T5

Drill

The T5 cartridge was meant to simulate the HE M63 Shell.

• Overall Weight: 1.45kg
• Projectile Weight: 0.73kg

Blank Cartridge 10-gauge with adapter M2

Blank

• Overall Weight: 0.93kg

United States of America Weapons Interwar & World War II Period (1919 — 1945)

Infantry Weapons
Melee Weapons	Blades	Ka-Bar • M1 Bayonet • M3 Trench Knife • M1917 Bayonet • M1942 Bayonet • Marine Raider Stiletto • Mark I Trench Knife
Sidearms	Pistol	HDM • M1903 • M1908 • M1911 (A1)
	Revolver	M1917 • New Service • Official Police • Victory
Close-Quarters	Submachine Gun	M1 (A1) • M2 • M3 (A1) • M42 • M50 • M55 • M60 • M65 • M1921 • M1923 • M1926 • M1927 (A1 • A3 • A5) • M1928 (A1)
	Shotgun	Auto-5 • M31 • M37 • M520 • M620 • M1897 • M1912
Rifles	Bolt-Action Rifle	M1903 (A1 • A2 • A3 • A4) • M1917
	Battle Rifle	M1 (E1 • E2 • E3 • E4 • E5 • E6 • E8 • E9 • E10 • E11 • E12 • E13 • E14) • M1941 • T1 (E1 • E2) • T20 (E1 • E2 • E2, HB) • T22 (E1 • E2 • E2, HB) • T23 • T26 • T27 • T31 • T35 • T36 • T37
	Assault Rifle	M1 (A1 • A2 • A3) • M2 • M3
Machine Guns	Light Machine Gun	Browning M1918A2 • M1941
	Medium Machine Gun	M1917 • M1919 (A1 • A2 • A3 • A4 • A6)
	Heavy Machine Gun	M2
Anti-Materiel	Anti-Tank Rifle	[[]]
	Recoilless Rifles	M18 • M20
	Rocket Launchers	M1 (A1) • M9 (A1) • M18 • M20
	Flamethrowers	E1 • E1R1 • M1 (A1) • M2 (A1)
Grenades	Grenade Launchers	[[]]
	Rifle Grenade Launchers	M1 • M7 • M17
	Anti-Personnel Grenades	Mk 2 • MK3 • MK3A1 • MK3A2 • M1 Frangible Grenade • T13
	Anti-Tank Grenades	[[]]
	Smoke Grenades	[[]]
Mines	Anti-Personnel Mines	M3 • M16
	Anti-Tank Mines	M1 • M1A1 • M4 • M7 • M7A1 • M7A2
Other	Flare Guns	[[]]
	Other Man-Portable Explosives	M1A1 Bangalore Torpedo

Infantry Equipment
Camouflage	Camouflage	[[]]
Clothing	Backpacks	[[]]
	Body Armour	[[]]
	Bomb Suit	[[]]
	Elbow and knee pads	[[]]
	Signals & IFF	[[]]
	Suits	[[]]
	Vests & Webbing	[[]]
Headwear	Communication	[[]]
	Gas Masks & Rebreathers	[[]]
	Goggles	[[]]
	Helmets	[[]]
	Vehicle Headwear	[[]]
Optics, Detection and Surveillance	Man-Portable Radar	[[]]
	Mine Detectors	[[]]
	Night Vision Goggles	[[]]
	Periscopes	[[]]
	Rangefinders	[[]]
	Surveillance	[[]]

Artillery
Anti-Aircraft Guns	M45 Quadmount • 37mm M1 • 37mm M1A1 • 37mm M1A2 • 40mm M1 • 3-Inch M1917 • 3-Inch M1918 • 3-Inch M1 • 3-Inch M2 • 3-Inch M3 • 3-Inch M4 • 90mm M1 • 90mm M1A1 • 90mm M2 • 120mm M1
Anti-Tank Guns	37mm M3 (A1 • 57mm M1 • 75mm M1897 • 3-Inch M5 • 90mm M2 37mm T3 • 37mm T7 • 37mm T8 • 90mm T8 • 105mm T8
Coastal Artillery	3-Inch M1902 • 3-Inch M1903 • 90mm M1 • 6-Inch M1897 • 6-Inch M1900 • 6-Inch M1903 • 6-Inch M1905 • 6-Inch M1908 • 6-Inch M1 • 6-Inch T2 • 12-Inch M1890 • 12-Inch M1895 • 12-Inch M1888 • 12-Inch M1900 • 14-Inch M1907 • 14-Inch M1909 • 14-Inch M1910 • 16-Inch M1895 • 16-Inch M1919 • 16-Inch M1920 • 16-Inch Mark 2 • 16-Inch Mark 3
Field Guns	75mm M1897 • 4.5-Inch M1 • 4.5-Inch T3 • 6-Inch M1897 • 6-Inch M1900 • 6-Inch M1903 • 6-Inch M1905 • 6-Inch M1908 • 6-Inch M1 • 6-Inch T2 • 155mm M1 • 155mm M1A1 • 155mm M1A1E1 • 155mm M1A1E3 • 155mm M2 • 155mm T4 • 8-Inch M1
Howitzers	105mm M1 • 105mm M2 • 105mm T2 • 105mm M2A1 • 105mm M3 • 155mm M1918 • 155mm M1 • 8-Inch M1 • 8-Inch M2 • 240mm M1
Infantry & Mountain Guns	75mm M1 • 75mm M1A1
Mortars	60mm M2 • 81mm M1 • 4.2-Inch M2 • 12-Inch M1890 • 36-Inch Project 4712
Railroad Artillery	8-Inch VI • 8-Inch M1888 • 10-Inch M1895 • 10-Inch M1888 • 10-Inch M1900 • 14-Inch M1920
Recoilless Guns	[[]]
Rocket Artillery	[[]]
Siege Artillery	[[]]

Land Vehicle Weapons
Vehicle Machine Guns	M1919 (A4 • A4E1 • A5) • M2 (Fixed • Flexible • TT)
Standard Tank Guns	37mm M5 (E1) • 37mm M6 • 37mm M1924 (A1) • 75mm M2 • 75mm M3 • 75mm M6 • 3-inch M5 • 3-inch M6 • 3-inch M7 • 76mm M1 (A1 • A1C • A2) • 76mm T1 • 90mm M3 (A1) 37mm T21
Other Cannons Mounted on Tanks	75mm Howitzer M1 (A1) • 75mm AT Gun M1897 • 105mm Howitzer M2 • 105mm Howitzer M4 • 105mm T8 • 155mm Howitzer M1918 • 155mm Howitzer M2
Rocket Artillery	M17 • T34 (E1 • E2) • T40
Vehicle Flamethrowers	E7-7 • E9 • E14-7R2 • Navy Mk.I • Ronson
Spotlights	Canal Defence Light

Aircraft Weapons & Munitions
Aircraft Machine Guns	AN/M2 • M3
Aircraft Cannons below & including 30mm	[[]]
Aircraft Cannons above 30mm	37mm M4 • 37mm T9 • 37mm M10 • 75mm M5 • 75mm T13E1
Aircraft Rockets & Missiles	T64 H.V.A.R.
Aircraft Bombs, High Explosive	[[]]
Aircraft Bombs, Anti-Personnel	[[]]

Naval Weapons & Munitions
Naval Machine Guns	M2
Naval Cannons below & including 30mm	[[]]
Naval Cannons above 30mm	37mm M9

Sources
Books	Online	Documents
		• FM 23-70 — 37mm Gun, Antitank, M3, 1942-11-28