100 mm field gun M1944 (BS-3)

Infobox Weapon
name=100 mm field gun model 1944 (BS-3)


caption=BS-3 in Batey ha-Osef Museum, Israel.
origin=USSR
type=field and anti-tank gun
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is_artillery=yes
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production_date=1944-?
number=
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weight=3,650 kg (8,047 lbs)
length=
part_length=bore: 5,345 mm / 53.5 calibers
overall 5,960 mm / 59.6 calibers (with muzzle brake)
width=
height=
crew=6 to 8
cartridge=
caliber=100 mm (3.93 in)
action=
rate=8 to 10 rounds per minute
velocity=900 m/s (2,953 ft/s)
range=
max_range=20 km (12.42 mi)
feed=
sights=
breech=
recoil=
carriage=split trail
elevation=-5° to 45°
traverse=58°
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suspension=
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The 100 mm field gun M1944 (BS-3) ( _ru. 100-мм полевая пушка обр. 1944 г. (БС-3)) was a Soviet 100 mm anti-tank and field gun. The gun was successfully employed in the late stages of World War II, remained in service into the 1950s, being replaced in Soviet service by the T-12 antitank gun in 1955. The BS-3 was also sold to a number of other countries and in some of these countries the gun is still in service. A number of BS-3 pieces are still stored in Russian Army arsenals.

History

The BS-3 was based on a B-3 naval gun. The development team was led by V. G. Grabin.

The gun was employed by light artillery brigades of tank armies (20 pieces along with 48 ZiS-3) and by corps artillery.

In the Second World War the BS-3 was successfully used as a powerful anti-tank gun. It was capable of defeating any contemporary tank at long range. The gun was also used as a field gun. Less powerful than the 122 mm A-19, BS-3 was more mobile and had higher rate of fire.

Ammunition data

*Ammunition
**

** APBC: BR-412B, BR-412D
** HE/Fragmentation
* Projectile weight
** AP/APBC: 15.88 kg (35 lbs)
** HE/Fragmentation: 15.6 kg (34.39 lbs)
* Armor penetration (BR-412B, 0 degrees)
** 500 m : 160 mm
(547 yds : 6.29 in)
** 1000 m : 150 mm
(1,093 yds : 6 in)

Users

It served in the armies of Bulgaria, China, Cyprus, East Germany, Egypt, Hungary, India, Mongolia, North Korea, North Vietnam, Poland, Romania, and Somalia.

References

* Shunkov V. N. - "The Weapons of the Red Army", Mn. Harvest, 1999 (Шунков В. Н. - "Оружие Красной Армии." — Мн.: Харвест, 1999.) ISBN 985-433-469-4
* Christopher F. Foss, "Artillery of the World"
* [http://www.freeweb.hu/gva/weapons/soviet_guns8.html Armor penetration table]

See also

* D-10 tank gun