125 mm smoothbore rounds
Encyclopedia
The following is a list of ammunition fired by 125 mm Smoothbore
Smoothbore
A smoothbore weapon is one which has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars.-History of firearms and rifling:...

 guns series used in the T-64
T-64
The T-64 is a Soviet main battle tank, introduced in the early 1960s. It was used solely by the Soviet Army in its front-line divisions and was a more advanced counterpart to the T-62...

, T-72
T-72
The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A...

, T-80
T-80
The T-80 is a main battle tank designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union. A development of the T-64, it entered service in 1976 and was the first production tank to be equipped with a gas turbine engine for main propulsion.the Swedish Stridsvagn 103 of 1971 used a gas turbine alongside...

, M-84
M-84
The M-84 is a Yugoslav 2nd generation main battle tank. The M-84 is in service in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kuwait, Slovenia and Serbia.-Development and production:...

 and T-90
T-90
The T-90 is a Russian third-generation main battle tank that is a modernisation of the T-72 . It is currently the most modern tank in service with the Russian Ground Forces and Naval Infantry...

 tanks as well as the 2A45 Sprut Anti-Tank gun
Sprut anti-tank gun
2A45 Sprut-A, 2A45M Sprut-B and 2S25 Sprut-SD are the designations of the Soviet smoothbore 125 mm anti-tank gun.-Development:...

.

APFSDS-T

Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot
Sabot
A sabot is a device used in a firearm or cannon to fire a projectile, such as a bullet, that is smaller than the bore diameter, or which must be held in a precise position. The term is also applied to a battery stub case, a device used similarly to make a small electrical battery usable in a...

 or APFSDS rounds. Typically used against other modern tanks.

3VBM3/3BM9/10

Entered service in 1962. The projectile is Maraging steel
Maraging steel
Maraging steels are steels which are known for possessing superior strength and toughness without losing malleability, although they cannot hold a good cutting edge. Aging refers to the extended heat-treatment process...

.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 410 mm 10: 1 L/d
  • Projectile weight (including sabot): 5.67 kg
  • Projectile weight: 3.6 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 1800 m/s
  • Muzzle energy: 5.8 MJ
  • Penetration: 245 mm at 0° at 2000 m, 80 mm at 60° at 2000 m, (energy at 2000 m is 4.2 MJ

3VBM6/3BM12/13

Entered service (estimated) in 1968. Essentially the same as the 3BM9 projectile with a tungsten
Tungsten
Tungsten , also known as wolfram , is a chemical element with the chemical symbol W and atomic number 74.A hard, rare metal under standard conditions when uncombined, tungsten is found naturally on Earth only in chemical compounds. It was identified as a new element in 1781, and first isolated as...

-carbide
Carbide
In chemistry, a carbide is a compound composed of carbon and a less electronegative element. Carbides can be generally classified by chemical bonding type as follows: salt-like, covalent compounds, interstitial compounds, and "intermediate" transition metal carbides...

 plug.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 410 mm 10: 1 L/d
  • Projectile weight (including sabot): 5.67 kg
  • Projectile weight: 3.6 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 1800 m/s
  • Muzzle energy: 5.8 MJ
  • Penetration: 280 mm at 0° at 2000 m, 110 mm at 60° at 2000 m, (energy at 2000 m is 4.2 MJ )

3VBM7/3BM15/16

Entered service (estimated 1972). A slightly longer 3BM12 projectile.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 435 mm 12: 1 L/d
  • Projectile weight (including sabot): 5.9 kg
  • Projectile weight: 3.9 kg including 2.9 kg and 0.27 kg tungsten carbide plug
  • Muzzle velocity: 1780 m/s
  • Muzzle energy: 6.2 MJ
  • Penetration: 310 mm at 0° at 2000 m, 120 mm at 60° at 2000 m,

3VBM8/3BM17/18

Entered service (estimated 1972). An export version of the 3BM-15 without the tungsten carbide plug.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 450 mm 12: 1 L/d
  • Projectile weight (including sabot): 5.9 kg
  • Projectile weight: 3.9 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 1760 m/s
  • Muzzle energy: 6.2 MJ
  • Penetration: 290 mm at 0° at 2000 m, 110 mm at 60° at 2000 m,

3VBM9/3BM22/23

Entered service 1976. Tungsten carbide penetrator core sheathed in steel.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 400 mm 11: 1 L/d
  • Projectile weight (including sabot): 6.55 kg
  • Projectile weight: 4.485 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 1760 m/s
  • Muzzle energy: 7.0 MJ
  • Penetration: 380 mm at 0° at 2000 m, 170 mm at 60° at 2000 m,

3VBM10/3BM29/30

Entered service 1982. Depleted Uranium
Depleted uranium
Depleted uranium is uranium with a lower content of the fissile isotope U-235 than natural uranium . Uses of DU take advantage of its very high density of 19.1 g/cm3...

-nickel-iron alloy sheathed in steel.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 450 mm 12: 1 L/d - including 250 mm core.
  • Projectile weight (including sabot): 6.55 kg
  • Projectile weight: 4.85 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 1700 m/s
  • Muzzle energy: 7.0 MJ
  • Penetration: 430 mm at 0° at 2000 m, 210 mm at 60° at 2000 m,

3VBM11/3BM26/27

Entered service 1983. Tungsten-nickel-iron alloy core sheathed in steel.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 395 mm 11: 1 L/d
  • Projectile weight (including sabot): 7.05 kg
  • Projectile weight: 4.8 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 1720 m/s
  • Muzzle energy: 7.5 MJ
  • Penetration: 410 mm at 0° at 2000 m, 200 mm at 60° at 2000 m,

3VBM13/3BM32/33

Entered service in 1985. The projectile is a depleted uranium
Depleted uranium
Depleted uranium is uranium with a lower content of the fissile isotope U-235 than natural uranium . Uses of DU take advantage of its very high density of 19.1 g/cm3...

-nickel-zinc alloy, sheathed in steel.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 380 mm 13: 1 L/d
  • Projectile weight (including sabot): 7.05 kg
  • Projectile weight: 4.85 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 1700 m/s
  • Muzzle energy: 7.0 MJ
  • Penetration 500 mm at 0° at 2000 m, 250 mm at 60° at 2000 m,

3VBM17/3BM42 (3BM44)

Entered service in 1986. The projectile is a tungsten alloy core sheathed in steel.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 452 mm 15: 1 L/d
  • Round weight: 20.4 kg
  • Projectile weight: 4.85 kg
  • Projectile weight (including sabot): 7.05 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 1700 m/s
  • Muzzle energy: 7.0 MJ
  • Penetration: 450 mm at 0° at 2000 m, 220 mm at 60° at 2000 m.

3VBM19/3BM42M (3BM44M)

Entered service in 1994
Utilising an improved penetrator and a new Sabot. Reported to be tungsten alloy.
  • Country of origin: Russia
    Russia
    Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

  • Projectile dimension: 570 mm 22: 1 L/d
  • Round weight: ?
  • Projectile weight (including sabot): 6.95 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 1750 m/s
  • Muzzle energy: 7.4 MJ (estimated - assuming 4.85 kg projectile)
  • Penetration: 600 mm to 650 mm at 2000 m

3VBM??/3BM46 (3BM48 "Svinets")

Entered service in 1991
Utilising a new Sabot. Reported to be Uranium alloy.
  • Country of origin: Russia
    Russia
    Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

  • Projectile dimension: 546 mm : 22? L/d
  • Round weight: 4.85 kg
  • Projectile weight (including sabot): ?.?? kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 1700 m/s
  • Muzzle energy: ?.? MJ
  • Penetration: 600 mm at 0° at 2000 m, 300 mm at 60° at 2000 m

3VBM??/3BM46 (3BM48 "Свинец-2")

Entered service : Unknown.
Utilising a new Sabot. Reported to be tungsten alloy.
  • Country of origin: Russia
    Russia
    Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

  • Projectile dimension: ??? mm
  • Round weight: Unknown
  • Projectile weight (including sabot): ?.?? kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 1700? m/s
  • Muzzle energy: ?.? MJ
  • Penetration: 800?? mm at 0°

HEAT-FS

High-explosive anti-tank fin stabilised or HEAT
Heat
In physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...

-FS rounds. Typically used against lighter or older tanks and Armoured personnel carrier
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...

s.

3VBK7/3BK12

Entered service 1962.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 680 mm
  • Projectile weight: 19 kg
  • Max dispersion: 0.21 mil (0.21 mrad)
  • Muzzle velocity: 905 m/s
  • Charge: shaped charge, Steel liner, A-IX-1 (RDX
    RDX
    RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4...

     phlegmatized
    Phlegmatized
    Phlegmatized is a term applied to an explosive that has had an agent added to stabilize or desensitize it. Sometimes this is desirable, to enable handling or to reduce the rate of combustion. Typical phlegmatizing agents include wax, paper, water, and paraffin. These agents are nearly always...

     with 5% wax), I-238 detonator
  • Penetration: 420 mm RHA at 0 degrees.

3BK12M

Entered service 1968. Uses improved 3V-15 detonator.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....


3VBK10/3BK14

Entered service 1968.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 680 mm
  • Projectile weight: 19 kg
  • Max dispersion: 0.21 mil (0.21 mrad)
  • Muzzle velocity: 905 m/s
  • Charge: shaped charge, Steel liner, phlegmatized
    Phlegmatized
    Phlegmatized is a term applied to an explosive that has had an agent added to stabilize or desensitize it. Sometimes this is desirable, to enable handling or to reduce the rate of combustion. Typical phlegmatizing agents include wax, paper, water, and paraffin. These agents are nearly always...

     75% HMX
    HMX
    HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular...

    , 25% TNT; 3V-15 detonator
  • Charge weight: 1.62 kg
  • Penetration: 450 mm RHA at 0 degrees.

3BK14M

Improved version, replacing steel liner with a copper liner .

3VBK16/3BK18

Entered service estimated 1975.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Round weight: 29.0 kg
  • Projectile dimension: 680 mm
  • Projectile weight: 19 kg
  • Max dispersion: 0.21 mil (0.21 mrad)
  • Muzzle velocity: 905 m/s
  • Charge: shaped charge, copper liner, phlegmatized
    Phlegmatized
    Phlegmatized is a term applied to an explosive that has had an agent added to stabilize or desensitize it. Sometimes this is desirable, to enable handling or to reduce the rate of combustion. Typical phlegmatizing agents include wax, paper, water, and paraffin. These agents are nearly always...

     75% HMX
    HMX
    HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular...

    , 25% TNT; 3V-15 detonator
  • Penetration: 500 mm RHA at 0 degrees.

3BK18M

Improved warhead. Entered service estimated 1978. Introduces wave shaping booster.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile weight: 19.02 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 905 m/s
  • Penetration: 550 mm RHA at 0 degrees.

3VBK17/3BK21

Entered service estimated 1980. Enhancements to improve reliability of the copper jet formation.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 680 mm
  • Projectile weight: 19 kg
  • Max dispersion: 0.21 mil (0.21 mrad)
  • Muzzle velocity: 905 m/s
  • Charge: shaped charge, copper liner, phlegmatized
    Phlegmatized
    Phlegmatized is a term applied to an explosive that has had an agent added to stabilize or desensitize it. Sometimes this is desirable, to enable handling or to reduce the rate of combustion. Typical phlegmatizing agents include wax, paper, water, and paraffin. These agents are nearly always...

     75% HMX
    HMX
    HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular...

    , 25% TNT; 3V-15 detonator
  • Penetration: 550 mm RHA at 0 degrees.

3BK21B

Entered service estimated 1982. Depleted uranium
Depleted uranium
Depleted uranium is uranium with a lower content of the fissile isotope U-235 than natural uranium . Uses of DU take advantage of its very high density of 19.1 g/cm3...

 Liner to enhance penetration of advanced composite armours like Chobham
Chobham armour
Chobham armour is the name informally given to a composite armour developed in the 1960s at the British tank research centre on Chobham Common, Surrey, England...

.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Projectile dimension: 680 mm
  • Projectile weight: 19 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 905 m/s
  • Penetration: 750 mm RHA at 0 degrees .

3VBK21/3BK25

Entered service estimated 1985.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Muzzle velocity: 905 m/s

3VBK25/3BK29

Entered service estimated 1988.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Round weight: 28.4 kg
  • Projectile dimension: 680 mm
  • Projectile weight: 18.4 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 915 m/s
  • Penetration: 350mm to 400mm RHA at 60 degree tandem charge

An experimental HEAT round that is obviously in close relationship with 3BK29 was displayed on VTTV-97 exhibition in Omsk. Its cutaway shows a very complex and ingenious design, including shaped-charge precursor, the channel through the middle charge to allow passage of the rear jet and so on. The round is credited with 800mm RHA penetration which was illustrated by a picture of a 800mm penetration route. The picture shows that designers probably deliberately misaligned the charges so that the middle jet doesn't need to penetrate the core of the rear one. If the color of the liner is the same as that on the real round, it indicates that it is not copper, and therefore may have a significantly improved performance against ceramic armors.
.

3VBK27?/3BK29M

First seen publicly in 1998. Reportedly a triple charge warhead .
  • Country of origin: Russia
    Russia
    Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

  • Projectile weight: 18.4 kg
  • Charge weight: 1.62 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 915 m/s
  • Penetration: Estimated at ??? mm triple charge HEAT .

HE-FRAG-FS

High Explosive Fragmentation Fin Stabilised. General purpose rounds, for use against infantry, bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...

s and light vehicles and other 'soft' targets.

3VOF22/3OF19

Entered service in 1962. Uses the 3V-21 detonator (mass = 0.431 kg, reliability = 0.98). The 90% lethal zone for infantry is reported to be 40 m wide and 20 m deep .
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Round weight: 33.0 kg
  • Projectile weight: 23.0 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 850 m/s
  • Max dispersion: 0.23 mil (0.23 mrad)
  • Charge weight: 3.148 kg
  • Charge: TNT

3VOF36/3OF26

Entered service in 1970. Uses the 3V-21 detonator (mass = 0.431 kg, reliability = 0.98). The projectile creates between 600 and 2,000 fragments.
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

  • Round weight: 33.0 kg
  • Projectile weight: 23.0 kg
  • Muzzle velocity: 850 m/s
  • Max dispersion: 0.23 mil (0.23 mrad)
  • Charge weight: 3.148 kg
  • Charge: A-IX-2 (73% RDX
    RDX
    RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4...

    , 23% aluminium
    Aluminium
    Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....

     powder, phlegmatized
    Phlegmatized
    Phlegmatized is a term applied to an explosive that has had an agent added to stabilize or desensitize it. Sometimes this is desirable, to enable handling or to reduce the rate of combustion. Typical phlegmatizing agents include wax, paper, water, and paraffin. These agents are nearly always...

    with 4% wax) 3.4 kg

External links

  • http://armor.kiev.ua/fofanov/Tanks/ - Extensive information http://www.kotsch88.de/m_125_mm_d-81.htm
  • http://www.milparade.com/catalog/pdf/687.pdf
  • http://www.milparade.com/catalog/pdf/688.pdf
  • http://www.milparade.com/catalog/pdf/689.pdf
  • http://www.russianammo.org/Headstamp.html - Explosive compositions and designations
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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