An overview of the U.S. Army’s 57 mm Gun M1 from Antitank Weapons, Office of the Chief of Ordnance, Washington, D.C., July 1944.
57 MM GUN M1 ON CARRIAGE M1A3
The 57 mm Gun M1 was designed as a light weight antitank weapon capable of greater armor penetration than the 37 mm gun. Rapid direct fire laying of the gun on fast moving targets is facilitated by free traverse.
CHARACTERISTICS
| Weight of Gun and Carriage in traveling position | 2,915 lb. |
| Muzzle velocity: | |
| Shot, A.P., M70 | 2,970 f/s |
| Projectile, A.P.C., M86 | 2,700 f/s |
| Range permitted by maximum elevation: | |
| Shot, A.P., M70 | 6,955 yd. |
| Projectile, A.P.C., M86 | 9,840 yd. |
| Elevation | -5° to +15° |
| Traverse (free) | 90° (45° Rt., 45° Lft.) |
| How fired | From wheels or segments |
| Rate of fire | 20-30 rds. per min. |
| Time to emplace | 1 1/2 min. |
AMMUNITION
| Type | Wt. of Projectile | Wt. of Powder Charge | Wt. of Complete Round |
| Shot, A.P., M70 | 6.28 lb. | 2.25 lb. | 12.92 lb. |
| Projectile, A.P.C., M86 | 7.27 lb. | 2.25 lb. | 13.73 lb. |
ARMOR PENETRATION
| Homogeneous Plate | Face Hardened Plate | |||||||||
| Striking Velocity | 0° Obliquity | 30° Obliquity | 0° Obliquity | 30° Obliquity | ||||||
| Range Yards | A.P., M70 f/s | A.P.C, M86 f/s | A.P., M70 | A.P.C., M86 | A.P., M70 | A.P.C., M86 | A.P., M70 | A.P.C., M86 | A.P., M70 | A.P.C., M86 |
| 500 | 2500 | 2510 | 4.3 in. | 3.9 in. | 3.4 in. | 2.8 in. | 3.6 in. | 4.2 in. | 3.0 in. | 3.0 in. |
| 1000 | 2080 | 2320 | 3.4 in. | 3.5 in. | 2.6 in. | 2.6 in. | 2.7 in. | 3.8 in. | 2.2 in. | 2.7 in. |
| 2000 | 1390 | 1960 | 1.8 in. | 2.8 in. | 1.5 in. | 2.0 in. | 1.5 in. | 3.0 in. | 1.2 in. | 2.1 in. |
| 4000 | 860 | 1310 | 1.0 in. | 1.6 in. | .7 in. | 1.1 in. | .8 in. | 1.7 in. | .7 in. | 1.2 in. |
