130 K 54

M-46 or KS-30
M-46 130mm field gun
Type	Field gun
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
Wars	Vietnam War, Syrian Civil War, Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
Production history
Designed	1946–1950
Manufacturer	MOTZ
Produced	1951–1971
Specifications
Weight	7.7 t (16,975 lbs)
Length	11.73 m (38 ft 6 in)
Barrel length	6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) L/52
Width	2.45 m (8 ft)
Height	2.55 m (8 ft 4 in)
Crew	8
Shell	separate-loading charge and projectile
Caliber	130 mm (5.1 in)
Breech	Horizontal sliding wedge
Recoil	hydropneumatic
Carriage	split-trail
Elevation	-2.5° to 45°
Traverse	50°
Rate of fire	6 (normal) 8 (burst) 5 (sustained)
Muzzle velocity	930 m/s (3,051 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	27.5 km (17 mi) (unassisted) 38 km (23.61 mi) (assisted)

The 130 mm towed field gun M-46 (Russian: 130-мм пушка M-46) is a manually loaded, towed 130 mm artillery piece, manufactured in the Soviet Union in the 1950s. It was first observed by the west in 1954. There is also a Chinese copy, called the Type 59.

For many years, the M-46 was one of the longest range artillery systems around, with a range of more than 27 km.

The order was given in April 1946 to design a "duplex" artillery system to replace the obsolete 122 mm gun M1931/37 (A-19), 152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20) and other World War II era field guns, such as 122 mm Model 1931, 152 mm Model 1910/30, 152 mm Model 1935 (BR-2). The new systems, designed by the factory No 172 (MOTZ), shared the same carriage and were given the designators M-46 (130 mm) and M-47 (152 mm). The respective GRAU designators are 52-P-482 and 52-P-547. The development phase was finished in 1950 and one year later series production started. Many M-46s were exported.

A second "duplex" artillery system was subsequently designed by FF Petrov's design bureau at Artillery Factory No 9. This comprised a 122 mm Gun and a 152 mm Howitzer. The 122 mm Gun D-74 was a competitor to the M-46; and while many were produced, the M-46 became the only long range Gun in Soviet service until new 152 mm Guns in the 1970s.

The M-46 was developed from the M-36 130 mm naval gun used on ships and for coast defence. It is a true gun, being unable to fire much above 45° and having a long barrel and a single propelling charge. In contrast, most Western field guns of this period had a dual high and low angle fire capability, a gun-howitzer.

It has a 52 calibre barrel with a tied jaw horizontal sliding block breach and ‘pepperpot’ muzzle brake. The latter is not notably efficient, but subjective reports suggest that it is quite effective in reducing muzzle flash. The hydro-pneumatic recoil system comprises a buffer below the barrel and a recuperator above the barrel. The long barrel enables a substantial propelling charge by providing more length in which to achieve ‘all-burnt’ and hence projectile acceleration space and thus achieve its 930 m/s muzzle velocity.