M-42 45 mm anti-tank gun

45-mm anti-tank gun model 1942 года (М-42)
M-42 in Museum on Sapun Mountain, Sevastopol.
Type	Anti-tank gun
Place of origin	USSR
Service history
Used by	USSR Warsaw Pact North Korea
Wars	World War II Korean War
Production history
Designer	No. 172 Plant
Manufacturer	Artillery Plant #172, at Perm
Produced	1942-1945
No. built	10,843
Specifications
Weight	combat: 625 kg (1,378 lbs) travel: 1,250 kg (2,756 lbs)
Barrel length	3.09 m (10 ft 2 in) 66 calibers
Width	1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Height	1.2 m (3 ft 11 in)
Crew	6
Shell	Fixed QF 45x386 mm. SR
Caliber	45 mm/ 68 (1.77 in)
Breech	Semi-automatic vertical sliding wedge
Recoil	Hydro-spring
Carriage	split trail
Elevation	-8° to 25°
Traverse	60°
Rate of fire	15-20 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	870 m/s (2,854 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	4.55 km (2.84 mi)

M-42 was a 45-mm Soviet light semi-automatic anti-tank gun. Its full official name is 45-mm anti-tank gun model 1942 (M-42) (Russian: 45-мм противотанковая пушка образца 1942 года (М-42)). These guns were used from 1942 until the end of World War II.

The M-42 was developed by the No. 172 Plant in Motovilikha as an upgrade of the 45 mm anti-tank gun M1937 (53-K). The gun received a longer barrel (L66, 20 calibers more than the previous one, so it was a 45 mm/L66), shells with more powerful cartridges, and a thicker shield (7 mm instead of 4.5 mm), but of hinged construction as a need for reduced profile, requiring crews to kneel while serving the weapon. Some minor changes were also introduced in order to speed up production.

These guns were used from 1942 until the end of World War II. In 1943, due to its insufficient anti-armor capabilities against new German tanks such as Tiger, Panther and Panzer IV Ausf H, the M-42 was partially replaced in mass production by more powerful 57 mm ZiS-2 anti-tank gun. The M-42 remained in production however, as it was quite effective against lighter vehicles and could pierce the side armour of Panther and Panzer IV Ausf H. Fragmentation shell and canister shot gave the gun some anti-personnel capability.

Mass production of M-42 ceased in mid-1945. The total number of guns produced is 10,843.