Krupp 87mm field gun M. 1873

 

 

 

 

Bulgarian designation :

8,7-см далнобойно полско оръдие “Круп”

Romanian designation :

Tunurile de 9 model 1875

Krupp designation :

9cm Feldkanone C/73

Calibre :

87mm L/24

Weight of the barrel :

487 kg

Weight of the breech-block :

29 kg

Weight of the carriage :

490 kg

Weight in action :

965 kg

Weight of the limber :

480 kg (empty) – 830 kg (loaded)

Weight in marching order :

1445 (empty) – 1795 kg (loaded)

Weight of the ammo wagon :

1980 kg

Barrel length :

2.1 m

Length of the bore :

1875 mm

Barrel grooves

number :

24

depth :

1.25 mm

width :

8.40 mm

Battering charge :

1.5 kg of black powder (Grobkörniges Art.-Pulver)

Common shell

length :

2.5 calibres

weight :

6.355 kg – charge: 190 g

fuze :

105 g

max. range :

5200 m

muzzle velocity :

465 m/s

Shrapnel

weight :

7.15 kg – charge: 170 g of black powder

180 bullets x 15 g

max. range :

4000 m

muzzle velocity :

425 m/s

Case shot

weight :

6.18 kg  - 82 balls

max. range :

400 m

Length of the line of sight  :

1000 mm

Elevation :

+ 24° / + 8°

Track :

1.528 m

Transport :

drawn by six horses

Ammunition :

carriage – 1 case shot

limber - 20 shell, 10 shrapnel, 2 case shots

ammunition wagon - 55 shell, 30 shrapnel, 2 case shots, 90 charges

8 ammunition wagons for every battery

Remarks :

Turkish slow firing steel guns, Broadwell wedge breech mechanism with an expanding steel obturation ring. The first Balkan country that adopted this gun was Romania, buying in 1874 8 batteries to equip 3rd and 4th artillery regiments. In 1875 Turkey bought from Krupp 100 of these guns. The Russian Army captured some of these guns in 1877-78 and delivered 18 of them to the Bulgarian Army.