Krupp 75mm 1903

Bulgarian designation :75-мм скорострелно полско оръдие “Круп”Turkish denomination :7,5/30 sm. Krup seri ateşli sahra topKrupp denomination :7,5 cm Feldkanone M. 03Calibre :75mm L/30Weight of the barrel :348 kgWeight of the breech-block :28 kgWeight of the carriage :642 kgWeight in action :990 kgWeight of the limber :462 kg (empty) – 820 kg (loaded)Weight in marching order :1863 kg (fully equipped)Weight ofammunition wagon :1730 kgLength of the whole gun :4.000 mBarrel length :2.250 mLength of the bore :2.025 m (L/27)Barrel groovesnumber :28depth :0.75 mmwidth :5.92 mmHeight of the line of fire :1000 mmShieldweight :60 kgthickness :4 mmCartridgesize :75 x 280 x 90 Rshelled :8.14 kgcharge :465 g of Rottweil smokeless powderH.E. Shellweight :6 kg - charge: 140 g of Picric acidfuze :percussion – 130 gmax. range :5900 m (afterwards increased to 8000 m)Shrapnelweight :6.35 kg - charge : 75 g of black powder270 bullets x 11 g6.35 kg - charge : 75 g of black powder295 bullets x 10 gfuze :Doppelzünder C/20 – 290 gmax. range :5400 mMuzzle velocity :500 m/sRemaining velocity :at 1000 m - 377 m/sat 2000 m - 310 m/sat 3000 m - 274 m/sElevation :+ 15° / - 5°Traversing angle :7°Recoil :1320 mmWheelsweight :140 kgheight :1.30 mwidth of tires :70 mmtrack :1.48 mTransport :drawn by six horsesAmmunition :for Turkish Army: gun limber – 44, wagon limber – 48, wagon body – 4812 ammunition wagons for every batteryRemarks :Quick firing field gun, with recoil system with hydraulic buffer and springs, single-motion wedge breech mechanism, traverse on pivot. It was originally equipped only with plain arc sight, and no dial sights. So there was no means of laying the gun behind cover. It was not fitted for an independent line of sight. The carriage was equipped with two axletree seats to carry the gunners, but they were removed in the guns employed by the Bulgarian Army.The shield was made of Nickel hardened steel and had a conical hood projecting forward for additional protection. It was composed by two parts : the upper shield was fixed, with a window for laying; the lower shield was mobile and could be folded up backwards for travel.These guns employed also Ehrhardt (Rheinmetall) ammunition, since in 1908 Turkey bought from this firm 176,000 shrapnel and H.E. shells.In 1912 Turkish Army had 162 batteries armed with Krupp 75mm guns : 96 gun M. 1903 had been ordered in 1903 and 462 more in 1905, while 90 gun M. 1910 had been ordered in 1910. In addition in 1902-03 the Imperial Arsenal (Tophane-I Amirede) manufactured 12 guns of the trial model presented by the Kaiser in 1898. According with British sources, in 1912-13 the Bulgarian Army captured from the Turks 144 Krupp 75mm guns of different patterns.

75mm Krupp guns in servicein Bulgarian Army in 1915-18Captured 75mm Turkish Krupp gunsin Lozengrad

75mm Krupp M. 1903 guns in service in Turkish Army in 1912-13Pictures from Sofia Military Museum