German Ammunition Loadouts
By Christian Ankerstjerne
German tank and anti-tank gunners could typically choose between several types of ammunition, according to the type of target. Not all types of ammunition were developed for each gun. Except for small arms and anti-tank guns, all guns had armor-piercing and a high-explosive ammunition. For a detailed description of the ammunition types mentioned below, see the anti-tank ammunition type article.
The standard armor-piercing ammunition for most guns was a solid-body steel shot (AP, ABC, APCBC). For some guns, the standard armor-piercing ammunition was HEAT. This was typically the case for guns that could not handle high-pressure ammunition, such as the 7,5 cm Pak 97/38, or weapons that were designed to be recoilless, such as the Panzerschreck.
To defeat targets with armor too thick for the standard armor-piercing ammunition, many guns had one or several supplemental ammunition types. This ammunition was either APCR or HEAT. Due to raw material shortages, German APCR ammunition was often in short supply, and for many guns only a small number of test rounds were ever manufactures.
In addition to the armor-piercing ammunition, most guns had high-explosive and smoke ammunition for unarmored targets and support fire.
Each gun had an officially number of each type of round. The number of each type actually carried depended on front-line availability. In addition, the official guidelines would likely have been deviated from for specific missions. Even so, the official loadouts are helpful in determining which ratio of different types targets the guns were expected to encounter.
Tank Destroyers
1 February 1944 training manual
These are the number of rounds specified for a tank destroyer company following Kriegsstärkenachweisung (K St N) (Table of organization and equipment) 1149, equipped with either Sturmgeschütz III, Jagdpanzer 38, or Jagdpanzer IV. The company had two versions, with either 10 or 14 vehicles.
Ammunition compliment
These numbers are the number of rounds authorized for the entire company.
Vehicle | Round | Ammunition type | Quantity |
---|---|---|---|
10 vehicles | |||
Jagdpanzer IV or Jagdpanzer 38 |
7,5 cm Pzgr Patr 39 Kw K 40 | APCBC | 400 |
7,5 cm Pzgr Patr 40 Kw K 40 | APCR | 100 | |
7,5 cm Sprgr Patr 34 Kw K 40 | HE | 400 | |
Sturmgeschütz III | 7,5 cm Pzgr Patr 39 Kw K 40 | APCBC | 510 |
7,5 cm Pzgr Patr 40 Kw K 40 | APCR | 190 | |
7,5 cm Sprgr Patr 34 Kw K 40 | HE | 700 | |
14 vehicles | |||
Jagdpanzer IV or Jagdpanzer 38 |
7,5 cm Pzgr Patr 39 Kw K 40 | APCBC | 510 |
7,5 cm Pzgr Patr 40 Kw K 40 | APCR | 190 | |
7,5 cm Sprgr Patr 34 Kw K 40 | HE | 700 | |
Sturmgeschütz III | 7,5 cm Pzgr Patr 39 Kw K 40 | APCBC | 714 |
7,5 cm Pzgr Patr 40 Kw K 40 | APCR | 266 | |
7,5 cm Sprgr Patr 34 Kw K 40 | HE | 980 |
Carrying capacity
These numbers are the maximum number of rounds that could be carried by the company.
Section | Carrying vehicle | Number of vehicles | Rounds per vehicle | Rounds in total |
---|---|---|---|---|
10 Jagdpanzer IV | ||||
Combat section | Jagdpanzer IV | 10 | 79 | 790 |
Maultier | 3 | 120 | 360 | |
Combat supply section | 3 ton truck | 2 | 180 | 360 |
1½ ton truck | 1 | 90 | 90 | |
Total | 1600 | |||
14 Jagdpanzer IV | ||||
Combat section | Jagdpanzer IV | 14 | 79 | 1106 |
Maultier | 3 | 120 | 360 | |
Combat supply section | 4½ ton truck | 1 | 240 | 240 |
3 ton truck | 2 | 180 | 360 | |
1½ ton truck | 1 | 90 | 90 | |
Total | 2156 | |||
10 Jagdpanzer 38 | ||||
Combat section | Jagdpanzer 38 | 10 | 55 | 550 |
Maultier | 3 | 120 | 360 | |
Combat supply section | 3 ton truck | 2 | 180 | 360 |
1½ ton truck | 1 | 90 | 90 | |
Total | 1360 | |||
14 Jagdpanzer 38 | ||||
Combat section | Jagdpanzer 38 | 14 | 41 | 574 |
Maultier | 3 | 120 | 360 | |
Combat supply section | 4½ ton truck | 1 | 240 | 240 |
3 ton truck | 2 | 180 | 360 | |
1½ ton truck | 1 | 90 | 90 | |
Total | 1624 | |||
10 Sturmgeschütz III | ||||
Combat section | Sturmgeschütz III | 10 | 54 | 540 |
Maultier | 3 | 120 | 360 | |
Combat supply section | 4½ ton truck | 1 | 240 | 240 |
3 ton truck | 2 | 180 | 360 | |
1½ ton truck | 1 | 90 | 90 | |
Total | 1590 | |||
14 Sturmgeschütz III | ||||
Combat section | Sturmgeschütz III | 14 | 54 | 756 |
Maultier | 3 | 120 | 360 | |
Combat supply section | 4½ ton truck | 2 | 480 | 480 |
3 ton truck | 2 | 180 | 360 | |
1½ ton truck | 1 | 90 | 90 | |
Total | 2046 |
Assault Guns
These numbers describe how many of each type of round should be given to a assault gun battalion per gun, not the number of rounds carried in each vehicle at a time.
27 April 1942 manual
Ammunition type | Quantity |
---|---|
HE | 224 |
APCBC | 46 |
Smoke | 30 |
15 January 1943 order
Weapon | Round | Ammunition type | Quantity |
---|---|---|---|
7,5 cm Stu K (L/24) | 7,5 cm Gr Patr 38 HL Kw K | HEAT | 270 |
7,5 cm Nbgr Patr Kw K | Smoke | 30 | |
7,5 cm Stu K 40 (L/48) | 7,5 cm Sprgr Patr 38 Kw K 40 | HE | 150 |
7,5 cm Pzgr Patr 39 Kw K 40 | APCBC | 108 | |
7,5 cm Pzgr Patr 40 Kw K 401 | APCR | 30 | |
7,5 cm Nbgr Patr Kw K 40 | Smoke | 12 | |
10,5 cm Stu H 42 | F H Gr (impact detonation) | HE | 162 |
F H Gr (delayed detonation) | HE | 9 | |
10 cm Gr 39 rot Hl/A or 10 cm Gr 39 rot Hl/B |
HEAT | 36 | |
F H Gr Nb | Smoke | 18 | |
8,8 cm Stu K 43/1 | 8,8 cm Sprgr Patr Kw K 43 | HE | 120 |
8,8 cm Gr Patr 39 Hl Kw K 432 | HEAT | 72 | |
8,8 cm Pzgr Patr 39/43 Kw K 43 | APCBC | 24 | |
8,8 cm Pzgr Patr 40/43 Kw K 432 | APCR | 24 |
Notes
- In case no rounds were available, 7,5 cm Pzgr Patr 39 Kw K 40 or 7,5 cm Gr. Patr 38 Hl/A Kw K 40 could be used instead. Back
- In case no rounds were available, 8,8 cm Pzgr Patr 39/43 Kw K 43 could be used instead. Back
Sources
- Aufstellung von leichten und schweren Sturmgeschütz-Abteilungen. Berlin : Der Chef der Heeresrüstung und Befehlshaber des Ersatzheeres, 1943. 9 p. AHA (IaII) 170/43 g.Kdos.. NARA T78 R866 H37/101.
- Einsatz der Versorgungskompanie einer Abteilung (Btl.) " Freie Gliederung " vom 15.4.1944. Mielau : Panzerjäger-Lehrgang Mielau, 1944. 12 p. NARA T78 R620 H16/213.
- Brand. Merkblätter für Artillerie Nr. 34 : Richtlinien für den Einsatz der Sturmgeschütz-Einheiten. Berlin : General der Artillerie, 1942. 15 p. General der Artillerie Nr. 1600/42 (I b). NARA T78 R269.