Gruson 53mm field gun M. 1887/1916

 

 

 

 

Romanian designation :

Tunul “Gruson”, calibrul 53 mm, model 1887/1916

Calibre :

53mm L/24.5

Weight of the barrel :

146 kg

Weight of the breech :

14 kg

Weight of the carriage :

195 kg

Weight in action :

341 kg

Barrel length :

1300 m

Barrel grooves

number :

24

depth :

0.45 mm

width :

5.5 mm

Shell cartridge

length :

177 mm (shelled : 310 mm)

weight :

0.352 kg (shelled : 2 kg)

shelled :

2 kg

charge :

0.352 kg

Shell

length :

153 mm

weight :

1.648 kg – charge: 198 g of black powder

fuze :

percussion – weight : 60 g

max. range :

3000 m

Case shot

cartridge :

2.6 kg

weight :

1.9 kg – charge : 0.35 kg

78 balls x 20 g

max. range :

400 m

Muzzle velocity :

480 m/s

Elevation :

+ 35° / + 7° (with wheels)

+ 22° / + 21° (without wheels)

Traversing angle :

40°

Remarks :

In order to arm its fortified lines at the end of 19th Century Romania bought 214 - 53mm guns in armoured housing, and 106 in disappearing cupolas. In 1916, in order to increase the strength of the quick firing field artillery, a lot of 53mm guns were removed from their positions, mounted on improvised field carriages manufactured in the Army arsenal, and issued to 50 newly raised infantry guns batteries. The Bulgarian Army captured a lot of 53mm guns at Tutrakan and in Dobrudzha and employed at least one battery during the war. In addition some of them were used as infantry guns.