Standard 7.92×57mm Mauser armor-piercing K bullet introduced in mid-1917. Note the tool-steel core protruding from the rear of the bullet to form a boat tail.A tracer variation of the K bullet
Historyedit
The German Army first employed a "reversed bullet" with a heavier powder charge behind it as an early anti-tank method against the British heavy tanks of World War I. This did prove effective against the thinner-armored Mark I tank models, mainly by causing spalling from the inside surface of the armor hit. Reversed bullet loads were however unsafe to use in the standard issue Mauser rifle and thus were unpopular with German troops. They became obsolete with the introduction of more heavily armored tanks.[1][2][3]
As a replacement, the Germans conceived the "K bullet", which was purposely developed as an armor-piercing ammunition. The K bullet was in use by the Battle of Messines Ridge in June 1917 and had a one-in-three chance to penetrate 12–13 mm thick armor at a range of up to 100 meters.[4]
With the British deployment of the Mark IV tank, which had more armor thickness, the K bullet soon proved ineffective, leading the Germans to design highly specialized anti-tank solutions, with the creation of the powerful 13.2mm TuF cartridge and the first anti-tank rifle, the Mauser 1918 T-Gewehr.[5]
Variantsedit
The Germans made several versions of the K bullet during World War I and World War II, including:
Designation
Full name
Description
S.m.K.
Spitzgeschoss mit Kern
Standard steel core armour piercing bullet. It had a red rim around the primer, on case base.[6]
Has a shorter steel core, and includes a tracer composition. May include color designation such as gelb, German for "yellow". It had a red rim around primer and black bullet tip.[6]
Spitzgeschoss mit Kern Übungsmunition mit Zerleger
A very rare practice bullet which self-destructs after a certain distance.
During the interwar period, Poland produced a copy of S.m.K. bullet designated as P bullet (przeciwpancerny) and own armour piercing bullet with a tracer, designated PS (przeciwpancerny smugowy).[6]
Referencesedit
^Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1922). "Armour Plate" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 30 (12th ed.). London & New York: The Encyclopædia Britannica Company. pp. 204–205.
^Paschall, Rod (1994). Defeat of Imperial Germany, 1917-1918. Da Capo Press. p. 113.
^Fletcher, D. British Mark IV tank. Osprey Publishing. p. 14.
^"Your Tank Is Dead: Meet the World's First Anti-Tank Rifle". The National Interest. June 15, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
^ abcdDąbrowski, Jarosław. Amunicja małokalibrowa kampanii wrześniowej in: "Strzał" 10/2010, pp. 18-24 (in Polish)
^ abc. Archived from the original on 2008-01-03. Retrieved 2007-11-11.
January 01, 1970
bullet, from, german, kern, core, 57mm, mauser, armor, piercing, bullet, with, tool, steel, core, designed, fired, from, standard, mauser, rifle, standard, 57mm, mauser, armor, piercing, introduced, 1917, note, tool, steel, core, protruding, from, rear, bullet. The K bullet from German Kern core was a 7 92 57mm Mauser armor piercing bullet with a tool steel core designed to be fired from a standard Mauser rifle Standard 7 92 57mm Mauser armor piercing K bullet introduced in mid 1917 Note the tool steel core protruding from the rear of the bullet to form a boat tail A tracer variation of the K bulletHistory editThe German Army first employed a reversed bullet with a heavier powder charge behind it as an early anti tank method against the British heavy tanks of World War I This did prove effective against the thinner armored Mark I tank models mainly by causing spalling from the inside surface of the armor hit Reversed bullet loads were however unsafe to use in the standard issue Mauser rifle and thus were unpopular with German troops They became obsolete with the introduction of more heavily armored tanks 1 2 3 As a replacement the Germans conceived the K bullet which was purposely developed as an armor piercing ammunition The K bullet was in use by the Battle of Messines Ridge in June 1917 and had a one in three chance to penetrate 12 13 mm thick armor at a range of up to 100 meters 4 With the British deployment of the Mark IV tank which had more armor thickness the K bullet soon proved ineffective leading the Germans to design highly specialized anti tank solutions with the creation of the powerful 13 2mm TuF cartridge and the first anti tank rifle the Mauser 1918 T Gewehr 5 Variants editThe Germans made several versions of the K bullet during World War I and World War II including Designation Full name Description S m K Spitzgeschoss mit Kern Standard steel core armour piercing bullet It had a red rim around the primer on case base 6 S m K H 7 Spitzgeschoss mit Kern Hart Replaced the tool steel core with a tungsten carbide core It had a red case base including primer from 1939 red primer only 6 S m K L spur 7 Spitzgeschoss mit Kern Leuchtspur Has a shorter steel core and includes a tracer composition May include color designation such as gelb German for yellow It had a red rim around primer and black bullet tip 6 S m K Ub m Zerl 7 Spitzgeschoss mit Kern Ubungsmunition mit Zerleger A very rare practice bullet which self destructs after a certain distance During the interwar period Poland produced a copy of S m K bullet designated as P bullet przeciwpancerny and own armour piercing bullet with a tracer designated PS przeciwpancerny smugowy 6 References edit Chisholm Hugh ed 1922 Armour Plate Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 30 12th ed London amp New York The Encyclopaedia Britannica Company pp 204 205 A New Dumdum Charge New York Times 1915 Paschall Rod 1994 Defeat of Imperial Germany 1917 1918 Da Capo Press p 113 Fletcher D British Mark IV tank Osprey Publishing p 14 Your Tank Is Dead Meet the World s First Anti Tank Rifle The National Interest June 15 2020 Retrieved March 12 2021 a b c d Dabrowski Jaroslaw Amunicja malokalibrowa kampanii wrzesniowej in Strzal 10 2010 pp 18 24 in Polish a b c K98k Mauser Page Archived from the original on 2008 01 03 Retrieved 2007 11 11 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title K bullet amp oldid 1209295900, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
