105 MM HOWITZE~ M2 AND

AND

M2A2 -

M2A1 ON CARRIAGE M2, M2A1

STANDARD

CHARACTERISTICS
Weight of gun . . . .. . .... . . .. . .. . . .. . ... . .. . . . . . .. . .... . ... . .. . .. .. . . .. . . . . 10641bs.
Weight of gun and carriage
in firing position ... .. . . . . ... . ... . ... . ... .. ..... . ... 44751bs. (M2A 1; 4980ibs. (M2A2)
Length of gun . ..... . . . . .. .. . .... ....... .. . ...... . .... . . . .... . . . . . .. . ... . . 101.5ins.
Rifling :
grooves . . . .. ... . . . ... . . . ... . .. . . . ... . .. . .... . . . . . .. . ............... . .. . ... 34
twist .. . . . ..... . . ....... . . . ... . . .. . . ... .. . . . Uniform, right-hand 1 turn in 20 calibers
Type of breech mechanism . ... . .... . .. .. ...... .. Horizontal sliding wedge, hand operated
Type of firing mechanism ..... . . . . . . . .. . .. . ... . .... . . . .. . . . . Percussion, continuous pull
Type of recoil mechanism . . . . .. . ... . . . ..... . .... . .... . Hydro-pneumatic, constant length
Recoil length . .. . ......... . ..... . .. . . .. .. .. . . ... . .. . .. . ... . ........ . . . ... 42 inches
Maximum elevation . ... . ........ . . . . . .. ... . .. . . . . .... . . . .... . + 64 degrees 15 minutes
Maximum depression . .... . ... . .. . ... . ... .. . . . . . . ... .. .. ... . . .. - 4 degrees 45 minutes
Traverse .. .. ......... . ... .. ... .. .. .. . . ... .... ... . . .. . .. . 45 degrees (22 112 R to 22 112 L)
Weight of HE shell ..... . .... . .... .. . . .... . ...... . .......... . .... .. . . ... . .... 331bs.
Weight of powder charge .. . ..... . .... . ...... . .... . . . . . .. . .. 3.66 pounds Dualgran FNH
Weight of complete round . .......... . . . ...... .... . . . . .... . ...... .. .. . .. . . ... . 421bs.
Maximum range .... ... . . ... . . . . . .. . ... . .... ... . . .. . ........... . . . . . . . . 12,200 yards
Muzzle velocity .. . . .... .. . ... . . . . .. ... . ... . .... .. . . . . .... . . . . ... 1550 feet per second
Chamber pressure . ...... . .... . .. . . .... . ...... . .... . . . ... 28,000 pounds per square inch
Rate of fire .. . ...... . . ... . .. .. .. . . ... . . . .. .. ... . ....... .. ... 2-4 rounds per minute

RECONSTRUCTED PAGE 1 June 1944

152

he 105mm Howitzer M2 is the standard

field artillery piece, forming the principal component of the divisional artillery
and acting in direct support of the
infantry. The howitzer is manually operated, single-loaded, air-cooled and uses
semi-fixed ammunition. The firing mechanism is a continuous pull (self-cocking)
type, actuated by pulling a lanyard. The
recoil mechanism is of the hydro-pneumatic variety, using a floating piston to
separate the oil from the nitrogen. The
carriage is of the two-wheel, split-trail
type and is provided with a shield for the
protection of the crew. The M2 can deliver
high angle plunging or direct fire and is
provided with an anti-tank shell. It is normally towed by a 6 x 6 2 112 ton truck.
The 105mm Howitzer M2 originated in
a report by the Caliber Board in 1919
which made recommendations for future
equipment as a result of experiences in
France. Among other things the Board
called for a weapon of about 105mm caliber, capable of 65 degrees of elevation and

11

105 MM HOWITZER M2 AND

M2A 1ON CARRIAGE M2, M2A 1 AND M2A2 -STANDARD

firing a shell weighing about 35 pounds. A

maximum range of 12,000 yards was desirable, and the ammunition was to be
semi-fixed. Development began in 1920
and the 105mm Howitzer M1 and Carriage M1 were standardized by OCM 6684
of 5 January 1928. No manufacture was
undertaken, the design being prepared for
production when circumstances required.
When mechanization of the army began,
it became necessary to modernize all
horse-drawn equipment, and in 1933 work
on the 105mm Carriage M1 began, but
was then shelved and not restarted until
1936 when OCM 13109 authorized the
redesign. It was found easier to begin a
completely fresh design instead of modifying the existing M1, and several different
designs were built and tested before the
Carriage M2 was standardized by OCM
15639 of 23 February 1940. The Carriage
M2 is classified Limited Standard.

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In early 1942 the use of electric brakes

on towed equipments under 5000 pounds
gross weight was discontinued, and the M2
carriage was modified by the removal of
the Warner brakes, becoming the M2Al.
The Carriage M2A1 is classified Limited
Standard.
As a result of combat experience, in
1943 a new, larger shield was fitted, a
larger buffer and an enclosed screw traverse mechanism. This became the Carriage M2A2, standardized in August 1943.
The Howitzer M1 had been modified in
1934 to permit loading the shrapnel round
as a fixed round, and this was standardized as the 105mm Howitzer M2 by OCM
11395 of 5 April 1934. In January 1935
this modification was rescinded, since
shrapnel was no longer considered the primary projectile. In spite of this the M2
remained the standard model but in the
course of adapting it to the new Carriage

M2 changes had to be made to the breech

ring, resulting in the standardization of
the Howitzer M2A1 in March 1940.

Ammunition
Ammunition for the Howitzer M2 is of
the semi-fixed type; it is supplied as a complete round, and the shell can be removed
from the cartridge case for adjustment of
the charge zone, after which the shell is
replaced in the mouth of the case and the
round loaded as one unit. The standard
projectile is the HE Shell M1, weighing 33
pounds and fuzed PD M51 or MT M67.
The propelling charge weighs 3.66 pounds
and divides into 7 zones. Chemical smoke,
base ejection smoke, and HEAT anti-tank
projectiles are also provided.

REFERENCES-OCM 6684, 13109, 11395,

15639; TM 9-325; TM 9-1325; SNL C-21