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Panzerbuchse 39 (PzB 39)

1939 WORLD WAR 2

History

The Panzerbuchse 39 (PzB 39) was a short-lived anti-tank rifle used by the German Army during World War II. The type was developed from a World War I design and was originally used by the German army against a new British weapon called "Armor" (officially called "Landship" at the time).

Despite the promising beginnings of the PzB 39, the development of better armor protection on Allied tanks?? made the German PzB 39 system obsolete on all but the lightest armored vehicles. The development of a better replacement did not end with the PzB 39, but no other important anti-tank rifle systems appeared in the prototype stage before the end of the war.

During World War I, Britain was the first country to deploy tanks in a tactical battlefield fashion - especially to break the stalemate of trench warfare that plagued Europe. The advent of these tracked armor systems, combined with similar advances by the French, forced the Germans to respond. The first tank-to-tank engagement was between British and German tanks, but it turned out to be a draw - albeit a foreshadowing of what was to come in WWII) The Germans also recognized the need to defeat the British Man and use a special portable anti-tank weapon system.

This led to the development and subsequent production of Mauser's "T-Gewehr" (Mauser 13.2mm Tank Defense Rifle Mod. 18) anti-tank rifle in 1918 - essentially the world's first designed to defeat the enemy Armored anti-tank rifles by disabling the engine, critical components or internal personnel. The chamber of the T rifle fires 13.2mm TuF ("Tank and Flyer") cartridges via manual bolt operation.

This early anti-tank rifle was a very functional design, and Mauser produced around 15,800 of them. In service, the T-Rifle performed well in limited use and, perhaps more importantly, created a new field of firearms - the "anti-tank rifle" - which would continue to evolve as the time passed after World War II. into an increasingly effective form.

Panzerbusche PzB 38

After the First World War, German military production was severely curtailed, leaving only a smaller army available, limited to armored vehicles and absolutely no aircraft. However, with the rise of NSDAP in Germany came secret military developments, often hidden in the name of business.

Many tanks were developed under the image of agricultural tractors, etc. Under the direction of B. Brauer of the Gustloff factory in Sur, the construction of a new anti-tank rifle was commissioned and started. Upon completion, the rifle was named the Panzerbusche 38 (PzB 38), and its appearance did not differ from the T-rifle of the First World War. The system operates no different from a standard gun, with the sliding breech block ejecting the spent cartridge while firing and allowing it to open to receive a new round. The rifle was in service with the German Army and production was taken over by Rheinmetall-Borsig, although it was never officially accepted as a standardized anti-tank rifle.

Between 1939 and 1940, the Germans managed between 1,400 and 1,600 PzB 38 anti-tank rifles, although only about 60 were supplied when they invaded Poland in September 1939. These guns initially fired hardened steel cores until capturing Polish anti-tank rifle ammunition found that tungsten cores were a better penetration.

It is natural for the Germans to imitate the best existing methods.

Panzerbusche PzB 39

As the Germans were not content with the status quo, Gustloff Werke set out to revamp their original PzB 38 series design. What's more, the complex manufacturing process of PzB 38 proved quite expensive during the war. Therefore, measures were taken to shorten the production process and use simpler weapons to reduce costs. The barrel has been slightly lengthened, and the weapon has been reduced in weight to increase portability. Newer models retain the vertical block breech and caliber, but the breech block is not controlled by a lever on the pistol grip.

A particularly unique addition is the supply of two magazines mounted on either side of the rear of the receiver. These magazines are only added to give ammo to the operator - they are not magazines as they automatically feed the firebox. The shooter still has to reload the weapon manually.

The new weapon was designated the PzB 39, and production was switched from the PzB 38 as soon as possible. Unlike the PzB 38 series, the PzB 39 was designated as the standard anti-tank rifle of the German Army for the remainder of World War II.

Specification

Basic

Years in Service

1939

Origins

Nazi Germany

Categories

Anti-Tank/Anti-Material Rifle (ATR)

Manufacturer

Gustloff-Werke - Nazi Germany

Operator

Nazi Germany

ROLLING

Anti-Tank/Anti-Tank/Anti-Material

Designed to attack and defeat armored/enemy tanks from a distance.

Dimensions and Weight

Overall Length

1,620 mm

63.78 inches

Barrel length

1,085 mm

42. 72 inches

Cured weight

27.78 lbs

12.60 kg

Attractions

Front pillar; rear notch.

Action

Single shot; manual bolt action

Bolt Action

The process of manually operating the control bolt lever to eject the spent cartridge, releasing the bolt and inserting a new cartridge into the chamber.