"question m2 halftrack as prime mover" Topic

at one stage the m2 halftrack was used to tow
(1)57mm antitank gun
(2) m101 105mm howitzer
question
what ammo load did it carry when it was being used as prime mover for these weapons

I don't believe the M2 was used to tow the 57MM ATG. The 1&1/2 ton weapons carrier was used for that purpose.

The M2 was indeed used to tow the 57mm ATG. It is only a question of which units used it.

The armored infantry battalions of the armored divisions generally used the M2 to tow ATGs. Each US Armored Infantry Battalion was equipped with 20 M2 halftracks to tow or carry guns, and 59 M3 halftracks to carry armored infantry squads.

Leg Infantry (vs. Armored Infantry) formations generally did not operate half tracks for any purpose.

The M2 was conceived from the start as a prime mover for guns. It had a shorter hull than the M3 personnel carrier halftrack, with enough space generally for a gun crew and ammunition. There were bins provided for the ammunition that could be accessed from inside the crew compartment, and also from outside of the vehicle. In this way the gun crew could pull ammo directly from the side-panels of the vehicle when setting up their positions.

But this still begs the question, how many rounds were carried. This I don't know, and will be interested to learn (if someone else has it).

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)

All I can find is that the very similar M3 could carry a 3500lb payload.

Here's the complete manual for the M2/3. It might be buried in here.

PDF link

Amazing that this is so hard to find!

I attacked this from the other end; the standard ammunition load for the guns in the AT company. The 1941 FM states that for each squad (i.e., 1x37mm gun) there will be one "battle mission" of 80 rounds (90% AP, 10% HE) carried on the prime mover. The FM lists the prime mover as a ½ ton WC, but I believe the M2 would have had to meet these specs, right?

The FM from 1944 doesn't give a standard ammo load. However, Zaloga has a statement from an AT company officer serving in NWE who opined that he thought the ideal standard ammo issue for the 57mm should be 25 rounds AP, 25 rounds HE, and 10 rounds sabot.

FWIW, the 1941 FM uses "chauffeur" instead of driver

Looking at pics of the M2 it has 3 shelves in the ammo storage lockers each of which can hold at least 3 and maybe 4 ammo boxes of 2 x 105mm howitzer rounds. So that would make the M2 carry at least 36 rounds of 105mm, more likely 48.
This seems about right compared to other guns with similar role, eg the 25pdr has 32 rounds per limber.