Help support TMP


"M55 HMC and M53 GMC ranges ammo from Hunnicutt" Topic


5 Posts

All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.

For more information, see the TMP FAQ.


Back to the Cold War (1946-1989) Message Board


Areas of Interest

Modern

Featured Hobby News Article


Featured Recent Link


Top-Rated Ruleset

Beer and Pretzels Skirmish (BAPS)


Rating: gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star 


Featured Profile Article

The Simtac Tour

The Editor is invited to tour the factory of Simtac, a U.S. manufacturer of figures in nearly all periods, scales, and genres.


Featured Movie Review


1,352 hits since 8 Sep 2015
©1994-2025 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?

supertsar08 Sep 2015 2:36 p.m. PST

Just got some new M55 8" HMC and M53 155mm GMCs from shapeways but am having trouble finding info on the ammo and ranges of the guns. Does anybody have Hunnicutts book on the Patton tanks? I'm sure he would have info in there on the guns. Need to know weight of projectiles and how far they could be launched by these beasts.

Lion in the Stars08 Sep 2015 7:47 p.m. PST

Assuming the same gun on the M110 (203mm but without the enclosed turret), range of 16,800m to ~25,000m firing standard ammo, 30km with rocket-assisted shells. 203mm shells are heavy, 200+lbs each.

155mm M107 shells have a range of about 14km, and weight about 100 lbs each.

Steve Wilcox09 Sep 2015 10:00 a.m. PST

155mm Gun M46(T80)
Carriage and Mount Self-Propelled Gun M53(T97) in Mount M86(T58)
Weight, Projectile HE M101 Shell(HE) 95.10 pounds(43.2 kg)
Maximum Range (independent of mount) HE M101 Shell(HE), Supercharge 25,715 yards(23,456 m)
HE M101 Shell(HE), Normal 18,605 yards(17,012 m)

Page 456 of Patton: A History of the American Medium Tank Volume I by R.P. Hunnicutt.

8 inch Howitzer M47(T89)
Carriage and Mount 8 inch Self-Propelled Howitzer M55(T108) in Mount M86(T58)
Weight, Projectile HE M106 Shell(HE) 200.0 pounds(90.9 kg)
Maximum Range (independent of mount) HE M106 Shell(HE) max. M2 charge 16,008 yards(14,638 m)

Page 459 of Patton: A History of the American Medium Tank Volume I by R.P. Hunnicutt.

supertsar09 Sep 2015 12:06 p.m. PST

Wow – thanks guys!
So the range on the new M46 155mm gun stayed exactly the same as the old M1 155mm of WW2 vintage.

Looks like the 8 inch actually dropped in range from the WW2 days. The old M1 8" Howitzer could launch the same M106 18,510 yards/16,925 meters (according to Hunnicutt Sherman book).
That is odd.
Ian Hogg's British and American Artillery book also lists the WW2 vintage M1 8" as having a range of 18,510 yards…
Most peculiar that they would field a new vehicle having less range than its predecessor.

Steve Wilcox10 Sep 2015 12:00 p.m. PST

In case it's of interest:
Inside the Chieftain's Hatch: M53/M55
YouTube link

Sorry - only verified members can post on the forums.