Home

Guns Index

25 pdr Gun Mk 2

Gun

Mk 1 - Loose liner in 18 pdr Mk 4 gun
Mk 2 - Standard pattern
C Mk 2 - As Mk 2 but Canadian built
Mk 3 - Introduced Jan 44. Shot seating reduced
C Mk 3 - As Mk 3 but Canadian built
Mk 4 - Introduced Oct 46. As Mk 3 but breech ring altered
Mk 5 - Not used
Mk 6 - Introduced Nov 64. Breech ring of high quality steel

Carriage

Mk 1 - Humped box trail with platform
Mk 2 -Indian design. Narrower wheel track and smaller No. 22 platform
Mk 3 -Canadian, introduced late 44. Narrow track and shield. Trail hinged in middle to give extra 30� elevation. No. 22 platform
Mk 4 - British design based on Australian �Short� model. Introduced May 45, obsolete Sep 46. Only 1 or 2 made.
Note - narrow track versions for jeep towing on jungle tracks and for loading into Dakota aircraft without dismantling

Data - Mk 2/3 on Carriage Mk 1

Wt gun & breech mech - 1,000 lb
Wt in action - 3,968 lb
Total length incl muzzle brake - 106.72 inches
Length of bore - 92.375 inches
Rifling - 26 grooves uniform RH 1/20
Breech mech - Vertical sliding block
Elevation - minus 5� to plus 40�
Traverse - 4� L&R
Recoil system - Hydropneumatic variable
Recoil length - 20 to 36 inches

First issued in April 1940, the Mk 2 was first used in action in the Norway campaign. It continued in first line service with only minor changes until 1967 and was used for training until 1975. The only major change to the gun was the fitting of a two port Solothurn muzzle brake in 1942. This was done to allow the use of Charge Super with the AP Shot. It was rarely fitted to guns in the Far East and not at all (even post-war) to Australian and New Zealand guns

Performance

With 25 lb HE shell:
Muzzle velocity - 1,700 ft/sec charge super
Max range - 13,400 yds
With 20 lb AP Shot
Muzzle velocity - 2,000 ft/sec
Penetration - 70 mm at 400 yds 0% impact

Ammunition

Shell HE Mk 1D - Standard 25 lb projectile
Shell HE Mk 2DT - As Mk 1D with tracer in the base
Shell Smoke Base Ejection Mk 1A - Fuze Time & Percussion No 220
Shell Smoke BE Streamlined Mks 1-6D - Replaced Mk 1 early 41
Shell Smoke BE Mk 7D - Designed as chemical shell. Training use only
Shell Smoke Coloured BE Mks 1-2D - Issued 1944. Red, yellow, green or blue smoke
Shell Flare Target Recognition BE Mk 1D - Similar to coloured smoke but brighter flame
Shell Incendiary BE Mk 1D - Rarely used in action
Shell Star BE Mk 1D - Developed 1943. Parachute flare, 25-30 seconds burning time
Shell Propaganda BE - Local conversion in N Africa
Shot Armour Piercing Mks 1-6 & 8T - Solid steel 20 lb shot with tracer
Shot Armour Piercing Capped Mk 7T - Never manufactured or issued

Propelling Charge
3 part in brass case plus Super Charge and increments