Name: Ammunition for Czech 30 mm M53 and M53/59
Availability: InStock

Item Type

Item State

Action

Guidance

Caliber

Type

TP-T

Weights 1.14 kg

Projectile 435 g

Filling none

Propellant 195 g

Length 331 mm

Muzzle velocity 997 m/s

Eastern Europe

Czech Republic

Southern Europe

Macedonia

<h2>Armament</h2><p>30 mm automatic anti-aircraft gun M53 ; M53/59 and M53/70 twin 30 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun systems.</p><h2>Development</h2><p>The 30 × 220 mm cartridge was originally developed in Czechoslovakia for the M53 towed anti-aircraft gun, but was also later adopted for the self-propelled M53/59 wheeled anti-aircraft gun system. These guns have now been withdrawn from front-line service, due mainly to a lack of any form of modern fire-control system and a low rate of fire, within the Czech Republic and Slovakia but is still held in reserve. The 30 mm M53/70 gun was an export version, with an improved fire-control system, which does not appear to have been produced on a large scale. The M53 and M53/59 remain in service with the armed forces of Libya , Romania , Serbia and Vietnam . The ammunition also remained in production in the former Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) until recently. Yugoslav guns are known as the 30/2 mm M53 and 53/59 (CS).</p><h2>Description</h2><p>The 30 × 220 mm is a fixed round, with the projectile rigidly secured to the necked, lacquered steel cartridge case by a crimping ring which fits into a pronounced cannelure at the base of the projectile. A steel percussion primer, 27 g weight and 73 mm length, is fitted in the base of the cartridge case. The heat-treated steel projectile has a single copper drive band. The propellant utilised is 195 g of a nitrocellulose-based powder. All 30 × 220 mm rounds (apart from the Blanks) are 331 mm long and have a muzzle velocity of 997 m/s. Ammunition for the 30 mm M53 gun is fed in 10-round clips. The M53/59 gun is loaded from a 50-round vertical box magazine using 10-round clips. Czechoslovakian-produced ammunition originally included API and HE-I rounds. These are no longer produced but available information is provided in the text. The Yugoslav-produced rounds were limited to HE-T, TP-T and Blank. API The projectile for this round weighs 450 g and has a muzzle velocity of 1,000 m/s. It can penetrate 55 mm of armour at an incidence of 0º at 500 m. It contains a small amount of incendiary mixture of incendiary mixture to create incendiary effects behind the target armour. This round is no longer in production but may still be encountered. HE-I The projectile used with this round weighs 450 g and contains approximately 35 g of RDX. The filling includes a small incendiary element to add to the blast effects. This round is no longer in production but may still be encountered. HE-T This round was still produced in Yugoslavia until the recent disturbances, where it is known as the 30 mm HE-T M69. The steel projectile contains 35.7 g of RDX/Aluminium and has a nose-mounted impact super-quick action fuze with a mechanical self-destruct device, the latter operating between 6 and 30 seconds after leaving the gun muzzle. The projectile base houses a tracer element which burns for 4 seconds. Also produced in Yugoslavia was a TP-T round ballistically matching the HE-T M69 but it did not contain an explosive filling, a tracer element or a fuze. Blank Produced in Yugoslavia , this round is referred to as the M78 . There is no projectile as the round case has a crimped mouth and relies on the 195 g nitrocellulose powder propellant filling to produce a sound signature for battlefield simulation and other training purposes. A training and test cartridge, apparently still in production by EUROINVEST of Macedonia , fires a 250 g break-up projectile containing sintered iron powder within a high-density polyethylene casing. Once fired the projectile breaks up to release its contents before it has travelled more than 120 m. This cartridge is dimensionally identical to the operational HE-T round. Maximum chamber pressure is 1,760 bar.</p><h2>Authorised fuzes</h2><p>Integral on HE-T - see text Equivalent rounds CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA</p><p>CZECH REPUBLIC</p><h2>Manufacturer</h2><p>State factories</p><p>Type: API, HE-I, TP</p><p>Description: See text - no longer in production</p><p>MACEDONIA</p><h2>Manufacturer</h2><p>Euroinvest</p><p>Type: Training and Test</p><p>Description: See text under Blank</p><p>YUGOSLAVIA , FEDERAL REPUBLIC</p><h2>Manufacturer</h2><p>Yugoimport SDPR</p><p>Type: HE-T, TP-T, Blank</p><p>Description: See text</p>

The 30 × 220 mm is a fixed round, with the projectile rigidly secured to the necked, lacquered steel cartridge case by a crimping ring which fits into a pronounced cannelure at the base of the projectile. A steel percussion primer, 27 g weight and 73 mm length, is fitted in the base of the cartridge case. The heat-treated steel projectile has a single copper drive band. The propellant utilised is 195 g of a nitrocellulose-based powder. All 30 × 220 mm rounds (apart from the Blanks) are 331 mm long and have a muzzle velocity of 997 m/s. Ammunition for the 30 mm M53 gun is fed in 10-round clips. The M53/59 gun is loaded from a 50-round vertical box magazine using 10-round clips. Czechoslovakian-produced ammunition originally included API and HE-I rounds. These are no longer produced but available information is provided in the text. The Yugoslav-produced rounds were limited to HE-T, TP-T and Blank. API The projectile for this round weighs 450 g and has a muzzle velocity of 1,000 m/s. It can penetrate 55 mm of armour at an incidence of 0º at 500 m. It contains a small amount of incendiary mixture of incendiary mixture to create incendiary effects behind the target armour.

This round is no longer in production but may still be encountered. HE-I The projectile used with this round weighs 450 g and contains approximately 35 g of RDX. The filling includes a small incendiary element to add to the blast effects. This round is no longer in production but may still be encountered. HE-T This round was still produced in Yugoslavia until the recent disturbances, where it is known as the 30 mm HE-T M69. The steel projectile contains 35.7 g of RDX/Aluminium and has a nose-mounted impact super-quick action fuze with a mechanical self-destruct device, the latter operating between 6 and 30 seconds after leaving the gun muzzle. The projectile base houses a tracer element which burns for 4 seconds. Also produced in Yugoslavia was a TP-T round ballistically matching the HE-T M69 but it did not contain an explosive filling, a tracer element or a fuze. Blank Produced in Yugoslavia , this round is referred to as the M78.

Ammunition for Czech 30 mm M53 and M53/59

Ammunition for Czech 30 mm M53 and M53/59

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