46 / Type 59 130-mm Towed Gun (original) (raw)

M-46 52P482 130-mm Towed Gun

Some weapons from the Great Patriotic War were in service with artillery units throughout the Soviet period, and are even now stored in our warehouses, and in some places they are even successfully fighting. The M-46/52P482 was developed by the artillery design bureau of Plant No. 172 named after V. M. Molotov, chief designer - M. Yu. Tsirulnikov. Based on the test results, the M-46 and M-47 artillery systems were recommended for adoption into service. Serial production began in 1954 at Plant No. 172 named after V. M. Molotov (Perm, now JSC Motovilikha Plants). The M-46 gun (index 52-P-482) remained in serial production longer than the M-47 and became more famous.

The M-46 130mm is a Soviet-made towed field gun that was introduced in the early 1950s. It is known for its long range and powerful firepower, making it a formidable piece of artillery. The M-46 is an excellent indirect fire weapon with high muzzle velocity and exceptional range (27,490 meters); it is also a formidable antitank weapon with impressive armor penetration capability. The tactical role usually is counterbattery.

In the 1950s, the M-46 was the longest-range weapon of the Soviet Army, with the exception of high-power and special-power weapons, and remained in service for decades, passing to the Russian Army. The M-46 gun is designed to combat heavy tanks and self-propelled artillery, mortars and enemy artillery, destroy defensive earthworks, shell the enemy's rear, and suppress tanks and manpower in the area of their concentration. The M-46 130mm field gun has been used in many wars and conflicts around the world, including the Vietnam War, Indo-Pakistani wars, and various Middle Eastern conflicts. Its long range and powerful shell make it effective for counter-battery fire, bombardment of fortifications, and support of infantry operations.

The 130mm M-46 is a pretty powerful gun even by today's standards. It is the most powerful in its class, since all light howitzers in other countries of the world (if not copies of Soviet ones) had a caliber of 105 mm. Its maximum firing range with standard ammunition is 27.5 km, and up to 38 km (23.6 miles) with rocket-assisted projectiles. In terms of firing range with old ammunition , it can even compete with representatives of the MSTA and Giatsint families, which were created decades later. This is not to mention the new generation of 130mm extended-range ammunition (38-44 km) created in Iran and China. And even those that managed to fight in Syria. That is why M-46 appeared in Russian military chronicles back in the summer of 2023. And they have been appearing more and more often since then.

The M-46 used separate-loading charges and projectiles. It can fire a variety of ammunition types, including high-explosive (HE), armor-piercing (AP), and smoke rounds. Another argument in favor of the M-46, in addition to the firing range, is the ability to use imported ammunition, for example, from Iran and the DPRK . Actually, how good and ahead of its time the M-46 is, is evidenced by the fact that many countries kept it in service even at the beginning of the 21st century . And some still do (North Korea, Egypt, Syria, Vietnam, etc.), even having access to more modern 152-mm or 155-mm systems.

And that is why the catalogs of many ammunition manufacturers, even in countries where the 130-mm is not in service, still have a position for the 130-mm M-46 and compatible ones! For example, in the above examples from the catalogs of enterprises in Bulgaria, India, Pakistan, Serbia. And there are many more such offers on the world market. Both clones of the Soviet original and independent advanced developments.

The main disadvantage is the weight and dimensions of the weapon. In modern maneuver warfare, this is already a major drawback. When conducting counter-battery combat, the crew will have difficulty folding and unfolding the weapon. When converting the gun from the traveling to the combat position and back, the crew uses hydraulic jacks to lift the beds, a winch (on the right bed) to pull the barrel to the traveling position and roll it to the combat position. However, the time it takes to move from the traveling position and back is long, and in this respect the M-46 is inferior to, say, the 122-mm corps gun D-74 of 1954.

The gun is very heavy, it weighs from 7.7 to 8.2 tons! The difference is related to what state it is in, combat or marching. The length of the gun in the combat position is 11 meters! Agree, it's a very large thing. The D 30 howitzer weighs 3.5 tons, the Msta B weighs 8.5 tons. The 152 mm Msta B howitzer weighs 8.5 tons with the same dimensions. The firing range is up to 30 km. The power of the projectile is 30-40% higher.

The 130 mm M-46 is a very good system. The old lady is still in good shape! And its use in a modern large-scale artillery war is just logical. For many years, the M-46 was one of the longest-range artillery systems around, with a range of more than 27 km. Due to their widespread use, 130-mm M-46 guns have taken and continue to take part in various armed conflicts on almost all continents. Despite their large dimensions and weight, these guns have rightfully earned a reputation as a reliable and versatile weapon.

The exact number of guns produced has not been published in open sources, but according to A.Shirokorad, several thousand M-46 units were produced. As of 2016, at least 650 field guns were in storage in the Russian Armed Forces.