| 5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 38 (L/60) | |
|---|---|
 German soldiers with 5cm Pak 38 during the Tunisian Campaign | |
| Type | Panzerabwehrkanone |
| Place of origin | Nazi Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1940–1945 |
| Used by | Nazi Germany Italy Finland Romania Bulgaria First Slovak republic |
| Wars | World War II Continuation War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1937–1939 |
| Manufacturer | Rheinmetall-Borsig |
| Unit cost | 10,600 ℛ︁ℳ︁ |
| Produced | 1940–1943 |
| No. built | 9,566[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass |
|
| Length | 4.75 m (15.6 ft) |
| Barrel length | 300 cm (120 in) bore (60 calibres) |
| Width | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Height | 1.05 m (3 ft 5 in) |
| Crew | 5 |
| Shell | Fixed QF 50×420mm R [2] 5 cm Pzgr. |
| Shell weight | 2.25 kg (4 lb 15 oz)[4] |
| Caliber | 50 mm (2.0 in) |
| Action | Semi-automatic |
| Breech | Horizontal sliding-wedge |
| Recoil | Hydro-pneumatic[3] |
| Carriage | Split-trail |
| Elevation | -8° to +27°[3] |
| Traverse | 65° |
| Rate of fire | 13 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 550-1,130 m/s (1,804-3,707 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 2,700 m (3,000 yd) |
| Feed system | Manual |
| Sights | Z.F. 3x8° |
The 5 cm Pak 38 (L/60) (5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 38 (L/60)) was a German anti-tank gun of 50 mm calibre. It was developed in 1938 by Rheinmetall-Borsig AG as a successor to the 3.7 cm Pak 36, and was in turn followed by the 7.5 cm Pak 40. The unique curved gun-shield design differed from most WWII anti-tank guns which had either one flat or two angled and one flat gun-shield plates for ease of manufacturing.
- ^ Battistelli, Pier Paolo (2008) Panzer Divisions: The Eastern Front 1941-43
- ^ "Munition der 5 cm Pak 38". www.michaelhiske.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-01-16.
- ^ a b c Foss, Christopher (1977). Jane's pocket book of towed artillery. New York: Collier. p. 15. ISBN 0020806000. OCLC 911907988.
- ^ Chamberlain, Peter (1974). Anti-tank weapons. Gander, Terry. New York: Arco Pub. Co. p. 13. ISBN 0668036079. OCLC 1299755.