M3 (75 mm)

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This page is about the tank cannon M3 (75 mm). For other uses, see M3 (Disambiguation).
The M3 (75 mm) on the M4A1 gun mantlet.

Description

The 75 mm M3 gun is an American tank cannon used in World War II. It is most well known for being the main cannon armament of the M4 Sherman medium tank prior to its transition to the 76 mm M1 gun.

Vehicles equipped with this weapon

Vehicles equipped with this weapon
Medium tanks 
M4  M4 · Calliope · ▄Sherman I Composito · Sherman III/IV
M4A1  M4A1 · Sherman II · ␗M4A1 (75) W · ▄M4A1
M4A2  M4A2 · ▀M4 748 (a)
M4A4  ␗M4A4 · ␗M4A4 (1st PTG) · ▄Sherman V · ▄M4A4
Heavy tanks  T14 · Churchill NA75
M4A3E2  M4A3E2 · Cobra King · ▄M4A3E2
Tank destroyers  M8A1 GMC

General info

The 75 mm M3 gun in tanks such as the M4 Sherman boast a good mix between muzzle velocity and armour-piercing power around Rank II matches. A good amount of explosive filler in the M61 shell ammunition also allow penetrations to devastate the interiors of enemy tanks, to the point that a good placement of the ammunition can reliably destroy enemy targets in one shot.

A variety of shells allow the 75 mm M3 to stay competitive even in instances where the AP and APCBC round will have trouble, such as the T45 APCR ammunition and the M89 smoke shell.

Available ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
M72 shot AP 91 88 78 67 57 49
M48 shell HE 10 10 10 10 10 10
M61 shot APCBC 104 102 93 84 75 68
T45 shot APCR 139 135 121 105 91 79
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(m)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
M72 shot AP 619 6.3 - - - 47° 60° 65°
M48 shell HE 463 6.3 0.2 0.1 666 79° 80° 81°
M61 shot APCBC 618 6.79 1.2 14 63.7 48° 63° 71°
T45 shot APCR 868 3.81 - - - 66° 70° 72°
Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Screen radius
(m)
Screen deploy
time (s)
Screen hold
time (s)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
M89 259 3 9 5 20 50

Comparison with analogues

Give a comparative description of cannons/machine guns that have firepower equal to this weapon.

Usage in battles

The 75 mm M3 provides a good mix between armour-piercing power and rate of fire for players, and so it is best if the 75 mm M3 has a crew with maximum loading skill to maintain a high rate of fire against the enemies. The explosive filler of the M61 shell is also sufficient to incapacitate enemy tanks quickly with a shell penetration, especially if the gun is fired at the enemy's side armour, so it is best to employ the vehicle mounting the 75 mm M3 in a manner where the player can attack the enemy's sides, making use of the rate of fire to methodically pick the enemies off one-by-one.

Even in events when the 75 mm M3 AP and APCBC rounds are not sufficient against an enemy at close encounters, such as when using the M4A3E2 and fighting Panther tanks, the 75 mm M3 in higher ranking vehicles could have the T45 APCR rounds available for use. These APCR rounds if used properly can provide the necessary firepower advantage to use the 75 mm M3 gun to attack through the enemy's armour.

The 75 mm M3 gun also comes with a HE shell, which can be useful against thin-skinned enemy vehicles such as certain tank destroyers and SPAAGs. The gun, in select vehicles, can also come with a M89 smoke shell to allow a player to make a smoke screen if no such devices are installed in the tank itself.

The 75 mm M3's flaws come at longer ranges. A noticeable shell drop can be spotted when fighting at long distances, which would require careful aiming of the range to not shoot too high or low on the target. It certainly is possible to fight enemies at a long range with the 75 mm M3, but the gun handling would be disadvantageous when compared to a tank with a higher-velocity cannon. Knowing the range an enemy is at can negate this disadvantage slightly, but a larger lead would be necessary if the enemy is moving at the farther range, let alone if the enemy employs evasive manoeuvres.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Good penetrating M61 round in lower ranks, especially when its explosive filler can lead to potential knock-outs
  • Access to smoke rounds
  • Higher ranked vehicles with this gun have access to high-penetrating APCR rounds

Cons:

  • Noticeable shell drop when fighting at long-ranges

History

Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

  • M2 (75 mm) - Preceding variant with a shorter barrel.
  • M6 (75 mm) - Lightweight variant for light tanks, with a longer reload time.

External links


USA tank cannons
25 mm  LW25 · M242
37 mm  M3 · M5 · M6
57 mm  M1
75 mm  M2 · M2 Howitzer · M3 · M6 · M1897A4 · XM274
76 mm  M1 · M7 · M32 · T185E1
90 mm  M3 · M3A1 · M36 · M41 · M54 · T15E1 · T15E2 · T54 · T208E9
105 mm  M4 · M68 · M68A1 · M68A1E8 · T5E1 · T5E2 · T140E2 · T140E3 · XM35
106 mm  M40A1C
120 mm  M58 · M256 · T53
152 mm  M81 · M162 · XM150E5
155 mm  M185 · T7
165 mm  M135
  Foreign:
20 mm  Rh202 (Germany)
57 mm  6pdr OQF Mk.III (Britain) · ZIS-2 (USSR)
105 mm  Sharir (Israel)
120 mm  IMI MG251 (Israel)

Germany tank cannons
20 mm  KwK30 · KwK38 · Rh202
28/20 mm  s.Pz.B.41
30 mm  MK 30-2/ABM
37 mm  KwK34(t) · KwK36 · KwK38(t) · PaK L/45
47 mm  Pak.(t)(Sf.)
50 mm  KwK39 · KwK L/42 · PaK38
57 mm  Bofors L/70 Mk.1
75 mm  K51 L/24 · KwK37 · KwK40 L43 · KwK40 L48 · KwK42 · KwK44 · KwK44 L/36.5 · PaK39 L48 · PaK40/3 L46 · PaK42 · StuK37 · StuK40 L43 · StuK40 L48
76 mm  PaK36 (r)
88 mm  Flak.37 · Flak 41 · KwK36 · KwK43 · PaK43
90 mm  BK90
105 mm  CN105-57 · FMK.4 Modelo 1L · K.18 · KwK L/68 · L7A3 · PzK M57 · StuH42
120 mm  Rh120 L/44 · Rh120 L/55 · Rh120 L/55 A1
128 mm  K.40 · KwK44 · PaK44
150 mm  s.I.G.33 · Stu.H 43 L/12
380 mm  RW61
  Foreign:
30 mm  Bushmaster 2 Mk.44 (USA) · HSS 831L (Britain)
57 mm  6pdr OQF Mk.V (Britain)
73 mm  2A28 (USSR)
75 mm  M3 (USA)
76 mm  F-32 (USSR) · F-34 (USSR) · M32 (USA)
90 mm  M36 (USA) · M41 (USA)
105 mm  GT-3 (South Africa)
125 mm  2A46M (USSR)
152 mm  M-10T (USSR) · XM150E5 (USA)
155 mm  M126 (USA)

Britain tank cannons
30 mm  L21A1
40 mm  QF 2-pounder
47 mm  Ordnance QF 3-pounder
57 mm  6pdr OQF Mk.III · 6pdr OQF Mk.V
75 mm  OQF Mk.V
76 mm  OQF 3-inch Howitzer Mk I · OQF 3in 20cwt · QF 17-pounder
77 mm  OQF Mk.II
84 mm  20pdr OQF Mk.I
94 mm  28pdr OQF · 32pdr OQF · OQF Mk.II
95 mm  Howitzer, Tank No.1, Mk.I
105 mm  LRF · Royal Ordnance L7A1
120 mm  Ordnance QF Tk. L1A2 · Ordnance BL Tk. L11 · L11A5 · L30A1
165 mm  ORD BL 6.5in L9A1
183 mm  QF L4A1
  Foreign:
37 mm  M5 (USA) · M6 (USA)
75 mm  M2 (USA) · M3 (USA)
84 mm  kan Strv 81 (Sweden)
105 mm  Sharir (Israel)
120 mm  Rh120 L/55 A1 (Germany)
125 mm  2A46M-5 (Russia)
155 mm  M185 (USA)
  South Africa
20 mm  GI-2
76 mm  GT-4
90 mm  GT-2
105 mm  GT-3 · GT-7 · GT-8
155 mm  G6 L/45

China tank cannons
30 mm  ZPZ02
73 mm  Type 85
76 mm  M32K1
85 mm  Type-62-85-TC · Type 63
100 mm  PTP86 · Type 59 · Type 69 · Type 69-II
105 mm  Type 83 · WMA301 · ZPL94 · ZPL98A
120 mm  122TM · PTZ89
125 mm  Type 88C · Type 99A · ZPT98
152 mm  PL66 Gai
  Foreign:
20 mm  KwK30 (Germany)
37 mm  M6 (USA)
45 mm  20-K (USSR)
47 mm  Type 1 (Japan)
57 mm  Type 97 (Japan) · ZIS-2 (USSR)
75 mm  M2 Howitzer (USA) · M3 (USA) · M6 (USA)
76 mm  D-56T (USSR) · F-34 (USSR) · M1 (USA) · M7 (USA) · ZIS-3 (USSR)
85 mm  ZIS-S-53 (USSR)
90 mm  M3 (USA) · M41 (USA)
100 mm  D-10S (USSR)
105 mm  M68 (USA) · M68A1 (USA)
115 mm  U-5TS (USSR)
122 mm  A-19 (USSR) · D-25T (USSR)
152 mm  ML-20S (USSR)

Italy tank cannons
20 mm  Breda Mod.35 · Fucile Controcarri S Mod.39
25 mm  Oerlikon KBA B02
37 mm  Vickers-Terni 37/40 mod.18
47 mm  47/32 mod.35 · 47/32 mod.39 · 47/40 mod.38
60 mm  Cannone da 60/70 · OTO HVG
75 mm  75/18 mod.34 · 75/32 mod.37 · 75/34 mod.39 · Ansaldo 75 L/34 · OTO 75/43 mod.40
90 mm  90/53 mod.41 · Cannone da 90/50 M3A1 · Cockerill Mk.3
100 mm  Cannone da 100/17 Mod.1914
105 mm  Cannone Ansaldo da 105/25 · OTO Melara 105/52 · OTO Melara 105/55
106 mm  Cannone da 106 s.r.M40A1
120 mm  OTO Breda 120/44 · OTO Melara 120/45
  Foreign:
30 mm  Bushmaster 2 Mk.44 (USA)
37 mm  M6 (USA)
75 mm  KwK37 (Germany) · KwK40 L48 (Germany) · M3 (USA) · M6 (USA) · StuK40 L48 (Germany)
76 mm  M1 (USA) · QF 17-pounder (Britain)
90 mm  M3 (USA)
105 mm  L7A3 (Germany) · M68 (USA)
155 mm  M126 (USA)
  Hungary
20 mm  Solothurn QF.36M
40 mm  37/42M · MÁVAG 41.M 40/51
75 mm  41.M · 43.M
105 mm  MÁVAG 40/43M
  Foreign:
30 mm  2A72 (USSR) · MK 30-2/ABM (Germany)
88 mm  KwK36 (Germany)
120 mm  Rh120 L/44 (Germany)
122 mm  2A31 (USSR)
125 mm  2A46M (USSR)

France tank cannons
20 mm  20F2
25 mm  SA35 L/72
37 mm  SA18 L/21 · SA38 L/33
47 mm  SA34 L/30 · SA35 L/32 · SA37
75 mm  APX · APX Canon de 75 mm modèle 1897 · SA35 L/17 · SA44 · SA49 · SA50 L/57
90 mm  D.911 APX · CN90 F2 · CN90 F3 · CN90 F4 · D915 · DEFA F1 · SA45 · SA47
100 mm  SA47 L/58
105 mm  CN-105-F1 · Modele F2 · PzK M57
120 mm  GIAT CN120-25 G1 · GIAT CN120-26 F1 · SA46
142 mm  ACRA
155 mm  GCT F1 · Schneider 155 C · L'Obusier de 155 Modèle 1950
  Foreign:
15 mm  MG 151 (Germany)
20 mm  MG 151 (Germany)
30 mm  Bushmaster 2 Mk.44 (USA)
37 mm  M6 (USA)
40 mm  Bofors L/60 · QF 2-pounder (Britain)
75 mm  KwK42 (Germany) · M3 (USA) · M6 (USA)
76 mm  M7 (USA)
90 mm  M3 (USA)
105 mm  M4 (USA)

Sweden tank cannons
20 mm  Akan m/47D · Pvlvkan m/40
37 mm  kan m/38
40 mm  akan m/70B
57 mm  Pvkan m/43
75 mm  kan m/02 · kan m/41 · kan Strv 74 · lvkan m/37 A · pvkan m/43
84 mm  kan Strv 81
90 mm  kan Ikv 91
105 mm  kan Bofors · kan Ikv · kan m/44 · kan Strv 101 · L74
120 mm  automatkanon · CTG · kan Strv 121 · kan Strv 122
150 mm  fsthaub m/02
155 mm  kan m/60
  Foreign:
73 mm  2A28 (USSR)
75 mm  M3 (USA)
105 mm  L/50 (Belgium) · L7A3 (Germany)
125 mm  2A46M-1 (USSR)
155 mm  CN98 (South Korea)
  Finland
37 mm  Psv.K/36
114 mm  Psv.H/18
  Foreign:
30 mm  Bushmaster 2 Mk.44 (USA)
45 mm  20-K (USSR)
75 mm  KwK40 L48 (Germany)
76 mm  D-56TS (USSR) · F-34 (USSR) · L-10 (USSR)
77 mm  OQF Mk.II (Britain)
84 mm  20pdr OQF Mk.I (Britain)
85 mm  ZIS-S-53 (USSR)
100 mm  D-10T (USSR) · D-10T2S (USSR)
105 mm  L/50 (Belgium)
120 mm  Rh120 L/44 (Germany) · Rh120 L/55 (Germany)
125 mm  2A46M (USSR)