The 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 (7.5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 37 L/24) was a short-barreled, howitzer-like German 75 mm tank gun used during World War II, primarily as the main armament of the early Panzer IV tank. Slightly modified as StuK 37, it was also mounted in early StuG III assault guns and Sd.Kfz. 251/9 armored personnel carriers. It was designed as a close-support infantry gun firing a high-explosive shell (hence the relatively short barrel) but was also effective against the tanks it faced early in the war. From March 1942, new variants of the Panzer IV and StuG III had a derivative of the 7.5 cm PaK 40 anti-tank gun, the longer-barreled 7.5 cm KwK 40. When older Panzer IVs were up-gunned, their former KwK 37 guns were reused to arm later Panzer III tanks and other infantry support vehicles. In 1943, depleted stocks and demand for the Panzer III Ausf. N required restarting production of a slightly revised 7.5 cm K 51 L/24 (7.5 cm Kanone 51 L/24).
== Ammunition == The KwK 37 used 75×243 mmR caliber.
Kt. Kw. K. - Canister Nbgr. Kw. K. - Smoke Gr.38 Hl - High Explosive Anti-Tank Gr.38 Hl/A - High Explosive Anti-Tank Gr.38 Hl/B - High Explosive Anti-Tank Gr.38 Hl/C - High Explosive Anti-Tank
=== 7.5 cm Sprgr.34 - High Explosive === Projectile weight: 12.6 lb (5.7 kg) Explosive weight: 1.875 lb (0.850 kg) (2080 Kilojoules)
=== K.Gr.rot.Pz. - Armour-piercing === Source:
Projectile weight: 6.80 kg (15.0 lb) Muzzle velocity: 385 m/s (1,260 ft/s)
=== Pzgr 39. - Armour-piercing === Projectile weight: 6.80 kg (15.0 lb) Muzzle velocity: 385 m/s (1,260 ft/s)
Penetration comparison
Applications
=== 7.5 cm KwK 37 / 7.5 cm K 37 === Neubaufahrzeug Panzer III Ausf. N Panzer IV Ausf. A to F1 StuG III Ausf. A to E Sd.Kfz. 233 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen Sd.Kfz. 251/9 Schützenpanzerwagen
=== 7.5 cm K 51 === Sd.Kfz. 234/3 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen Sd.Kfz. 250/8 Schützenpanzerwagen Sd.Kfz. 251/9 Schützenpanzerwagen (Late-production Ausf. D)
== See also == Howitzer motor carriage M8, armed with 75mm American M2 or M3 howitzer