8 cm Granatwerfer 34

The 8 cm Granatwerfer 34 (8 cm GrW 34) was the standard German infantry mortar throughout World War II.^[3] It was noted for its accuracy and rapid rate of fire.^[4]

8 cm Granatwerfer 34
A mortar in action during the Battle of Monte Cassino
Type	Mortar
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
In service	1937–1952
Used by	Nazi Germany East Germany Bulgaria Yugoslavian Partisans[1]
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designer	Rheinmetall
Designed	1932–1934
Unit cost	810 Reichsmark
Produced	1934–1945
No. built	75,255[2]
Variants	8 cm GrW 34/1
Specifications
Mass	62 kg (136.6 lbs) steel barrel 57 kg (125.6 lbs) alloy barrel
Barrel length	1.14 m (3 ft 9 in)
Shell	3.5 kg (7 lb 11 oz)
Caliber	81.4 mm (3.20 in)
Elevation	45° to 90°
Traverse	10° to 23°
Rate of fire	15-25 rpm
Muzzle velocity	174 m/s (571 ft/s)
Effective firing range	400–1,200 m (440–1,310 yd)
Maximum firing range	2.4 km (1.5 mi)

History

A four-man crew of Waffen-SS soldiers firing on Yugoslavian partisans, December 1943.

The weapon was of conventional design and broke down into three loads (smooth bore barrel, bipod, baseplate) for transport.^[3] Attached to the bipod were a traversing handwheel and a cross-leveling handwheel below the elevating mechanism.^[5] A panoramic sight was mounted on the traversing mechanism yoke for fine adjustments. A line on the tube could be used for rough laying.^[6]

The 8 cm GrW 34/1 was an adaptation for use in self-propelled mountings. A lightened version with a shorter barrel was put into production as the kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42.

The mortar employed conventional 8 cm 3.5 kg shells (high explosive or smoke) with percussion fuzes. The range could be extended by fitting up to three additional powder charges between the shell tailfins.^[6]

A total of 74,336,000 rounds of ammunition were produced for the Granatwerfer 34 from September 1939 to March 1945.^[2]

Ammunition

List of available ammunition for the Granatwerfer 34.^[7]

Name	Caliber	Mass of explosive material	Target effect	Other information
Wurfgranate 34 (Mortar grenade 34)	80,7 mm	533 g	Blast and shrapnel effect
Wurfgranate 34 Blauring (Mortar grenade 34 bluering)		530 g	Blast, shrapnel and chemical effect	Chemical agent: Adamsite
Wurfgranate 34 Ex (Mortar grenade 34 dummy)		0 g	None (training ammunition)	Ammunition used for learning general handling
Wurfgranate 34 Nb (Mortar grenade 34 smoke)		500 g	Smoke effect	Effect load: Sulfur trioxide in pumice stone
Wurfgranate 34 Üb (Mortar grenade 34 training)		57 g	Minimal blast effect	Training ammunition
Wurfgranate 34 Weißring (Mortar grenade 34 whitering)		550 g	Blast, shrapnel and chemical effect	Chemical agent: Phenacyl chloride
Wurfgranate 38 (Mortar grenade 38)		400 g	Blast and shrapnel effect
Wurfgranate 38 Deut (Mortar grenade 38)		200 g		Ejection charge
Wurfgranate 38 umg (Mortar grenade 38 rebuild)		550 g	Blast and shrapnel effect
Wurfgranate 39 (Mortar grenade 39)		400 g	Blast and shrapnel effect
Wurfgranate 40 (Mortar grenade 40)	80,9 mm	2000 g	Blast and shrapnel effect
Wurfgranate 40 Üb (Mortar grenade 40 training)		0 g	None	Training ammunition

See also

• List of infantry mortars

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

• Brandt Mle 27/31 original French mortar design of the 1920s, after which all 3″/8 cm/81.4 mm/82 mm mortars of the Second World War era were patterned
• Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar British equivalent
• M1 mortar US equivalent