8 cm Granatwerfer 34

The 8 cm Granatwerfer 34 (8 cm GrW. 34) was the standard German infantry mortar throughout World War II.^[2] It was noted for its accuracy and rapid rate of fire.^[3]

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
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designer	Rheinmetall
Designed	1932–1934
Unit cost	810 Reichsmark
Produced	1934–1945
No. built	75,255[1]
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.^[2] Attached to the bipod were a traversing handwheel and a cross-leveling handwheel below the elevating mechanism.^[4] A panoramic sight was mounted on the traversing mechanism yoke for fine adjustments. A line on the tube could be used for rough laying.^[5]

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.^[5]

A total of 74,336,000 rounds of ammunition were produced for the Granatwerfer 34 from September 1939 to March 1945.^[1]

Users

• Nazi Germany
• East Germany
• Bulgaria
• Yugoslav Partisans^[6]

Ammunition

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

Name	Caliber	Explosive mass	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 — French equivalent^[a]
• Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar — British equivalent
• M1 mortar — US equivalent

Notes

1. 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.