M1938 mortar
| 120-PM-38 | |
|---|---|
A 120-PM-38 on its two-wheeled limber | |
| Type | Mortar |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| Wars | World War II Chinese Civil War Korean War First Indochina War Vietnam War Suez Crisis Six-Day War Lebanese Civil War Iran–Iraq War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1938 |
| Produced | 1939 |
| Variants | Reșița Model 1942 (Romania) |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | travel: 477 kg (1,052 lb) combat: 280 kg (620 lb) |
| Barrel length | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) L/15.5 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Shell | 16 kg (35 lb) |
| Caliber | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Breech | muzzle loaded |
| Elevation | +45° to +80° |
| Traverse | 6° |
| Rate of fire | 10 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 272 m/s (890 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 6 km (3.7 mi) |
The 120-PM-38 or M1938 was a 120 mm Soviet mortar that was used in large numbers by the Red Army during World War II. Although a conventional design its combination of light weight, mobility, heavy firepower and range saw its features widely copied by successive generations of mortars.