Karabin przeciwpancerny wz.35 (Ur)
Państwowa Fabryka Karabinów (State Rifle Factory, Warsaw) · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1938
Also known as: Ur, kb Ur, Maroszek, PzB 35(p), Fucile controcarro 35(P), 8 mm pst kiv/38
Overview
The karabin przeciwpancerny wz.35 'Ur' was a Polish bolt-action, magazine-fed anti-tank rifle designed by Jozef Maroszek and adopted in 1935. Firing the high-velocity 7.92x107mm DS cartridge at roughly 1,275 m/s, it could defeat about 33 mm of armor at 100 m, enough to penetrate every tank fielded against Poland in 1939, yet it remained a closely guarded secret. The barrel was replaceable after only a few hundred rounds and a muzzle brake absorbed much of the recoil.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 9000 g (317.5 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 10000 g (352.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1760 mm (69.29") |
| Barrel Length | 1200 mm (47.24") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 4 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 1275 m/s (4183 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 11850 J (8740 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 300 m (328 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 9 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
Calibers
- 7.92x107mm DS · primary — also known as Naboj DS, 7.92x107 DS
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Removable Replaceable Barrel, Muzzle Brake, Folding Bipod, Three Lug Rotating Bolt, Wooden Handguard
Service history
Operators
- Polish Army · adopted 1935 · as kb Ur wz.35
- Wehrmacht (captured) · adopted 1939 · as PzB 35(p)
- Royal Italian Army (captured) · as Fucile controcarro 35(P)
- Finnish Army (received) · as 8 mm pst kiv/38
Conflicts
- Invasion of Poland (1939)
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 3,500 · Production years: 1938-1939
Highly secret program; rifles were crated as surveillance equipment supposedly bound for export to Uruguay, giving the codename 'Ur'. Estimates range 3,500-6,500.
Origin
Country of origin: Poland
Designer: Jozef Maroszek
Discontinued: 1939
Notes
Sources disagree on bullet weight (~12.78 g vs ~14.58 g) and total production (~3,500 vs ~6,500). Max pressure, primer type, rifling twist, and finish are undocumented in accessible sources.
Background
Secrecy was so tight that the rifles were crated as 'surveillance equipment' for fictitious export to Uruguay, the source of the codename 'Ur' (from Urugwaj). The crates were only ordered opened around mid-July 1939, weeks before the German invasion, so most crews never trained on the weapon before combat.