Historic context :

Collaborating since the beginning of the XXth century with the Schneider Works, the Putilov company finally had begun a modernisation of their artillery catalog with the assistance of the brilliant French company engineers. They issued in 1909 a remarkable '6 inches Putilov howitzer M 1909', that swiped off the memory of the obsolete M 1886 mortar of the same company. The Schneider savoir-faire was found evidently in the characteristics of this weapon, whose design have probably been mostly performed in Burgundy on the basis of a Russian specification Indeed, the new howitzer had a Schneider-type quick action breech block with interrupted screw and front panel, a variable hydro-pneumatic recoil recuperation system located in a long cradle and a large shield.

Its power and its range were found satisfactory despite a regrettable limitation of the maximum elevation angle. This initial design probably was taken as a test run for the Schneider engineers who proposed a bit later to Russia a new model with the 152.4 mm M1910 having slightly better perfomances and a noticeable weight loss.

Thes howitzers stayed in service in the Russian army, then the Soviet army, and the survivors were modernized in 1930 (Model M09/30) so as to be kept in active service many more years afterwards. Some of these weapons were used by the Wehrmacht during WW2.

Technical data :

• Complete description : 6 inches howitzer M 1909/30 Putilov
• Design year : 1909
• Calibre : 152.40 mm (6 in)
• Weight in firing position : 2725 kg
• Weight for transportation :
• Tube length in calibres : 14.20
• Grooves : 0
• Projectile weight : 40 kg
• Initial speed : 391 m/s
• Fire rate :
• Range : 9850 m
• Elevation range : -0 to +41 degrés
• Direction range : 5.7 degrees total range