152 Mm Howitzer M1938 (M-10) - Production History

Production History

The M-10 entered production at the Plant No. 172 in 1939. Until the end of the year 4 pieces were manufactured, 685 more in 1940 and 833 in 1941. About 340 barrels for KV-2 heavy tanks were also built (for 334 serial production tanks and a few prototypes and experimental vehicles).

Soon after the outbreak of the war mass production of the gun was stopped. The following reasons are typically cited:.

• The M-10 was considered too heavy for divisional artillery and not powerful enough for corps artillery;
• Problems with manufacturing process;
• Lack of requirement for this type of weapon during the defensive phase of the war.

Some found these arguments questionable. Later in the war corps artillery employed the 152-mm howitzer M1943 (D-1) with the same ballistics. Production rates were growing. Even early in the war, the Red Army wasn't passive, but tried to attack at every opportunity; moreover, howitzers are certainly useful in defensive combat too, e.g. for suppressing enemy howitzers. A historian M. Svirin offered the next explanation instead:

• Shortage in powerful artillery tractors;
• Problems with maintenance and repair;
• Complexity and steel intensity of the carriage;
• Soviet ordnance plants either were lost or were busy performing higher-priority tasks.