Kb wz.35 (Marosczek)

1935 WORLD WAR 2

• 1 Kb wz. 35 (Marosczek) History
• 2 Kb wz. 35 (Marosczek) Specification
  • 2.1 BASICS
  • 2.2 MANUFACTURER(S)
  • 2.3 OPERATORS
  • 2.4 ROLES
  • 2.5 DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
  • 2.6 ACTION
  • 2.7 CARTRIDGE & FEED
  • 2.8 PERFORMANCE
  • 2.9 VARIANTS

Kb wz. 35 (Marosczek) History

The Poles were not wholly ill-equipped during the German invasion of September 1939. Its tank-stopping capabilities were reinforced by the introduction of the KB wz. 35 rifle, a heavy-caliber anti-tank solution that was produced in 3,500 examples. However, most ended up seeing combat service in enemy hands than in defense of the homeland and the caliber and its associated rifle design eventually fell to firearms history amidst the growing strength of enemy armor protection.

The KB wz. 35 rifle series had its origins in pre-war Poland and developed around the 7. 92x107mm DS lead core cartridge. The cartridge itself was Polish in origin, developed by one Lieutenant Colonel Tadeusz Felsztyn specifically for the anti-armor / anti-tank role and the rifle design followed it. The cartridge was based on the German 7. 92x57mm Mauser round and the finalized wz. 35 rifle indeed mimicked the Mauser M1918 "T-Gewehr" AT rifle in both form and function, the German version debuted during the fighting of World War 1 (1914-1918).

The T-Gewehr became the world's first dedicated anti-tank rifle design and is detailed elsewhere on this site.

The Polish version featured a loaded weight of 22 pounds with a length reaching 1,760mm while utilizing a 1,200mm long barrel assembly. The wooden stock incorporated the grip handle and shoulder support as well as the forend, the latter completed with an upper section seated over the base of the barrel. The barrel remained exposed along most of its length. The critical metal components were inlaid in the wooden body with the tripped slung under, just aft of the magazine well. A folding bipod sat ahead of the forend in supporting the rifle when firing. A 90-degree bolt handle hung over the right side of the receiver and was capped by a knob for better gripping. The weapon was fed by a four-round detachable box magazine.

Kb wz. 35 (Marosczek) Specification

BASICS

Service Year

1935

Origin

Poland

Classification

Anti-Tank Rifle (ATR) / Anti-Material Rifle (AMR)

MANUFACTURER(S)

Panstwowa Fabryka Karabinow (PFK) - Poland

OPERATORS

Italy (captured); Nazi Germany (captured); Poland

ROLES

Anti-Armor / Anti-Tank / Anti-Material

Designed to engage and defeat armor / enemy tanks at range.

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT

Overall Length

1,760 mm

69. 29 in

Barrel Length

1,200 mm

47. 24 in

Empty Wgt

22. 05 lb

10. 00 kg

Sights

Iron

ACTION

Manually-Operated Bolt-Action System

Bolt-Action

Manually-actuated process of managing the bolt lever to eject spent cartridge case, clearing the breech, to introduce fresh catridge into the chamber.

(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)

CARTRIDGE & FEED

Caliber(s)*

7. 92x107mm DS

Sample Visuals**

Rounds / Feed

4-round detachable box magazine

*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources. **Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.

PERFORMANCE

Rate-of-Fire

9

rds/min

Muzzle Velocity

4,180 ft/sec

(1,274 m/sec)

VARIANTS

wz. 35 "Marosczek" - Base Series namePanzerbuchse 35 (polnisch) (PzB 35(p)) - German Army designation for captured specimens. Fucile Controcarro 35(p) - Italian Army designation for captured specimens numbering about 800 units.