The 45mm M1937 became the standard Soviet anti-tank gun at the start of World War II.
The M1937 Anti-Tank Gun was a copied and improved version of the German 3.7 cm Panzerabwerkanone. The Soviets adopted the 45mm because they felt that 37mm guns had insufficient armour penetration. By 1943, the M1937 fired ammunition that could penetrate 88mm of non-sloped armour at 100 metres and 66mm at 500 metres.
Japan produced a very similar 45mm anti-tank gun based upon examples captured from Russia in Manchuria 1938-39. Large numbers of M1937 guns were also captured by the Finnish Army during the Soviet invasions and were then used against their former owners. Examples remained in service until 1945, although production ceased in 1943.
Projectile: 1.43 kilograms (3.15 pounds)
Range: 500 metres (547 yards)
Detachment: gun, towing vehicle and five gunners