Description
U.S. Army Technical Manual Change 6 TM 9-1300-203 for Artillery Ammunition, May 1968
Item Overview
This official U.S. Army Change 6 publication updates TM 9-1300-203, Artillery Ammunition. Issued in May 1968, it was prepared for use with the original manual dated April 6, 1967. This listing includes the Change 6 update only. It is not the complete base manual and should be used with the original TM 9-1300-203 and any applicable pages that were not replaced. No ammunition, weapons, fuzes, tools, or other equipment are included.
Publication Details
Change 6 supplied corrected, revised, and added material for the Army’s main artillery-ammunition reference. Updated pages were inserted into an existing copy of the manual so personnel could keep their technical information current.
- Manual number: TM 9-1300-203
- Official title: Artillery Ammunition
- Publication type: Change 6 update
- Change date: May 1968
- Base manual date: April 6, 1967
- Issuing authority: Headquarters, Department of the Army
- Country of origin: United States
- Required publication: Original TM 9-1300-203 base manual
- Item included: Change 6 pages only
Purpose of Change 6
Military change packets allowed the Army to revise important information without printing an entirely new manual. Personnel removed superseded pages, inserted the Change 6 pages, and retained the change notice with the publication. This process updated ammunition descriptions, illustrations, safety warnings, component information, and reference material while leaving unchanged pages in place.
Material Updated by Change 6
The surviving pages marked for Change 6 include revisions involving cannon, recoilless-rifle, mortar, and fuze information. The update is especially useful because it documents ammunition that was entering service or receiving revised technical coverage during the Vietnam War.
- Warning concerning the use of authorized artillery fuzes
- 90mm M336 canister cartridge information
- 155mm M101 and M107 high-explosive projectile coverage
- 175mm M437A1 and M437A2 high-explosive projectile information
- 175mm M458 dummy-projectile coverage
- 280mm M124 high-explosive projectile information
- 57mm T25E5 recoilless-rifle canister cartridge coverage
- 60mm and 81mm mortar-ammunition revisions
- 81mm M374 high-explosive mortar cartridge information
- Selected M524A5, M509, and M530A1 fuze information
- Updated references and index entries
About TM 9-1300-203
The complete TM 9-1300-203 provided general and technical information about conventional ammunition for gun and howitzer cannons, recoilless rifles, and mortars. Its subjects included ammunition identification, physical features, components, packing, handling precautions, storage, and destruction to prevent enemy use. The manual covered ammunition for weapons ranging from 37mm automatic guns to the 280mm M66 cannon, as well as 60mm, 81mm, and 4.2-inch mortars.
Weapons-System History
The 1967 manual brought several earlier ammunition manuals and technical bulletins into one large reference. It covered older World War II designs that remained in service alongside newer Cold War weapons such as the 105mm M68 tank gun, 152mm M81 gun-launcher, 165mm XM135 demolition gun, and 175mm M113 cannon. The M113 cannon was carried by the M107 self-propelled gun, which entered U.S. service during the early 1960s and provided long-range artillery support during the Vietnam War.
Historical Background
Change 6 appeared a little more than one year after the April 1967 base manual. Its May 1968 date places it during a period of heavy American artillery use in Southeast Asia. Field forces depended on weapons ranging from light mortars and recoilless rifles to 105mm and 155mm howitzers and long-range 175mm guns. Frequent changes were needed as ammunition designs, approved components, safety instructions, and field experience continued to develop.
History of Use
TM 9-1300-203 supported artillery crews, ammunition specialists, armor units, ordnance personnel, inspectors, and military storage operations. Personnel used the complete manual to identify rounds, match ammunition with the proper weapon, review components, and follow approved handling practices. Change 6 helped keep those copies accurate during the Vietnam era, including pages related to the M437A2 projectile used with the M107 175mm self-propelled gun.
Collector and Research Value
Individual change packets were often installed in base manuals, separated from their covers, or discarded after later revisions. This makes a surviving Change 6 publication useful for completing a period copy of TM 9-1300-203. It also provides a dated record of Vietnam-era artillery ammunition, military publication practices, mortar rounds, recoilless-rifle ammunition, heavy projectiles, and fuze development.
Condition
This vintage military publication may show cover wear, edge wear, folds, yellowing, stains, writing, stamps, punched holes, loose pages, or other signs of age and storage. Printing details and condition may vary between available copies. Please check the pictures for the general condition of the item.
Ideal For
This Change 6 publication is well suited for collections, research projects, historical displays, and the completion of an existing TM 9-1300-203 manual.
- U.S. Army technical-manual collections
- Vietnam War artillery research
- Military ammunition reference collections
- TM 9-1300-203 manual restoration
- M107 175mm self-propelled-gun research
- Mortar and recoilless-rifle ammunition research
- Museum and archival collections
Approx length 8", Approx width 10", Approx height .25", Approx weight .4lbs.
Pictures are stock images of our inventory. Unless otherwise noted, you will not be receiving the exact item shown in the pictures. The pictures are representative of the item’s general condition. The item you receive might be slightly better, or worse, condition than was shown in the pictures.
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