120mm Tank Rounds in Israeli Service

[lucid wharf]

This is just going to be a short thread on 120mm tank rounds that the IDF has been using in Gaza, how some of the more unique rounds function, and how some of the rounds can look after firing, or in an unexploded state. This picture taken on December 31, 2023 of a tank unit laying out their ammo show the range of commonly used 120mm tank rounds in IDF use.
There are six possible variants of 120mm tank rounds I've seen in use in this conflict.

M322 or** M338** APFSDS-T: Armor-Piercing, Fin-Stabilized Discarding-Sabot Tracer tank cartridge
M339 HE-MP-T: High Explosive Multi-Purpose Tracer tank cartridge
M325 HEAT-MP-T: High-Explosive Anti-Tank Multi-Purpose cartridge
These four variants are in the Elbit Systems Tank Ammunition's Catalog, and on their webpage: https://elbitsystems.com/media/Catalog-Tanks_15_Web.pdf

** M329** APAM-MP-T: Anti-Personnel / Anti-Materiel – Multi Purpose Tank Round
Additional Info on the M329 is available from this IMI presentation given in 2007: https://ndiastorage.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/ndia/2007/gun_missile/GMThurAM2/SchirdingPresentation.pdf

**M830A1 **HEAT-MP-T: High Explosive Antitank Multipurpose-Tracer.
The M830A1 (not to be confused with the M830, which is visually and functionally similar to the M325, and has been used by Israel in previous conflicts) is a US supplied round: https://www.dau.edu/sites/default/files/Migrated/CopDocuments/PEO Ammo Portfolio Book 2017.pdf#page=167
At least 13,981 M830A1 rounds have been supplied to Israel since October 7th. https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales/israel-m830a1-120mm-tank-cartridges
https://imgur.com/a/0W0I5ma

Here are cutaway images of the rounds. This source of this picture has the M322 listed rather than the M338, but both function, and appear very similar.
https://imgur.com/a/Z4vSQUY

The M830A1 and the M322/M338, all have discarding sabots. The projectile is smaller than the width of the barrel, so it has sabot that discards after leaving the barrel, as seen in this picture of a M830A1 discarding it's sabot (1), or a APFSDS discarding it's sabot (2). While APFSDS rounds do not have explosive content, the M830A1 does have a high explosive filler, and despite the discarding sabot, it functions more similarly to a M830, or M325 than a APFSDS round.

Here is a piece of the discarded sabot from a M830A1 found in Gaza. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2024/hind-rajab-israel-gaza-killing-timeline/?_pml=1

The M329 APAM is unique in that it has 6 submunitions inside, that can be ejected from the munition depending on the fire mode selected. If ejection mode is not selected, it functions more like a regular high explosive (HE) round.

M329 APAM round after ejection of submunitions

The Gaza Bomb Squad technician is holding a unexploded M329 APAM round.

The M339, as seen in the cutaway, has a green windscreen/ogive that contains ball bearings for fragmentation, giving the round the "Multi Purpose" role instead of just being High-explosive. The dark red outline in the cutaway shows the inner casing of the round. The wind screen is often absent in unexploded M339 rounds that are recovered in Gaza, leaving only the inner casing with or without tank fins remaining. Elbit Catalog states "The programmable, multifunctional fuze has three modes of operation: Point
Detonation Delay (PDD), Point Detonation (PD) and Air Burst (AB)."
https://imgur.com/a/Z4vSQUY

Gaza Bomb Tech is touching a M339, with missing windscreen and fins. M325 is immediately to the right. https://youtu.be/ycA07Uc0LuE?t=227

Gaza bomb tech holding a M339 with missing windscreen, and intact fins.

The M325 is very similar to the US M830 round, I suspect it is just a domestic copy with minor improvements or modifications, but somewhat different than the M830A1. (Source, and additional photos of Gaza Bomb Squad in 2021 https://www.aa.com.tr/ar/pg/معرض-الصور/هندسة-المتفجرات-بغزة-حيّدنا-1200-قنبلة-إسرائيلية-لم-تنفجر)

A M325 was the round that hit the MSF building in Gaza on January 8th, that killed a 5-year-old girl, seen here. https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/100000009393031/aid-groups-gaza-israel.html

Here is the M830, and M830A1 side by side, along with the Elbit page for the M325.
Based off cutaway images, the cone of the M325 is longer, and lacks a wave shaper. The M325 fuze also extends past the rotating band. The M830 has a wave shaper, and the fuze does not extend to the rotating band.

Here is a photo of a M830A1, after the sabot has discarded and the round has failed to detonate. M830A1: https://cat-uxo.com/explosive-hazards/projectiles/120mm-m830a1-projectile
M830 page, which has a few cutaway images of the M830: https://cat-uxo.com/explosive-hazards/projectiles/120mm-m830-projectile
Detailed functioning, and additional information on the M830/M830A1 can be found here: https://www.militarynewbie.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/TM-43-0001-28-Army-Ammunition-Data-Sheets1.pdf#page=152

Additional picture of the same tank unit, on the same day laying out ammunition. Please let me know if there's an errors or anything does not make sense.

5/22/24: Fixed some typos.

[proud sluice]

this is really useful thanks @lucid wharf

[lucid wharf]

Little addition to the APAM. Here is a picture of one of the internal submunitions. The internal submunitions have cubic fragments as the fragmentation liner. Cubic fragments have often been associated with Spike missiles.

You can see two in the background of this picture, on the right by the APAM full up rounds.
https://www.palestinechronicle.com/unexploded-this-is-what-the-israeli-war-machine-left-behind-in-gaza-photo-gallery/weapons-profile/