D-74 122 mm field gun vs M119 howitzer

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AArtillery

D-74 122 mm field gun

Field gun

Credit

Gary Todd · CC0 · Resized · CC0 · Source ↗ · Modified

M119 howitzer and crew during live-fire qualification — licensed reference photograph

BArtillery

M119 howitzer

Towed field gun

Credit

Gertrud Zach · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

D-74 122 mm field gunlarger figure on 3 of 3

Width+32%
Calibre+16%
Rate of fire+13%

M119 howitzerlarger figure on 0 of 3

None

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

18 of 52 rows sourced on both sides

9.88m

—

Length

All recorded figures & sources

9.875 m

Length

Single source

9.875 m (30 ft)^[source]

2.35m

1.78m

Configuration

Details

D-74 122 mm field gun and M119 howitzer configuration
Specification	D-74 122 mm field gun	M119 howitzer
Type	Field gun^[source]	Towed field gun^[source]
Place of origin	Soviet Union^[source]	United States^[source]
Used by	Various^[source]	See operators^[source]
Wars	Vietnam War Sino-Vietnamese War Sino-Soviet border conflict Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Sino-Indian War Yom Kippur War Iran–Iraq War Lebanese Civil War South African Border War Russo-Ukrainian War^[source]

Designed	1944^[source]	—

Produced	1955^[source]	1989–2013^[source]

Shell	Separate loading charge and projectile^[source]	Semi-fixed 105 x 372 mm R^[source]

Breech	Semi-automatic vertical sliding-wedge^[source]	—

Recoil	Hydro-pneumatic^[source]	—

Carriage	Split-trail^[source]	—

Elevation	+45/−5 degree^[source]	-5.625° (−100 mils) to +69.975° (+1,244 mils)^[source]

Traverse	45 degree^[source]	5.625° (100 mils) left or right^[source]

Former operator · Democratic Republic of Afghanistan	Democratic Republic of Afghanistan^[source]	—

Former operator · Burkina Faso	Burkina Faso^[source]	—

Former operator · Cambodia	Cambodia^[source]	—

Former operator · Cuba	Cuba^[source]	—

Former operator · Egypt	Egypt^[source]	—

Former operator · Islamic State	Islamic State^[source]	—

Former operator · Pakistan	Pakistan^[source]	—

Former operator · Soviet Union	Soviet Union^[source]	—

Role	Soviet field gun^[source]	lightweight 105 mm howitzer ,^[source]

Source measurement	The 122mm D-74 towed gun is a Soviet field gun. Developed in the late 1940s, it served with the Soviet Army and was widely exported. A number were produced under license in the People's Republic of China as the Type 60 .^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The 122 mm (originally 48 lines ) calibre has been in Russian service since the early 20th century. After World War II the Soviet Union developed two new long range guns to replace existing 122 mm and 152 mm guns such as 122 mm gun M1931 (A-19) , 122 mm gun M1931/37 (A-19) , 152 mm gun M1910/30 and 152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2) . The two new guns were the 122 mm D-74 and the 130 mm M-46 .^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The D-74 design was probably initiated in the late 1940s and it was first seen in public in 1955. It was designed by the well established design bureau at Artillery Plant No. 9 in Sverdlovsk (now Motovilikha Plants in Yekaterinburg), led by the eminent artillery designer Fëdor Fëdorovich Petrov who was also responsible for several World War II and later artillery designs. The design team also developed the 152 mm gun howitzer D-20 at much the same time, and both D-74 and D-20 use the same carriage.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Both the 122 mm D-74 and 130 mm M-46 entered Soviet service, but the heavier shell and greater range of the M-46 meant that it outlasted the D-74.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Top traverse totals 60° and the vertical elevation range in −5° to 50°.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The non-reciprocating sights are designed for one-person laying. Included are a direct fire anti-tank telescope (OP4M), a panoramic periscopic indirect-fire sight, a dial sight, (PG1M), an angle of sight scale, and a range drum for the single charge engraved with the range (distance) scale, coupled to an elevation levelling bubble mounted on dial sight mount. The range drum enables the standard Soviet technique of semi-direct fire when the piece is laid visually on the target and the range set on the range drum.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The gun fires separate ammunition using a metal cartridge case that also provides obturation. The ammunition is different to that used with 122 mm howitzers. There is a single charge without increments. The shell weight is 25 kg with a muzzle velocity of 900 m/s although the slightly lighter APHE shell has a higher muzzle velocity.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Maximum rate of fire is usually stated as six rounds per minute.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The detachment was either eight or nine men, probably differing between armies and period. In Soviet service the 5,600 kg gun was usually towed by a URAL-375 6×6 truck, AT-S or AT-L medium tractor in some regions.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage	The M119 howitzer is a lightweight 105 mm howitzer , used by the United States Army . It is the American licensed version of the British L119 light gun . The M119 is typically towed by the M1097 or M1152 High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) , and can be easily airlifted by helicopter , or airdropped by parachute .^[source]M119 howitzer · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The howitzer was designed and produced by the British Royal Ordnance Factories as the L118 light gun . In the L118 configuration, the 105 mm ammunition is cased separate loading ammunition. The L118 entered service with the British Army in 1976 and is used by parachute and commando field artillery regiments. It saw combat during the Falklands War , where the 30 guns in action fired up to 400 rounds per gun per day, mostly at "charge super"—i.e., the most powerful propellant charge available.^[source]M119 howitzer · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The L119 is the L118 reconfigured to fire NATO -standard 105 mm semi-fixed ammunition .^[source]M119 howitzer · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The redesigned system operates the same, but modifies and simplifies some components, including a new buffer and recuperator with a majority of the components removed, and adds the Suspension Lockout System (SLOS) that fixes recoil length at 25 in (64 cm), which removes variable-recoil hardware, reduces stress on the carriage, and lowers buffer rod forces; the new system reduces cost, the system consists of 124 parts and the redesign will reduce that number by 40 percent to 75 parts and reusing 47 parts will consist of 65 percent for the current system, therefore only needing to manufacturing 28 new parts with overall weight savings of 45 lb (20 kg).^[source]M119 howitzer · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Source measurement

The 122mm D-74 towed gun is a Soviet field gun. Developed in the late 1940s, it served with the Soviet Army and was widely exported. A number were produced under license in the People's Republic of China as the Type 60 .^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The 122 mm (originally 48 lines ) calibre has been in Russian service since the early 20th century. After World War II the Soviet Union developed two new long range guns to replace existing 122 mm and 152 mm guns such as 122 mm gun M1931 (A-19) , 122 mm gun M1931/37 (A-19) , 152 mm gun M1910/30 and 152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2) . The two new guns were the 122 mm D-74 and the 130 mm M-46 .^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The D-74 design was probably initiated in the late 1940s and it was first seen in public in 1955. It was designed by the well established design bureau at Artillery Plant No. 9 in Sverdlovsk (now Motovilikha Plants in Yekaterinburg), led by the eminent artillery designer Fëdor Fëdorovich Petrov who was also responsible for several World War II and later artillery designs. The design team also developed the 152 mm gun howitzer D-20 at much the same time, and both D-74 and D-20 use the same carriage.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Both the 122 mm D-74 and 130 mm M-46 entered Soviet service, but the heavier shell and greater range of the M-46 meant that it outlasted the D-74.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Top traverse totals 60° and the vertical elevation range in −5° to 50°.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The non-reciprocating sights are designed for one-person laying. Included are a direct fire anti-tank telescope (OP4M), a panoramic periscopic indirect-fire sight, a dial sight, (PG1M), an angle of sight scale, and a range drum for the single charge engraved with the range (distance) scale, coupled to an elevation levelling bubble mounted on dial sight mount. The range drum enables the standard Soviet technique of semi-direct fire when the piece is laid visually on the target and the range set on the range drum.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The gun fires separate ammunition using a metal cartridge case that also provides obturation. The ammunition is different to that used with 122 mm howitzers. There is a single charge without increments. The shell weight is 25 kg with a muzzle velocity of 900 m/s although the slightly lighter APHE shell has a higher muzzle velocity.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Maximum rate of fire is usually stated as six rounds per minute.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The detachment was either eight or nine men, probably differing between armies and period. In Soviet service the 5,600 kg gun was usually towed by a URAL-375 6×6 truck, AT-S or AT-L medium tractor in some regions.^[source]D-74 122 mm field gun · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The M119 howitzer is a lightweight 105 mm howitzer , used by the United States Army . It is the American licensed version of the British L119 light gun . The M119 is typically towed by the M1097 or M1152 High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) , and can be easily airlifted by helicopter , or airdropped by parachute .^[source]M119 howitzer · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The howitzer was designed and produced by the British Royal Ordnance Factories as the L118 light gun . In the L118 configuration, the 105 mm ammunition is cased separate loading ammunition. The L118 entered service with the British Army in 1976 and is used by parachute and commando field artillery regiments. It saw combat during the Falklands War , where the 30 guns in action fired up to 400 rounds per gun per day, mostly at "charge super"—i.e., the most powerful propellant charge available.^[source]M119 howitzer · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The L119 is the L118 reconfigured to fire NATO -standard 105 mm semi-fixed ammunition .^[source]M119 howitzer · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The redesigned system operates the same, but modifies and simplifies some components, including a new buffer and recuperator with a majority of the components removed, and adds the Suspension Lockout System (SLOS) that fixes recoil length at 25 in (64 cm), which removes variable-recoil hardware, reduces stress on the carriage, and lowers buffer rod forces; the new system reduces cost, the system consists of 124 parts and the redesign will reduce that number by 40 percent to 75 parts and reusing 47 parts will consist of 65 percent for the current system, therefore only needing to manufacturing 28 new parts with overall weight savings of 45 lb (20 kg).^[source]M119 howitzer · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Country of origin	Soviet Union^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 1, row 34, cell 5; revision 1370067933; retrieved 2026-10-01	—

Manufacturer	—	Joint Manufacturing Technology Center of Rock Island Arsenal^[source]

Variants	—	M119, M119A1, M119A2, M119A3^[source]

Sights	—	3 × M90A2 telescope, M137A1 panoramic telescope^[source]

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