8 cm FK M. 5

The 8 cm Feldkanone M 05 was a field gun used by Austria-Hungary during World War I. Guns captured by Italy were used as the Cannone da 77/28 modello 5. It was a conventional design, with its most notable feature being its obsolescent autofrettaged bronze (so-called steel-bronze) barrel, necessary because Austria-Hungary still had trouble making steel of the proper quality. Its development was quite prolonged as the Austrians took years to decide on the proper recoil system and type of breech. Even then production difficulties prevented its introduction into service until 1907.

The M 05 was adapted for use in narrow mountain paths as the M 05/08 and could be disassembled into 3 loads. The base of the barrel was given lifting grips to speed its removal from the carriage and the carriage itself was modified to allow it to be disassembled. The original version seems to generally have left service after the war, with only Italy retaining a few in service. Some of these were captured by Nazi Germany and pressed into service as the 7.65 cm FK(i). The M 05/08 was widely used by the Austro-Hungarian successor states after World War I and captured weapons were retained in service by Italy as the Cannone da 77/28 modello 5/8. Captured weapons were used by Nazi Germany under the designations 7.65 cm FK 5/8(ö) or (t) and 7.65 cm FK 300(j).

Surviving examples

 * An 8 cm Model 5/8 at the South African National Museum of Military History