Bofors 37mm anti-tank gun (3.7cm list)
Official wording
Swedish, cal. 3.7cm Bofors anti-tank guns produced prior to 1946, including the following variations or designations: Swedish Bofors, 37mm, anti-tank cannon, German 3.7cm, Pak 30 anti-tank gun (designation unconfirmed), German 3.7cm, Pak 157(b) anti-tank gun (captured Danish guns), Polish 37mm, Armata Przeciwpancerna Wz. 36, British Ordnance Q.F., cal. 37mm, Mk. 1, anti-tank gun.
What this entry requires
- ATF REQUIRESMade 1945 or earlier (ATF’s dates)ATF: “produced prior to 1946”
- INFOStill an NFA firearm; only registered examples transfer, with ATF approval (26 U.S.C. 5812, 5861).
Editorial facts · Our research
Source
- Official wording
- ATF P 5300.11, April 2025 edition · Section IV · PDF p. 87 ↗ · ATF original ↗
- Entries
- 1 line
- Verbatim check
- Checked against the PDF text before every release
- Editorial facts
- Confidence: High · Last revised 18 October 2026 (Evidence pass) · How we rate confidence
- References
- 1. Wikipedia, “Bofors 37 mm anti-tank gun” ↗, maker: designed by Swedish manufacturer Bofors (infobox manufacturer Bofors); licensed copies produced in Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Poland
- 2. Wikipedia, “Bofors 37 mm anti-tank gun” ↗, action: towed anti-tank gun with a vertical sliding-block breech (recorded as Other)
- 3. Wikipedia, “Bofors 37 mm anti-tank gun” ↗, years: infobox production date 1934–? (development finished 1934; German Wikipedia: Produktionsstart 1935); the end is ATF's own limit (prior to 1946)
- Fact tags
- ATF the ATF wording states it.
- REF ¹ an outside reference supports it; the number points to the list of references.
- ESTIMATE an approximate or indirect reading, for example the production range of the base model.
- NO CITATION we haven’t attached a reference for this fact; it’s our editorial reading, not ATF’s.
- Source checked
- 20 October 2026: ATF’s page still lists the April 2025 edition
- Corrections
- None
Historical context
Image: Wikimedia Commons, “Armata przeciwpancerna wz 36.jpg”, Public domain. Retrieved October 2026.
Summary: Wikipedia, “Bofors 37 mm anti-tank gun”. Text CC BY-SA 4.0.
FROM WIKIPEDIA
The Bofors 37 mm anti-tank gun was an anti-tank gun designed by Swedish manufacturer Bofors in the early 1930s originally for Swedish use. It was exported to several countries during the 1930s of which several bought licences to produce it themselves. The gun was used in several conflicts but most of its fame comes from its use in the Spanish Civil War and the Winter War where it was used very successfully against light tanks and armored cars among other targets. Beyond its use as an infantry gun it was also used as the main armament in several armored cars and tanks such as the Dutch M39 Pantserwagen and the Polish 7TP to name a few. As the armor of tanks was increased during World War II the gun very quickly became obsolete as an anti-tank gun but was still used effectively as an infantry support gun for the entirety of the war, and well into the Cold War. This was due to its high fire rate, great mobility and effective high explosive shells.