Profile
- Origin
- Belgium
- Type
- 76 mm fixed HESH-TP-T training round
- Service note
- Cold War-era 76 mm Saladin and Scorpion ammunition family retained in later catalogs
- Produced
- In service by 2016
Munitions
76mm HEP-TP-T M331
Also known as
- 76mm HESH-TP-T M331
- 76 mm HESH-TP-T M331
- 76mm HESH-T-TP-T M331
- 76 mm HESH-T-TP-T M331
- M331
The 76mm HEP-TP-T M331 is a MECAR 76 mm fixed HESH-TP-T training round for the Saladin L5A1 and Scorpion L23/L23A1 gun family. Nexter's 2016 ammunition catalog describes it as an in-service inert projectile with tracer, brass cartridge case, 533 m/s nominal muzzle velocity, and ballistic similarity to the M329 service round for live-fire gun-crew training.
Profile / Specs
Specifications
- Caliber
- 76 mm
- Round type
- Fixed HESH-TP-T training round
- Compatible guns
- L5A1 and L23/L23A1 76 mm guns
- Round mass
- 7.7 kg nominal
- Round length
- 540 mm
- Projectile mass
- 5.6 kg nominal
- Projectile filler
- Inert
- Tracer
- M23
- Cartridge case
- Brass
- Primer
- Percussion cap
- Propellant
- 0.7 kg single-base propellant, nominal
- Muzzle velocity
- 533 m/s nominal at 21 C
- Dispersion
- 0.5 mils
- Range
- 2,400 m direct fire / 6,000 m indirect fire
- Containerization
- 2 rounds per twin container, 36 containers per pallet
- Operational temperature
- -32 C to +62 C
- UN classification
- 1.2 C, UN 0328
- Catalog status
- In service in Nexter's 2016 catalog
Variants
M331 is one member of the 76 mm fixed ammunition set cataloged for Saladin L5A1 and Scorpion L23/L23A1 guns.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
 | HESH service round | Nexter describes M331 as similar in appearance and ballistics to the M329 service round. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
| High-explosive tracer round | Chemring lists M330 in the same 76 mm L5 and L23 ammunition family as M331. Sources: Chemring Munitions Catalog |
 | Close-range canister round | Nexter lists M333 immediately after M331 as a canister round for the same Saladin and Scorpion gun family. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
| Blank training and saluting cartridge | Chemring lists M335 in the same 76 mm L5 and L23 ammunition family as M331. Sources: Chemring Munitions Catalog |
| Smoke, spotting, and signalling round | Chemring lists M337 in the same 76 mm L5 and L23 ammunition family as M331. Sources: Chemring Munitions Catalog |
Firing Weapons
Nexter lists M331 for the Saladin L5A1 and Scorpion L23/L23A1 76 mm guns.
| Firing weapon | Weapon type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 76 mm rifled tank gun | Nexter lists M331 for the 76 mm L5A1 gun used on Saladin vehicles. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
 | 76 mm low-velocity tank gun | Nexter lists M331 for the L23 and L23A1 guns used on Scorpion light tanks. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
Carrier Vehicles
The round is cataloged for the Saladin and Scorpion 76 mm gun family.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 6x6 armored reconnaissance car | Nexter lists the M331 for the Saladin's L5A1 gun family, and Chemring identifies the Saladin as one of the vehicles using the L5 weapon system family for which the round is offered. |
 | Tracked light tank | Nexter lists the M331 for the Scorpion's L23 and L23A1 gun family as a use case for this 76 mm training round. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
Training Snapshot
Nexter's MECAR listing treats M331 as fixed 76 mm HESH-TP-T ammunition for Saladin and Scorpion gun crews rather than a separate weapon system.
Training role
Live-fire marksmanship and gun-crew training for Saladin L5A1 and Scorpion L23/L23A1 crews.
Ballistic reference
The catalog describes M331 as similar in appearance and ballistics to the M329 HESH-T service round.
Projectile assembly
Inert projectile with tracer, brass cartridge case, percussion primer, and single-base multi-perforated propelling charge.
Source: Nexter 2016 Catalog.
Timeline
76mm HEP-TP-T M331 Key Events
Jane's identifies MECAR M331
Jane's Ammunition Handbook identified MECAR SA of Belgium as producing a 76 mm HESH-T-TP-T M331 training round in the British 76 mm HESH ammunition family.
Sources: Jane's Ammunition Handbook
Mecar enters Chemring's portfolio
Chemring's heritage page says it acquired Mecar SPRL, a Nivelles, Belgium medium- and large-calibre ammunition maker, in September 2010.
Sources: Chemring heritage
Chemring announces sale to Nexter
Chemring announced the proposed sale of Mecar and Simmel to Nexter Systems as part of a wider disposal of its European munitions business.
Sources: Chemring 2014 disposal
Catalogued in service
Nexter's catalog lists M331 as an in-service 76 mm HESH-TP-T training round and gives technical data.
Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog
Media
76mm HEP-TP-T M331 Images
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
Chemring Munitions CatalogPublisher: Chemring Group PLC | Note: Chemring catalog listing for the 76mm HEP-TP-T M331 and the Saladin/Scorpion 76 mm gun-family context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Nexter 2016 CatalogPublisher: Internet Archive / Nexter | Note: Lists M331 as an in-service MECAR 76 mm HESH-TP-T training round and provides the mission, description, technical data, performance, packaging, status, and Saladin/Scorpion gun-family context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Jane's Ammunition HandbookPublisher: Internet Archive / Jane's Information Group | Note: Supports MECAR SA of Belgium producing the 76 mm HESH-T-TP-T M331 training round and places it in the British 76 mm HESH ammunition context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Chemring heritagePublisher: Chemring Group PLC | Note: Supports Mecar's Belgian base and Chemring acquisition/disposal background for the ammunition-maker lineage. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Chemring 2014 disposalPublisher: Chemring Group PLC | Note: Supports Chemring's April 2014 proposed sale of Mecar and Simmel to Nexter Systems as its European munitions business. | Accessed: 2026-07-0476mm dummy shell.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and reuse terms for the representative 76 mm dummy shell photograph used in the gallery; the Commons description identifies it as naval-gun dummy ammunition, not M331. | Accessed: 2026-07-0476mmShell.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and reuse terms for the second representative 76 mm shell photograph; the Commons description identifies it as a naval 76 mm training shell, not M331. | Accessed: 2026-07-04