In the spring of 1945, comprehensive trials of the new 85-mm tank gun "ZiS-S53" as part of the T-44 medium tank were conducted at the Gorokhovets Artillery Range. The document records the key aspects of the combat employment of the new vehicle, shedding light on how effectively the crew could deliver fire under real conditions. Rate of Fire and Ergonomics: The gun demonstrated outstanding performance for its class. Owing to the rational arrangement of the ammunition stowage (in particular, the horizontal rack to the right of the driver), the loader could feed cartridges at maximum speed. The practical aimed rate of fire reached 8–9 rounds per minute, and the maximum rate was 10 rounds per minute. However, the ergonomics of the commander's workstation drew criticism: his seat was mounted in such a way that, when firing, it fouled the spent-case deflector, making it unusable. The factory was to rectify this. Accuracy and Firing on the Move: The gun showed excellent dispersion characteristics at ranges of 500 and 2,000 meters. Of particular interest are the results of firing on the move at a stationary target (an 8×12 m shield) at a speed of 8–10 km/h. Despite the fact that the first two rounds were counted as ranging shots, the average hit percentage was 46.7%, with half of the hits landing within 1.5 meters of the center. The testers noted that the convenient traverse and elevation handwheels and the good field of view through the TSh-15 sight and the commander's periscope enabled effective fire correction even while moving. Final Range Verdict: The 85-mm "ZiS-S53" gun passed the trials. The report describes in detail both the strengths of the new combat vehicle and the minor design shortcomings that were to be eliminated to improve the combat effectiveness of the T-44 tank. Report on Range Trials of the 85-mm Tank Gun, Model 1944, ZiS-S53, Installed in the T-44 Medium Tank (https://btvt.info/7english/t_44_trials_1945.htm)