The M37 mortar is a conventional 82mm mortar of Russian design. It was developed just before World War 2 in which it proved itself as the standard Soviet mortar. The family of Soviet World Ware 2 82mm mortars is often called the M37 as this was the most produced version of this mortar. Alternative names are the PM-37 and M1937. The M37 is one of the most produced mortars in the world.

The M37 is a conventional muzzle loaded drop fired 82mm mortar. The M36 has a square base-plate and all subsequent versions have a round base-plate. The M36, M37 and M37M are fitted with a conventional bipod system with manual elevation and traverse. The M41 and M43 have a bipod that acts as a carriage as well while being fitted with two wheels.

The M37 is a very rugged and easy to use weapon system. It is able to fire 15 to 25 round per minute out to a range of 3 km. Judged by today’s standards the M37 is fairly heavy and has a limited range. Modern designs in the same caliber are lighter, provide better accuracy and offer ranges of over 5 km. For most purposes the M37 will still do and those that are still in service remain a very potent weapon system

The M37 is normally transported in a light vehicle and can be carried in several pieces over short distances. The M41 and M43 have an integrated two wheel carriage, but the improved mobility did not outweigh the reduced performance.

The M37 and its derivatives were exported to most Soviet allies. The production continued well into the Cold War era until it was replaced in production by the improved 2B14 Podnos 82mm mortar. In Eastern European service it is mostly replaced by the newer 2B14 Podnos, but many remain in service around the world.