The range of the 10 cm K 14 was deemed insufficient in combat and Krupp designed a new, longer (L/45) barrel that was mounted on the K 14's carriage.

The K 17 used either a hydro-pneumatic or hydro spring recoil system, presumably depending on manufacturer.

Despite the recognition that the K 17 would not have any anti-aircraft role, most of the heavy and expensive features added to the K 14 in a failed bid to equip it as an AA gun were retained.

Despite a few K 04s shooting down balloons during the war, these weapons never fulfilled a useful air defense niche.

Germany was forbidden to use these guns by the Versailles Treaty and was supposed to scrap or sell all existing weapons.