It was adopted for Red Army service in 1939 and used extensively in World War II.

The gun was designated as "divisional" - issued to batteries under the direct control of division headquarters.

The F-22 USV was an intermediate model, coming between the F-22, which had limited anti-aircraft capability, and the simpler and cheaper ZiS-3, which eventually replaced it in production and service.

The USV had a split-trail carriage with suspension; metal wheels with rubber tires were borrowed from the ZiS-5 truck.

From late summer of 1941 the gun was being gradually replaced in production by yet another of Grabin's design - ZiS-3 - and by the end of 1942 the process was completed.

Cavalry divisions until August 1941 also had 8 76-mm guns, then their divisional artillery was removed and in summer of 1942 restored again.

In 1941–42 the Wehrmacht captured hundreds of USVs and adopted them as field guns, designated 7.62 cm F.K.297(r).

Some USVs in German service were converted to anti-tank guns, designated 7.62 cm PaK 39(r).

The modifications included rechambering for a bigger cartridge, addition of a muzzle brake, and elevation controls moved to the left side of the barrel where the sights resided.

They were later put into service with the artillery units of infantry divisions to replace the losses of 75 mm field guns.

However it was still too big and heavy and had the same inconvenient placement of sights and elevation controls on different sides of the barrel, making the gun less effective in an anti-tank role.