Page:EB1911 - Volume 20.djvu/238

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210⁠
ORDNANCE
[HISTORY AND CONSTRUCTION


Table VI. — British Rifled Ordnance, 1890.
Official Designation 
of Gun.		 Calibre. Weight of 
Gun.		 Weight of 
Charge.		 Weight of 
Projectile.		 Muzzle
Velocity.		 Muzzle
Energy.		 Perforation
of Wrought
Iron.		 Rate of
Firing
Rounds.		 Propellant.
M.L. Guns— In. Tons. ℔ ℔ Ft. Secs. Ft. Tons. In. Per Minute.
 17·72 in. 17·72 100 450 2000 1548 33,233 24·5 1/6 Prism Black
 16  „  16 80 450 1700 1540 29,806 25·0 1/4 Prism Brown
12·5 „ 12·5 38 210 818 1575 14,140 19·2 1/3 Prism Black
12  „ 12 35 140 714 1390 9,563 15·2 1/3 P2
11  „ 11 25 85 548 1360 6,510 13·5 1/3 Pebble
10  „ 10 18 70 410 1379 5,406 12·5 1/3 „
9  „ 9 12 50 256 1440 3,695 11·0 1/2 „ „
8  „ 8 9 35 179 1390 2,391 9·2 1/2 „ „
7  „ 7 7 30 114·6 1525 1,854 9·2 1  „
64-pr.* 6·3 3·2 10 66·9 1390 897 6·4 1  R.L.G.4
B.L. Guns—
 16·25 in.  16·25 110·5 960 1800 2087 54,390 38  1/3 S.B.C.
13·5  „ 13·5 67 630 1250 2016 35,230 33  1/2
12⁠„ 12 45 295 714 1914 18,137 24·5 1  Prism Brown
10⁠„ 10 29 252 500 2100 15,290 25·8 1  „
 9·2 „  9·2 22 166 380 2036 10,915 22·3 11/2 „
8 „ 8 14 118 210 2200 7,046 20·0 2  „
6 „ 6 5 48 100 1960 2,435 13·5 3  E.X.E.
5 „ 5 2 16 50 1800 1,123 9·2 3  S.P.
4 „ 4 1·3 12 25 1900 626 7·8 3 
Q.F. Guns—
4·7 in. 4·72 2·1 12 45 1786 995 8·8 8  „
6-pr. 2·24 0·4  1·94 6 1837 141·2 5·3 20  Q. F.
3 „  1·85 0·25 1·5  3·3 1873  80·2 4·0 20  „

 * And many smaller guns.


Table VII.—British B.L. Ordnance, 1900.
Official Designation 
of Gun.		 Calibre. Weight of
Gun.		 Weight of
Charge.		 Weight of
Projectile.		 Muzzle
Velocity.		 Muzzle
Energy.		 Perforation
of Wrought
Iron.		 Rate of
Firing
Rounds.		 Propellant.
In. Tons. ℔. ℔ Ft. Secs. Ft. Tons. In. Per Minute.
16·25 in.  16·25 110·5 960 1800  2087 54,390 38  1  S.B.C.
13·5  in. 13·5 67 187 1250  2016 35,230 33  1/2 Cordite
12 in. Mark VIII. 12 46  167·5 850 2367 33,000 36·9 1  „
10 in. 10 29 76 500 2040 14,391 24·8 11/2 „
9·2 in. Mark X. 9·2 28 103 380 2601 17,826 32·3 21/2 „
8 in. 14  32·625 210 2200 7,046 20·0 .. „
6 in. Mark VII.. 6 7 20  100 2493 4,335  19·25 7 „
5 in. 5 2 4·45  50 1750 1,062  8·8 3 „
4 in. 4 13 3·06  25 1900 626  7·8 3
Q.F. Guns—
6 in. 6 7 13·25 100 2200 3,356 160⁠ 6 „
4·7 „ 4·72 2·1 5·43  45 2188 1,494 12·0 8
4 „ 4 1·3 3·75  25 2456 1,046 11·6 9 „
12-pr. 3 0·6 1·94 ⁠12·5 2210 423 8·0 15 „
6 „ 2·24 0·4  0·483 ⁠6 1818 137 4·8 20
3 „ 1·81 0·25  0·396 ⁠3·3 1873  80·2 4·0 20

As regards rapidity of aimed fire—and no shooting is worth consideration which is not aimed—much depends on the quickness with which the gun can be opened, loaded and closed again ready for firing, but quite as much depends on the ease and convenience of moving to any required direction the gun with its mounting; also on the system of recoil adopted and the method of sighting. Two identically similar guns may consequently give entirely different rates of firing, unless mounted and sighted on the same system—without taking into consideration the personal element of the gun detachment or crew. The rates of firing shown in many tables are therefore not always a trustworthy criterion of the guns capabilities. The advantage of the Q.F. system (i.e. a gun firing charges contained in metallic cases), when suitably mounted, over the old B.L. guns was exhibited in a very marked manner in 1887, when the first 4·7-in. Q.F. gun fired ten rounds in 47·5 seconds and subsequently fifteen rounds in one minute. The 5-in. B.L. gun when fired as rapidly as possible only fired ten rounds in 6 minutes 16 seconds; so that the Q.F. gun fired its tenth round before the then service gun fired its second shot. Recent improvements made in the mechanism of the B.L. gun enable it to compete with the Q.F. system.

Table VIII.—British Ordnance, 1910.
Official Designation 
of Gun. 		Calibre. Weight of
Gun. 		Weight of
Charge. 		Weight of
Projectile. 		Muzzle
Velocity. 		Muzzle
Energy. 		Perforation
of Wrought
Iron. 		Rate of
Firing
Rounds. 		Propellant.
In. Tons. ℔. ℔. Ft. Secs. Ft. Tons. In. Per Minute.
12 in. Mark XI. 12 6 .. 850 2959 51,580 51·5 2 M.D.Cordite 
12 in. Mark X. 12 58 309 850 2900 47,697 51·0 2 „
10 in. 10 31 148 500 2800 27,205 39·5 2 „
9·2 Mark X.  9·2 28 103 380 2640 18,400 33·3 3 „
7·5 in.  7·5 16  69·5 200 2800 10,883 29·0 4 „
6 in. Mark VII. 6 7·4 20 100 2493 4,308 19·6 6 „
4 in. 4 1·3   3·75  25 2456 1,046 11·6 9 „

Q.F. guns as in 1900.

The tabulated armour-piercing value of a gun is based on the

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