BL 12 inch naval gun Mk I – VII

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Ordnance BL 12 inch gun Mk I - VII
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On HMS Conqueror
Type Naval gun
Coast defence gun
Place of origin United Kingdom
Service history
In service 1882 - 1920
Used by Royal Navy
Production history
Variants Mks I - VII
Specifications
Weight Mk I : 47 tons barrel & breech
Mk II - V 45 tons[1]
Mk VI, VII : 46 tons
Barrel length Mk I & II : 301.7 inches (7.663 m) bore (25.14 calibres)
Mk III - VII 303 inches (7.696 m) bore (25.25 calibres)[2]

Shell 714 pounds (324 kg)[1]
Calibre 12-inch (304.8 mm)
Muzzle velocity 1,910 feet per second (582 m/s)[3]
Effective range 8,000 yards (7,300 m) at 9° 57'[4]

The BL 12 inch naval gun Mk I was Britain's first attempt to match the large breech-loading naval guns being installed in rival European navies, particularly France. Mks I - VII all had a barrel of approximately 303 inches bore (25.25 calibres) and similar performance.

Naval service

Mk II was installed on battleships HMS Colossus from 1882, HMS Collingwood and the coastal service ironclad HMS Conqueror. Mk II guns failed in service and were quickly replaced by Mks III. IV and V, with many changes and improvements. The later Marks were also mounted on HMS Hero, sistership of Conqueror, and on HMS Edinburgh, sistership of Colossus.

Coast Defence gun

Mks I, VI and VII were coast defence versions with trunnions for mounting on recoil slides. They were installed in forts in England at Spitbank Fort, No Man's Land Fort and Horse Sand Fort from 1884 onward and were in active service during World War I.[5]

Ammunition

See also

Notes

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References

External links

Template:VictorianEraBritishNavalWeapons
  1. 1.0 1.1 Text Book of Gunnery, 1887. Table XVI, Pages 312 - 313
  2. Text Book of Gunnery 1902, Table XII, Page 336
  3. 1910 ft/second firing a 714 lb projectile, with 295 lb Brown Prismatic powder Text Book of Gunnery, 1887. Table XVI, Page 313. Text Book of Gunnery 1902 gives muzlle velocity 1914 ft/second with 295 lb brown powder or 88 lb 8 oz cordite size 30 charge.
  4. Text Book of Gunnery, 1887, Table XIV, Page 308.
  5. Hogg & Thurston 1972, pages 188-189.