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Gun designation - Shell weight v Calibre


ianjonesncl

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Interesting question fromRGAArtillery aka David.

Why some guns are designated by shell weight and others by calibre ?

Always wondered !!! Many thanks to Nigel and Centurion.

On 13/01/2011 at 19:52, centurion said:
On 13/01/2011 at 17:46, nigelfe said:

At the beginning of the 20th century the field artillery adopted a simple approach. Guns, having a single charge and limited elevation (typically not more that about 25 degrees) were designated by shell weight, hence 13-pr, 18-pr, 60-pr. Howitzers being multi-charge and usually with an elevation up to about 45 degs, were designated by calibre in inches. Of course just to be difficult the coast artillery designted most (thre were exceptions)of their guns by calibre, parhaps because the navy did.

The use of calibres rather than weight for garrison artillery appears to have been forced by the adoption of shell (rather than solid round shot) firing guns after French successes using shell against Russian naval forces. Shells were usually lighter that a similarly dimensioned round shot. At the same time shell guns, although superficially similar to ordinary muzzle loadin cannon, could not fire round shot. To avoid confusion shell firing guns became designated by calibre rather than weight of shot whilst those firing round shot were catagorised by weight of shot. By the begining of the 20th century all the guns were shell firing.

Source: Shell weights

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