6-inch/47-caliber gun

The 6-inch/47 caliber Mark 16 gun was used in the main batteries of several pre-war and World War II US Navy light cruisers. They were primarily mounted in triple turrets and used against surface targets. The Mark 16DP gun was a dual purpose fitting of the Mark 16 for use against aircraft as well as surface ships. It was installed in the post-war Worcester-class light cruisers and the anti-aircraft gunnery training ship Mississippi.

6"/47 caliber gun
Three forward turrets and empty cartridge cases on USS Brooklyn (CL-40) after she had bombarded Licata, Sicily, during the early hours of the Allied invasion, 10 July 1943
TypeNaval gun
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service
  • 1936–1979 (US service)
  • 1951–1982 (Argentine service)
  • 1951–1973 (Brazilian service)
  • 1951–1992 (Chilean service)
Used by
Wars
Production history
Designed
  • Mark 16: 1932
  • Mark 16DP: 1943
  • Mark 17: 1933
VariantsMark 16/16DP and Mark 17
Specifications
Mass
  • Mark 16/16DP: 6.5 short tons (13,000 lb; 5,897 kg)
  • Mark 17: 5.24 short tons (10,480 lb; 4,754 kg)
Length
  • Mark 16/16DP: 300 in (7.6 m) overall length
  • Mark 17: 289 in (7.3 m) overall length
Barrel length282.3 in (7.17 m) bore (47 calibers)
Shell
  • Mark 16:
  • 130 lb (59 kg) armor-piercing Mark 35 (super heavy)
  • 105 lb (48 kg) HC (high capacity) Mark 34/39
  • Mark 17:
  • 105 lb Common Mark 28
Caliber6 inches (152 mm)
Recoil
  • Mark 16/16DP: 21 in (53 cm)
  • Mark 17: 24 in (61 cm)
Elevation
  • Mark 16: −5° to +40°, later modified to +60°
  • Mark 16DP: −5° to +78°
  • Mark 17: −10° to +20°
Traverse−150° to +150° (all variants)
Rate of fire
  • Mark 16: 8–10 rounds per minute
  • Mark 16DP: 12 rounds per minute
  • Mark 17: 5–8 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity
  • Mark 16/16DP:
  • Full charge
  • 2,500 ft/s (760 m/s) AP Mark 35
  • 2,665 ft/s (812 m/s) HC Mark 34
  • Reduced charge
  • 2,050 ft/s (620 m/s) AP Mark 35
  • 2,225 ft/s (678 m/s) HC Mark 34
  • Mark 17:
  • 2,800 ft/s (850 m/s) Common Mark 28
Effective firing range
  • Mark 16/16DP: 20,000-yard (18,288 m) at 22.3° elevation (130-lb AP shell)
  • Mark 17: 19,800-yard (18,105 m) at 20° elevation (105-lb Common shell)
Maximum firing range
  • Mark 16/16DP: 26,118-yard (23,882 m) at 47.5° elevation (130-lb AP shell)

The Mark 17 gun was a variation of the Mark 16 to use bagged charges; this was only used in the Erie-class gunboat in a single pedestal mount.

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