BL 6-inch Mk VII naval gun

The BL 6-inch gun Mark VII (and the related Mk VIII) was a British naval gun dating from 1899, which was mounted on a heavy travelling carriage in 1915 for British Army service to become one of the main heavy field guns in the First World War, and also served as one of the main coast defence guns throughout the British Empire until the 1950s.

BL 6-inch gun Mk VII
Aboard HMCS Prince David circa 1941
Type
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Service history
In service
  • 1901–1972 (Fort Scratchley)
  • 1915–1918 (field use)
  • 1901–1959 (naval use)
Wars
  • World War I
  • World War II
Production history
DesignerVickers
Designed1899
No. built898
VariantsMk VII, Mk VIIv, Mk VIII, Mk XXIV
Specifications
Mass
  • 16,875 lb (7,654 kg) (gun & breech)
  • 25 tons (gun on field carriage)
Length279.2 inches (7.09 m)
Barrel length269.5 inches (6.85 m) (44.9 cal)
Crew9

Shell weightLyddite, HE, Shrapnel 100 lb (45 kg)
Calibre6 in (152 mm)
BreechWelin interrupted screw
Recoil16.5 in (419 mm)
Rate of fire8 rpm
Muzzle velocity
  • 2,525 ft/s (770 m/s) (light charge)
  • 2,775 ft/s (846 m/s) (heavy charge)
Maximum firing range
  • Field carriage Mk. II: 13,700 yd (12,500 m)
  • Naval: 14,600 yd (13,400 m) (light charge); 15,800 yd (14,400 m) (heavy charge)
Filling weight
  • Lyddite: 13 lb 5 oz (6.0 kg)
  • Amatol: 8 lb 14 oz (4.0 kg)
  • Shrapnel: 874 balls @ 27/lb
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