6"/53 caliber gun
| 6"/53 caliber naval gun | |
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Forward Mark 16 turret aboard USS Cincinnati (CL-6).
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| Type | Naval gun |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1920 - 1945 |
| Used by | United States |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Variants | Mk 13, Mk 16, Mk 17 |
| Specifications | |
| Barrel length | 8 meters (315 in) bore (53 calibers) |
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| Muzzle velocity | 900 meters per second (2,950 ft/s)[1] |
| Maximum firing range | 23,130 meters (25,295 yd)[1] |
The 6"/53 caliber gun (spoken "six-inch-fifty-three-caliber") formed the main battery of United States Navy light cruisers and three US submarines built during the 1920s.
Contents
Description
United States naval gun terminology indicates the gun barrel was 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter, and the barrel was 53 calibers long (barrel length is 6 inch x 53 = 318 inches or 8 meters.)[2] The gun with side swing Welin breech block and Smith-Asbury mechanism weighed about 10 tonnes and used a silk bag containing 44-pounds (20 kg) of smokeless powder to give a 105-pound (47.6 kg) projectile a velocity of 3000 feet per second (900 m/s). Early Marks were built-up guns with a liner, tube, full-length jacket, and 2 hoops; but the Mark 14 gun was of monobloc construction. Useful life expectancy was 700 effective full charges (EFC) per liner.[1]
Mark 13 casemate mounting
These guns were intended for the secondary battery of the Lexington-class battlecruisers and South Dakota-class battleships. They were installed in Omaha-class cruisers when the intended ships were canceled under provisions of the Washington Naval Treaty. Maximum range was 21,000 yd (19,200 m) at the maximum elevation of 20 degrees.[1][3]
Mark 16 turret mounting
This two-gun turret was a design modification to improve the range and broadside of the Omaha-class cruisers. Maximum range was 25,300 yd (23,130 m) at the maximum elevation of 20 degrees.[1][3]
Mark 17 wet mounting
These single open mounts were installed fore and aft of the conning tower on USS Argonaut (SM-1), USS Narwhal (SS-167), and USS Nautilus (SS-168). Maximum range was 23,300 yd (21,310 m) at the maximum elevation of 25 degrees.[1][3]
See also
Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
- BL 6 inch Mk XXII naval gun : roughly equivalent British gun deployed on battleships
References
Sources
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External link
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