6-inch/50-caliber gun
*Naval gun *Coastal defence From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
*Naval gun *Coastal defence From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 6"/50 caliber gun Mark 6 and Mark 8 (spoken "six-inch-fifty-caliber") were used for the secondary batteries of the United States Navy's Maine-class and Virginia-class battleships, as well as the Pennsylvania-class and Tennessee-class armored cruisers. They were also used as the main battery on the St. Louis-class protected cruisers.[1][2]
| 6"/50 caliber Mark 6 and Mark 8 | |
|---|---|
USS Ohio (BB-12), 6-inch/50 caliber guns. | |
| Type | |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1903 |
| Used by |  United States Navy |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Bureau of Ordnance |
| Designed | 1898 |
| Manufacturer | |
| Produced | 1900–1917 |
| No. built |
|
| Variants | Mark 6 and Mark 8 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass |
|
| Length | 300.2 in (7,630 mm) |
| Barrel length | 294 in (7,500 mm) bore (49 calibers) |
| Shell | 105 lb (48 kg) naval armor-piercing |
| Caliber | 6 in (152 mm) |
| Elevation | −10° to +15° |
| Traverse | −100° to +100° |
| Rate of fire | 6 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,800 ft/s (850 m/s) |
| Effective firing range |
|
The 6-inch (152 mm)/50 caliber Mark 6 guns were developed around the time of the Spanish–American War. The gun card designates the gun as 46-caliber but the Bureau of Ordnance lists the guns as 50-caliber.[1][2]
The Mark 6 gun was constructed of gun steel using a tube, jacket, four hoops, a locking ring, and Welin breech block. It was discovered that the pressure curve of the charge and the strength curve of the barrel match exactly along one point of the barrel, because of this the muzzle velocity was reduced from the original 2,800 ft/s (850 m/s) to 2,600 ft/s (790 m/s). With the Mod 1 nickel-steel was used for the tube, two hoops and the locking ring, the gun was also hooped to the muzzle, because of this, the original muzzle velocity was able to be restored. The Mod 2 were Mod 0s with a hoop added to the chase along with a cylindrical liner made from nickel-steel. With these changes the original muzzle velocity was used.[1][2]
The Mark 8 was similar to the Mark 6 Mod 1 but was constructed entirely out of nickel steel. The Mod 1 had a slightly smaller diameter chamber, but the same volume. The Mod 2 had its rifling grooves increased to 36 from 24 and didn't have the modified chamber of the Mod 1. The Mod 3 had a cylindrical liner made of nickel-steel along with a new chamber design and 36 grooves. Mod 4 used an earlier gun that had its liner replaced with a conical nickel-steel liner along with 36 grooves and the chamber of the Mod 3.[1][2]
This gun is also unusual for the US Navy where the overall length of the gun barrel, 300.2 in (7,630 mm), is used to measure the caliber of the gun. (i.e.:300.2/6=50) Normally the bore length, 294 in (7,500 mm), would be used and this would actually be a 49 caliber gun. (i.e.:294/6=49)[1]
| Ship | Gun Installed | Gun Mount |
|---|---|---|
| USS Maine (BB-10) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 16 × single mounts |
| USS Missouri (BB-11) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 16 × single mounts |
| USS Ohio (BB-12) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 16 × single mounts |
| USS Virginia (BB-13) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 12 × single mounts |
| USS Nebraska (BB-14) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 12 × single mounts |
| USS Georgia (BB-15) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 12 × single mounts |
| USS New Jersey (BB-16) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 12 × single mounts |
| USS Rhode Island (BB-17) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 12 × single mounts |
| USS St. Louis (C-20) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
| USS Milwaukee (C-21) | Mark 8: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
| USS Charleston (C-22) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
| USS Pennsylvania (ACR-4) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
| USS West Virginia (ACR-5) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
| USS California (ACR-6) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
| USS Colorado (ACR-7) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
| USS Maryland (ACR-8) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
| USS South Dakota (ACR-9) | Mark 6: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
| USS Tennessee (ACR-10) | Mark 8: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
| USS Washington (ACR-11) | Mark 8: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
| USS North Carolina (ACR-12) | Mark 8: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
| USS Montana (ACR-13) | Mark 8: 6"/50 caliber | Mark 10: 14 × single mounts |
The Maines had their guns reduced to eight in 1909, the guns would go on to arm auxiliary ships during World War I and again in World War II. After WW I, and as a result of the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty, many of these ships were scrapped; the guns were later put to use as coastal artillery.[1]
6"/50 caliber ex-Navy guns were emplaced during World War II at numerous locations; most were operated by the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps. This list may not be exhaustive. They were grouped into two-gun batteries unless otherwise noted. Most of the batteries in CONUS were disestablished in 1943 as new defenses were built or the threat abated.[3]
Surviving 6"/50 caliber naval guns include:[3]
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