French
138.6 mm/40 (5.46") Model 1923
Updated 16 May 2006
An unsatisfactory design with a slow rate of fire.  The mountings had high trunnions to allow higher elevations but this made loading difficult at low elevations.  Fired QF ammunition but still used a Welin breech-block.
WNFR_55-40_m1923_Verdun_pic.jpg

Destroyer Verdun
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Gun Characteristics
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Designation 138.6 mm/40 (5.46") Model 1923
Ship Class Used On Bison class
Date Of Design 1923
Date In Service 1929
Gun Weight 4.04 tons (4.1 mt)
Gun Length oa N/A
Bore Length about 218.3 in (5.544 m)
Rifling Length N/A
Grooves N/A
Lands N/A
Twist N/A
Chamber Volume N/A
Rate Of Fire 5 - 6 rounds / minute
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Ammunition
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Type Separate
Projectile Types and Weights SAP - 89 lbs. (40.4 kg)
HE - N/A
Bursting Charge N/A
Projectile Length 27.3 in (69.3 cm)
Propellant Charge 19.8 lbs. (8.97 kg)
Cartridge - 48.5 lbs. (22 kg)
Muzzle Velocity 2,297 fps (700 mps)
Working Pressure 15.9 tons/in2 (2,500 kg/cm2)
Approximate Barrel Life N/A
Ammunition stowage per gun N/A
Note:  The same size cartridge case was used in all 138.6 mm (5.46") guns from the Model 1910 onwards, although the type and quantity of propellant was not always the same.  This allowed obvious advantages in terms of standardization, although much of this was lost by the fact that almost every model used different projectiles.
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Range
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Elevation With 89 lbs. (40.4 kg) SAP Shell
Range @ 28 degrees 18,150 yards (16,600 m)
Range @ 35 degrees 20,779 yards (19,000 m)
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Mount / Turret Data
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Designation Single Splinter Shielded Mounts
   Bison (4)
Weight N/A
Elevation -10 / +35 degrees
Rate of Elevation N/A
Train About:  +/- 150 degrees
Rate of Train N/A
Gun Recoil N/A
Loading Angle Any
Note:  This mounting had a high trunnion height in order to allow a large maximum elevation.  Although they used an automatic spring rammer for shells - the cartridges being hand loaded - the trunnion height hampered working of the gun at elevations greater than +15 degrees.
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Data from
"Naval Weapons of World War Two" by John Campbell
"Destroyers of World War Two" by M.J. Whitley