Germany
21 cm/40 (8.27") SK L/40
Updated 10 January 2011
Used on many cruisers built in the 1890s and early 1900s.  Most ships had single or twin turrets mounted on the bow and stern with the Scharnhorst class having an additional four single guns mounted amidships in casemates.

In May 1917, one gun removed from Roon was emplaced at Cape Helles, Turkey, where it was used to harass the British ships seen at Kephalo and Aliki.

These guns were used in coastal artillery units during World War II.

  Actual bore diameter was 20.93 cm (8.24").
WNGER_827-40_skc95_Scharnhorst_pic.jpg

Armored Cruiser Scharnhorst about 1907
21 cm guns in turrets and in upper casemates
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 46837
WNGER_827-40_skc95_Scharnhorst_bow_pic.jpg

Stern Turret on Scharnhorst
Note the built-up nature of the gun barrels
Photograph courtesy of The First World War
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Gun Characteristics
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Designation 21 cm/40 (8.27") SK L/40
Ship Class Used On Victoria Louise, Prinz Adalbert, Roon and Scharnhorst (1907) Classes
Date Of Design about 1895
Date In Service 1898
Gun Weight 15.7 - 19.7 tons (16 - 20 mt)
Gun Length oa about 331 in. (8.400 m)
Bore Length 307 in (7.800 m)
Rifling Length N/A
Grooves N/A
Lands N/A
Twist N/A
Chamber Volume N/A
Rate Of Fire 4 - 5 rounds per minute
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Ammunition
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Type Separate
Projectile Types and Weights
(see Notes 1 and 2)		 World War I
   AP L/2,9 - 238 lbs. (108 kg)

World War II
   AP L/2,9 - 238 lbs. (108 kg)
   HE L/4,3 base and nose fuze - 250 lbs. (113.5 kg)
Bursting Charge N/A
Projectile Length AP L/2,9 - 24 in (61 cm)
HE L/4,3 - 35.5 in (90 cm)
Propellant Charge N/A
Muzzle Velocity 2,559 fps (780 mps)
Working Pressure N/A
Approximate Barrel Life N/A
Ammunition stowage per gun Victoria Louise:  58 rounds
Prinz Adalbert:  85 rounds
Roon:  95 rounds
Scharnhorst:  87.5 rounds
Notes:

1) The World War II HE round was a special coastal artillery projectile with both base and nose fuzes.

2) Actual Projectile designations were as follows.
   AP L/2,9 - Psgr. L2,9
   HE L/4,3 base and nose fuze - Spr.gr. L/4,3 Bdz u. Kz
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Range
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Elevation With 238 lbs. (108 kg) AP L2,9 Shell
Range @ 16 degrees
(max. elevation of amidships turrets)		 13,560 yards (12,400 m)
Range @ 30 degrees 17,830 yards (16,300 m)
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Mount / Turret Data
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Designation Two-gun Turrets
   Prinz Adalbert (2), Roon (2) and Scharnhorst (2)

Single Turrets
   Victoria Louise (2)

Casemates
   Scharnhorst (4)
Weight  Single Turrets:  75 tons (76 mt)
Twin Turrets:  118 tons (120 mt)
Elevation Single gun Turrets:   -5 / +30 degrees
Two-gun Turrets:   -5 / +30 degrees
Casemates:   -5 / +16 degrees
Elevation Rate N/A
Train about +150 / -150 degrees
Train Rate N/A
Gun recoil N/A
Loading Angle N/A
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Data from
"Big Gun Monitors:  The History of the Design, Construction and Operation of the Royal Navy's Monitors" by Ian Buxton
"German Warships 1815-1945" by Erich Gröner
"Die deutsche Flotte, Zweibrücken 1901" by  Ernst Graf Reventlow
"Taschenbuch der Kriegsflotten 1905" by Bruno Weyer (Kapitänleutnant a.D.)
"The Great War:  The Standard History of the All Europe Conflict (volume four)" edited by H. W. Wilson and J. A. Hammerton
and
Tony DiGiulian's personal files
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Special help from Rainer Troendle
Page History

14 October 2006 - Benchmark
25 February 2009 - Added comment about gun from Roon
13 September 2010 - Corrected photograph caption
10 January 2011 - Added gun details kindly provided by Rainer Troendle