Description

Used almost exclusively for coastal defense at Needles, Malta and Gibraltar. One gun was located at Bere Island for a short time.

Wire-wound construction, with the wire extending for about 60 percent of the barrel length, and was trunnioned. The breech was a three-motion type as completed and the interrupted screw block was cylindrical. A total of 14 guns were manufactured. Most guns were later modified to use a single-motion breech mechanism and altered so as to be able to use the same coastal mountings as the 9.2"/47 (23.4 cm) Mark X. Modified guns were designated as 'C' IX.

One gun was more extensively modified to use a Welin breech block, the trunnion ring was replaced by a seating for the naval mounting and two additional short tubes were screwed and shrunk on. This gun was designated as the Mark IX/X and used on the gunnery school boat Drudge.

Gun Characteristics

Designation 9.2"/47 (23.4 cm) Mark IX
Ship Class Used On Coastal Defense and Drudge
Date Of Design about 1895
Date In Service 1900
Gun Weight Mark IX: 26.8 tons (27.2 kg)
Mark IX/X: 28.4 tons (28.9 tons)
Gun Length oa 445.3 in (11.311 m)
Bore Length 430.0 in (10.922 m)
Rifling Length N/A
Grooves N/A
Lands N/A
Twist N/A
Chamber Volume 8,123 in3 (133.1 dm3)
Rate Of Fire 3 - 4 rounds per minute

Ammunition

Type Bag
Projectile Types and Weights APC 2crh: 380 lbs. (172.4 kg)
CPC 2crh: 380 lbs. (172.4 kg)
Bursting Charge APC: N/A
CPC: 35.4 lbs. (16.1 kg)
Projectile Length APC: N/A
CPC: 35.4 in (89.9 cm)
Propellant Charge 120 lbs. (54.4 kg) MD37
107 lbs. (48.5 kg) MD26
109 lbs. (49.4 kg) SC150
Muzzle Velocity MD37: 2,778 fps (847 mps)
Others: 2,748 fps (838 mps)
Working Pressure N/A
Approximate Barrel Life 450 rounds
Ammunition stowage per gun N/A

Range

Range with 380 lbs. (172.4 kg) 2crh CPC
Elevation Distance
15 degrees 15,500 yards (14,170 m) @ 2,778 fps (847 mps)

Armor Penetration

380 lbs. (172.4 kg) 2crh AP
Range Muzzle Velocity Vertical Steel Plate
3,000 yards (2,740 m) 2,751 fps (839 mps) 14 in (35.6 cm)
4,550 yards (4,160 m) 9.2 in (23.4 cm)

These figures are from "British Battleships: 1860 to 1950".

Range KC-type Armor
3,000 yards (2,740 m) 9.7 in (24.6 cm)
6,000 yards (5,480 m) 7.7 in (19.6 cm)
9,000 yards (8,230 m) 5.3 in (13.5 cm)

These figures are from "The Grand Fleet: Warship Design and Development 1906-1922" and assume a 90 degree inclination.

Mount/Turret Data

Designation
  • Single mounts
    • Coastal Mountings: N/A
    • Drudge: Mark VS
Weight N/A
Elevation Army Coastal Artillery: -5 / +15, +30 or +35 degrees 1
Elevation Rate N/A
Train N/A
Train Rate N/A
Gun recoil N/A
Loading Angle N/A
  • ^The Gibraltar guns were mounted on the crest in a special mounting allowing 20 degrees depression.

Sources

Data from:

  • "Warrior to Dreadnought: Warship Development 1860-1905" by D.K. Brown
  • "Naval Weapons of World War Two" and "British Naval Guns 1880-1945 No 7" article in "Warship Volume VI" both by John Campbell
  • "British Battleships: 1860 to 1950" by Oscar Parkes

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