These guns were the next step up from the 57 mm [6-pdr] Hotchkiss guns and were used as anti-torpedo boat guns on large ships and as the main weapon on the Contre-Torpilleurs (torpedo boat destroyers) of the 1890s. Some of these guns were later transferred to the Army for use in the Maginot Line fortifications.
Mle 1888 consisted of A tube, jacket with a slot for the wedge breech, a locking ring and a trunnion hoop. Mle 1891 had the trunnion hoop keyed in place rather than screwed and the A tube had a muzzle bell. Actual bore length was 49.2 calibers.
| Designation | 65 mm/50 Mle 1888 and 1891 |
|---|---|
| Ship Class Used On | Battleships: Brennus, Charles Martel, Carnot and Jauréguiberry
Armored Cruisers: Amiral Charner and Dupuy de Lôme classes Destroyers: Durandal, Pique, Pertuisane and Arquebuse classes |
| Date Of Design | about 1888 and 1891 |
| Date In Service | 1896 |
| Gun Weight | 1,190 lbs. (540 kg) |
| Gun Length oa | 136.0 in (3.450 m) |
| Bore Length | 128.0 in (3.247 m) |
| Rifling Length | N/A |
| Grooves | (26) 0.016 in deep x 0.59 in wide (0.5 x 1.5 mm) |
| Lands | N/A |
| Twist | Inclination 6 degrees |
| Chamber Volume | 122.6 in3 (2.01 dm3) |
| Rate Of Fire | about 10 rounds per minute |
| Type | Fixed |
|---|---|
| Projectile Types and Weights | CI: 8.82 lbs. (4.00 kg)
Steel: 9.19 lbs. (4.170 kg) |
| Bursting Charge | CI: 0.43 lbs. (0.195 kg) Black Powder
Steel: 0.17 lbs. (0.075 kg) Black Powder + 0.22 lbs. (0.100 kg) Melinite |
| Projectile Length | CI: about 72.9 in (18.5 cm)
Steel: 85.7 in (21.8 cm) |
| Propellant Charge | 1.93 lbs. (0.875 kg) BM3 |
| Muzzle Velocity | 2,346 fps (715 mps) |
| Working Pressure | 12,38 tons/in2 (1,950 kg/cm2)] |
| Approximate Barrel Life | N/A |
| Ammunition stowage per gun | Destroyers: 340 rounds
Others: N/A |
| Designation | Center Pivot:
Battleships: (4) Armored Cruisers: (4) Destroyers (1) |
|---|---|
| Weight | N/A |
| Elevation | N/A degrees |
| Rate of Elevation | N/A |
| Train | Destroyers: About -150 / +150 degrees
Broadside Mounts: About +30 / +150 to either side |
| Rate of Train | N/A |
| Gun Recoil | N/A |
| Loading Angle | Any angle |
"Naval Weapons of World War Two" by John Campbell
"Naval Weapons of World War One" by Norman Friedman
"The 300-Tonnes: The First French Torpedo Boat Destroyer" article by John Jordan in Warships 2025
25 September 2006 - Benchmark
28 March 2012 - Updated to latest template
07 May 2025 - Converted to HTML 5 format, added much new data