The guns were designed by the Obukhov factory in the late 1890s for a new class of armored cruisers. Thirteen were completed by 1901 and more were made in 1906-07 to arm the Bayan (II) class cruisers. Production continued during World War I to rearm older cruisers and coastal defense batteries. By 1941 all of these weapons had been retired or scrapped.
The gun was made from an inner tube and two connected cylinders.
| Designation | 8"/45 (20.3 cm) Pattern 1892 203 mm/45 (8") Pattern 1892 |
|---|---|
| Ship Class Used On | Rossia, Gromoboy, Bayan(I), Bayan(II) class, gunboat Khrabry, coastal batteries |
| Date Of Design | 1892 |
| Date In Service | 1895 |
| Gun Weight | 12 tons (12.183 mt) with breech 442 lbs. (200.7 kg) |
| Gun Length oa | 360 in (9.135 m) |
| Bore Length | N/A |
| Rifling Length | 296.4 in (7.530 m) |
| Grooves | 0.064 in deep (1.65 mm) |
| Lands | N/A |
| Twist | Uniform RH 1 in 25 |
| Chamber Volume | N/A |
| Rate Of Fire | N/A |
| Type | Bag |
|---|---|
| Projectile Types and Weights | HE "old model": 193.5 lbs. (87.8 kg) AP "old model": 193.5 lbs. (87.8 kg) Semi-AP mod 1907: 235 lbs. (106.9 kg) HE mod 1907: 193.5 lbs. (87.8 kg) HE/Semi-AP mod 1915: 246.3 lbs (112.2 kg) Shrapnel: 257.5 lbs. (116.8 kg) |
| Bursting Charge | Semi-AP mod 1907: 20.5 lbs. (9.3 kg) HE mod 1907: 20.5 lbs. (9.3 kg) HE/Semi-AP mod 1915: 17.4 lbs. (7.9 kg) Shrapnel: 2.6 lbs. (1.2 kg) |
| Projectile Length | HE "old model": 2.6 calibers AP "old model": 2.5 calibers Semi-AP mod 1907: 4.0 calibers HE mod 1907: 3.04 calibers HE/Semi-AP mod 1915: 3.85 calibers Shrapnel: 3.86 calibers |
| Propellant Charge | HE "old model": 70.5 lbs. (32 kg) AP "old model": 70.5 lbs. (32 kg) Semi-AP mod 1907: 66 lbs. (30 kg) HE mod 1907: 70.5 lbs. (32 kg) HE/Semi-AP mod 1915: 64 lbs. (29 kg) Shrapnel: 61.7 lbs. (28 kg) |
| Muzzle Velocity | HE "old model": 2,950 fps (899 mps) AP "old model": 2,950 fps (899 mps) Semi-AP mod 1907: 2,670 fps (813.8 mps) HE mod 1907: 2,575 fps (784.8 mps) HE/Semi-AP mod 1915: 2,600 fps (792.5 mps) Shrapnel: 2,450 fps (746.8 mps) |
| Working Pressure | N/A |
| Approximate Barrel Life | approx 700 rounds |
| Ammunition stowage per gun | Bayan: 100 rounds Gromoboy: 125 rounds Rossiya: 152 rounds |
| Elevation | 193.5 lbs. (87.8 kg) HE "old model" | 235 lbs. (106.9 kg) Semi-AP mod 1907 | 193.5 lbs. (87.8 kg) HE mod 1907 | 246.3 lbs. (112.2 kg) HE/Semi-AP mod 1915 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 degrees | 12,000 yards (10,980 m) | - | - | - |
| 18 degrees | - | 17,600 yards (16,100 m) | 14,400 yards (13,170 m) | 17,410 yards (15,920 m) |
| 25 degrees | 16,010 yards (14,640 m) | - | - | - |
| 32 degrees | - | - | - | 22,615 yards (20,680 m) |
| Elevation | Range | Side Armor | Striking Velocity | Angle of Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 degrees | 0 yards (0 m) | 9.92 in (252 mm) | 2,950 fps (899 mps) | 0 |
| 0.80 degrees | 2,000 yards (1,830 m) | 7.17 in (182 mm) | 2,335 fps (712 mps) | 0.93 |
| 1.82 degrees | 4,000 yards (3,660 m) | 4.96 in (126 mm) | 1,820 fps (555 mps) | 2.52 |
| 3.30 degrees | 6,000 yards (5,490 m) | 3.46 in (88 mm) | 1,400 fps (428 mps) | 5.33 |
| 5.84 degrees | 8,000 yards (7,320 m) | 2.52 in (64 mm) | 1,130 fps (345 mps) | 10.40 |
| 8.70 degrees | 10,000 yards (9,140 m) | 1.97 in (50 mm) | 1,010 fps (307 mps) | 17.60 |
| 13.05 degrees | 12,000 yards (10,970 m) | 1.81 in (46 mm) | 950 fps (290 mps) | 26.32 |
This projectile was in use during the Russo-Japanese War.
Data from "Gangut" Issue 7 article.
| Designation | Single Turret Mounts: Bayan(I) (2), Bayan(II) (2) Single Casemate Mounts: Rossia (2), Gromoboy (2) Open Deck Mounts: Rossia (2), Gromoboy (2), Khrabry (2), Bayan (I) (1) |
|---|---|
| Weight | Turrets: 155 tons (157 mt) Open and casemate: 28 tons (28.5 mt) |
| Elevation | -5 / +18 degrees for all mounts |
| Rate of Elevation | N/A |
| Train | -135 / +135 degrees |
| Rate of Train | N/A |
| Gun Recoil | 18.7 in (47.6 cm) for turret mounts |
| Loading Angle | N/A |
Data from:
- "Naval Weapons of World War One" by Norman Friedman
- "Morskaya Artilleriya Rossiyskogo Flota 1867-1922" (Naval Artillery of the Russian Fleet 1867-1922) and "Entsiklopedia Otechestvennoi Artillerii" (Encyclopedia of Fatherland [Russian] Artillery) both by A.V. Shirokorad
- "Gangut" Issue 7 article by S.I. Titushkin
Other:
- Citadel Magazine
Special help from Vladimir Yakubov
- 11 September 2006
- Benchmark
- 16 June 2012
- Added data on guns and picture of Aso