This page is a collection of 6" (15.2 cm) guns built by Armstrong/EOC and Vickers for export. Links are provided to those that are detailed on their own datapage.
Early gun that was modified to 6.3\" (16.0 cm) and offered as a powder proof gun.
Became Britain 6"/26 (15.2 cm) Mark I. The Royal Navy purchased nineteen of these between 1879 and 1880. The Armstrong catalog shows these guns as hooped to the muzzle and relined.
BL gun built for the Chilean cruiser Esmeralda and later replaced by 6" (15.2 cm) QF guns. As built weighed 4 tons (4.06 mt) and fired a 80 lbs. (36.3 kg) shell using either 40 lbs. (18.1 kg) pebble powder for a MV of 2,090 fps (637 mps) or 21.5 lbs. (9.8 kg) Cordite for a MV of 2,290 fps (698 mps).
Became Britain 6"/26 (15.2 cm) Mark V.
Guns for a cruiser built for the Greek Navy and named Salamis, but was sold to Italy and renamed Dogali before she was completed. She was sold to Uruguay in 1908 and renamed 25 de Agosto and later renamed Montevideo. Weight was 2 tons (2.01 mt) and fired a 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shell. With 50 lbs. (22.7 kg) pebble powder MV was 1,960 fps (597 mps).
Became Britain 6"/30.5 (15.2 cm) Mark V.
Use unknown. Used Fixed ammunition. Weight 5 tons 4 cwt 1 qtr. Overall length 249.25 in (565 cm), bore 240 in (610 cm). Fired a 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shell. With 50 or 60 lbs. (22.7 or 27.2 kg) brown powder, the MV was 2,242 fps (683 mps) or 2,111 fps (643 mps).
Use unknown. Weight 5 tons 14 cwt 2qtr 16 lbs. Overall length 249.25 in (565 cm). Fired a 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shell. With 42 lbs. (19.1 kg) brown powder MV was 2,000 fps (610 mps).
Use unknown. Weight 4.4 tons 4 cwt 1 qtr 19 lbs. Overall length 166.4 in (423 cm). Fired an 80 lbs. (36.3 kg) shell. With 40 lbs. (18.1 kg) brown powder MV was 2,025 fps (617 mps).
Plan for Pattern T dated 16 September 1888 and made for the Italian Navy and used on the ironclad Ancona. Weight 5 tons 11 cwt 3 qtr. Overall length 203.8 in (518 cm). Fired a 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shell. With 42 lbs. (19.1 kg) brown powder MV was 1,883 fps (574 mps).
Used on the Italian cruiser Piemonte and the Argentine Neuve de Julio. Plan dated 13 May 1889. Weight 5 tons 14 cwt 4 lbs. Overall length 249.25 in (633 cm) bore length 240 in (610 cm). The variations between Patterns was mainly small differences in the chamber size. Fired a 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shell. Charges ranged between 14.5 and 17 lbs. (6.6 and 7.7 kg) of Cordite and MV ranged between 2,200 and 2,316 fps (671 and 706 mps).
These were a series of similar QF guns built both for export and for the Royal Navy. See Britain, Chile and Italy 6"/40 guns and Japan 6"/40 guns.
Use unknown. Wire-wound construction and used cased ammunition. Weight 6 tons 10 cwt. Overall length 249.25 in (633 cm) bore length 240 in (610 cm). Fired 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shot. With charge of 18.5 lbs. (8.4 kg) 0.3 Cordite MV was 2,500 fps (762 mps).
Use unknown. Wire-wound construction. Weight 8 tons 2 cwt 3 qtr. Overall length 279.23 in (709 cm) bore length 270 in (686 cm). Fired 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shot. With charge of 24 lbs. (10.9 kg) 0.3 Cordite MV was 2,596 fps (791 mps).
Possibly built to rearm the Norwegian protected cruiser Viking. Actual bore diameter 14.91 cm (5.87 in). Weight tons 2 cwt 3 qtr. Overall length N/A, bore length 270 in (686 cm). Fired 88 lbs. (39.9 kg) shell. With charge of 18 lbs. (8.2 kg) Cordite MV was 2,628 fps (801 mps).
Used on the Brazilian Almirante Barroso, the Chilean Ministro Zenteno and the American "Elswick Cruisers." See USA 6"/50 (15.2 cm) Mark 5 (Armstrong) for details.
One gun sold to Italy, presumably to replace an earlier gun. Weight 5 tons 2 cwt. Overall length 203.8 in (518 cm) bore length 194.55 in (494 cm). Fired 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shot and with a charge of 13.25 lbs. (6 kg) MV was 2,040 fps (622 mps).
Used on the Norwegian armored ship Norge. Actual bore diameter 14.91 cm (5.87 in). Weight 7 tons. Overall length 279.25 in (709 cm) bore length 270 in (686 cm). Fired a 45.1 kg (99.25 lbs.) shell. With a charge of 9.75 kg (21.5 lbs.) MV was 800 mps (2,625 fps).
Use unknown. Wire-wound construction, weight 7 tons 7.5 cwt. Overall length 279.228 in (709 cm) bore length 268.473 in (682 cm). Fired 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shell and with a charge of 22 lbs. (10 kg) .3 Cordite MV was 2,580 fps (786 mps).
Use unknown. Wire-wound construction, weight 9 tons. Overall length 310.425 in (788 cm) bore length 300 in (762 cm). Fired 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shell and with a charge of 37 lbs. (16.8 kg) .3 Cordite MV was 2,997 fps (913 mps).
Two guns made, use unknown. Wire-wound construction, weight 8 tons 15 cwt 2 qtr. Overall length 310.425 in (788 cm) bore length 300 in (762 cm). Fired 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shell and with a charge of 32.5 lbs. (14.7 kg) .3 Cordite MV was 3,000 fps (914 mps).
Ten guns made, use unknown. Wire-wound construction, weight unknown. Overall length 280.425 in (712 cm) bore length 272.525 in (692 cm). Fired 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shell and with a charge of 40 lbs. (18.1 kg) Cordite MDT MV was 3,000 fps (914 mps).
Made for the Greek cruiser Helle and possibly for the Chinese Chao Ho. Fired 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shell and with a charge of 40 lbs. (18.1 kg) Cordite MDT MV was 3,000 fps (914 mps). Drawing not found, no other details available.
Four guns made for Japan in 1910, possibly as an alternative to the Vickers Mark M.
Used on the battleship HMS Canada (ex-Chilean Almirante Latorre). See Britain 6"/50 (15.2 cm) BL Mark XVII.
Used on the HMS Glatton class monitors (ex-Norwegian coastal defense ships Bjöergvin and Nidaros). See Britain 6"/50 (15.2 cm) BL Mark XVIII.
Wire-wound gun sold to the USN. See USN 6"/50 (15.2 cm) Mark 11 for details. A second gun, designated as USN 6"/45 (15.2 cm) Mark 10 was also sold to the USN at about this same time is not noted in the Vickers records. Possible that it was a Vickers 6"/45 (15.2 cm) Mark J (see below).
Wire-wound gun built for the Royal Navy for trials against Britain 6"/50 (15.2 cm) BL Mark XI. Trials were to investigate inaccuracies caused by whipping.
Use unknown. Wire-wound construction. Weight 7 tons 16 cwt. Overall length 309.728 in (787 cm) bore length 300 in (762 cm). Fired a 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shell. With a charge of 29.75 lbs. (13.5 kg) Cordite MV was 2,980 fps (908 mps).
Used for the Peruvian Almirante Grau and Coronel Bolognesi second-class cruisers and for the Chinese Ying Swei protected cruiser. Possible that one gun was sold to the USN (see Mark E above). Weight 7 tons 5 cwt 3 qtrs. Overall length 279.728 in (711 cm) bore length 270 in (686 cm). Fired a 100 lbs. (45.4 kg) shell with a 2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) burster. Charge weight not given. MV was 2,750 fps (838 mps).
Use unknown, but probably for the Greek or Russian navies as the over-all length was 50 calibers while the bore length was 293.4 in (745 cm) - 48.9 calibers. Wire-wound construction. No other data available.
Designed for Vickers Terni who built a single wire-wound gun for the Italian Navy. Overall length 310.07 in (788 cm) bore length 303.47 in (771 cm). No other details available.
Sixteen guns built for the battlecruiser Kongô. See 6"/50 (15.2 cm) Vickers Mark M for details.
A Note on Sources: This design is incorrectly labeled as a 6"/45 on page 91 of "Naval Weapons of World War One" but correctly labeled as 6"/50 on page 277.
Use unknown, plan dated 23 February 1912. Wire-wound construction. Overall length 310.07 in (788 cm) bore length 303.47 in (771 cm) which suggests that it was for the Italian Navy as those are same dimensions as the Mark L. No other details available.
Built for the Turkish battleship Reshadeih which was taken over by the British and renamed HMS Erin. See Britain 13.5"/45 (34.3 cm) Mark VI for details.
Use unknown, plan dated 19 September 1911. Wire-wound construction. Overall length 280.7 in (713 cm) bore length 273.12 in (694 cm). No other details available.
Built for Brazilian Javary class river monitors and taken over by the British and renamed as the HMS Severn class Monitors. See Britain 6"/50 (15.2 cm) BL Mark XIV and XV for details.
Designed 2 December 1912 for the Russian Navy. Built-up construction. Overall length 314.2 in (798 cm) bore length 302.83 in (769 cm).
Built for the Spanish Mendez Nunez and Navarre light cruiser classes. See Spain 6"/50 (15.2 cm) Vickers-Carraca for details.
Built for the Spanish Almirante Cervera light cruiser class. See Spain 6"/50 (15.2 cm) Vickers-Carraca for details.
Built for the Argentine La Argentina training cruiser. See Argentina 6"/50 (15.2 cm) QF Mark W for details.
Campbell, John
- "British Naval Guns 1880-1945 No 10" article in "Warship Volume VII"
- "British Naval Guns 1880-1945 No 11" article in "Warship Volume VII"
- "Naval Weapons of World War Two"
Fraccaroli, Aldo
- "Italian Warships of World War II"
Friedman, Norman
- "Naval Weapons of World War One"
Lacroix, Eric and Wells II, Linton
- "Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War"
08 November 2026 - New Datapage