| 6"/53 caliber naval gun | |
|---|---|
| Type | Naval gun |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1920 - 1945 |
| Used by | United States |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Variants | Mk 13, Mk 16, Mk 17 |
| Specifications | |
| Barrel length | 8 meters (315 in) bore (53 calibers) |
| Shell | 105 pounds (48 kg)[1] |
| Caliber | 152 millimeters (6 in) |
| Muzzle velocity | 900 meters per second (2,950 ft/s)[1] |
| Maximum range | 23,130 meters (25,295 yd)[1] |
The 6"/53 caliber gun (spoken "six-inch-fifty-three-caliber") formed the main battery of United States Navy light cruisers and submarine cruisers built during the 1920s. United States naval gun terminology indicates the gun fired a projectile 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter, and the barrel was 53 calibers long (barrel length is 6 inch x 53 = 318 inches or 8 meters.)[2] The gun with side swing Welin breech block and Smith-Asbury mechanism weighed about 10 tonnes and used a silk bag containing 44-pounds (20 kg) of smokeless powder to give a 105-pound (47.6 kg) projectile a velocity of 3000 feet per second (900 m/s). Early Marks were built-up guns with a liner, tube, full-length jacket, and 2 hoops; but the Mark 14 gun was of monobloc construction. Useful life expectancy was 700 effective full charges (EFC) per liner.[1]
Mark 13 casemate mounting
These guns were intended for the secondary battery of the Lexington-class battlecruisers and South Dakota-class battleships. They were installed in Omaha-class cruisers when the intended ships were canceled under provisions of the Washington Naval Treaty. Maximum range was 21,000 yd (19,200 m) at the maximum elevation of 20 degrees.[1][3]
Mark 16 turret mounting
This two-gun turret was a design modification to improve the range and broadside of the Omaha-class cruisers. Maximum range was 25,300 yd (23,130 m) at the maximum elevation of 20 degrees.[1][3]
Mark 17 wet mounting
These single open mounts were installed fore and aft of the conning tower on USS Argonaut (SM-1), USS Narwhal (SS-167), and USS Nautilus (SS-168). Maximum range was 23,300 yd (21,310 m) at the maximum elevation of 25 degrees.[1][3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Campbell 1985 pp.132-3
- ↑ Fairfield 1921 p.156
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 DiGiulian, Tony (8 February 2008). "United States of America 6"/53 (15.2 cm) Marks 12, 14, 15 and 18". Navweaps.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2011. http://web.archive.org/web/20110630224252/http://navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_6-53_mk12.htm. Retrieved 2011 07 21.
Sources
- Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
- Fairfield, A.P. (1921). Naval Ordnance. The Lord Baltimore Press.
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