Britain
9.2"/47 (23.4 cm) Mark IX
Updated 14 April 2013

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.

WNBR_92-47_mk9_side_pic.jpg

Former Gibraltar gun now at Firepower - Museum of the Royal Artillery
Photograph copyrighted by FDII

WNBR_92-47_mk9_front_pic.jpg

Former Gibraltar gun now at Firepower - Museum of the Royal Artillery
Photograph copyrighted by FDII

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Gun Characteristics
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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
(see Notes 2 and 3)
3 - 4 rounds per minute
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Ammunition
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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
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Range
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Elevation With 380 lbs. (172.4 kg) 2crh CPC Shell
15 degrees 15,500 yards (14,170 m) @ 2,778 fps (847 mps)
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Armor Penetration with 380 lbs. (172.4 kg) 2crh AP Shells
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Range
Vertical Steel Plate
3,000 yards (2,740 m)
14 in (35.6 cm)
4,550 yards (4,160 m)
9.2 in (23.4 cm)
Note:  These figures are from "British Battleships:  1860 to 1950" and are for a muzzle velocity of 2,751 fps (839 mps).
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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)
Note:  These figures are from "The Grand Fleet:  Warship Design and Development 1906-1922" and assume a 90 degree inclination.
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Mount / Turret Data
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Designation Single mounts
  Coastal Mountings:  N/A
  Drudge:  Mark VS
Weight  N/A
Elevation
(see Note)
Army Coastal Artillery: -5 / +15, +30 or +35 degrees
Elevation Rate N/A
Train N/A
Train Rate N/A
Gun recoil N/A
Loading Angle N/A
Note:  The Gibraltar guns were mounted on the crest in a special mounting allowing 20 degrees depression.
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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
Page History

08 May 2008 - Benchmark
11 February 2012 - Updated to latest template
14 April 2013 - Added pictures