RML 64-pounder 71 cwt gun

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Ordnance RML 64-pounder 71 cwt gun (converted)
RML 64-pounder 71 cwt gun Canberra 300px.jpg
No. 398 made by Royal Gun Factory in 1870, at the Royal Australian Artillery Memorial, Canberra
Type Naval gun
Coast defence gun
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Service history
In service1870 – 190?
Used by Royal Navy
Australian Colonies
Production history
Designed1870
Manufacturer Royal Arsenal
Specifications
Mass7,896 pounds (3,582 kg)
Barrel  length103.27 inches (2.623 m) (bore) [1]

Shell 64 pounds (29.03 kg)
Calibre 6.29-inch (159.8 mm)
Muzzle velocity 1,230 feet per second (370 m/s) [2]

The RML 64-pounder 71 cwt guns (converted) were British rifled muzzle-loading guns converted from obsolete smoothbore 8-inch 65 cwt shell guns in the 1860s-1870s. [note 1]

Contents

Design

Three groove rifling system of the 64 Pounder 64 pounder rifling grooves Mays Hill NSW.jpg
Three groove rifling system of the 64 Pounder

When Britain adopted rifled ordnance in the 1860s, it still had large stocks of serviceable but now obsolete smoothbore guns. Gun barrels were expensive to manufacture, so the best and most recent models were selected for conversion to rifled guns, for use as second-line ordnance, using a technique designed by William Palliser. The Palliser conversion was based on what was accepted as a sound principle that the strongest material in the barrel construction should be innermost, and hence a new tube of stronger wrought iron was inserted in the old cast iron barrel, rather than attempting to reinforce the old barrel from the outside. [1]

This gun was based on the cast-iron barrel of the Millar Pattern 8-inch 65 cwt gun, originally designed in 1834. [3] This was designed to fire a smooth bore spherical shell weighing 50 lb (23 kg). The 8 in (20 cm) gun was bored out to 10.5 in (27 cm) and a new built-up wrought iron inner tube with inner diameter of 6.29 in (16.0 cm) was inserted and fastened in place. The gun was then rifled with 3 grooves, with a uniform twist of 1 turn in 40 calibres (i.e. 1 turn in 252 in (640 cm)), and proof fired. The proof firing also served to expand the new tube slightly and ensure a tight fit in the old iron tube. [1]

Ammunition

Ammunition diagram from the gun handbook, 1887 RML 64 pounder ammunition diagrams.jpg
Ammunition diagram from the gun handbook, 1887

The 64-pounder used three types of ammunition. This ammunition was common to the other natures of 64 pounder gun - the 58 cwt converted gun and the 64 cwt gun. Although issued for sea service and many being sited on coastal artillery positions, their effectiveness again armour of heavily armoured ships was limited. Common shell could be used against buildings or fortifications, shrapnel shell (for use any Infantry or Cavalry) and case shot (for close range use against 'soft' targets. Ignition was through a copper lined vent at the breech end of the gun. A copper friction tube would be inserted and a lanyard attached. When the lanyard was pulled the tube would ignite, firing the gun. [4] A number of different fuzes could be used enabling shells to either burst at a pre-determined time (and range), or on impact.

Guns were fired using a silk bag containing a black powder propellant. A typical rate of fire was one round every three minutes.

Deployment

Broadside guns seen here on British screw corvette HMS Sapphire circa. 1878 HMS Sapphire crew and guns AWM 302268.jpg
Broadside guns seen here on British screw corvette HMS Sapphire circa. 1878

This nature of gun was initially issued for Sea Service (SS), but by 1886 were obsolete in that role and were being returned to store for re-issue for Land Service (LS). [5] In Naval service they were deployed on many smaller British cruising warships around the world.

64-pounder Rifle Muzzle Loading (RML) 71 cwt gun, at Dartmouth Old Battery, guarding the entrance to Dartmouth harbour - geograph.org.uk - 1188459 Cannon, guarding the entrance to Dartmouth harbour - geograph.org.uk - 1188459.jpg
64-pounder Rifle Muzzle Loading (RML) 71 cwt gun, at Dartmouth Old Battery, guarding the entrance to Dartmouth harbour – geograph.org.uk – 1188459

In Land service many were mounted for coast defence in both British and colonial locations. They were mounted on a wide variety of iron and wooden carriages. They became obsolete for coast artillery use in 1902, whereupon most of them were scrapped and disposed of.

See also

Surviving examples

Notes

  1. "71 cwt" refers to the gun's weight rounded up to differentiate it from other "64-pounder" guns : 1 cwt = 112 pounds.

Related Research Articles

This article explains terms used for the British Armed Forces' ordnance (weapons) and ammunition. The terms may have different meanings depending on its usage in another country's military.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">RBL 12-pounder 8 cwt Armstrong gun</span> Field gun

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">RBL 20-pounder Armstrong gun</span> Naval gun

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">RML 64-pounder 64 cwt gun</span> Naval gun

The RML 64-pounder 64 cwt gun is a Rifled, Muzzle Loading (RML) naval, field or fortification artillery gun manufactured in England in the 19th century, which fired a projectile weighing approximately 64 pounds (29 kg). "64 cwt" refers to the gun's weight rounded up to differentiate it from other "64-pounder" guns.

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The RML 10-inch guns Mk I – Mk II were large rifled muzzle-loading guns designed for British battleships and monitors in the 1860s to 1880s. They were also fitted to the Bouncer and Ant-class flat-iron gunboats. They were also used for fixed coastal defences around the United Kingdom and around the British Empire until the early years of the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RML 9-inch 12-ton gun</span> Rifled muzzle loading naval gun

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">RML 40-pounder gun</span> Heavy field gun

The RML 40-pounder gun was a British rifled muzzle-loading siege and fortification gun designed in 1871. It was intended to supersede the RBL 40-pounder Armstrong gun after the British military reverted to rifled muzzle-loading artillery until a more satisfactory breech-loading system than that of the Armstrong guns was developed.

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The RML 16-pounder 12 cwt gun was a British Rifled, Muzzle Loading (RML) field artillery gun manufactured in England in the 19th century, which fired a projectile weighing approximately 16 pounds (7.3 kg). "12 cwt" refers to the weight of the gun.

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The RML 8-inch howitzer was a British Rifled, Muzzle Loading (RML) Howitzer manufactured in England in the 19th century, which fired a projectile weighing approximately 180 pounds (82 kg). It was used in siege batteries and in fortifications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RML 13-pounder 8 cwt</span> Field gun

The RML 13-pounder 8 cwt gun was a British Rifled, Muzzle Loading (RML) field artillery gun manufactured in England in the 19th century, which fired a projectile weighing approximately 13 pounds (5.9 kg). "8 cwt" refers to the weight of the gun.

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The RML 64-pounder 58 cwt guns (converted) were British rifled muzzle-loading guns converted from obsolete smoothbore 32-pounder 58 cwt guns.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Treatise on Construction and Manufacture of Service Ordnance, 1879, pages 233-238, 292
  2. 1,230 feet/second firing 64-pound projectile with charge of 8 pounds gunpowder. Treatise on Construction of Service Ordnance 1879, page 94
  3. 1 2 Blackmore, H L, (1976). The Armouries of the Tower of London: The Ordnance, (HMSO, London), p90
  4. Moore, David. "List of British Service Artillery in Use During the Victorian Period". www.victorianforts.co.uk. Victorian Forts and Artillery. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  5. Treatise on Construction and Manufacture of Service Ordnance (3rd ed), HMSO, 1886, pages 219
  6. Blackmore, H L, (1976). The Armouries of the Tower of London: The Ordnance, (HMSO, London), p91

Bibliography