- Field gun * Naval gun
| 3 Inch / 21 Caliber Field Gun | |
|---|---|
| Type |
|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| Used by | |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1874 |
| Produced | 1875 – |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 384 pounds (174 kg) |
| Length | 69.6 inches (1.77 m) |
| Barrel length | 64.3 inches (1.63 m) bore (21 calibres) |
| Shell | 13 pounds (5.9 kg) (projectile) |
| Caliber | 3-inch (76 mm) |
| Breech | Fletcher breech mechanism |
| Recoil | hydraulic recoil piston |
| Carriage | Wheeled |
| Rate of fire | 8 – 9 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,150 feet per second (350 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | 5,000 yards (4,600 m) at 19.5° elevation |
The 3"/21 caliber gun (spoken "three-inch-twenty-one-caliber") was a field gun for United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. They were a simple horse-drawn artillery gun that were mostly used by the Marines. The guns have also been described as Boat Guns but information on type of mounts has not been found.
Description
The Mark 1 was intended as a support gun for landing operations. It was of simple monobloc construction with a Fletcher breech mechanism with down swinging carrier, and used a hydraulic recoil piston that was screwed onto the gun directly. It most likely used bagged ammunition with a 13 pounds (5.9 kg) projectile at a velocity of 1,150 feet per second (350 m/s). Range was 5,000 yards (4,600 m) at 19.5 degree s of elevation.
Surviving pieces
Guns No. 5 and 6, built in 1875, had been restored and were located in St. Clair, Pennsylvania as of 2004.
References
- ^ "United States of America 3"/21 Field Guns 3"/21 (7.62 cm) Mark 1". Navweaps. 3 December 2006. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
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