A range table was a list of angles of elevation a particular artillery gun barrel needed to be set to, to strike a target at a particular distance with a projectile of a particular weight using a propellant cartridge of a particular weight. They were used for several centuries by field and naval gunners of all countries until gradually replaced by computerised fire-control systems beginning in World War II (1939–1945).
Range table for US 3-inch (76.2 mm) field gun, models 1902-1905
This gun used a standard "fixed" cartridge with 15 lb (6.8 kg) shell, hence a single set of tables applied to all its ammunition.
Range table for British 3 inch (76.2 mm) Stokes Mortar, 1917
Different propellant charges were used to achieve required range, angle of descent and flight time. This is typical of mortars and howitzers.
(Provisional) Range Table For 3-Inch Stokes Mortar, Printed in September 1917.
Cartridge : 95 gr (6.2 g) ballistite, reinforced with Charges : 5 grains, guncotton yarn
Rings : 110 gr (7.1 g), .3 mm flake cordite
Projectile : Bomb, 10 lb. 11 oz (4.85 kg)
| Cartridge Only | 1 Ring | 2 Rings | 3 Rings | 4 Rings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range | Time of Flight |
Range | Time of Flight |
Range | Time of Flight |
Range | Time of Flight |
Range | Time of Flight | |
| degs | yds | secs | yds | secs | yds | secs | yds | secs | yds | secs |
| 45 | 240 | 7·1 | 420 | 9·6 | 550 | 11·6 | 660 | 13·2 | 800 | 15·0 |
| 50 | 233 | 7·6 | 411 | 10·4 | 538 | 12·5 | 649 | 14·3 | 780 | 16·2 |
| 52 | 228 | 7·8 | 404 | 10·7 | 530 | 12·9 | 639 | 14·7 | 767 | 16·6 |
| 54 | 222 | 8·0 | 395 | 10·9 | 518 | 13·2 | 626 | 15·1 | 748 | 17·0 |
| 56 | 215 | 8·2 | 384 | 11·2 | 503 | 13·5 | 608 | 15·4 | 726 | 17·4 |
| 58 | 207 | 8·4 | 371 | 11·4 | 486 | 13·8 | 589 | 15·8 | 701 | 17·8 |
| 60 | 197 | 8·5 | 357 | 11·7 | 467 | 14·1 | 567 | 16·1 | 672 | 18·2 |
| 61 | 193 | 8·6 | 349 | 11·8 | 457 | 14·3 | 554 | 16·3 | 656 | 18·4 |
| 62 | 187 | 8·7 | 340 | 11·9 | 445 | 14·4 | 542 | 16·4 | 640 | 18·5 |
| 63 | 182 | 8·8 | 332 | 12·0 | 434 | 14·5 | 528 | 16·6 | 623 | 18·7 |
| 64 | 176 | 8·8 | 323 | 12·1 | 422 | 14·6 | 514 | 16·7 | 605 | 18·8 |
| 65 | 170 | 8·9 | 313 | 12·2 | 409 | 14·8 | 499 | 16·9 | 586 | 19·0 |
| 66 | 164 | 9·0 | 303 | 12·3 | 396 | 14·9 | 483 | 17·0 | 567 | 19·1 |
| 67 | 158 | 9·0 | 292 | 12·4 | 383 | 15·0 | 468 | 17·1 | 547 | 19·2 |
| 68 | 152 | 9·1 | 281 | 12·5 | 369 | 15·1 | 451 | 17·2 | 526 | 19·4 |
| 69 | 145 | 9·2 | 270 | 12·5 | 354 | 15·2 | 434 | 17·4 | 505 | 19·5 |
| 70 | 138 | 9·2 | 259 | 12·6 | 339 | 15·3 | 416 | 17·5 | 483 | 19·6 |
| 71 | 131 | 9·2 | 247 | 12·7 | 324 | 15·4 | 398 | 17·6 | 460 | 19·7 |
| 72 | 124 | 9·3 | 235 | 12·8 | 308 | 15·5 | 379 | 17·7 | 437 | 19·8 |
| 73 | 117 | 9·3 | 223 | 12·9 | 292 | 15·5 | 360 | 17·8 | 413 | 19·9 |
| 74 | 109 | 9·4 | 210 | 12·9 | 275 | 15·6 | 340 | 17·9 | 389 | 20·0 |
| 75 | 102 | 9·4 | 197 | 13·0 | 259 | 15·7 | 320 | 18·0 | 364 | 20·1 |
Notes
- Range Tables transcribed and supplied courtesy of John Reed
References
- (Provisional) Range Table For 3-Inch Stokes Mortar, September 1917. United Kingdom War Office.
- William Westervelt, "Gunnery and explosives for field artillery officers", Government Printing Office, Washington, 1911, Appendix B.