203 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892

203 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892
Aft sponson 203 mm gun aboard the cruiser Rossia
Type	Naval gun Coastal artillery
Place of origin	Russian Empire
Service history
In service	1895-1920's
Used by	Russian Empire
Wars	Russo-Japanese War World War I Russian Civil War
Production history
Designed	1892
Produced	1895
Specifications
Mass	12.1 t (13.3 short tons)
Length	9.1 m (29 ft 10 in)
Barrel length	7.5 m (24 ft 7 in)
Shell	Separate loading bagged charge and projectile
Shell weight	87.8 kg (194 lb)
Caliber	203 mm (8.0 in) 45 caliber
Elevation	-5° to +18°
Traverse	-135° to +135°
Muzzle velocity	744–899 m/s (2,440–2,950 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	16 km (9.9 mi) at +18°[1]

The 203 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892 was a Russian naval gun developed in the years before the Russo-Japanese War that armed a variety of warships of the Imperial Russian Navy during the Russo-Japanese War and World War I. Guns salvaged from scrapped ships found a second life as coastal artillery. It is believed none were in service during World War II.^[2]

History[]

The 203 mm 45 caliber was designed in 1892 and soon went into production. The initial order was for twenty guns and by May 1901 thirteen had been completed. Production was restarted in 1915 to replace worn out guns and nine more were delivered. A follow up order for seventeen to be completed in 1917-18 was placed, but not completed due to the October Revolution of 1917. In addition to the guns used aboard ships eight were installed in two coastal artillery batteries of four guns each on the islands of Nargen and Mäkiluoto.^[1]

Naval Use[]

The 203 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892 guns armed armored cruisers, gunboats and pre-dreadnought battleships of the Imperial Russian Navy built or refit between 1892-1916.^[1]

Armored Cruisers

• Bayan-class - This class of four ships primary armament consisted of two, 203 mm 45 caliber guns, in single turrets fore and aft.^[3]
• Rurik-class - The primary armament of Gromoboi consisted of four, 203 mm 45 caliber guns, in single mounts. Two were in casemates fore and two casemates aft for Gromoboi. The primary armament of Rossia consisted of four, 203 mm 45 caliber guns, in single mounts. Two were in casemates fore and two were on sponsons aft for Rossia.^[4][5]

Gunboats

• Khrabryy - The primary armament of this ship consisted of two, shielded, single mount, 203 mm 45 caliber guns, in forward sponsons.^[6]

Pre-dreadnought Battleships

• Imperator Aleksandr II - This ships secondary armament consisted of five, 203 mm 45 caliber guns, in single mounts, after a 1904 refit.^[7]

Ammunition[]

Ammunition was of separate loading type with a bagged charge and projectile. The charge weighed 29–32 kg (64–71 lb).

The gun was able to fire:

• Armor Piercing - 87.8 kg (194 lb)
• Common - 106.9 kg (236 lb)
• High Explosive - 87.8 kg (194 lb)
• SAP - 106.9 kg (236 lb)
• Shrapnel - 116.8 kg (257 lb)^[1]

Photo gallery[]

• 

  Imperial Russian armoured cruiser Gromoboi.

• 

  Imperial Russian cruiser Rossiya.

• 

  Crew of armored cruiser Bayan.

References[]

• Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.

Notes[]

External links[]

• http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNRussian_8-45_m1892.php
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/russia/ru_of_khrabryy.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/russia/ru_cr_bayan.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/russia/ru_cr_gromoboy.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/russia/ru_cr_rossiya.htm
• http://www.navypedia.org/ships/russia/ru_bb_imerator_alexandr_ii.htm