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16 inch gun questions ?
garrybeebe
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Posted: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 - 05:04 PM UTC
My turn for some tech questions 16 inch guns, the type found on the Iowa's.
#1 What is the meaning of Caliber? As in 16 " 50 caliber.

#2 What type of ignition (priming) did these guns use to ignite there propelant charge?

#3 What was the maximum muzzle velocity of the 16" 50 caliber guns?

#4 How many rounds could be fired before fouling had to be removed from the barrels?

#5 How many rounds could be fired before barrel liners had to be replaced ?

Just had to know.

Garry
Stormbringer
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Posted: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 - 05:09 PM UTC
Hi there
Calibre = 16"
50 calibre =50x16 = Barrel length =800"
I hope this answers your first question
Pete
Tin_Can
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Posted: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 - 05:31 PM UTC
Here are some links:

http://www.combinedfleet.com/b_guns.htm

http://www.battleship.org/html/Articles/IowaClass/Main.htm

http://unsd.macrossrpg.com/iowaclassbattleship.html

garrybeebe
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Posted: Thursday, February 05, 2004 - 05:28 PM UTC
Thanks a bunch guys, your all a big help! That takes care of questions 1 and 3, 3 more to go! You all came up with some killer links, Thanks!

Cheers,
Garry
Halfyank
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Posted: Friday, February 06, 2004 - 01:35 AM UTC
Here are a couple more Garry, I think.

#4, I'm not sure of this but I believe standard practice was to clean the barrel after every firing excercise, or battle. Kind of like what you would do after going to the range with your personal gun. I don't think they were ever left uncleaned long enough to get fouled.

#5, barrel life on big guns veried. The Iowas 50 caliber guns had a barrel life of 290 rounds, not as good as some but still very good for guns like this.
garrybeebe
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Posted: Friday, February 06, 2004 - 02:46 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Here are a couple more Garry, I think.

#4, I'm not sure of this but I believe standard practice was to clean the barrel after every firing excercise, or battle. Kind of like what you would do after going to the range with your personal gun. I don't think they were ever left uncleaned long enough to get fouled.

#5, barrel life on big guns veried. The Iowas 50 caliber guns had a barrel life of 290 rounds, not as good as some but still very good for guns like this.


Thanks for the answers Rodger. On # 4, more indepth thoughts here. I was wondering During shore bombardment for example, the guns could be firing salvos all day long. Is it possible for them to foul to the point where they deminish accuratsy, or cause exsesive wear on the barrel liners?
I know that when shooting a personel rifle at the range, the barrel has to be cleaned after so many rounds or the accuratsy begins to deminish. Your group opens up, and you start to get flyers. Seems like it would be the same for the big guns. interesting stuff !

Cheers,
Garry
Tin_Can
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Posted: Friday, February 06, 2004 - 04:20 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Here are a couple more Garry, I think.

#4, I'm not sure of this but I believe standard practice was to clean the barrel after every firing excercise, or battle. Kind of like what you would do after going to the range with your personal gun. I don't think they were ever left uncleaned long enough to get fouled.

#5, barrel life on big guns veried. The Iowas 50 caliber guns had a barrel life of 290 rounds, not as good as some but still very good for guns like this.


Thanks for the answers Rodger. On # 4, more indepth thoughts here. I was wondering During shore bombardment for example, the guns could be firing salvos all day long. Is it possible for them to foul to the point where they deminish accuratsy, or cause exsesive wear on the barrel liners?
I know that when shooting a personel rifle at the range, the barrel has to be cleaned after so many rounds or the accuratsy begins to deminish. Your group opens up, and you start to get flyers. Seems like it would be the same for the big guns. interesting stuff !

Cheers,
Garry


Would be interesting to know what the hot gun conditions were for those 16" guns. That would certainly limit the period of time you could shoot them continuosly.
garrybeebe
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Posted: Friday, February 06, 2004 - 04:32 AM UTC
I have photo's of 8 " gun barrels on a heavy cruiser that were just used for shore bombardment. The paint on the barrels is all blistered and burnt off on them.
They had to have gotten very hot!

Garry
Halfyank
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Posted: Friday, February 06, 2004 - 05:27 AM UTC
I've seen similar photos of the 8" guns of the Exeter after the Battle of the River Platte, the paint is completely scorched off the ends of the barrels. That might be done by the flame coming out of the end of the barrel. I know that this is something that is taken into account in gunnery control, but I have no idea how they do that.

warlock0322
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Posted: Friday, February 06, 2004 - 09:08 AM UTC
Gary:

Found this while buming around It may answer question number 2 for ya. I know it mentions land guns in it but also refers to the Naval variants on the BB's as well

http://www.geocities.com/fort_tilden/16ingun.html

Hope this Helps

Paul
ARMDCAV
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Posted: Saturday, February 07, 2004 - 07:51 AM UTC
Round life or the number of rounds a gun may fire is related to the type of projectile and powder charge used. A standard round life of 290 is based on the most common round and powder charge causing sufficant wear to render the gun tube inaccurate. The gun will be bore scoped to determine wear and then will be recertifed for additional use. it may be recertified 2 or even 3 more times. Or not. What your looking for is the diameter of the lands surface to surface, pits or cracks, and corrosion or flaws in the grooves. Some round/powder charge combos cause greater wear and may require being logged as more than one round or a fraction of a round. The total adding up to a requirement to recertify the tube. Thats how it's suppose to work and does work in peace time. In combat if your still effective, that means your hitting what your aiming at, ain't no one gonna make you stop and change barrels.
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