Description

Used on cruisers and gunboats of the early 1900s. Some of these guns still served during World War II in coastal batteries and on small combatants. Used a horizontally sliding breech mechanism.

Gun Characteristics

Designation 10.5 cm (4.1") SK L/40
Ship Class Used On Grazelle, Bremen (1904), Königsberg (1907), Dresden and Tiger (Iltis) classes
Date Of Design about 1898
Date In Service 1900
Gun Weight 3,428 lbs. (1,555 kg)
Gun Length oa 176 in (4.475 m)
Bore Length N/A
Rifling Length N/A
Grooves N/A
Lands N/A
Twist N/A
Chamber Volume N/A
Rate Of Fire 15 rounds per minute

Ammunition

Type Fixed
Complete Round Weight AP: N/A
HE: N/A
Projectile Types and Weights AP: 35.3 lbs. (16.0 kg)
HE: 38.4 lbs. (17.4 kg)
Bursting Charge AP: N/A
HE: N/A
Projectile Length N/A
Cartridge Case Type, Size and Empty Weight Brass, 105 x 656 mm, N/A
Propellant Charge World War I: 7.0 lbs. (3.18 kg) RPC/12
World War II: N/A
Muzzle Velocity 2,264 fps (690 mps)
Working Pressure N/A
Approximate Barrel Life N/A
Ammunition stowage per gun Early Gazelle class: 100 rounds
Later Gazelle class, Bremen, Königsberg and Dresden: 150 rounds
Tiger: 241 rounds

Range

Range with 38.4 lbs. (17.4 kg) HE
Elevation Distance
30 degrees 13,340 yards (12,200 m)

Mount / Turret Data

Designation
  • Single Mounts
    • Grazelle (10): MPL C/97
    • Bremen (10) and Tiger (2): MPL C/00
    • Königsberg (12) and Dresden (12): MPL C/04
Weight N/A
Elevation MPL C/97: -10 / +10 (?) degrees
MPL C/00: -10 / +30 degrees
MPL C/04: -6 / +30 degrees
Elevation Rate Hand operated, only
Train 360 degrees
Train Rate Hand operated, only
Gun recoil 7.5 in (19 cm)

During World War I many of the older ships were disarmed and their guns then used for coastal defense. A few ships were rearmed with the more powerful 10.5 cm/45 gun during and after the war.

Hilfskreuzer Prinz Eitel Friedrich carried four of these guns.

Additional Pictures

Sources

Data from:

  • "Naval Weapons of World War Two" by John Campbell
  • "German Warships 1815-1945" by Erich Gröner
  • "Die Geschichte der deutschen Schiffsartillerie" by Paul Schmalenbach

Other:

  • "Marine Rundschau, 1907," official statement of the RMA (Reichsmarineamt, Dept. W)

Special Help from Peter Lienau

Page History

24 May 2008
Benchmark
30 January 2009
Added picture of Bremen and deleted picture of Undine
08 April 2012
Added cartridge case size. Added pictures of casing from Königsberg.
16 December 2013
Added photograph of projectile from Leipzig