This weapon armed most cruisers built in the early 1900s, with 125 guns manufactured during that time. During World War I, additional guns were built and used as AAA weapons. Late in the war, some destroyers and submarines were also armed with these weapons. Submarine guns had many items made from brass to resist corrosion.
Before and during World War II most surviving guns were altered to take the same ammunition as did the 10.5 cm/45 SK C/32 and they were then used on U-boats and small combatants. Guns so modified added (n R) [nachgebohrte Rorhe - "improved drilled barrel"] at the end of their designations, such as 10.5 cm SK L/45 (n R). Altered guns had the same performance as the C/32 guns.
| Designation | 10.5 cm/45 (4.1") SK L/45
10.5 cm/45 (4.1") SK C/06 10.5 cm/45 (4.1") Flak L/45 10.5 cm/45 (4.1") Tbts L/45 10.5 cm/45 (4.1") Ubts L/45 |
|---|---|
| Ship Class Used On | 1907 to 1918
Cruisers: Kolberg, Magdeburg, Karlsruhe and Graudenz classes Destroyers: G96 and V170 classes Submarines: U61 and U62 1925 to 1945
|
| Date Of Design | 1906 |
| Date In Service | 1907 |
| Gun Weight | 3,200 lbs. (1,450 kg) |
| Gun Length oa | about 186 in (4.725 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 |
| Type | Fixed | |
|---|---|---|
| Complete Round Weight | HE L/3,6: 56.2 lbs. (25.5 kg) | |
| Projectile Types and Weights 1 | World War I
SAP L/3,8 2: 35.3 lbs. (16.0 kg) HE L/3,4 nose fuze: 38.55 lbs. (17.5 kg) World War II
|
|
| Bursting Charge | World War I 3 | |
| SAP L/3,8 | G: N/A
2.57 lbs. (1.17 kg) TNT |
|
| HE L/3,4 nose fuze | G: N/A
S: 1.7 lbs. (0.774 kg) TNT |
World War II 4 |
| SAP L/3,8 | G: 2.57 lbs. (1.166 kg)
S: 2.35 lbs. (1.064 kg) TNT |
|
| HE L/3,6 nose fuze | G: 1.82 lbs. (0.827 kg)
S: 1.65 lbs. (0.747 kg) TNT |
|
| Projectile Length | SAP L/3,8: 15.95 in (40.51 cm)
HE L/3,6: about 14.9 in (37.8 cm) Illum L/3,3: about 13.64 in (34.7 cm) Illum L/4,1: about 16.90 in (43.05 cm) |
|
| Propellant Charge | 7.0 lbs. (3.175 kg) RP C/12 (544 x 7,5/4)
- or - 10.47 lbs. (4.75 kg) RP C/40 (530 x 5/3) Illum L/3,3: 2.27 lbs. (1.03 kg) RP C/12 (263 x 2,5/2)
|
|
| Muzzle Velocity | 2,329 fps (710 mps)
Illum L/3,3: 1,480 fps (450 mps)
|
|
| Working Pressure | N/A | |
| Approximate Barrel Life | N/A | |
| Ammunition stowage per gun | 1907 to 1918
Cruisers: 150 rounds (later increased to 183) G96 and V170 Destroyers: 80 rounds V25 Destroyers (as rearmed): 70 rounds B97 Destroyers (as rearmed): 80 rounds Submarines: Between 100 and 250 rounds 1925 to 1945
|
|
- ^
Actual German designations SAP L/3,8 10.5 cm Spgr Patr L/3,8 Iz HE L/3,4 nose fuze 10.5 cm Spgr Patr L/3,4 Kz HE L/3,6 10,5 cm Spgr. L/3,6 Illumination L/3,3 10,5 cm Patr Lg L/3,3 Illumination L/4,1 10,5 cm Patr Lg L/4,1 - ^The SAP L/3,8 was an interesting design in that it had a large steel nose with an internal fuze (Iz) behind it. See sketch on the 10.5 cm/40 (4.1") SK L/40 datapage.
- ^Burster weights (G = Gesamtgewicht and S = reiner Sprengstoff) for World War I projectiles from "Diagrams of Great War."
- ^Burster weights (G = Gesamtgewicht and S = reiner Sprengstoff) for World War II projectiles from M.Dv. Nr. 198.
- As noted above, many guns were converted to the (n R) standard and then used the same ammunition as did the 10.5 cm/45 SK C/32. See that datapage for ammunition types and performance.
- A Note on Sources: "Naval Weapons of World War Two" on page 249 states that (n R) converted guns used the same ammunition as did the 10.5 cm 10.5 cm/55 SK C/28. This is not supported by M.Dv. Nr. 198 nor by M.Dv. Nr. 170,21, both of which state, as per the previous note, that (n R) converted guns used the same ammunition as did the C/32 guns. As the C/28 ammunition used more propellant than the C/32, the recoil forces would have been much higher. This very possibly would have overstressed the older guns, leading to breakdowns in the recoil and counter recoil systems.
| Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|
| 30 degrees | 13,890 yards (12,700 m) |
| AA Ceiling
(Flak 45 only) |
about 27,000 feet (8,230 m) |
- This data is for performance during World War I. For performance during World War II, see the 10.5 cm/45 (4.1") SK C/32 data page.
- During the Falklands Battle of 1914, these 10.5 cm (4.1") guns on SMS Nürnberg significantly outranged the 6"/45 (15.2 cm) guns on HMS Kent. Likewise during this same battle, the 10.5 cm (4.1") guns on SMS Leipzig outranged the 6"/50 (15.2 cm) guns on HMS Glasgow. However, the heavier British shells with their Lyddite bursters were much more effective than the lighter German ones.
| Designation | 1907 to 1918 1b Cruisers (12): MPL C/06 Destroyers B97 (4), V25 (3), G96 (3) and V170 (4): Tbts LC/16 Submarines (1): Ubts LC/16 Capital Ships (AA Mountings): Flak 45 1925 to 1945
|
|---|---|
| Weight | 6,020 lbs. (2,730 kg) |
| Elevation | MPL C/06: -10 / +30 degrees
Tbts LC/16: -10 / +50 degrees Ubts LC/16: -10 / +50 degrees Flak 45: -5 / +70 degrees MPLC/30: -9 / +80 degrees |
| Elevation Rate | Hand operated, only |
| Train | 360 degrees |
| Train Rate | Hand operated, only |
| Gun recoil | 8 - 9 in (20 - 23 cm) |
"Naval Weapons of World War Two" by John Campbell
"German Warships 1815-1945" by Erich Gröner
"Graf Spee's Raiders: Challenge to the Royal Navy, 1914-1915" by Keith Yates
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"Merkbuch über die Munition für die 10,5 cm S.K. C/32 u. 10,5 cm Ubts u. Tbts Flak L/45 (n R) u. 10,5 cm S.K. L/45
(n R) u. 10,5 cm Flak L/45 (n R)" M.Dv. Nr. 170,21 by Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine
"Übersicht über die für die Marinegeschütze und deren Abk K zu verwendende Munition und ihre Einzelteile einschließlich Salut-
und Manöverladungen" M.Dv. Nr. 198 by Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine
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Special Help from Peter Lienau and Thorsten Wahl
19 February 2008 - Benchmark
20 May 2012 - Updated to latest template
18 February 2019 - Converted to HTML 5 format, added (n R) information and reorganized notes
29 August 2024 - Added burster weight, Illumination projectile and propellant information
20 June 2025 - Redid Burster table and added Note on Sources