Similar in concept to the 20 cm/12 (8") Short Gun, this weapon was intended for lighter merchant vessels. Also used in coastal defense batteries. Monobloc construction with a screw breech.
Actual bore size was 12.0 cm (4.724").
| Designation | 12 cm/12 (4.7") Short Gun |
|---|---|
| Ship Class Used On | Merchant vessels under 5,000 grt |
| Date Of Design | 1941 |
| Date In Service | about 1942 |
| Gun Weight | 481 lbs. (218 kg) |
| Gun Length oa | 59.5 in (1.510 m) |
| Bore Length | 56.7 in (1.440 m) |
| Rifling Length | 44.4 in (1.127 m) |
| Grooves | (24) 0.039 in deep x 0.465 in (1.0 mm x 11.78 mm) |
| Lands | 0.155 in (3.93 mm) |
| Twist | Increasing RH 1 in 30 to 1 in 13 |
| Chamber Volume | 183 in3 (3.0 dm3) |
| Rate Of Fire | 8 rounds per minute |
| Type | Separate or fixed |
|---|---|
| Projectile Types and Weights | HE: 28.7 lbs. (213 kg) |
| Bursting Charge | 5.6 lbs. (2.5 kg) |
| Projectile Length | 13.2 in (33.6 cm) |
| Propellant Charge | 1.08 lbs. (0.49 kg) |
| Muzzle Velocity | 951 fps (290 mps) |
| Working Pressure | 4.4 tons/in2 (700 kg/cm2) |
| Approximate Barrel Life | N/A |
| Ammunition stowage per gun | N/A |
| Elevation | Range |
|---|---|
| Maximum range | 5,800 yards (5,300 m) |
| Ceiling @ 75 degrees | 9,190 feet (2,800 m) |
| Designation | Single Mounts |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1.86 tons (1.89 mt) |
| Elevation | -15 / +75 degrees |
| Elevation Rate | 12 to 13 degrees per second (manual operation) |
| Train | 360 degrees (?) |
| Train Rate | 12 to 13 degrees per second (manual operation) |
| Gun recoil | N/A |
| Loading Angle | Any 1 |
- ^Hand loading was possible at any elevation, but ammunition supply was strictly by hand.
"Naval Weapons of World War Two" by John Campbell
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"US Naval Technical Mission to Japan report O-54(N): Japanese Naval Guns
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