Quick Firing Artillery

For images of the ordnance listed here, click on the appropriate link.

Designation Bore Type Length
(calibres)
Weight Projectile
Weight
Muzzle Velocity
(f/s)
Used by the Royal Navy Used by the British Army

Notes

6" QF 'B' Mk.1, Mk.2, and Mk.3 6" QF 40 - 100 lbs. 2154 - x

Armstrong's (Elswick). Used by the Army as a Coastal Defence Gun at Bere Island, Bantry Bay, and South Hill Redoubt (Jersey).

6" QF Mk.III 6" QF 40 6 tons 15 cwt. 100 lbs. 2230 x -

Armstrong's (Elswick). Used aboard HMS Blake, HMS Andromache, HMS Apollo, HMS Latona, HMS Melampus, HMS Naiad, HMS Pique, HMS Rainbow, HMS Retribution, HMS Sappho, HMS Scylla, HMS Sirius, HMS Spartan, HMS Sybille, HMS Terpischore, HMS Thetis, and HMS Tribune.

6" QF Mk.I and Mk.II 6" QF 40 6 tons 12 cwt. 100 lbs. 2230 x -

Mk.I = Armstrong's (Elswick). Mk.II = Royal Gun Factory (Woolwich). Used aboard HMS Hercules, HMS Superb, HMS Trafalgar, HMS Nile, HMS Empress of India, HMS Ramillies, HMS Repulse, HMS Resolution, HMS Revenge, HMS Royal Oak, HMS Royal Sovereign, HMS Hood, HMS Renown, HMS Caesar, HMS Hannibal, HMS Illustrious, HMS Jupiter, HMS Majestic, HMS Magnificent, HMS Mars, HMS Prince George, HMS Victorious, HMS Albion, HMS Canopus, HMS Glory, HMS Goliath, HMS Ocean,  HMS Vengeance, HMS Blake, HMS Blenheim, HMS Edgar, HMS Endymion, HMS Gibraltar, HMS Grafton, HMS Hawke, HMS St.George, HMS Theseus, HMS Crescent, HMS Royal Arthur, HMS Powerful, HMS Terrible, HMS Amphirite, HMS Andromeda, HMS Argonaut, HMS Ariadne, HMS Daidem, HMS Europa, HMS Niobe, HMS Spartiate, HMS Aeolus. HMS Brilliant, HMS Iphigenia, HMS Astrea, HMS Bonaventure, HMS Cambrian, HMS Charybdis, HMS Flora, HMS Forte, HMS Fox, HMS Hermione, HMS Diana, HMS Dido, HMS Doris, HMS Eclipse, HMS Isis, HMS Juno, HMS Minerva,  HMS Talbot,   HMS Venus,  HMS Arrogant, HMS Furious,  HMS Gladiator, HMS Vindictive, HMS Hermes, HMS Highflyer, HMS Hyacinth, HMS Indefatigable, HMS Intrepid, HMS Rainbow, HMS Sirius, HMS Immortalite, and HMS Narcissus.

6" QFC Mk.III/IV and Mk.III/VI 6" QFC 26.6 5 tons 3 cwt. 100 lbs. 1993 x -

Armstrong's (Elswick). Converted from 6" BL Mk. IV and Mk.VI. Used to replace 6" BL Mk.III, Mk. IV, and Mk.VI Guns (see above).

6" QFC Mk.II/IV and Mk.II/VI 6" QFC 26.6 5 tons 3 cwt. 100 lbs. 1993 x -

Royal Gun Factory (Woolwich). Converted from 6" BL Mk. IV and Mk.VI. Used to replace 6" BL Mk.III, Mk. IV, and Mk.VI Guns (see above).

6" QFC Mk.I/IV and Mk.I/VI 6" QFC 26.6 5 tons 3 cwt. 100 lbs. 1993 x -

Armstrong's (Elswick). Converted from 6" BL Mk. IV and Mk.VI. Used to replace 6" BL Mk.III, Mk. IV, and Mk.VI Guns (see above).

6" QFC Mk.III/III 6" QFC 26.2 5 tons 3 cwt. 100 lbs. 1993 x -

Armstrong's (Elswick). Converted from 6" BL Mk.III. Used to replace 6" BL Mk.III, Mk. IV, and Mk.VI Guns (see above).

6" QFC Mk.II/III 6" QFC 26.2 5 tons 3 cwt. 100 lbs. 1993 x -

Royal Gun Factory (Woolwich). Converted from 6" BL Mk.III. Used to replace 6" BL Mk.III, Mk. IV, and Mk.VI Guns (see above).

4.7" QF Mk.V 4.7" QF 43 2 tons 13 cwt. 50 lbs. 2330 - x

Armstrong's (Elswick). Introduced into service 1900. Used by the Army as a Coastal Defence Gun.

4.7" QF 'B' 4.7" QF 40 3 tons 15 cwt. 45 lbs. 2150 x -

Introduced into service 1900. Replacement for the extemporised guns created by the Royal Navy during the Boer War.

4.7" QF Mk.I, Mk.II, Mk.III, and Mk.IV 4.7" QF 40 2 tons 2 cwt. 45 lbs. 2125 x x

Armstrong's (Elswick). Introduced into service 1888. Used aboard numerous ships and as an extemporised Heavy Field Gun during the Boer War. Used by the Army as a Coastal Defence Gun.

4.5" QF Howitzer Mk.1 4.5" QF 13.36 - 35 lbs. 1010 - x

Introduced into service 1904. Standard Army Field Artillery Howitzer during World War I.

4" QFC Mk.I/III, Mk.I/IV, Mk.I/V, and Mk.I/VI 4" QFC 27 1 tons 6 cwt. 25 lbs. 2192 x -

Converted from 4" BL Mk.III, Mk.IV, Mk.V, and Mk.VI. Used aboard HMS Inflexible to replace 4" BL Guns (see above).

4" QF Mk.3 4" QF 40 6 tons 18 cwt 25 lbs. 2090 x x

Introduced into service 1895. Used by the Army as a Coastal Defence Gun.

3.7" QF Mk.1 Mountain Howitzer 3.7" QF 11.8 14.5 cwt. 20 lbs. 973 - x

Introduced into service 1917.

18 pdr. QF Mk.1 3.3" QF 28 - 18.5 lbs. 1615 - x

Introduced into service 1904. Standard Army Field Artillery Gun during World War I.

15 pdr. QF Mk.1 3" QF 28.6 20 cwt. 14 lbs. 1674 - x

Erhardt. Introduced into service 1901.

13 pdr. QF Mk.1 3" QF 23 13 cwt. 12.5 lbs. 1675 - x

Introduced into service 1904. Standard Army Horse Artillery Gun during World War I. Still in use with the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery.

12 pdr. 12 cwt. QF 3" QF 40 12 cwt. 12.5 lbs. 2258 x x

Introduced into service 1894. Used by the Army as a Coastal Defence Gun and extemporised Field Gun.

2.95" QF Mk.1 2.95" QF 10.6 7.25 cwt. 12.5 lbs. 920 - x

Vickers. Introduced into service 1901.

6 pdr. QF Mk.1, Mk.2, and Mk.3 57mm QF 45 1 ton 9 cwt. 6 lbs. 1773 x x

Nordenfelt. Introduced into service 1885. Used aboard numerous ships. Used by the Army as a Coastal Defence Gun.

6 pdr. QF Mk.1 and Mk.2 57mm QF 40 1 ton 9 cwt. 6 lbs. 1818 x x

Hotchkiss. Introduced into service 1885. Used aboard numerous ships. Used by the Army as a Coastal Defence Gun.

3 pdr. QF Mk.1 47mm QF 45 1 ton 2 cwt. 3 lbs. 1959 x x

Nordenfelt. Introduced into service 1889. Used aboard numerous ships. Used by the Army as a Coastal Defence Gun.

3 pdr. QF Mk.1, Mk.1*, and Mk.2 47mm QF 40 1 ton 2 cwt. 3 lbs. 1873 x x

Hotchkiss. Introduced into service 1885. Used aboard numerous ships. Used by the Army as a Coastal Defence Gun.

Key

BL = Breech Loading Gun
cwt. = Hundredweight (112 lbs.)
f/s = feet per second
JBL = Jointed Breech Loading Gun
JRML = Jointed Rifled Muzzle Loading Gun
lbs. = pound
Mk. = Mark
pdr. = pounder
QF = Quick Firing Gun
QFC = Quick Firing Gun converted from a Breech Loading Gun
RML = Rifled Muzzle Loading Gun
SBBL = Smooth Bore Breech Loading Gun
SBML = Smooth Bore Muzzle Loading Gun
ton = 20 cwt. or 2240 lbs.

For images of the ordnance listed here, click on the appropriate link.

© Robert George Cordery (2005)