BL 16 inch /45 naval gun
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| BL 16 inch Mark I /45 | |
|---|---|
| Type | naval gun |
| Place of origin | UK |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1927-1948 |
| Used by | UK |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1922 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 108 tons (109.7 tonnes) |
| Length | 61 ft 10 in (18.85 m) |
| Barrel length | 60 ft (18.3 m) |
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| Shell | separate charge, AP shell 2,048 lb (929 kg) |
| Calibre | 16 inch (406 mm) |
| Breech | Welin |
| Elevation | 40° in mounting Mark I |
| Rate of fire | 1.5 rounds per minute as fitted |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,586 feet/second (788 m/s) |
| Effective range | 35,000 yards (32,000 m) at 32° elevation |
| Maximum range | 39,780 yards (36,375 m) |
The BL 16 inch Mark I, BL standing for breech loading, was a British naval gun introduced in the 1920s and used on the Nelson class battleships. The barrel was 45 calibres long, /45 in shorthand, meaning it was 45 x 16 inches = 720 inches long.
These weapons had originally been planned for the cancelled G3 battlecruiser design upon which the the Nelson class drew.
An improved weapon, the BL 16 inch Mark II was designed, but not produced, for the cancelled Lion class battleships.
Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth & Company at Elswick, Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness, William Beardmore & Company at Dalmuir and the Royal Gun Factory at Woolwich made a total of 29 guns of which 18 would be required for both ships at any time.
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