QF 14 pounder Maxim-Nordenfelt naval gun

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Ordnance QF 14 pounder
On HMVS Cerberus circa. 1900. Note fixed round at gunner's feet. Photo courtesy of the Friends of the Cerberus at http://www.cerberus.com.au
Type	Naval gun
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1894-19??
Used by	Various countries Victorian Naval Forces Royal Navy
Wars	World War I
Production history
Designed	189?
Manufacturer	Maxim-Nordenfelt
Specifications
Barrel length	138 inches (3.505 m)

Shell	separate QF 14 pounds (6.35 kg) or 12.5 pounds (5.67 kg)
Calibre	3-inch (76.2 mm)
Maximum range	8,000 yards (7,320 m) (14 lb shell)

The QF 14 pounder 18 cwt gun was a 3-inch high-velocity naval gun used to equip warships for defence against torpedo boats. It was produced for export by Maxim-Nordenfelt in competition with the Elswick QF 12-pounder 12 cwt and QF 12-pounder 18 cwt guns.

1 Service
2 Victorian Navy service
3 Royal Navy service
4 British ammunition
5 See also
6 Notes
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Service

The gun equipped ships built in Britain for various foreign navies including Chile.

[edit] Victorian Navy service

2 guns were mounted on HMVS Cerberus in 1897. In 1900 they were removed, mounted on field carriages and went to China with the Victorian Naval Contingent to confront the Boxer Rebellion. These 2 guns were non-standard and fired fixed rounds unlike the standard guns which fired separate ammunition. They were therefor left behind in China in favour of the standard QF 12-pounder.^[1]

In Victorian naval service in the 1890s the gun is reported as firing a shell weighing 14 lbs to a range of 8,000 yards with a muzzle velocity of 2100 ft/second, using a 6.5 lb black powder charge.^[2]

[edit] Royal Navy service

The Royal Navy did not adopt the gun, but acquired several in 1903 by default when the British government bought the battleships Constitucion and Libertad under contruction for Chile, due to fears that they would eventually be acquired by Russia. They each carried 14 of the guns and went on to serve as HMS Swiftsure and HMS Triumph respectively. In British service the guns fired the same 3-inch 12.5 lb shell as QF 12-pounder guns.

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[edit] British ammunition

In British service the guns fired the same 3-inch 12.5 lb shell as QF 12-pounder guns.


Cordite Cartridges circa. 1905	Mk II Common pointed shell	Mk II & Mk III Common Lyddite shell	Mk IV Common Lyddite shell with internal night tracer, 1914