RBL 20-pounder Armstrong Gun on:
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The Armstrong Breech Loading 20-pounder gun, later known as RBL 20-pounder, was an early modern 3.75-inch rifled breech-loading light gun of 1859.
The RBL 20 pounder of 13 cwt and 15 cwt for sea service was introduced in 1859. It is 2½ feet shorter than the land version giving it a bore of only 54 inches (14.43 calibres), and hence a short stubby appearance. Its short barrel only allowed it to attain a muzzle velocity of 1,000 ft/second.
The 15 cwt gun, identifiable by the raised coil in front of the vent slot, was intended for broadside use in sloops. The more lightly constructed 13 cwt gun was known as a pinnace gun and was intended for boat use.
A 13 cwt gun dated 1859
at the Artillery Museum, North Head, Sydney, Australia * Sea Service Pattern at Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower,
''Treatise on the construction and manufacture of ordnance in the British service''. War Office, UK, 1877
''Text Book of Gunnery'', 1887. London : Printed for his Majesty's Stationery Office, by Harrison and Sons, St. Martin's Lane
* Alexander Lyman Holley
''A treatise on Ordnance and Armor'' published by D Van Nostrand, New York, 1865
* Lieutenant-Colonel C H Owen R.A.
''The principles and practice of modern artillery'', published by John Murray, London, 1873
Handbook for the 20-pr. R.B.L. gun of 16-cwt. on garrison sliding carriage and on travelling carriage, 1892, 1896
{{VictorianEraBritishNavalWeapons Artillery of the United Kingdom Field guns Naval guns of the United Kingdom Elswick Ordnance Company 95 mm artillery Victorian-era weapons of the United Kingdom
History
The gun was effectively a larger version of the successful RBL 12 pounder 8 cwt Armstrong gun. There were different versions for land and sea service.Sea service
The RBL 20 pounder of 13 cwt and 15 cwt for sea service was introduced in 1859. It is 2½ feet shorter than the land version giving it a bore of only 54 inches (14.43 calibres), and hence a short stubby appearance. Its short barrel only allowed it to attain a muzzle velocity of 1,000 ft/second.
The 15 cwt gun, identifiable by the raised coil in front of the vent slot, was intended for broadside use in sloops. The more lightly constructed 13 cwt gun was known as a pinnace gun and was intended for boat use.
Land service
The RBL 20 pounder of 16 cwt for land service was introduced in 1860. It has a bore of 84 inches (22.36 calibres) and hence has the appearance of a typical field gun. After it became obsolete for regular Royal Artillery use, a small number were re-issued to Volunteer Artillery ''Batteries of Position'' from 1889, alongside 16-pounder RML guns and 40 Pounder RBL guns. The 1893 the War Office Mobilisation Scheme shows the allocation of twelve Artillery Volunteer position batteries equipped with 20 Pounder guns which would be concentrated in Epping, Essex in the event of mobilisation.Mobilization Tables for Home Defence, List of Militia, Yeomanry and Volunteer Units, HMSO, London, 1893Surviving examples
* An unrestored 13 cwt pinnace gun at Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence * A 16 cwt gun on board HMS ''Warrior'' at Portsmouth, UK
A 13 cwt gun dated 1859
at the Artillery Museum, North Head, Sydney, Australia * Sea Service Pattern at Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower,
Gosport
Gosport ( ) is a town and non-metropolitan borough on the south coast of Hampshire, South East England. At the 2011 Census, its population was 82,662. Gosport is situated on a peninsula on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour, opposite t ...
See also
* Armstrong gun *List of field guns
Field guns are one of two primary types of field artillery. Guns fire a heavy shell on a relatively level trajectory from a longer barrel, allowing for very high muzzle velocity and good range performance. Guns are most adequate for providing l ...
* List of naval guns
Notes
References
Bibliography
''Treatise on the construction and manufacture of ordnance in the British service''. War Office, UK, 1877
''Text Book of Gunnery'', 1887. London : Printed for his Majesty's Stationery Office, by Harrison and Sons, St. Martin's Lane
* Alexander Lyman Holley
''A treatise on Ordnance and Armor'' published by D Van Nostrand, New York, 1865
* Lieutenant-Colonel C H Owen R.A.
''The principles and practice of modern artillery'', published by John Murray, London, 1873
External links
Handbook for the 20-pr. R.B.L. gun of 16-cwt. on garrison sliding carriage and on travelling carriage, 1892, 1896
{{VictorianEraBritishNavalWeapons Artillery of the United Kingdom Field guns Naval guns of the United Kingdom Elswick Ordnance Company 95 mm artillery Victorian-era weapons of the United Kingdom