France
164.7 mm/45 (6.5") Models 1887, 1893 and 1896
Updated 28 August 2013
Secondary guns on pre-dreadnoughts and armored cruisers of the 1890s and early 1900s.  Used as railway guns during World War I and as coastal artillery during World War II.

Built-up construction with an interrupted screw breech.
WNFR_65-45_m1893_Suffren_pic.jpg

Pre-dreadnought Suffren
The 164.7 mm/45 (6.5") guns are in the small turrets
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Gun Characteristics
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Designation 164.7 mm/45 (6.5") Models 1887, 1893 and 1896
Ship Class Used On Pre-dreadnoughts:  République, Sufferen and Iéna
Armored Cruisers:  Dupuy de Lôme, Léon Gambetta
Date Of Design 1887 / 1893 / 1896
Date In Service about 1886 / 1900
Gun Weight 15,520 lbs. (7,040 kg)
Gun Length oa 302 in (7.672 m)
Bore Length 292 in (7.412 m)
Rifling Length 248 in (6.300 m)
Grooves 50
Lands N/A
Twist N/A (angle of rifling was 7 degrees left)
Chamber Volume N/A
Rate Of Fire about 3 rounds per minute
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Ammunition
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Type Bag
Projectile Types and Weights 1890s
   AP - 99 lbs. (45 kg)

1940s
   AP - 114.6 lbs. (52 kg)
   HE - 111.3 lbs. (50.5 kg)
Bursting Charge N/A
Projectile Length N/A
Propellant Charge N/A
Muzzle Velocity AP - for both Models:  2,526 fps (770 mps)
HE - for Model 1893:  2,526 fps (770 mps)
HE - for Model 1896:  2,723 fps (830 mps)
Working Pressure N/A
Approximate Barrel Life N/A
Ammunition stowage per gun N/A
Note:  Propellant was in two bags.
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Range
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Elevation With 114.6 lbs. (52 kg) AP Shell
Maximum Range for both Models 16,840 yards (15,400 m)
Elevation With 111.3 lbs. (50.5 kg) HE Shell
Maximum Range for Model 1893 19,690 yards (18,000 m)
Maximum Range for Model 1896 20,780 yards (19,000 m)
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Mount / Turret Data
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Designation Single Mounts
  République (18), Sufferen (10), Iéna (8), Dupuy de Lôme (6), Léon Gambetta (4)

Twin Turrets
   République (6), Léon Gambetta (6)
Weight  N/A
Elevation about -10 / +25 degrees
Elevation Rate Manually operated, only
Train about +150 / -150 degrees
Train Rate Manually operated, only
Gun recoil N/A
Loading Angle Any
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Data from
"French Warships of World War I" by Jean Labayle Couhat - Ian Allan Series
"Les Materiels de l'armée de Terre Française 1940, pt2" by Stephane Ferrard
"Eisenbahngeschütze der Welt" by Franz Kosar
"Armored Cruiser Dupuy de Lôme" by D.B. Yakimovich and A.S. Alexandrov (Marine Campaign 2007, No 5)
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Special help from Alex Baumans and Michal Derela
Page History

16 May 2006 - Benchmark
28 March 2012 - Updated to latest template
28 August 2013 - Added use on Armored Cruisers