Russia 8"/45 (20.3 cm) Pattern 1892

Russia
8"/45 (20.3 cm) Pattern 1892
203 mm/45 (8") Pattern 1892
Updated 16 June 2012

The guns were designed by the Obukhov factory in the late 1890s for a new class of armored cruisers. Thirteen were completed by 1901 and more were made in 1906-07 to arm the Bayan (II) class cruisers. Production continued during World War I to rearm older cruisers and coastal defense batteries. By 1941 all of these weapons had been retired or scrapped.

The gun was made from an inner tube and two connected cylinders.

Ex-Russian Armored Cruiser Bayan as Japanese Aso in June 1915
Photograph from Allan C. Green collection of glass negatives
State Library of Victoria Image H91.325/1235

8"/45 (20.3 cm) Pattern 1892 in casemate mounting on Armored Cruiser Rossiya

8"/45 (20.3 cm) gun on Armored Cruiser Bayan ca. 1917

Gun Characteristics .

Designation	8"/45 (20.3 cm) Pattern 1892 203 mm/45 (8") Pattern 1892
Ship Class Used On	Rossia, Gromoboy, Bayan(I), Bayan(II) class, gunboat Khrabry, coastal batteries
Date Of Design	1892
Date In Service	1895
Gun Weight	12 tons (12.183 mt) with breech 442 lbs. (200.7 kg)
Gun Length oa	360 in (9.135 m)
Bore Length	N/A
Rifling Length	296.4 in (7.530 m)
Grooves	0.064 in deep (1.65 mm)
Lands	N/A
Twist	Uniform RH 1 in 25
Chamber Volume	N/A
Rate Of Fire	N/A

Ammunition .

Type	Bag
Projectile Types and Weights	HE "old model" - 193.5 lbs. (87.8 kg) AP "old model" - 193.5 lbs. (87.8 kg) Semi-AP mod 1907 - 235 lbs. (106.9 kg) HE mod 1907 - 193.5 lbs. (87.8 kg) HE/Semi - AP mod 1915 - 246.3 lbs (112.2 kg) Shrapnel - 257.5 lbs. (116.8 kg)
Bursting Charge	Semi-AP mod 1907 - 20.5 lbs. (9.3 kg) HE mod 1907 - 20.5 lbs. (9.3 kg) HE/Semi - AP mod 1915 - 17.4 lbs. (7.9 kg) Shrapnel - 2.6 lbs. (1.2 kg)
Projectile Length	HE "old model" - 2.6 calibers AP "old model" - 2.5 calibers Semi-AP mod 1907 - 4.0 calibers HE mod 1907 - 3.04 calibers HE/Semi - AP mod 1915 - 3.85 calibers Shrapnel - 3.86 calibers
Propellant Charge	HE "old model" - 70.5 lbs. (32 kg) AP "old model" - 70.5 lbs. (32 kg) Semi-AP mod 1907 - 66 lbs. (30 kg) HE mod 1907 - 70.5 lbs. (32 kg) HE/Semi - AP mod 1915 - 64 lbs. (29 kg) Shrapnel - 61.7 lbs. (28 kg)
Muzzle Velocity	HE "old model" - 2,950 fps (899 mps) AP "old model" - 2,950 fps (899 mps) Semi-AP mod 1907 - 2,670 fps (813.8 mps) HE mod 1907 - 2,575 fps (784.8 mps) HE/Semi - AP mod 1915 - 2,600 fps (792.5 mps) Shrapnel - 2,450 fps (746.8 mps)
Working Pressure	N/A
Approximate Barrel Life	approx 700 rounds
Ammunition stowage per gun	Bayan - 100 rounds Gromoboy - 125 rounds Rossiya - 152 rounds

Range .

Elevation	With 193.5 lbs. (87.8 kg) HE "old model" shells
Range @ 13 degrees	12,000 yards (10,980 m)
Range @ 25 degrees	16,010 yards (14,640 m)
Elevation	With 235 lbs. (106.9 kg) Semi-AP mod 1907 shells
Range @ 18 degrees	17,600 yards (16,100 m)
Elevation	With 193.5 lbs. (87.8 kg) HE mod 1907 shells
Range @ 18 degrees	14,400 yards (13,170 m)
Elevation	With 246.3 lbs. (112.2 kg) HE/Semi - AP mod 1915 shells
Range @ 18 degrees	17,410 yards (15,920 m)
Range @ 32 degrees	22,615 yards (20,680 m)

Armor Penetration with 193.5 lbs. (87.8 kg) AP "old model" Shell .

Elevation	Range	Side Armor	Striking Velocity	Angle of Fall
0 degrees	0 yards (0 m)	9.92 in (252 mm)	2,950 fps (899 mps)	0
0.80 degrees	2,000 yards (1,830 m)	7.17 in (182 mm)	2,335 fps (712 mps)	0.93
1.82 degrees	4,000 yards (3,660 m)	4.96 in (126 mm)	1,820 fps (555 mps)	2.52
3.30 degrees	6,000 yards (5,490 m)	3.46 in (88 mm)	1,400 fps (428 mps)	5.33
5.84 degrees	8,000 yards (7,320 m)	2.52 in (64 mm)	1,130 fps (345 mps)	10.40
8.70 degrees	10,000 yards (9,140 m)	1.97 in (50 mm)	1,010 fps (307 mps)	17.60
13.05 degrees	12,000 yards (10,970 m)	1.81 in (46 mm)	950 fps (290 mps)	26.32
Notes: 1) Data for guns vs. KC-type Armor. 2) This projectile was in use during the Russo-Japanese War. 3) Data from "Gangut" Issue 7 article.

Mount / Turret Data .

Designation	Single Turret Mounts Bayan(I) (2), Bayan(II) (2) Single Casemate Mounts Rossia (2), Gromoboy (2) Open Deck Mounts Rossia (2), Gromoboy (2), Khrabry (2), Bayan (I) (1)
Weight	Turrets: 155 tons (157 mt) Open and casemate: 28 tons (28.5 mt)
Elevation	-5 / +18 degrees for all mounts
Rate of Elevation	N/A
Train	-135 / +135 degrees
Rate of Train	N/A
Gun Recoil	18.7 in (47.6 cm) for turret mounts
Loading Angle	N/A

Data from
"Naval Weapons of World War One" by Norman Friedman
"Morskaya Artilleriya Rossiyskogo Flota 1867-1922" (Naval Artillery of the Russian Fleet 1867-1922) and "Entsiklopedia Otechestvennoi Artillerii" (Encyclopedia of Fatherland [Russian] Artillery) both by A.V. Shirokorad
"Gangut" Issue 7 article by S.I. Titushkin
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Citadel Magazine
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Special help from Vladimir Yakubov

Page History

11 September 2006 - Benchmark
16 June 2012 - Added data on guns and picture of Aso