BL 5-inch gun Mk I – V
| Ordnance BL 5-inch gun Mks I – V | |
|---|---|
Mk I coast defence gun outside entrance to the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence | |
| Type | Naval gun Coast defence gun Field gun |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1880–1947? |
| Used by | United Kingdom |
| Wars | Second Boer War |
| Production history | |
| Variants | Mks I – V |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | Mk I – II : 38 long hundredweight (1,930 kg) Mk III – V : 40 long hundredweight (2,030 kg) |
| Barrel length | 125 inches (3,175 mm) bore (25 calibres) |
| Shell | 50 pounds (22.68 kg) |
| Calibre | 5-inch (127.0 mm) |
| Breech | de Bange |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,750 feet per second (533 m/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 8,700 yards (8,000 m) |
The BL 5-inch guns Mk I – Mk V were early British 5-inch rifled breechloading naval guns after it switched from rifled muzzle-loaders in the late 1870s. They were originally designed to use the old gunpowder propellants. The 5-inch calibre was soon discontinued in favour of QF 4.7-inch.