RBL 40-pounder Armstrong gun
| RBL 40-pounder gun | |
|---|---|
Diagram from 'Treatise on Service Ordnance' (HMSO), 1877 | |
| Type | Naval gun Fortification gun |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1860s – 1900? |
| Used by | United Kingdom Australian colonies |
| Wars | New Zealand Wars Bombardment of Kagoshima |
| Production history | |
| Designer | W.G. Armstrong Co. |
| Manufacturer | W.G. Armstrong Co. Royal Gun Factory |
| Produced | 1859 – 1863 |
| No. built | 1013 |
| Variants | 32cwt, 35cwt |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 32 cwt (3,584 pounds (1,626 kg)), later 35 cwt (3,920 pounds (1,780 kg)) gun & breech |
| Barrel length | 106.3 inches (2.700 m) bore & chamber |
| Shell | 40 pounds 2 ounces (18.20 kg) |
| Calibre | 4.75-inch (120.6 mm) |
| Breech | Armstrong screw with vertical sliding vent-piece (block) |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,180 feet per second (360 m/s) |
The Armstrong RBL 40-pounder gun was introduced into use in 1860 for service on both land and sea. It used William Armstrong's new and innovative rifled breechloading mechanism. It remained in use until 1902 when replaced by more modern Breech Loading (BL) guns.