Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1924

Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1924
Type	Naval gun
Place of origin	France
Service history
In service	World War II
Used by	France
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designed	1924
Specifications
Mass	3.8 metric tons
Barrel length	5.387 meters (17.67 ft) 40 caliber
Shell	130x674mm R Separate loading QF
Shell weight	35 kilograms (77 lb)
Caliber	130 millimeters (5.1 in)[1]
Breech	Welin breech block
Elevation	-10° to +35°
Rate of fire	5-6 rpm[1]
Muzzle velocity	725 meters per second (2,380 ft/s)[1]
Maximum firing range	18,700 meters (20,500 yd) at 35°[1]

The Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1924 was a medium-caliber naval gun used as the primary armament on a number of French destroyers during World War II.

Description

The Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1924 had an autofretted built-up barrel and a Welin breech block. Useful life expectancy was 900 effective full charges (EFC) per barrel. These guns were carried in low-angle single turrets on destroyers. They had an automatic spring rammer, but loading was difficult at elevations over 15°.^[1]

Ammunition

Ammunition was of a separate loading QF type. It was the same as that used by the earlier Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1919. The cartridge case was 674 millimetres (26.5 in) long, and together with the 7.73 kilograms (17.0 lb) propellant charge weighed 17.5 kilograms (39 lb).

The gun was able to fire:

• Semi Armour-Piercing - 32 kg (71 lb)
• High Explosive - 34.85 kg (76.8 lb)
• Illumination - Unknown^[2]

Naval Service

Ship classes that carried the Canon de 130 mm Modèle 1924 include:

• L'Adroit-class destroyers
• Wicher-class destroyers - built in France for the Polish Navy

Notes

1. Campbell, Naval Weapons of WWII, p.302.
2. The 130 mm/40 (5.1") Model 1924 at Naval Weapons.Com

References

• Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.

External links

• http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNFR_51-40_m1924.php