Cannone da 381/50 Ansaldo M1934
< Cannone da 381
| Cannone da 381/50 Ansaldo M1934 | |
|---|---|
381/50 M1934 guns on the Vittorio Veneto | |
| Type | Naval gun |
| Place of origin | Kingdom of Italy |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1940–1948 |
| Used by | Regia Marina |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Gio. Ansaldo & C., OTO |
| No. built | 40 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 102.4 t (101 long tons) |
| Length | 20.72 metres (68 ft 0 in) |
| Barrel length | 19.05 m (62 ft 6 in) |
| Shell | AP: 885 kg (1,950 lb) HE: 774 kg (1,710 lb) |
| Caliber | 381 mm (15 in) |
| Breech | Welin breech block |
| Muzzle velocity | 850–870 m/s (2,800–2,900 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 42,260 m (46,220 yd) |
The Cannone da 381/50 Ansaldo M1934 was a 381-millimeter (15 in), 50-caliber naval gun designed and built for the Royal Italian Navy (Regia Marina) by Gio. Ansaldo & C. in the 1930s. The gun served as the main armament of Italy's last battleships, the Littorio class. These built-up guns consisted of a liner, a cylinder over the chamber and part of the rifle bore, a full-length cylinder, and a 3/4 length jacket with a hydro-pneumatically operated side-swinging Welin breech block. 40 barrels were produced in total by Ansaldo and O.T.O., but none survive to this day. Each battleship carried nine guns mounted in three triple turrets with maximum elevation of 35°. Time between salvos was approximately 45 seconds.