US Inch Calibers

[EODGUY]

I have been doing more work on organizing my documents and have uncovered some American artillery inch calibers that are new to me. So far I have found the following:
1.457 inch
1.6 inch
2.24 inch
2.38 inch
2.5 inch
2.95 inch
3 inch
3.2 inch
3.3 inch
3.6 inch
3.8 inch
4 inch
4.2 inch
4.5 inch
4.7 inch
4.72 inch
5 inch
6 inch
7 inch
7.6 inch
8 inch
9.2 inch
9.5 inch

These are all documented and are only artillery sized projectiles/ rounds. Most of these are 1890's to early 1900's calibers. It got me to thinking if there are others out there. Some of these were later converted to millimeter calibers, but were once referred to as inch calibers. Can anyone add to the list?

 

[highlandotter]

1.1 AA, 10,12,14 and 16 inch Coast defence and Navy

 

[HAZORD]

There was also a 13 inch Naval Gun, but no idea if if was adapted for land use.

 

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Yes in the Civil War including the 15 inch Dictator
There were also 8,9 11, inch mortar shells.
John

 

[Gspragge]

1.457"

Is the converted inch caliber for 37mm, used by the Army for Subcaliber projectiles. It is marked on 37x145r cases from around 1911 into 1939/1940. 1.6" is for the 42mm Hotchkiss Mountain Gun.

 

[EODGUY]

Somehow I didn't type the 10, 12, 14 and 16 inch on my original list and they were on the list I was typing from. I forgot about the 1.1 and have quite a few in my collection! Also just ran across a 3.25 inch. It never ends. Thanks for the additions everyone.

 

[HAZORD]

So Bob, I have a question. Is your list to represent guns that were accepted into service and used in quantity, or is it intended to represent any inch caliber gun that was designed and tested in the U.S.?

The reason I ask, is that I have a manual of obsolete and test guns MK and Mod that were listed for the U.S. Navy.

 

[US-Subs]

Wasn't there a 1.65-inch Armstong as well? I know its not artillery, but for a while we used the 2-inch smoke discharger on some of our tanks - qualify?

 

[EODGUY]

Jeff, The list isn't really intended to do anything but answer my own curiosity. I am in the process of slowly indexing many thousands of ammunition drawings and these are the calibers I have encountered so far. This is along with a slew of millimeter designations, and "pounders", including a 1.7 pounder which was also the first time I had seen that one. A few of these were experimentals, but almost all were not according to the drawing. Bob

 

[US-Subs]

Understand perfectly well Bob, but you opened the door and asked for the info, now what are you going to do with it as it comes? Good luck with that! JO

 

[Gspragge]

1.7 Pdr

is of course a 1.457 (37mm) projectile - someday this will all make sense:tinysmile_hmm_t:



You likely have one and don't know it !

 

[EODGUY]

I figured the 1.7 Pounder was the 37mm, but to the best of my memory (a lot of which has faded) I do not recall seeing an US reference saying that before. Thanks!

 

[US-Subs]

I'd agree with that, I've got the 1917 handbook on mounting and dismounting for the 1.457-inch Subcaliber Guns, absolutely no mention of any conversion into mm.

If you are counting mortars, don't forget that we had our own copy of the UK 9.45-inch - which was identical to the German and French 240mm's. Our fuze was described as similar to the French version, so maybe we took it from them and not the UK.