QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun

QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun Type 41 3-inch (7.62 cm) 40 calibre gun
Type 41 3-inch (7.62 cm) 40 calibre gun on the Japanese battleship Mikasa
Type	Naval gun Coastal artillery
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1894–1945
Used by	United Kingdom Kingdom of Italy Empire of Japan
Wars	Second Boer War British colonial conflicts Irish 1916 Easter Rising Boxer Rebellion Russo-Japanese War World War I World War II
Production history
Designed	1893
Manufacturer	Elswick Ordnance Company, Vickers, Japan Steel Works Canadian Pacific Railway Gio. Ansaldo & C.
No. built	Mk I, Mk II 4,737 Mk V 3,494
Variants	Mk I, Mk II, Mk V[1]
Specifications
Mass	12 cwt (0.6 tons, 510 kg)
Length	10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)
Barrel length	10 ft (3 m)
Shell	UK & Japan : Separate-loading QF Italy : Fixed QF
Calibre	3-inch (7.62 cm)
Breech	single-motion screw
Elevation	mounting dependent
Traverse	mounting dependent
Rate of fire	15 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	2,210 ft/s (670 m/s)[a]
Effective firing range	11,750 yd (10,740 m) at 40° elevation
Feed system	Breech-loaded

The QF 12-pounder 12-cwt gun (Quick-Firing) (abbreviated as Q.F. 12-pdr. [12-cwt.]) was a common, versatile 3-inch (76.2 mm) calibre naval gun introduced in 1894 and used until the middle of the 20th century.^[4] It was produced by Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick and used on Royal Navy warships, exported to allied countries, and used for land service.^[4] In British service "12-pounder" was the rounded value of the projectile weight, and "12 cwt (hundredweight)" was the weight of the barrel and breech, to differentiate it from other "12-pounder" guns.

As the Type 41 3-inch (7.62 cm)/40 it was used on most early battleships and cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy, though it was commonly referred to by its UK designation as a "12-pounder" gun. Italy built guns under licence as the 76.2 mm/40 (3") by Ansaldo.

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