5-inch gun M1897

5-inch gun M1897
5-inch gun M1897 on balanced pillar mount M1896
TypeCoastal artillery, Field gun
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1897–1920
Used byUnited States Army
WarsWorld War I
Production history
DesignerWatervliet Arsenal
Designed1897
Manufacturer
No. built
  • 70 total[1]
  • 35 M1897[2]
  • 35 M1900
  • 52 coast defense emplacements[3]
VariantsM1897, M1900
Specifications
Mass
  • M1897: 7,583 pounds (3,440 kg)
  • M1900: 11,120 pounds (5,040 kg)
Barrel length
  • M1897: 45 calibers, 225 inches (5.7 m) bore length
  • M1900: 50 calibers, 250 inches (6.4 m) bore length
ShellBagged charge, separate loading,
59 lb (27 kg) shell,
22.25 lb (10.09 kg) powder[4]
Caliber5 inch (127 mm)
BreechInterrupted screw, De Bange type
RecoilHydro-spring
Carriage
Elevation40° (field carriage)[2]
Traversebalanced pillar: 360° (varied with emplacement)
pedestal: 360° (varied with emplacement)
Maximum firing rangeM1900: 12,918 yards (11,812 m)[4]
Feed systemhand
5-inch gun M1897 on balanced pillar mount M1896 (middle).
Balanced pillar emplacement for 5-inch gun M1897, Battery Boutelle, Fort Scott, Presidio of San Francisco. Photographed in 2019.
6-inch gun M1900 on pedestal mount M1900, generally similar to the 5-inch gun M1900 on pedestal mount M1903.

The 5-inch gun M1897 (127 mm) and its variant the M1900 were coastal artillery pieces installed to defend major American seaports between 1897 and 1920. For most of their history they were operated by the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps. They were installed on balanced pillar (a form of disappearing carriage) or pedestal (aka barbette) mountings; generally the M1897 was on the balanced pillar mounting and the M1900 was on the pedestal mounting.[6] All of these weapons were scrapped within a few years after World War I.

  1. ^ Crowell, p. 61
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Willi1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Berhow201 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Gun list at FortWiki.com
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Berhow88 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Coast Defense Study Group fort and battery list