16-inch/45-caliber Mark 6 gun

16"/45-caliber gun
Battleship armament: 16"/45-caliber guns aboard the battleship USS South Dakota (BB-57).
TypeNaval gun
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1941–1956
Used byUS Navy
WarsWorld War II
Production history
Designed1936
VariantsMod 0–2
Specifications
Mass192,310 lb (87,230 kg)
Length61 ft 4 in (18.69 m)
Barrel length60 ft (18 m) bore (45 calibers)

ShellAP, HC
Shell weightAP:2,700 pounds (1,225 kg)
HC:1,900 pounds (862 kg)
Caliber16 inch (40.6 cm)
Recoil48-inch (120 cm)
Elevation-2° to +45°
Traverse-150° to 150°
Rate of fire2 rpm
Muzzle velocityAP: 2,300 feet per second (701 m/s)
HC: 2,635 feet per second (803 m/s)
Maximum firing range33,741 m (20.966 mi) with AP

The 16"/45-caliber Mark 6 gun is a naval gun designed in 1936 by the United States Navy for their Treaty battleships. It was introduced in 1941 aboard their North Carolina-class battleships, replacing the originally intended 14"/50-caliber Mark B guns and was also used for the follow-up South Dakota class. These battleships carried nine guns in three three-gun turrets. The gun was an improvement to the 16"/45-caliber Mark 5 guns used aboard the Colorado class, and the predecessor to the 16"/50-caliber Mark 7 gun used aboard the Iowa class.