| 16"/45-caliber gun | |
|---|---|
_at_Scapa_Flow,_1943.jpg) Battleship armament: 16"/45-caliber guns aboard the battleship USS South Dakota (BB-57). | |
| Type | Naval gun |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1941–1956 |
| Used by | US Navy |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1936 |
| Variants | Mod 0–2 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 192,310 lb (87,230 kg) |
| Length | 61 ft 4 in (18.69 m) |
| Barrel length | 60 ft (18 m) bore (45 calibers) |
| Shell | AP, HC |
| Shell weight | AP:2,700 pounds (1,225 kg) HC:1,900 pounds (862 kg) |
| Caliber | 16 inch (40.6 cm) |
| Recoil | 48-inch (120 cm) |
| Elevation | -2° to +45° |
| Traverse | -150° to 150° |
| Rate of fire | 2 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | AP: 2,300 feet per second (701 m/s) HC: 2,635 feet per second (803 m/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 33,741 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.