| Cannone da 381/50 Ansaldo M1934 | |
|---|---|
 381/50 M1934 guns on the Vittorio Veneto | |
| Type | Naval gun |
| Place of origin | Kingdom of Italy |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1940–1948[1] |
| Used by |  Regia Marina |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Gio. Ansaldo & C., OTO |
| No. built | 40 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 102.4 t (101 long tons)[2] |
| Length | 20.72 metres (68 ft 0 in) |
| Barrel length | 19.05 m (62 ft 6 in)[2] |
| Shell | AP: 885 kg (1,950 lb)[2] HE: 774 kg (1,710 lb) |
| Caliber | 381 mm (15 in)[2] |
| Breech | Welin breech block |
| Muzzle velocity | 850–870 m/s (2,800–2,900 ft/s)[2] |
| Maximum firing range | 42,260 m (46,220 yd)[2] |
The Cannone da 381/50 Ansaldo M1934 was a 381-millimeter (15 in), 50-caliber naval gun designed and built for the Royal Italian Navy (Regia Marina) by Gio. Ansaldo & C. in the 1930s. The gun served as the main armament of Italy's last battleships, the Littorio class. These built-up guns consisted of a liner, a cylinder over the chamber and part of the rifle bore, a full-length cylinder, and a 3/4 length jacket with a hydro-pneumatically operated side-swinging Welin breech block. 40 barrels were produced in total by Ansaldo and O.T.O., but none survive to this day.[3] Each battleship carried nine guns mounted in three triple turrets with maximum elevation of 35°. Time between salvos was approximately 45 seconds.[2]