| QF 12-pounder 8 cwt | |
|---|---|
 Royal Navy gun and crew, late 1890s | |
| Type | Light field gun |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| Used by | British Empire |
| Wars | Second Boer War World War I |
| Production history | |
| Designed | c. 1894 |
| Specifications | |
| Barrel length | 84-inch (2.1 m) bore (28 calibres)[1] |
| Shell | Separate QF, 12.5 pounds (5.67 kg) Shrapnel, Common Lyddite |
| Calibre | 3-inch (76.2 mm) |
| Carriage | Wheeled, box trail |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,585 feet per second (483 m/s)[2] |
| Maximum firing range | 5,100 yards (4,660 m)[2] |
The Ordnance QF 12-pounder 8 cwt was a Royal Navy "landing gun" intended for navy use ashore. "8 cwt" refers to the weight of the gun and breech, approximately 8 cwt = 8 x 112 lb (51 kg) = 896 lb (406 kg). This was how the British often differentiated between guns of the same calibre or weight of shell. This gun had a short barrel and was of relatively low power compared to the 12 pounders of 12 and 18 long cwt (610 and 910 kg), although it fired the same shells.