17:
131:
on 14 August 1863 led to 28 accidents in 365 rounds fired. Following this experience, the Royal Navy reverted to the muzzle-loader until the early 1880s. Other navies, notably France, continued to develop and deploy RBLs, but they were hardly superior in rate of fire or muzzle energy to their
135:
During this period rapid burning black powder was used as the propellant, so the guns had a stubby, 'soda bottle' shape giving easy access to either end for loading. The RBLs of the time were notably weaker in the breech region, and more prone to failure.
156:
Improvements in breech mechanisms in the period 1860 to 1880, together with the introduction of large-grain powder, caused the Navy to re-adopt the RBL as the new powder required longer barrels which could not be withdrawn into the turret for loading. A
1301:
739:
233:
710:
226:
744:
109:(launched in 1872). The Royal Navy at the time was restricted to the weapons produced by Woolwich Arsenal, so that the heaviest guns that could be shipped were the
219:
1342:
703:
1154:
575:
550:
1164:
1114:
623:
565:
158:
696:
1159:
1144:
1119:
618:
560:
545:
540:
889:
590:
516:
443:
420:
368:
298:
254:
525:
105:
899:
826:
613:
456:
555:
1335:
1033:
914:
894:
580:
570:
385:
380:
749:
1081:
530:
688:
952:
1086:
1063:
1053:
957:
769:
461:
433:
401:
1366:
1169:
1129:
1038:
1006:
535:
501:
410:
390:
128:
1328:
1109:
924:
919:
608:
99:
1206:
1201:
1174:
603:
598:
506:
496:
491:
486:
481:
147:
124:
110:
63:
1149:
1058:
1043:
986:
981:
909:
659:
476:
335:
330:
114:
59:
353:
1139:
1091:
996:
934:
904:
821:
471:
177:
162:
140:
70:
312:
211:
1076:
1028:
628:
307:
268:
263:
16:
846:
836:
1361:
1124:
1048:
991:
774:
94:
55:
841:
1101:
1068:
929:
677:
358:
273:
25:
1312:
764:
754:
731:
424:
856:
851:
168:
in 1879, but burst during trials. Following modifications the new weapon proved reliable.
1237:
1231:
1225:
1193:
1020:
875:
831:
811:
779:
322:
288:
205:
1265:
1134:
816:
719:
654:
466:
283:
278:
242:
78:
1355:
723:
447:
246:
182:
153:
and was subsequently double-loaded, motivated the
Admiralty to re-consider the RBL.
944:
187:
1275:
1270:
1257:
1179:
806:
649:
644:
192:
1015:
801:
759:
97:
of the 1870s, four of which were installed in each of the
Italian battleships
51:
40:
21:
1308:
1280:
973:
866:
150:
74:
36:
967:
345:
82:
54:
allowed much greater accuracy and penetration as the spin induced to the
669:
47:
1300:
789:
43:
793:
15:
692:
215:
93:
The largest rifled muzzle-loader carried on a warship was the
127:
into the Royal Navy in 1860 was not very successful. The
1316:
39:
piece invented in the mid-19th century. In contrast to
1256:
1218:
1192:
1100:
1005:
966:
943:
874:
865:
788:
730:
668:
637:
589:
515:
442:
419:
399:
367:
344:
321:
297:
253:
77:in the late 19th century, with rapid advances in
66:bores, and were installed in forts and ships.
1336:
704:
227:
8:
1343:
1329:
871:
711:
697:
689:
234:
220:
212:
204:Dr Oscar Parkes- British Battleships,
7:
1297:
1295:
1315:. You can help Knowledge (XXG) by
14:
722:small arms & ordnance of the
139:A catastrophic accident on board
1299:
780:Webley .455" Revolver Mk I – IV
64:18 tonnes with 10-inch-diameter
827:Pattern 1861 Enfield musketoon
123:Introduction of the Armstrong
20:A rifled muzzle loader in the
1:
148:35-ton 12-inch muzzle-loader
146:in January 1879, in which a
1383:
1294:
1155:BL 9.2-inch Mk IV & VI
953:RML 7-pounder mountain gun
125:rifled breechloaders (RBL)
95:17.7-inch, 100-ton Elswick
1307:This article relating to
1087:BL 6-inch 30 cwt howitzer
1064:RML 64-pounder 71 cwt gun
1054:RML 64-pounder 64 cwt gun
958:RML 2.5-inch mountain gun
614:QF 12-pounder 12 cwt Mk I
299:Smoothbore muzzle-loading
255:Smoothbore muzzle-loading
206:Seeley, Service & Co.
35:(RML) is a type of large
1165:BL 12-inch Mk I, VI, VII
1120:BL 6-inch Mk III, IV, VI
1009:& garrison artillery
411:68-pounder Lancaster gun
1110:QF 3-pounder Nordenfelt
920:BL 12-pounder 6 cwt gun
750:Beaumont–Adams revolver
609:QF 6-pounder Nordenfelt
400:Rifled muzzle-loaders (
73:(RBL) generated a huge
62:. Typical guns weighed
46:which preceded it, the
1082:BL 5-inch gun Mk I – V
770:Kerr's Patent revolver
604:QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss
599:QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss
551:BL 9.2-inch Mk I – VII
391:RBL 7-inch 110-pounder
132:British counterparts.
28:
1207:10-inch 18 cwt mortar
1202:13-inch 36 cwt mortar
1092:BL 9.45-inch howitzer
1059:RML 64-pounder 58 cwt
1044:RML 25-pounder 18 cwt
1016:4.1-inch 'Long Cecil'
987:RML 6.6-inch howitzer
982:RML 6.3-inch howitzer
910:RML 16-pounder 12 cwt
883:SBML 9 pounder 13 cwt
660:1-inch Nordenfelt gun
566:BL 12-inch Mk I – VII
462:RML 64-pounder 64 cwt
444:Rifled muzzle-loaders
434:RML 64-pounder 71 cwt
421:Rifled muzzle-loaders
245:naval weapons of the
89:Royal Navy experience
69:This new gun and the
60:directional stability
19:
997:BL 5.4-inch howitzer
935:QF 1-pounder pom-pom
905:RML 13-pounder 8 cwt
822:Pattern 1853 Enfield
541:BL 6-inch Mk II – VI
536:BL 6-inch 80-pounder
369:Rifled breechloaders
178:Muzzle-loading rifle
71:rifled breech loader
33:rifled muzzle loader
1211:8-inch 9 cwt mortar
1077:RML 8-inch howitzer
925:QF 12-pounder 8 cwt
915:BL 12-pounder 7 cwt
900:RML 9-pounder 8 cwt
745:1897 infantry sword
556:BL 9.2-inch Mk VIII
457:RML 9-pounder 8 cwt
111:80-ton 16-inch guns
1049:RML 40-pounder gun
1029:SBML 8-inch 65 cwt
992:BL 5-inch howitzer
945:Mountain artillery
817:Pattern 1851 Minié
571:BL 12-inch Mk VIII
497:RML 12-inch 35-ton
492:RML 12-inch 25-ton
336:13-inch Blomefield
331:10-inch Blomefield
161:was developed for
129:action of Kagosima
29:
1324:
1323:
1289:
1288:
1271:0.45" Gatling gun
1188:
1187:
1102:Coastal artillery
930:BL 15-pounder gun
686:
685:
678:Whitehead torpedo
591:Quick-firing guns
359:24-pounder Millar
354:12-pounder Millar
274:32-pounder 55 cwt
26:HMS Gannet (1878)
1374:
1345:
1338:
1331:
1303:
1296:
1249:Hales 24-pounder
1145:BL 8-inch Mk VII
1073:RML 6.6-inch gun
872:
775:Tranter revolver
765:Enfield revolver
713:
706:
699:
690:
236:
229:
222:
213:
1382:
1381:
1377:
1376:
1375:
1373:
1372:
1371:
1367:Artillery stubs
1352:
1351:
1350:
1349:
1292:
1290:
1285:
1252:
1246:Hales 9-pounder
1214:
1184:
1160:BL 10-inch Mk I
1096:
1025:SBML 24-pounder
1021:SBBL 32-pounder
1001:
974:heavy artillery
971:
962:
939:
876:Field Artillery
861:
832:Whitworth rifle
812:Brunswick rifle
784:
740:Infantry swords
726:
717:
687:
682:
664:
633:
585:
511:
438:
415:
395:
363:
340:
317:
293:
289:Somerset cannon
249:
240:
201:
174:
159:new 12-inch gun
91:
12:
11:
5:
1380:
1378:
1370:
1369:
1364:
1354:
1353:
1348:
1347:
1340:
1333:
1325:
1322:
1321:
1304:
1287:
1286:
1284:
1283:
1278:
1273:
1268:
1266:Nordenfelt gun
1262:
1260:
1254:
1253:
1251:
1250:
1247:
1244:
1241:
1235:
1229:
1222:
1220:
1216:
1215:
1213:
1212:
1209:
1204:
1198:
1196:
1190:
1189:
1186:
1185:
1183:
1182:
1180:RML 17.72-inch
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1132:
1127:
1125:BL 6-inch Mk V
1122:
1117:
1112:
1106:
1104:
1098:
1097:
1095:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1071:
1069:RML 80-pounder
1066:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1034:RBL 40-pounder
1031:
1026:
1023:
1018:
1012:
1010:
1003:
1002:
1000:
999:
994:
989:
984:
978:
976:
964:
963:
961:
960:
955:
949:
947:
941:
940:
938:
937:
932:
927:
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
895:RBL 20-pounder
892:
890:RBL 12-pounder
887:
884:
880:
878:
869:
863:
862:
860:
859:
854:
849:
847:Swinburn–Henry
844:
839:
837:Snider–Enfield
834:
829:
824:
819:
814:
809:
804:
798:
796:
786:
785:
783:
782:
777:
772:
767:
762:
757:
755:Adams revolver
752:
747:
742:
736:
734:
728:
727:
720:British Empire
718:
716:
715:
708:
701:
693:
684:
683:
681:
680:
674:
672:
666:
665:
663:
662:
657:
655:Nordenfelt gun
652:
647:
641:
639:
635:
634:
632:
631:
626:
621:
616:
611:
606:
601:
595:
593:
587:
586:
584:
583:
578:
573:
568:
563:
558:
553:
548:
543:
538:
533:
528:
522:
520:
517:Breech-loaders
513:
512:
510:
509:
504:
499:
494:
489:
484:
479:
474:
469:
464:
459:
453:
451:
440:
439:
437:
436:
430:
428:
417:
416:
414:
413:
407:
405:
397:
396:
394:
393:
388:
386:RBL 40-pounder
383:
381:RBL 20-pounder
378:
374:
372:
365:
364:
362:
361:
356:
350:
348:
342:
341:
339:
338:
333:
327:
325:
319:
318:
316:
315:
313:10-inch 86 cwt
310:
304:
302:
295:
294:
292:
291:
286:
281:
279:32-pounder gun
276:
271:
266:
260:
258:
251:
250:
243:British Empire
241:
239:
238:
231:
224:
216:
210:
209:
208:, London. 1973
200:
197:
196:
195:
190:
185:
180:
173:
170:
106:Enrico Dandolo
90:
87:
79:fortifications
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1379:
1368:
1365:
1363:
1360:
1359:
1357:
1346:
1341:
1339:
1334:
1332:
1327:
1326:
1320:
1318:
1314:
1310:
1305:
1302:
1298:
1293:
1282:
1279:
1277:
1274:
1272:
1269:
1267:
1264:
1263:
1261:
1259:
1255:
1248:
1245:
1242:
1239:
1236:
1233:
1230:
1227:
1224:
1223:
1221:
1217:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1199:
1197:
1195:
1191:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1170:RML 12.5-inch
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1107:
1105:
1103:
1099:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1004:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
979:
977:
975:
969:
965:
959:
956:
954:
951:
950:
948:
946:
942:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:RBL 9 pounder
885:
882:
881:
879:
877:
873:
870:
868:
864:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
842:Martini–Henry
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
799:
797:
795:
791:
787:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
756:
753:
751:
748:
746:
743:
741:
738:
737:
735:
733:
729:
725:
724:Victorian era
721:
714:
709:
707:
702:
700:
695:
694:
691:
679:
676:
675:
673:
671:
667:
661:
658:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
643:
642:
640:
638:Light weapons
636:
630:
627:
625:
622:
620:
617:
615:
612:
610:
607:
605:
602:
600:
597:
596:
594:
592:
588:
582:
581:BL 16.25-inch
579:
577:
574:
572:
569:
567:
564:
562:
559:
557:
554:
552:
549:
547:
544:
542:
539:
537:
534:
532:
529:
527:
524:
523:
521:
519:(new pattern)
518:
514:
508:
505:
503:
502:RML 12.5-inch
500:
498:
495:
493:
490:
488:
485:
483:
480:
478:
475:
473:
470:
468:
465:
463:
460:
458:
455:
454:
452:
449:
445:
441:
435:
432:
431:
429:
426:
422:
418:
412:
409:
408:
406:
403:
398:
392:
389:
387:
384:
382:
379:
377:RBL 9 pounder
376:
375:
373:
370:
366:
360:
357:
355:
352:
351:
349:
347:
343:
337:
334:
332:
329:
328:
326:
324:
320:
314:
311:
309:
306:
305:
303:
300:
296:
290:
287:
285:
282:
280:
277:
275:
272:
270:
267:
265:
262:
261:
259:
256:
252:
248:
247:Victorian era
244:
237:
232:
230:
225:
223:
218:
217:
214:
207:
203:
202:
198:
194:
191:
189:
186:
184:
183:Parrott rifle
181:
179:
176:
175:
171:
169:
167:
166:
160:
154:
152:
149:
145:
144:
137:
133:
130:
126:
121:
119:
118:
112:
108:
107:
102:
101:
96:
88:
86:
84:
80:
76:
72:
67:
65:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
42:
38:
34:
27:
23:
18:
1317:expanding it
1306:
1291:
1258:Machine guns
576:BL 13.5-inch
188:Brooke rifle
164:
155:
142:
138:
134:
122:
116:
104:
98:
92:
68:
32:
30:
1276:Gardner gun
1219:War rockets
1175:RML 16-inch
1115:QF 4.7-inch
857:Lee–Enfield
852:Lee–Metford
807:Baker rifle
650:Gardner gun
645:Gatling gun
624:QF 4.7-inch
507:RML 16-inch
487:RML 11-inch
482:RML 10-inch
371:(Armstrong)
193:James rifle
41:smooth bore
1356:Categories
1240:24-pounder
1234:12-pounder
1150:RML 9-inch
1140:RML 8-inch
1135:RML 7-inch
1130:RBL 7-inch
1039:RBL 7-inch
802:Brown Bess
760:Webley RIC
561:BL 10-inch
477:RML 9-inch
472:RML 8-inch
467:RML 7-inch
301:shell guns
284:68-pounder
269:24-pounder
264:18-pounder
199:References
117:Inflexible
85:warships.
52:gun barrel
22:forecastle
1362:Artillery
1309:artillery
1281:Maxim gun
1228:6-pounder
970:, medium,
968:Howitzers
867:Artillery
670:Torpedoes
629:QF 6-inch
619:QF 4-inch
546:BL 8-inch
531:BL 5-inch
526:BL 4-inch
425:converted
402:Lancaster
346:Howitzers
165:Edinburgh
151:hung fire
143:Thunderer
75:arms race
37:artillery
1238:Congreve
1232:Congreve
1226:Congreve
732:Sidearms
448:Woolwich
172:See also
83:ironclad
58:gave it
1194:Mortars
790:Muskets
323:Mortars
257:cannons
50:of the
48:rifling
794:rifles
308:8-inch
100:Duilio
44:cannon
1311:is a
1243:Boxer
1007:Siege
56:shell
1313:stub
972:and
792:and
163:HMS
141:HMS
115:HMS
103:and
81:and
113:of
24:of
1358::
120:.
31:A
1344:e
1337:t
1330:v
1319:.
712:e
705:t
698:v
450:)
446:(
427:)
423:(
404:)
235:e
228:t
221:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
