RML 9-pounder 8 and 6 cwt guns facts for kids
Quick facts for kids RML 9-pounder 8 cwt gun |
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RML 9-pounder 8 cwt Field Gun, at CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick.
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| Type | Field gun |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1871–1895 |
| Used by | British Empire |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Woolwich Arsenal |
| Manufacturer | Woolwich Arsenal |
| Variants | 9 pdr 8 cwt Mark I (Land Service) 8 cwt Mark II (Naval Service) 6 cwt Mark I (N.S.) 6 cwt Mark II (L.S.) 6 cwt. Mark III (N.S.) 6 cwt Mark IV (N.S.) |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 8-long-hundredweight (400 kg) or 6-long-hundredweight (300 kg) |
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| Shell | 9.1 pounds (4.1 kg) (common shell) 9.8 pounds (4.4 kg) (shrapnel) |
| Action | RML |
| Breech | none – muzzle-loading |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,330 feet per second (405 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | 3,500 yards (3,200 m) |
The RML 9-pounder 8 cwt gun and the RML 9-pounder 6 cwt gun were types of cannons used by the British in the 1800s. These guns were Rifled, Muzzle Loading (RML). This means they had spiral grooves inside the barrel (rifling) to make the projectile spin, and they were loaded from the front (muzzle).
They were used as artillery on land and at sea. The guns fired a projectile that weighed about 9 pounds (4.1 kg). The "8 cwt" and "6 cwt" in their names refer to their weight. "Cwt" stands for hundredweight, which is a unit of weight. This helped tell them apart from other 9-pounder guns.
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How was this gun used?
The 9-pounder 8 cwt Rifled Muzzle Loader was chosen by the Royal Artillery in 1871. It replaced an older gun, the RBL 12 pounder 8 cwt Armstrong gun, which was known for not being very reliable.
The 9-pounder gun had special grooves inside its barrel. These grooves made the cannonball spin as it flew, which helped it go straighter and further. This system was designed by William Palliser. The shells had small studs that fit into these grooves.
Early Use and Changes
In 1874, a lighter version of the gun, the 6 cwt, was made for horse artillery. These were guns pulled quickly by horses. Later, this lighter version also replaced the heavier 8 cwt gun for general field artillery use. All the different versions of the 9-pounder gun used the same types of ammunition. These included shrapnel shell (which burst into many small pieces), case shot (a can filled with musket balls), and common shell (a basic explosive shell).
Where did it see action?
The 9-pounder gun was a main weapon for the Royal Artillery until 1878. After that, a new gun, the RML 13 pounder 8 cwt, was introduced. However, the 9-pounder continued to be used by forces in British colonies until 1895.
It was used in several important conflicts:
- The Anglo-Zulu War in 1879.
- The First Boer War in 1881.
- The Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882.
Some of these guns were even used by British volunteer artillery groups as late as 1901.
Different types of 9-pounder guns
Over time, several versions of the 9-pounder gun were made for different purposes:
- 9-pounder 8 cwt Mark I (Land Service): This was the first version, used by the Royal Artillery starting in 1871. Some were later changed to be used at sea.
- 9-pounder 8 cwt Mark II (Naval Service): Introduced in 1873, this version was used by the Royal Navy on ships.
- 9-pounder 6 cwt Mark I (N.S.): A few of these were made for testing. They were too short for some uses, but some were given to the Royal Indian Navy. In 1873, 45 were made to be used as boat guns.
- 9-pounder 6 cwt Mark II (L.S.): This was a new design from 1874 for the Royal Horse Artillery. It was longer than the 8 cwt gun but used the same type of wheeled gun carriage.
- 9-pounder 6 cwt Mark III (N.S.): Introduced in 1879, this was a changed Mark II gun made for naval use.
- 9-pounder 6 cwt Mark IV (N.S.): This version was similar to the Mark III. It had a steel outer layer instead of the older wrought iron, and a stronger cascabel (the knob at the back of the gun).
Where can you see these guns today?
You can still find examples of these historic guns in various museums and locations around the world:
- Royal Artillery Museum (collection is currently in storage)
- Fort Nelson, Hampshire, Royal Armouries Collection
- Southsea Castle, Hampshire, England
- North Battleford Museum, Saskatchewan
- CFB Petawawa, Ontario
- New Brunswick Military History Museum, CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick
- Fort Hughes (New Brunswick), New Brunswick
- Royal Kennebecasis Yacht Club, New Brunswick
- Fort Anne, Nova Scotia
- Fort St Catherine, Bermuda
- Australian Army Artillery Museum, Manly, New South Wales
- Fort Lytton Military Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia – has a gun and ammunition
- Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery, Montréal
- Telangana State Archaeology Museum, Hyderabad, India
See also
