Canon revolver de 40 mm modèle 1879

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Canon revolver de 40 mm modèle 1879


Canon revolver de 40 mm modèle 1879

General Information
Military designation: Canon revolver de 40 mm modèle 1879
Manufacturer country: FranceFrance France
Developer / Manufacturer: Hotchkiss et Cie
Start of production: 1879
Model variants: 1
Weapon Category: Fortress artillery
Technical specifications
Overall length: 3.67 mm
Pipe length: 1.277 mm
Caliber :

40 mm

Number of trains : 12
Cadence : up to 60 rounds / min
Elevation range: +8 to −5 degrees
Side straightening area: 0
Furnishing
Closure Type : Hotchkiss system
Charging principle: Self loading
Ammunition supply: Manually

The Canon revolver de 40 mm modèle 1879 was a repeating gun (called "revolver cannon" in France) which was developed and built by Hotchkiss et Cie . On February 19, 1879, the cannons were ordered by the French Defense Committee. The main task was the defense of the moats in the forts of the Barrière de fer .

The gun had five barrels that rotated around an axis when the shot was fired - a crank had to be operated on the bolt on the right. The grenades were placed in an inclined charging cradle and moved independently into the breech by gravity. The functionality was the same as the Canon revolver de 37 . There was only a so-called fortress carriage with small wheels, which means that use in the field would not have been possible - or only poorly. Although there was a lanyard, long transport was difficult to manage, which was due to the short wheelbase of only 1.84 meters and the high center of gravity of the gun.

It was intended exclusively for the close defense of the fortress trenches and from 1880 replaced the mitrailleuses previously used . The gun had the properties of a machine gun , the shrapnel grenades and the short firing distance could effectively cover the 10 meter wide trenches. The cannon was placed in the casemates of the caponiers and later in the trenches (installation on the ramparts was technically possible, but is not mentioned anywhere) and in some forts it was supplemented by the Canon 12 de culasse modèle 1884 . The maximum effect was achieved up to a distance of 300 meters when the point of impact of the grenades was 150 meters in front of the muzzle. (Result of the tests in Calais in 1884). Furthermore, temporary bridges to overcome fortress moats should be fought. (Experiment from 1887 in Fort de Bois-d'Arcy .)

Captured gun from the citadel of Montmedy . Attaching to a limber is apparently only a German temporary measure.

The gun did not have a reverse brake , which was not disadvantageous because of the low recoil .

Further technical data

  • Weight of the gun without mount : 531 kg
  • Weight of the carriage with loading device and wheels: 668 kg
  • Total weight: 1219 kg
  • Bullet weight: 1.080 kg
  • Maximum firing range: 1100 m
  • Carriage length: 1.790 m
  • Necessary ceiling height of the casemate: 1.85 m
  • Closure length: 423 mm (Hotchkiss system)
  • Material: cast iron and bronze
  • Procurement costs: approx. 4150 CHF
  • Firing ranges:
with a pipe elevation of 25 °: 1100 m
with a pipe elevation of 0 °: 150 m
with a pipe elevation of 3 mm above 0 °: 200 m
with a pipe elevation of 10 mm above 0 °: 300 m
with a pipe elevation of 20 mm above 0 °: 400 m
with a pipe elevation of 35 mm above 0 °: 500 m

ammunition

Shrapnel were used as ammunition . The grenades with a weight of 1080 grams consisted of a propellant charge of 90 grams of MC 30 powder and 24 hardened lead balls of 32 grams each. The balls were packed together in three containers of 8 pieces each.

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