203 mm 50 caliber Pattern 1905
The 203 mm 50 caliber Pattern 1905 was a Russian naval gun developed by Vickers for export in the years before World War I that armed a variety of warships of the Imperial Russian Navy. Guns salvaged from scrapped ships found a second life as coastal artillery, railway artillery and aboard river monitors during the Russian Civil War. During the 1930s a number were relined down to 180 mm (7.1 in) and re-designated the 180mm Pattern 1931-1933.
203 mm 50 caliber Pattern 1905

Неизвеитен. · Архив фотографий кораблей русского и советского ВМФ. · Public domain
- Field
- naval artillery, coastal artillery weapon and railway gun.
- Region
- Russia.
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Documentary summary
The 203 mm 50 caliber Pattern 1905 was a Russian naval gun developed by Vickers for export in the years before World War I that armed a variety of warships of the Imperial Russian Navy. Guns salvaged from scrapped ships found a second life as coastal artillery, railway artillery and aboard river monitors during the Russian Civil War. During the 1930s a number were relined down to 180 mm (7.1 in) and re-designated the 180mm Pattern 1931-1933.
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wikidata · Q16271647 · wikipedia · 203 mm 50 caliber Pattern 1905
In this article
History
History
These guns were used aboard Kirov-class cruisers or as coastal artillery and railway artillery.
The Pattern 1905 began life as a Vickers design for export customers called the Mk B and Mk C. These guns did not serve aboard ships of the Royal Navy because they had standardized on 7.5 in (190 mm) guns. The Pattern 1905 was also produced under license at the Obukhov State Plant in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Construction
Construction
The Pattern 1905 was similar in construction to the Vickers 10 in (250 mm) 50 caliber guns produced by Vickers for the Imperial Russian Navy. The Pattern 1905 was a built-up gun which consisted of an A tube, two layers of reinforcing tubes and a Welin breech block. The initial order for eight Vickers Mk B guns served aboard the Russian cruiser Rurik in four twin turrets. Later another thirty-four Mk C guns were ordered from Vickers in 1914. A further nineteen were produced by Obhukov in 1914 to replace worn barrels with only minor differences between the series.
Naval use
Pre-dreadnought battleships
Pre-dreadnought battleships
Andrei Pervozvanny-class battleship - The two ships of this class had a secondary armament that consisted of fourteen Pattern 1905 guns. Eight were mounted in four twin-gun turrets at the corners of the superstructure, while six were mounted in casemates in the superstructure. Evstafi-class battleship - The two ships of this class had a secondary armament that consisted of four Pattern 1905 guns mounted in the corners of the superstructure in casemates. Russian ironclad Petr Veliky - This gunnery training ship had a primary armament of four Pattern 1905 guns in open mounts after a 1907 refit. Russian battleship Sinop - This gunnery training ship had a primary armament of four Pattern 1905 guns in turrets after a 1910 refit.
Armored cruisers
Armored cruisers
Russian cruiser Rossia - This ship had a primary armament of six Pattern 1905 guns after a 1915 refit. Russian cruiser Rurik - This ship had a secondary armament of eight Pattern 1905 guns in twin turrets at the corners of the superstructure.
Ammunition
Ammunition
Pattern 1905 ammunition consisted of two separate loading bagged charges and a projectile. The projectiles weighed between 112–139 kg (247–306 lb) and the two charges weighed a combined 39 kg (86 lb). The gun was able to fire: High Explosive SAP Shrapnel
Chronology
Dated record
Chronology
The full dated record · 2 entries
1905
203 mm 50 caliber Pattern 1905 is classified as a naval artillery, coastal artillery weapon or railway gun.
1905
203 mm 50 caliber Pattern 1905 is associated with Russia.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.DiGiulian, Tony. Russia / USSR 8"/50 (20.3 cm) Pattern 1905 - NavWeaps. www.navweaps.com.
- 2.Friedman, Norman. Naval weapons of World War One. Seaforth Pub. 2011. 9781848321007.
References
Citations
References
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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