320 mm Model 1934 gun
The 320 mm naval gun was the main battery gun used to modernize Italy's World War I battleships for service during World War II. The guns were manufactured by boring out and relining the battleships' original 12"/46 (30 cm) built-up guns and modifying the turrets to increase elevation above the original 20° maximum. Each ship carried two 548-tonne twin turrets and two 745-tonne triple turrets. All guns used pneumatically operated side-swing Welin breech blocks.
320 mm Model 1934 gun
- Name
- Cannone navale da 320
- Field
- naval artillery and rifled breech loader.
- Region
- Italy.
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Documentary summary
The 320 mm naval gun was the main battery gun used to modernize Italy's World War I battleships for service during World War II. The guns were manufactured by boring out and relining the battleships' original 12"/46 (30 cm) built-up guns and modifying the turrets to increase elevation above the original 20° maximum. Each ship carried two 548-tonne twin turrets and two 745-tonne triple turrets. All guns used pneumatically operated side-swing Welin breech blocks.
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wikidata · Q3559668
In this article
Overview
Overview
Each barrel could fire two rounds per minute. In service these guns chronically suffered of great horizontal dispersion, both from the worsened thermodynamic performance of the guns themselves and from the unequal quality of the shells fired.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Cannone navale da 320 • Origin — Italy • Type — Naval gun • Is Ranged — YES • Is Artillery — YES • Service — 1937 – 1956 • Used By — * Regia Marina • Soviet Navy • Italian Navy • Wars — Second World War • Weight — 64 tonnes • Part Length — 14 meters (550 inches) • Cartridge — 525 kg • Caliber — 320 mm • Velocity — 830 meters per second (2,700 ft/sec) • Max Range — 30 km
M1934 guns
M1934 guns
The s and originally mounted 13 guns as built in 1915 and 1914. These ships were rebuilt between 1933 and 1937 by removing the Q triple turret amidships and replacing guns in triple A turret, twin B and X turrets, and triple Y turret. Conte di Cavour carried Vickers Mk G guns while Giulio Cesare carried Pattern T guns built by Elswick Ordnance Company. Odero Terni Orlando (OTO) re-bored the Vickers guns while the Elswick guns were re-bored by Gio. Ansaldo & C. Maximum gun elevation was increased to 27°.
M1936 guns
M1936 guns
The s and originally mounted 13 guns as built in 1916 and 1915. These ships were similarly rebuilt between 1937 and 1940 by removing Q turret and replacing guns in A, B, X, and Y turrets. Pattern T guns aboard Duilio were similarly rebuilt by Ansaldo while Mk G guns aboard Andrea Doria were rebuilt by OTO. Maximum gun elevation was increased to 30°.
Ammunition
Ammunition
The gun was loaded with four cloth bags each containing 44 kg of smokeless powder. High explosive (HE) shells weighed only 458 kg. Anticipated useful barrel life was 150 effective full charges (EFC).
Chronology
Dated record
Chronology
The full dated record · 2 entries
1934
320 mm Model 1934 gun is classified as a naval artillery or rifled breech loader.
1934
320 mm Model 1934 gun is associated with Italy.
Citations
References
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reference work
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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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