8-pounder long gun
The 8-pounder long gun was a light calibre piece of artillery mounted on French warships of the Age of Sail. It fired a projectile of eight livres in weight, equivalent to 8.633 English pounds, or 8 lb 10 oz (the French livre was 7.916% heavier than the English pound weight). They were used as chase guns or main guns on light ships of the early 19th century, and on the quarterdeck and forecastle of ships of the line.
8-pounder long gun
Gonzolito · CC BY-SA 3.0
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- 8-pounder long gun
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- long gun · naval artillery
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Documentary summary
The 8-pounder long gun was a light calibre piece of artillery mounted on French warships of the Age of Sail. It fired a projectile of eight livres in weight, equivalent to 8.633 English pounds, or 8 lb 10 oz (the French livre was 7.916% heavier than the English pound weight). They were used as chase guns or main guns on light ships of the early 19th century, and on the quarterdeck and forecastle of ships of the line.
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wikidata · Q4644298 · wikipedia · 8-pounder long gun
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Overview
Overview
They were similar in design to the Canon de 8 Gribeauval.
8-pounder long gun mounted on a metal carriage with 4 plain wheels made in 1546 and used in the defence of the fortified castle of Beauraing (or Castel Sainte-Marie).
Jean-Pol GRANDMONT
Key facts
Key facts
• Is Artillery — yes • Is Uk — yes • Name — 8-pounder long gun • Type — naval gun • Used By — France, Spain, Great Britain, Holland, Sweden, United States • Part Length — approx. 2 metres • Weight — 1120 kg 215 kg (mount) • Cartridge Weight — 3.6 kg
Usage
Usage
The 8-pounder was the heaviest of the light guns. Its light weight allowed it to be mounted on the upper gun posts of ships of the line, where the timber of the deck was too light to support larger guns; furthermore, it could be mounted relatively high without jeopardy to the stability of the ship, and could be installed at will at different positions. This made it useful as a chase gun, since its load packed enough power to damage the rigging of a fleeing enemy (if used as a bow chaser) or of a pursuing enemy (when used as a stern chaser).
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- Wikidata, structured authority record Q4644298: 8-pounder long gun
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reference work
- “8-pounder long gun”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Sources and references
Sources and references
• Jean Boudriot et Hubert Berti, L'Artillerie de mer: marine française 1650-1850, Paris, éditions Ancre, 1992 (notice BNF no FRBNF355550752). • Jean Peter, L'artillerie et les fonderies de la marine sous Louis XIV, Paris, Economica, 1995, 213 p..
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2- long gunTerminology
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- naval artilleryTerminology
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8-pounder long gun is connected to 2 other published records in the VALÉORINE Encyclopedia.
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 17 August 2026.
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