| 20.3 cm SK C/34 naval gun | |
|---|---|
 Aft turrets ofPrinz Eugen, Kiel, 1941 | |
| Type | Naval gun Coastal defence |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1939 – 1945[1] |
| Used by | Kriegsmarine |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 20.7 tonnes[2] |
| Length | 12.15 m (39.9 ft) (60 calibres)[2] |
| Shell | 122 kilograms (269 lb)[2] |
| Caliber | 20.3-centimetre (8 in)[2] |
| Elevation | -10° to +37° |
| Rate of fire | 4 – 5 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 925 m/s (3,030 ft/s)[2] |
| Maximum firing range | 33.5 km (20.8 mi)[2] |
The20.3 cm SK C/34[Note 1] was the main batterygun used on the GermanAdmiral Hipper-classheavy cruisers.
Thesebuilt-up guns consisted of a rifled tube encased within an inner and outer jacket with a horizontalsliding breech block. The breech was sealed with an 18 kg (40 lb) brass case containing 30 kg (66 lb) ofsmokeless powder with a 160 gram (5.6 oz)gunpowder igniter. A cloth bag containing an additional 21 kg (40 lb) of smokeless powder and 380 grams (13 oz) of gunpowder was loaded between the projectile and the brass case. Each gun could fire approximately five rounds per minute. Useful life expectancy was 510effective full charges (EFC) per barrel.[2]
Admiral Hipper,Blücher, andPrinz Eugen each mounted eight of these guns in 248-tonne Drh LC/34 twin turrets with a maximum elevation of 37 degrees.[2]
The four turrets intended for the incomplete cruiserSeydlitz were installed ascoastal artillery in France.The turrets A (Anton) and D (Dora) at Battery Karola on the Ile de Re (4./Marine Artillerie Abteilung 282).And the turrets B (Bruno) and C (Cäsar) at Battery Seydlitz on the Ile de Croix (5./Marine Artillerie Abteilung 264).
Eight barrels from the incomplete cruiser were given to the army and followed rebuild to20.3 cm K (E) railway guns.
| Range[2] | Elevation | Time of flight | Descent | Impact velocity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km (3.1 mi) | 1° 54′ | 6 sec | 2° 6′ | 744 m/s (2,440 ft/s) |
| 10 km (6.2 mi) | 4° 24′ | 14 sec | 6° 6′ | 587 m/s (1,930 ft/s) |
| 15 km (9.3 mi) | 8° 6′ | 23 sec | 12° 48′ | 463 m/s (1,520 ft/s) |
| 20 km (12 mi) | 13° 18′ | 36 sec | 23° 36′ | 382 m/s (1,250 ft/s) |
| 25 km (16 mi) | 20° 18′ | 51 sec | 36° 48′ | 353 m/s (1,160 ft/s) |
| 30 km (19 mi) | 29° 6′ | 69 sec | 48° 48′ | 363 m/s (1,190 ft/s) |
