Gruson 53mm turret gun M. 1889

 

 

 

 

Calibre :

53mm L/24.6

Weight of the barrel :

142 kg

Weight of the breech-block :

13.5 kg

Weight of the armour housing :

2458 kg

Weight with armour housing :

2600 kg

Weight of the  cart :

690 kg

Weight of the limber :

520 kg (empty)

Length barrel:

1303.5 mm

Length of the bore :

1121 mm – 21.1 calibres

Rifling

lenght :

903.8 mm – 17 calibres

twist :

progressive, 1 in 30 to 1 in 150 calibres

Barrel grooves

number :

24

depth :

0.4 mm

width :

5.23 mm

Armour

top :

25 mm of steel

lateral :

4 mm (front) – 15 mm (back)

Cartridge :

weight :

315 g

shelled :

2.310 kg (shell and shrapnel)

2.405 kg (case shot)

charge :

365 g of black powder

Smokeless battering charge :

130 g of cubic powder M. 89

Shell

length :

2.53 calibres (common shell)

2.7 calibres (ring shell)

weight :

1.630 kg – charge: 70 g of black powder

fuze :

percussion – 60 g

max. range :

3200 m

Shrapnel

weight :

1.630 kg – charge: 30 g of black powder

56 balls x 10 g x 12 mm

fuze :

percussion and time – 285 g

max. range :

3200 m

Case shot

weight :

1.880 kg

78 balls x 19 g x 15 mm

max. range :

400 m

Muzzle velocity :

447 m/s

Length of the line of sight  :

500 mm

Elevation :

+ 10° / - 5°

Traversing angle :

360°

Transport :

drawn by four or six horses

Ammunition :

130 rounds were stored in 10 boxes into the turret

limber : 54 shells and 9 shrapnel

Remarks :

Quick firing gun in a mobile armour housing of Gruson design. The gun was mounted in an armoured hemisphere sitting on top of a cylindrical housing for two gunners. The Bulgarian Army tested one of these guns in June 1892 at Sofia, but did not adopt it, preferring the more powerful 57mm gun.