View source for 8-inch/35-caliber gun

{{Infobox weapon
|name=8"/35 caliber Mark 3 & 4 / 8"/40 caliber Mark 5 Naval Gun
|image=8 inch 35 caliber Mark 4 USS Indiana.jpg
|caption=Crewmen standing atop {{USS|Indiana|BB-1|6}} forward port side 8-inch gun turret, circa the later 1890s.
|origin=United States
|type=[[Naval gun]]
<!-- Type selection -->
|is_ranged=YES
|is_bladed=
|is_explosive=
|is_artillery=YES
|is_vehicle=
<!-- Service history -->
|service=
* Mark 3: 1890
* Mark 5: 1894
|used_by={{Flag|United States Navy}}
|wars=
* [[Spanish–American War]]
* [[World War I]]
<!-- Production history -->
|designer=[[Bureau of Ordnance]]
|design_date=1889
|manufacturer=[[Washington Navy Yard|U.S. Naval Gun Factory]]
|production_date=
|number=
*Mark 3: 19 (Nos. 9–21, 33–37, and 51)
*Mark 4: 56 (Nos. 22–32, 38–50, and 52–83)
*Mark 5: 24 (Nos. 84–107)
|variants=Marks 3–5
<!-- General specifications -->
|weight=
*'''Mark 3''': {{cvt|29400|lb}} (without breech)
*'''Mark 5''': {{cvt|40151|lb}} (without breech)
*'''Mark 5''': {{cvt|40621|lb}} (with breech)
|length=
*'''Marks 3 & 4''': {{cvt|25|ft|4.5|in|m|2}}
*'''Mark 5''': {{cvt|28|ft|7|in|m|2}}
|part_length=
*'''Marks 3 & 4''': {{cvt|24|ft|7|in|m|2}} bore (35 [[Caliber#Caliber as measurement of length|calibers]])
*'''Mark 5''': {{cvt|27|ft|10|in|m|2}} bore (40 calibers)
|width=
|height=
|crew=
<!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->
|cartridge={{cvt|260|lb}} [[Armour-piercing shell|armor-piercing]]
|caliber={{cvt|8|in|mm|sigfig=3}}
|action=
|rate=
* 1890s: 0.5 – 0.8 rounds per minute
* 1900s: 2 – 2.8 rounds per minute
|velocity=
*'''Marks 3 & 4''': {{cvt|2100|ft/s}}
*'''Mark 5''': {{cvt|2500|ft/s}}
|range='''Marks 3 & 4''': {{cvt|16000|yd|0}} at 20.1° elevation
|max_range=
|feed=
|sights=
<!-- Artillery specifications -->
|breech=
|recoil=
|carriage=
|elevation=
* '''Marks 3 and 4''': -5° to +20°
* '''Marks 5 and 6''': −4° to +13°
* '''Marks 7, 8, and 9''': −7° to +14°
|traverse=
* '''Bow and Stern Mountings''': −150° to +150°
* '''''New York'' Amidships Mountings''': 140°
* '''''Brooklyn'' Amidships Mountings''': 140°
}}

The '''8"/35 caliber gun Mark 3 and Mark 4''' (spoken "eight-inch-thirty-five--caliber") were used for the main batteries of the [[United States Navy]]'s first [[armored cruiser]]s and the secondary batteries for their first [[battleship]]s, the {{sclass|Indiana|battleship|0}}. The '''8"/40 caliber gun Mark 5''' initially armed the {{sclass|Pennsylvania|cruiser|0}} armored cruisers.{{sfn|Navweaps|2016}}

==Mark 3==
The Mark 3 Experimental was a 30 [[Caliber (artillery)|caliber]] gun that used [[trunnion]]s and had 11 [[Hoop gun|hoops]] with the outer hoop starting {{cvt|4|in}} from the [[Breech-loading weapon|breech]] and running out to the muzzle. The Mark 3s consisted of gun Nos. 9 – 27, 33 – 37, and 51. The production Mark 3 Mod 0 had removable trunnions, {{cvt|96|-|97|in}} from the breech, 35 caliber gun that had 11 hoops with the outer hoop starting 4 inches from the breech and running out to {{cvt|43.5|in}} from the muzzle. This gun was removed from service prior to World War I. The Mark 3 Mod 1 was constructed of [[Built-up gun|tube]], jacket and eight hoops while Mod 2 was identical to Mod 1 but with different steps under the chase hoops. Mod 3 was, for one gun, lengthened to 40 calibers and was removed from service prior to the start of World War I. Mod 4 was, also for one gun only, different from other Mods in having a ring shrunk onto the breech end, tapering the breech, and with a small balancing hoop screwed onto the front chase hoop. Mod 5 had the trunnions removed and the outer jacket threaded to accept a sleeve. Mod 6, gun Nos. 52 and 82 – 83, were constructed of [[nickel-steel]] in a simplified three-piece construction.{{sfn|Navweaps|2016}}{{sfn|Friedman|2011|p=173}}

==Mark 4==
The Mark 4s were Nos. 22 – 32, 38 – 50, and 52 – 83. The original Mark 4 Mod 0 guns were identical to Mark 3 Mod 1 guns with the trunnion hoop and elevating band removed and with the threads formerly under the trunnion hoop being continued to the rear of the gun. This allowed these guns to be screwed into the sleeve of a two-gun turret mount. Mark 4 Mod 1 was one Mark 4 gun, No. 27,  shortened by {{cvt|0.66|in}} in rear of the threads. Mods 2 through 9 were for minor differences primarily for testing different mounting techniques. Mod 10 was for one gun cut down to 23 calibers and used for experimental work with high-explosive shells. Mod 11 was a Mod 4 gun, No. 72, with an [[alloy steel]] liner, uniformed rifling and modified chamber.{{sfn|Navweaps|2016}}{{sfn|Friedman|2011|p=173}}

==Mark 5==
The Mark 5, Nos. 84 – 107, was a new 40 caliber design intended for armored cruisers and battleship secondaries and constructed of tube, jacket, three hoops and one locking ring. This gun had a muzzle bell. Unfortunately, the Mark 5 proved to be unable to handle the transition from black powder to nitrocellulose propellants as the new propellant burned more slowly, which allowed pressure to build up to unsafe levels as the projectile traveled down the bore. This problem was illustrated when {{USS|Colorado|ACR-7|2}} blew off the muzzle of one of her Mark 5 guns during gunnery practice off [[Yantai]], [[Shandong]], on 22 June 1907. All Mark 5 guns were subsequently removed from service by 1908, lengthened to 45 calibers by adding a new liner and rehooped to the muzzle, redesignated as Mod 1 and then placed into reserve. Two of these Mod 1 guns were given a slightly different breech mechanism and gas seat and then designated as Mod 2. ''Pennsylvania''-class cruisers were subsequently rearmed with the stronger [[8"/45 caliber gun|8-in/45 caliber]] Mark 6 guns.{{sfn|Navweaps|2016}}{{sfn|Friedman|2011|p=173}}

==Naval Service==
{|class="wikitable"
!Ship
!Gun Installed
!Gun Mount
|-
|{{USS|Chicago|1885}}
|Mark 4: 8"/35 caliber (Nos. 69 – 72) refit 8"/30s in 1899
|Mark 2: 4 × Single "Half-turret"
|-
|{{USS|New York|ACR-2}}
|Mark 3: 8"/35 caliber (Nos. 16 – 21)
|Mark 3 and Mark 4: 2 × Single center-pivots; Mark 5: 2 × Twin Turrets
|-
|{{USS|Brooklyn|ACR-3}}
|Mark 4: 8"/35 caliber (Nos. 53 – 60)
|Mark 8: 4 × Twin Turrets
|-
|-
|{{USS|Pennsylvania|ACR-4}}
|Mark 5: 8"/40 caliber
|Mark 12: 2 × Twin Turrets
|-
|{{USS|West Virginia|ACR-5}}
|Mark 5: 8"/40 caliber
|Mark 12: 2 × Twin Turrets
|-
|{{USS|California|ACR-6}}
|Mark 5: 8"/40 caliber
|Mark 12: 2 × Twin Turrets
|-
|{{USS|Colorado|ACR-7}}
|Mark 5: 8"/40 caliber
|Mark 12: 2 × Twin Turrets
|-
|{{USS|Maryland|ACR-8}}
|Mark 5: 8"/40 caliber
|Mark 12: 2 × Twin Turrets
|-
|{{USS|South Dakota|ACR-9}}
|Mark 5: 8"/40 caliber
|Mark 12: 2 × Twin Turrets
|-
|{{USS|Charleston|C-2}}
|Mark 3: 8"/35 caliber (Nos. 13 and 14)
|Mark 3 and Mark 4: 2 × Single center-pivots
|-
|{{USS|Baltimore |C-3}}
|Mark 4: 8"/35 caliber
|Mark 3 and Mark 4: 4 × Single center-pivots
|-
|{{USS|Olympia|C-6}}
|Mark 3: 8"/35 caliber (Nos. 34 – 37)
|Mark 6: 2 × Twin Turrets
|-
|{{USS|Columbia|C-12}}
|Mark 5: 8"/40 caliber (No. 33)
|Mark 3 or Mark 4: 1 × Single center-pivot
|-
|{{USS|Minneapolis|C-13}}
|Mark 5: 8"/40 caliber (No. 51)
|Mark 3 or Mark 4: 1 × Single center-pivot
|-
|{{USS|Indiana|BB-1}}
|Mark 4: 8"/35 caliber (Nos. 81 and 82 in 1906)
|Mark 7: 4 × Twin Turrets
|-
|{{USS|Massachusetts|BB-2}}
|Mark 4: 8"/35 caliber
|Mark 7: 4 × Twin Turrets
|-
|{{USS|Oregon|BB-3}}
|Mark 4: 8"/35 caliber
|Mark 7: 4 × Twin Turrets
|-
|{{USS|Iowa|BB-4}}
|Mark 4: 8"/35 caliber (Nos. 61 – 68) (No. 83 in 1908)
|Mark 7: 4 × Twin Turrets
|-
|{{USS|Kearsarge|BB-5}}
|Mark 4: 8"/35 caliber
|Mark 9 (superimposed turret): 2 × Dual-Caliber Turret
|-
|{{USS|Kentucky|BB-6}}
|Mark 4: 8"/35 caliber
|Mark 9 (superimposed turret): 2 × Dual-Caliber Turret
|}

==See also==
* [[8-inch gun M1888]] - Army gun of similar type and era

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==

* {{cite book
  | last=Friedman
  | first=Norman
  | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yh3OAwAAQBAJ
  | title=Naval Weapons of World War One
  | publisher=Seaforth Publishing
  | author-link=Norman Friedman
  | year=2011
  | pages=173
  | isbn=978-1-84832-100-7
  }}
* {{cite web
  |url=http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_8-35_mk3.php
  |title=United States of America 8"/35 (20.3 cm) Marks 3 and 4 8"/40 (20.3 cm) Mark 5
  |publisher=Navweaps
  |date=29 July 2016
  |access-date=15 October 2016
  |ref={{sfnRef|Navweaps|2016}}
  }}

==External links==
* [http://www.gwpda.org/naval/usn14gun.htm Bluejackets Manual, 1917, 4th revision: US Navy 14-inch Mark 1 gun]

{{WWIUSNavalWeapons}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:8 35 Caliber Mark 3 and 4 Gun}}
[[Category:Naval guns of the United States]]
[[Category:203 mm artillery]]