10-inch gun M1895

10-inch Gun M1895
10-inch gun M1895MI on disappearing carriage M1901, Fort Casey, Whidbey Island, Washington
Type	Coastal artillery
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1895–1945
Used by	United States Army Canada
Wars	World War I, World War II
Production history
Designer	Watervliet Arsenal
Designed	1888
Manufacturer	Watervliet Arsenal, Bethlehem Steel, possibly others
Variants	M1888, M1895, M1900
Specifications
Weight	67,200 pounds (30,500 kg) (M1888MI and M1888MII)
Length	30.6 feet (9.3 m)
Barrel length	34 calibers 340 inches (8.6 m)
Shell	separate loading, 617 pounds (280 kg) AP shot & shell, 510 pounds (230 kg) HE
Caliber	10 in (254 mm)
Breech	Interrupted screw, De Bange type
Carriage	M1893 barbette, M1894, M1896, or M1901 disappearing, most manufactured by Watertown Arsenal
Elevation	disappearing: 12°
Traverse	disappearing: 170° (varied with emplacement)
Maximum firing range	disappearing: 14,700 yards (13,400 m)
Feed system	hand

The 10-inch Gun M1895 (254 mm) and its variants the M1888 and M1900 were large coastal artillery pieces installed to defend major American seaports between 1895 and 1945. For most of their history they were operated by the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps. Most were installed on disappearing carriages, with early installations on barbette mountings. All of the weapons not in the Philippines (except four guns in Canada) were scrapped during World War II. Two of the surviving weapons were relocated from the Philippines to Fort Casey in Washington state in the 1960s.

In 1885, William C. Endicott, President Grover Cleveland's Secretary of War, was tasked with creating the Board of Fortifications to review seacoast defenses. The findings of the board illustrated a grim picture of existing defenses in its 1886 report and recommended a massive $127 million construction program of breech-loading cannons, mortars, floating batteries, and submarine mines for some 29 locations on the US coastline. Most of the Board's recommendations were implemented. Coast Artillery fortifications built between 1885 and 1905 are often referred to as Endicott Period fortifications. The Watervliet Arsenal designed the gun and built the barrels. A few of the first guns were mounted on low-angle M1893 barbette carriages. Subsequently, most of the guns were mounted on M1894, M1896, or M1901 disappearing carriages; when the gun was fired, it dropped behind a concrete and/or earthen wall for protection from counter-battery fire.